30. Joab and Abishai his brother had been lying in wait for Abner because he killed Asahel their brother in battle at Gibeon.
31. Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” King David himself followed the bier.
32. When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
33. And the king sang this lament over Abner:Should Abner have died like a fool?
34. Your hands were not bound with chains,nor your feet placed in fetters;As one falls before the wicked, you fell.And all the people continued to weep for him.
35. Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, “May God do thus to me, and more, if before the sun goes down I eat bread or anything else.”
36. All the people noted this with approval, just as everything the king did met with their approval.
37. So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that it was not the king’s doing that Abner, son of Ner, was put to death.
38. The king then said to his servants: “Do you not know that a prince, a great man, has fallen today in Israel.
39. Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed.”