24 Then Joab came to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.
26 And when Joab had gone out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.
27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there under the fifth rib, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David himself followed the bier.