33. The king sang a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner have died the death of a fool?
34. Your hands were not tied and your feet were not in contact with bronze fetters. You have fallen as one who falls before sons of wickedness.” Then all the people wept over him again.
35. Then all the people came to give David food. Still on that day, David swore, “May God punish me if I taste food or anything before the sun goes down.”
36. All the people noticed, and it was good in their eyes, as everything that the king did was good in the eyes of all the people.
37. Then all the people and all of Israel realized on that day that the king had not desired to kill Abner the son of Ner.
38. Then the king said to his servants, “Did you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel?
39. I am weak today even though anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are crueler than I am. May Yahweh pay them back for doing wickedness according to their own wickedness.”