19. Abner spoke also to the people of the tribe of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tell David what the people of Benjamin and of Israel had agreed to do.
20. When Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, David gave a feast for them.
21. Abner told David, “I will go now and win all Israel over to Your Majesty. They will accept you as king, and then you will get what you have wanted and will rule over the whole land.” David gave Abner a guarantee of safety and sent him on his way.
22. Later on Joab and David's other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them. Abner, however, was no longer there at Hebron with David, because David had sent him away with a guarantee of safety.
23. When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety.
24. So Joab went to the king and said to him, “What have you done? Abner came to you — why did you let him go like that?
25. He came here to deceive you and to find out everything you do and everywhere you go. Surely you know that!”