²⁴ So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone!

³⁵ “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

⁵ Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. ⁶ You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. ⁷ Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”^(A)

³⁹ And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah^(A) are too strong^(B) for me.^(C) May the Lord repay^(D) the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

⁸ Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head^(A)—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!

¹¹ Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,^(A) but you have done nothing but bless them!”^(B)