2 Samuel 3:22-37

22And behold, 1the 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 2your 3going 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 4he 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. 295May 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 6someone who suffers a discharge, or has leprosy, or 7holds the spindle, or falls by the sword, or lacks bread.” 30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner 8because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “9Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king raised his voice and wept at 10the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33And 11the king sang a song of mourning for Abner and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?34Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles; As one falls before the 12wicked, you have fallen.” And all the people wept over him again. 35Then all the people came 13to provide 14food for David in his distress while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, “15May God do so to me, and more so, if I taste bread or anything else 16before the sun goes down.” 36Now all the people took note of David’s vow, and it 17pleased them, just as everything that the king did 18pleased all the people. 37So all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the desire of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.