^{33 Ref} And the king made a song of grief for Abner and said, Was the death of Abner to be like the death of a foolish man?

^{34 Ref} Your hands were free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again.

^{35 Ref} And the people came to make David take food, while it was still day, but David with an oath said, May God's punishment be on me if I take a taste of bread or any other thing till the sun has gone down!

^{36 Ref} And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people.

³⁷ So it was clear to Israel and to all the people on that day that the king was not responsible for the death of Abner, the son of Ner.

^{38 Ref} And the king said to his servants, Do you not see that a chief and a great man has come to his end today in Israel?