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.”