Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the L-rd forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 2 Samuel 3:28-29 When you forget whom you serve, you quickly fall prey to the basic human instincts. Leaders are not exempt. Joab, a nephew of King David and a successful army commander, showed great arrogance toward the king by chiding him for entering into a treaty with Abner, a former enemy. Joab basically called David a fool for allowing Abner to escape unharmed. Joab secretly plotted to kill Abner, not because he posed a threat to David’s kingdom, but out of personal vengeance. He sent to retrieve Abner so he could murder him in cold blood. When David heard what Joab had done, he praised the dead man but pronounced a curse upon Joab and his family. G-d tells us that vengeance belongs to Him. Leaders who cannot humble themselves to serve G-d and those He has raised up will eventually act out of selfish motives and hurt the kingdom.