³⁰ So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because ^(A)he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

⁴ When ^(A)the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^(B)“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^(C)Justice^[a] has not allowed him to live.”

¹⁹ And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. ²⁰ Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” ²¹ Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. ²² And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” ²³ But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him ^(A)in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.