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2 Samuel / Joab Murders Abner; David's Protest and Mourning
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An Amalekite Reports Saul and Jonathan's Death David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan David Anointed King of Judah at Hebron Ish‑Bosheth Made King; Civil War with David Begins Abner Seeks Alliance with David Joab Murders Abner; David's Protest and Mourning Ish‑Bosheth Assassinated David Anointed King over All Israel David Captures Jerusalem and Establishes His House David's Victories over the Philistines Bringing the Ark to Jerusalem; Uzzah's Death and David's Joy God's Covenant with David David's Prayer of Thanksgiving for God's Promise David's Military Victories David's Officials and Mighty Men David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth War with the Ammonites and Syrians David and Bathsheba; the Death of Uriah Nathan Rebukes David; Judgment and Aftermath Amnon's Crime against Tamar Absalom Kills Amnon and Flees Joab Secures Absalom's Return and Reconciliation Absalom's Conspiracy and Rise to Power David Flees Jerusalem; Loyal Followers Accompany Him Ziba Brings Provisions to David Shimei Curses David as He Flees Counsel in Absalom's Court; Ahithophel's Plan and Hushai's Counterplot Battle in the Forest of Ephraim and Absalom's Death Reports of Victory and David's Grief for Absalom David's Return to Jerusalem; Reconciliation and Disputes Sheba's Revolt and Its Suppression Famine and the Gibeonites' Demand; Saul's Descendants Executed David's Battles with the Philistines and the Valor of His Men David's Song of Deliverance David's Final Oracle The Deeds of David's Mighty Warriors David's Census and the Resulting Plague David Purchases the Threshing Floor; Sacrifice and End of Plague

Joab Murders Abner; David's Protest and Mourning

2 Samuel 3:22-39

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Chapter 3
22 Look, the servants of David and Joab came from the raiding band, and they brought much spoil with them. But Abner is not with David in Hebron, for they sent him away and he went in peace. 23 And when Joab and all the army that was with him came, they told Joab, saying, "Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace." 24 And Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him away and he went away?" 25 You know Abner son of Ner. He came to deceive you, to learn about your going out and your coming in, and to learn about everything you are doing. 26 Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. David did not know. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and struck him there in the fifth rib, so that he died, for the blood of his brother Asahel. 28 And David heard afterward and said, "I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever from the blood of Abner son of Ner." 29 Let them be unclean upon the head of Joab and upon all the house of his father, and let it be cut off from the house of Joab: zab and leper and one holding the spindle and one fallen by the sword and one lacking bread. 30 And Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put Asahel their brother to death in Gibeon in the warfare. 31 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your garments and gird yourselves with sackcloth and mourn before Abner." And King David walked behind the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king lifted his voice and wept at Abner's tomb, and all the people wept. 33 And the king lamented over Abner and said, "Should Abner die like the death of a fool?" 34 Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into bronze fetters. They approached like the falling of a son of a burnt offering—you have fallen. And all the people added to their weeping over him. 35 And all the people came to make David eat bread while it was still day, and David swore, saying, "May God do so to me and more also, if before the sun goes down I taste bread or anything at all." 36 And all the people recognized it, and it was good in their eyes—all that the king did was good in the eyes of all the people. 37 And all the people knew, even all Israel, on that day, that it was not from the king to put Abner son of Ner to death. 38 And the king said to his servants: "Do you not know that a chief and great one has fallen this day in Israel?" 39 And today I am tender and anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are harder than I. May the LORD repay the doer of evil according to his evil.