II Samuel 03 David mourns Abner's death

 II Samuel 03

David mourns Abner's death

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Tear off your garments; and gird yourselves with sacks and go weeping before Abner. And King David is following the coffin.

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

33 And the king, weeping to Abner, said, Abner is not dead; how does the villain die?

34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet laden with shackles of brass, but you fell as those who fall before the children of iniquity! So all the people cried a lot more for him.

35 Then all the people came to make David eat bread, and it was still day, but David swore, saying, So do God for me, and so much more, if, before the sun goes down, I taste bread or something.

36 What the people understood, seemed good in their eyes, just as all that the king did, seemed good in the eyes of all the people.

37 And all the people and all Israel understood in that day that it was not of the king that they should slay Abner the son of Ner.

38 Then said the king to his servants, Know ye not that a prince and a great one have fallen in Israel this day?

39 That I am yet tender, though anointed king; these men, sons of Zeruiah, are harder than I: the Lord will pay the wrongdoer according to his wickedness.