2 Samuel 3:27-39
Read 2 Samuel 3 in full →27So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there ahe struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. 28Afterward David heard it, so he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29“aMay it whirl on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may bone who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread not be cut off from the house of Joab.” 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner abecause he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
David’s Lament for Abner
31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “aTear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at athe grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33aAnd the king chanted a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner die as a wicked fool dies?
34“Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters;As one falls before the 1unrighteous, you have fallen.” And all the people continued to weep over him.35Then all the people came ato 1persuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David swore an oath, saying, “bMay God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else cbefore the sun goes down.” 36Now all the people took note of it, and it was good in their sight, just as everything the king did was good in the sight of all the people. 37So all the people and all Israel knew that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39“Thus I am aweak today, though anointed king; and these men bthe sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. cMay Yahweh repay the evildoer according to his evil.”