David’s lament over the death of Abner captures a jarring contrast between a great warrior's high status and the lowly, unjust nature of his end. The eulogy highlights the shock and helplessness surrounding a murder carried out without justification or a fair trial.
At the time of the assassination, Abner's physical state presents a surprising picture. His hands were free, and his feet were not bound in the heavy copper fetters typically used for prisoners of war or those condemned to die. The primary approach among commentators notes that since Abner was neither captured in battle nor legally sentenced, he was not restrained as a high-ranking official normally would be before an execution. However, other scholars [רש י ורד״ק] view his unbound state as a source of deep astonishment regarding his lack of reaction. They question how such a mighty warrior failed to defend himself and strike back with his free hands, or why he did not simply flee using his unbound feet.
The answer to this tragic puzzle lies in the treacherous nature of the attack. Abner died as an innocent man caught completely off guard, murdered in a sudden ambush by wicked, lowly killers, identified as the sons of Zeruiah [מצודת דוד]. Adding to this sense of abruptness, [רד״ק] suggests that the description of his fall echoes the sudden demise of Nabal the Carmelite, emphasizing how unexpectedly Abner's life was taken.
On a deeper spiritual level, [מלבי״ם] interprets the description of Abner's unbound limbs as a testament to his moral character. His hands were never restrained by the evil inclination from performing acts of kindness and charity, and his feet were never held back from pursuing justice and fairness. According to this view, Abner experienced the death of a righteous man, an event meant either to atone for his generation or to spare him from witnessing future tragedies.
The collective weeping of the people flowed directly from this dual tragedy. They cried out of shock over a senseless and unjustified murder, and their tears only multiplied as they internalized the profound spiritual and moral greatness that had just been lost to them.