⁸ Mephibosheth^(A) bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog^(B) like me?”

⁹ Then Abishai^(A) son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog^(B) curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”^(C)

²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

¹⁴ “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog?^(A) A flea?^{(B) 15} May the Lord be our judge^(C) and decide^(D) between us. May he consider my cause and uphold^(E) it; may he vindicate^(F) me by delivering^(G) me from your hand.”

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!

²⁰ Now do not let my blood^(A) fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea^(B)—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.^(C)”