14. Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, saying, "Restore my wife Michal, whom I espoused to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."
15. Therefore, Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.
16. And her husband was following her, weeping, as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, "Go and return." And he returned.
17. Likewise, Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying: "As much yesterday as the day before, you were seeking David, so that he might reign over you.
18. Therefore, accomplish it now. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying: 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and of all their enemies.' "
19. Then Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And he went away, so that he might speak to David in Hebron all that would be pleasing to Israel and to all of Benjamin.
20. And he went to David in Hebron with twenty men. And David made a feast for Abner, and for his men who had arrived with him.
21. And Abner said to David, "I will rise up, so that I may gather all of Israel to you, my lord the king, and so that I may enter into a pact with you, and so that you may reign over all, just as your soul desires." Then, when David had led Abner away, and he had departed in peace,
22. immediately the servants of David and of Joab arrived, after having slain robbers, with exceedingly great spoils. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. For by then he had sent him away, and he had set out in peace.
23. And Joab, and the entire army that was with him, had arrived afterward. And so, it was reported to Joab, explaining that Abner, the son of Ner, went to the king, and he dismissed him, and he went away in peace.
24. And Joab entered to the king, and he said: "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him, so that he has gone and departed?
25. Do you not know, about Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to you for this, so that he might deceive you, and might know of your departure and your return, and so that he might know all that you do?"
26. And so, Joab, going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and he brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, without David knowing.
27. And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him alone to the middle of the gate, so that he might speak to him, but with deceit. And there, he stabbed him in the groin, and he died, in revenge for the blood of Asahel, his brother.
28. And when David had heard of it, now that the matter was done, he said: "I and my kingdom are clean before the Lord, even forever, of the blood of Abner, the son of Ner.
29. And may it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon the entire house of his father. And may there not fail to be, in the house of Joab, one who suffers from a flow of seed, or one who is leprous, or one who is effeminate, or one who falls by the sword, or one who is in need of bread."