Joab Strikes Abner

²⁶ Then Joab came out from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. ²⁷ So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there ^(A)he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸ Afterward David heard it, so he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ^29 (B)May it whirl on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may ^(C)one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread not be cut off from the house of Joab.” ³⁰ So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner ^(D)because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.