Joab Murders Abner

Joab returns after Abner has already been sent away in peace and rebukes David for letting him go. Acting without David’s knowledge, he brings Abner back and kills him at the gate to avenge Asahel.

J²²ust then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, because David had sent him on his way in peace. ²³When Joab and all his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.” ²⁴So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away! ²⁵Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.” ²⁶As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David was unaware of it. ²⁷When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

When David hears, he declares himself and his kingdom guiltless before the LORD and calls judgment down on Joab’s house. The narrator then states plainly that Joab and Abishai killed Abner because of Asahel.

²⁸Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹May it whirl over the head of Joab and over the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.” ³⁰(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)