26 Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well at Sirah, but David didn’t know anything of this.
27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside next to the gate to speak with him in private. But instead Joab stabbed Abner in the stomach, and he died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
28 When David heard about this later, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the shedding of the blood of Abner, Ner’s son.
29 May it fall upon the head of Joab and his entire family tree! May Joab’s family never be without someone with a discharge or a skin disease, someone who uses a crutch, someone who dies by the sword, or someone who is hungry!"
30 So that is how Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner, because he killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 Then David ordered Joab and all the troops who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on funeral clothes! Mourn for Abner!" King David himself walked behind the body.
32 They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner’s grave. All the troops cried too.