24. And Yo’aḇ went to the sovereign and said, “What have you done? See, Aḇnĕr has come to you! Why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone?
25. “You know that Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
26. Yo’aḇ then left Dawiḏ, and he sent messengers after Aḇnĕr, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But Dawiḏ did not know it.
27. Thus Aḇnĕr returned to Ḥeḇron, and Yo’aḇ took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there struck him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asah’ĕl his brother.
28. And when Dawiḏ heard it afterwards, he said, “My reign and I are guiltless before יהוה forever of the blood of Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr.
29. “Let it rest on the head of Yo’aḇ and on all his father’s house. And let there never fail to be in the house of Yo’aḇ one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
30. So Yo’aḇ and Aḇishai his brother slew Aḇnĕr, because he had killed their brother Asah’ĕl at Giḇ‛on in the battle.
31. And Dawiḏ said to Yo’aḇ and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Aḇnĕr.” And Sovereign Dawiḏ followed the coffin.
32. And they buried Aḇnĕr in Ḥeḇron. And the sovereign lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Aḇnĕr, and all the people wept.
33. And the sovereign sang a lament over Aḇnĕr and said, “Should Aḇnĕr die as a fool dies?
34. “Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into shackles. As one falls before sons of evil, so you fell.” And all the people wept over him again.
35. And all the people came to cause Dawiḏ to eat food while it was still day, but Dawiḏ swore, saying, “Elohim do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or whatever else till the sun goes down!”
36. And all the people took note of it, and it was good in their eyes, since whatever the sovereign did was good in the eyes of all the people.