Joab Murders Abner

²⁶When Joab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. ²⁷And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, pand there he struck him qin the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ²⁹rMay it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without sone who has a discharge or who is tleprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because uhe had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner

³¹Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, v“Tear your clothes and wput on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. ³²They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. ³³And the king xlamented for Abner, saying,

y“Should Abner die zas a fool dies?

³⁴Your hands were not bound;

your feet were not fettered;

as one falls before the wicked

you have fallen.”

And all the people wept again over him. ³⁵Then all the people came ato persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, b“God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ctill the sun goes down!” ³⁶And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹And I was gentle today, though anointed king. dThese men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. eThe Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”

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