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.)