2 Samuel 3:12-29

12Then Abner sent messengers to David at his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” 13And he said, “Good! I will make a covenant with you, only I require one thing of you, 1namely, that 2you shall not see my face unless you 3first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see 4me.” 14So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed 5for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15Ish-bosheth sent men and 6had her taken from her husband, from 7Paltiel the son of Laish. 16And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, 8following her as far as 9Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.

17Now Abner had a 10consultation with 11the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken regarding David, saying, ‘12By the hand of My servant David 13I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hands of all their enemies.’” 19Abner also spoke 14to Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak 15to David in Hebron everything that seemed good to Israel and to 16the entire house of Benjamin.

20Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David held a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21Abner said to David, “Let me set out and go and 17gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that 18you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David let Abner go, and he went in peace.

22And behold, 19the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought a large amount of plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, since he had let him go, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they informed Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go on his way, and he has gone in peace.” 24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you let him go, so that he is already gone? 25You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to gain your confidence, and to learn of 20your 21going out and coming in and to find out everything that you are doing.”

26When Joab left David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know about it. 27So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there 22he struck him in the belly, so that he died on account of the blood of his brother Asahel. 28Afterward, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 2923May it turn upon the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there not be eliminated from the house of Joab 24someone who suffers a discharge, or has leprosy, or 25holds the spindle, or falls by the sword, or lacks bread.”