nkjv 2Samuel:3:22-39 SEEK
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At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them .
But Abner was not with David in Hebron ,
for he had sent him away ,
and he had gone in peace .
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When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come ,
they told Joab ,
saying , "
Abner the son of Ner came to the king ,
and he sent him away ,
and he has gone in peace ."
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Then Joab came to the king and said , "
What have you done ?
Look ,
Abner came to you ;
why is it that you sent him away ,
and he has already gone ?
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Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you ,
to know your going out and your coming in ,
and to know all that you are doing ."
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And when Joab had gone from David '
s presence ,
he sent messengers after Abner ,
who brought him back from the well of Sirah .
But David did not know it .
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Now when Abner had returned to Hebron ,
Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately ,
and there stabbed him in the stomach ,
so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother .
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Afterward ,
when David heard it ,
he said , "
My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner .
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Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father '
s house ;
and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper ,
who leans on a staff or falls by the sword ,
or who lacks bread ."
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So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner ,
because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle .
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Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him , "
Tear your clothes ,
gird yourselves with sackcloth ,
and mourn for Abner ."
And King David followed the coffin .
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So they buried Abner in Hebron ;
and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner ,
and all the people wept .
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And the king sang a lament over Abner and said : "
Should Abner die as a fool dies ?
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Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters ;
As a man falls before wicked men ,
so you fell ."
Then all the people wept over him again .
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And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day ,
David took an oath ,
saying , "
God do so to me ,
and more also ,
if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down !"
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Now all the people took note of it ,
and it pleased them ,
since whatever the king did pleased all the people .
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For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king '
s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner .
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Then the king said to his servants , "
Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel ?
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And I am weak today ,
though anointed king ;
and these men ,
the sons of Zeruiah ,
are too harsh for me .
The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness ."