2 Samuel 3:31 - 3:39

David’s Lament for Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 Thus 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 And the king chanted a lament for Abner and said,

“Should Abner die as a wicked fool dies?

Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters;

As one falls before the unrighteous, you have fallen.”

And all the people continued to weep over him. 35 Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David swore an oath, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it was good in their sight, just as everything the king did was good in the sight of all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel knew that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Thus I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. May Yahweh repay the evildoer according to his evil.”

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