16. Her husband went with her and cried over her all the way to Bahurim. “Go home,” Abner told him. So he went home.
17. Meanwhile, Abner sent the following message to the leaders of Israel: “For some time now you’ve wanted to make David your king.
18. Do it now, because the Lord said about David: ‘I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their other enemies through my servant David.’”
19. Abner also spoke specifically to the people of Benjamin.Then Abner went directly to David in Hebron to tell him everything Israel and the entire tribe of Benjamin had approved.
20. So Abner came with 20 men to David in Hebron, and David had a feast for Abner and his men.
21. Abner told David, “I must go now so that I can gather all Israel for you, Your Majesty. They will make a treaty with you, and you will rule everything your heart desires.” Then David dismissed Abner, who left peacefully.
22. Just then David’s men and Joab were coming home from a raid with a lot of goods. Abner had been dismissed, so he was no longer with David in Hebron.
23. When Joab came back with the whole army, he was told, “Ner’s son Abner came to the king, but David dismissed him, and Abner left peacefully.”
24. Then Joab went to the king and asked, “What have you done? Abner came to see you. Why did you dismiss him and let him get away?
25. Certainly you must know that Ner’s son Abner came to deceive you, to find out about your movements and learn everything you’re doing!”
26. After leaving David, Joab sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the cistern of Sirah without David knowing about it.
27. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway as if to talk to him privately. There he stabbed Abner in the belly. Abner died because he spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
28. Later when David heard about it, he said, “As far as the Lord is concerned, my kingdom and I are forever innocent of spilling the blood of Ner’s son Abner.
29. May the blame fall on the head of Joab and all of his family. May there always be members of Joab’s family who have oozing sores and skin diseases, who can only work a spindle, who die in battle, and who never have any food.”
30. (Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31. David told Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David followed the open casket.