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.
32. They buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly at Abner’s grave, and all the people cried.
33. The king sang a funeral song for Abner:Should Abner die like a godless fool?
34. Your hands were not tied.Your feet were not chained.You fell as one falls in front of wicked men.And all the people continued to cry for him.
35. That entire day all the people tried to get David to eat some food. But David had taken an oath: “May God strike me dead if I taste any food or anything else before the sun goes down.”
36. Then all the people understood and approved of this, as all the people approved of everything the king did.
37. That day all the people of Israel knew the king wasn’t responsible for killing Ner’s son Abner.
38. The king said to his officers, “Don’t you know that today a leader, a great man, has fallen in Israel?
39. Today I’m weak, though I’m the anointed king. These men, Zeruiah’s sons, are too cruel for me. May the Lord repay this evildoer as his evil deeds deserve.”