¹⁶ But her husband followed her to Bahurim. He was crying all the way. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he did.

¹⁷ Abner talked with the elders of Israel. He said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸ Now do it! The Lord made a promise to David. He said, ‘I will rescue my people Israel from the power of the Philistines. I will also rescue them from all their enemies. I will rescue them through my servant David.’ ”