14. David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines.”
15. So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish.
16. Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.
17. Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king.
18. Now is the time! For the lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’”
19. Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.
20. When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.
21. Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.” So David sent Abner safely on his way.
22. But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David’s troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them.
23. When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.
24. Joab rushed to the king and demanded, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away?
25. You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you’re doing!”
26. Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it.
27. When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.
28. When David heard about it, he declared, “I vow by the lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner.
29. Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!”
30. So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.
31. Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave.
32. They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside.
33. Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner:“Should Abner have died as fools die?