2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2 Samuel 3:28 Joab is apparently too important and useful for David to punish him for killing Abner. Instead David curses Joab and publicly mourns Abner, having a funeral for him and chanting a lament for him. This is the only funeral described in detail in the OT. Because of Abner’s relationship to Saul, it was important for David and his future kingdom that all Israel know it was not David’s will to put Abner to death.

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