2 Samuel 3:28-35

New International Version

²⁸ Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent^(A) before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹ May his blood^(B) fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family!^(C) May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore^(D) or leprosy^[a] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”

³⁰ (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth^(E) and walk in mourning^(F) in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. ³² They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept^(G) aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

³³ The king sang this lament^(H) for Abner:

And all the people wept over him again.

³⁵ Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(J) if I taste bread^(K) or anything else before the sun sets!”