2 Samuel 3:26-28

Complete Jewish Bible

²⁶ After leaving David, Yo’av sent messengers after Avner, and they brought him back from the water cistern at Sirah without David’s knowledge. ²⁷ Upon Avner’s return to Hevron, Yo’av took him aside into the space between the outer and inner city gates as if to speak with him privately; and there he struck him in the groin, so that he died — thus avenging the death of ‘Asah’el his brother.

²⁸ Afterwards, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent of the death of Avner the son of Ner.