2 Samuel 3:31-39 - David Mourns Abner

³¹ And David saith unto Joab, and unto all the people who are with him, 'Rend your garments, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner;' and king David is going after the bier.

³² And they bury Abner in Hebron, and the king lifteth up his voice, and weepeth at the grave of Abner, and all the people weep; ³³ and the king lamenteth for Abner, and saith: -- 'As the death of a fool doth Abner die? ³⁴ Thy hands not bound, And thy feet to fetters not brought nigh! As one falling before sons of evil -- Thou hast fallen!' and all the people add to weep over him.

³⁵ And all the people come to cause David to eat bread while yet day, and David sweareth, saying, 'Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add, for -- before the going in of the sun, I taste no bread or any other thing.' ³⁶ And all the people have discerned it, and it is good in their eyes, as all that the king hath done is good in the eyes of all the people; ³⁷ and all the people know, even all Israel, in that day, that it hath not been from the king -- to put to death Abner son of Ner.

³⁸ And the king saith unto his servants, 'Do ye not know that a prince and a great one hath fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹ and I to-day am tender, and an anointed king: and these men, sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me; Jehovah doth recompense to the doer of the evil according to his evil.'