2 Samuel 3:32-39 ▼

32 They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33 The king lamented for Abner, and said, |Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34 Your hands were not bound in chains, your feet were not put into fetters. As a man falls before the ruthless, so you fell.| All the people wept again over him.

35 Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, |God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.|

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased the people.

37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

38 The king said to his servants, |Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

39 I am this day weak, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.|