22And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from the band and brought much spoil with them. Abner, however, was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away and he had gone in peace.23Joab and all the army that was with him came, and they reported to Joab, saying, Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away and he went in peace.24Joab came to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you send him away so that he went?25You know Abner son of Ner, that he came to entice you, to learn your going out and your coming in, and to learn all that you do.26Joab went out from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the Cistern of Sirah, but David did not know.27Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab drew him aside to the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.28When David heard of it afterward he said, I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever from the blood of Abner son of Ner.29May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may there never be cut off from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, one who is leprous, one who holds a spindle, one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks bread.30Joab and Abishai his brother had killed Abner because he killed Asahel their brother at Gibeon in battle.31David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner. And King David walked behind the bier.32They buried Abner in Hebron. The king lifted his voice and wept at Abner's grave, and all the people wept.33The king chanted a lament over Abner and said, Should Abner die the death of a fool?34Your hands were not bound and your feet were not put into bronze fetters. As one falls before the sons of injustice, so you fell. And all the people continued to weep over him.35All the people came to give David food while it was still day, and David swore, Thus may God do to me and more also if I taste bread or anything before the sun sets.36All the people perceived this and approved of all that the king had done in their sight; it pleased them.37All the people and all Israel understood on that day that the king had not ordered the killing of Abner son of Ner.38The king said to his servants, Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?39I am still young and newly anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too severe for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil.