2 Samuel 3:37-39

New Catholic Bible

³⁷ Therefore, on that day the people and all Israel were fully convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner, the son of Ner.

³⁸ Then the king said to his servants: “You surely must realize that a prince and a great warrior has fallen this day in Israel. ³⁹ And today, even though I have been anointed as the king, I feel weak and powerless with the realization that these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer as his evil crimes deserve.”