24. So Joab went to the king and said: “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why did you let him get away?
25. Don’t you know Abner? He came to trick you, to learn your comings and goings, to learn everything you do.”
26. Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner to bring him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know.
27. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died for the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
28. Later David heard of it and said: “Before the Lord, I and my kingdom are forever innocent.