M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 [a]When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told,[b] “Look, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” 2 Saul took 3,000 of his best troops[c] from all over Israel, and he went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheepfolds beside the road. There was a cave there, and Saul went in to relieve himself.[d] Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses[e] of the cave.
4 David’s men told him, “Look, today is the day about which the Lord spoke to you when he said,[f] ‘I’ll give your enemy into your hand.’ Do to him whatever you want!”
David rose and stealthily cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterwards, David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He told his men, “God forbid that I should do this thing to your majesty, the Lord’s anointed, by stretching out my hand against him, since he’s the Lord’s anointed.” 7 David restrained his men with his[g] words and did not allow them to rebel against Saul. Saul got up from the cave and started off.[h]
David Rebukes Saul
8 Then David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul: “Your majesty!”[i] Saul looked behind him, and David bowed down with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. 9 Then David told Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of those who say, ‘Look, David is trying to harm you?’ 10 Look, this very day you saw with your own eyes[j] that the Lord gave you into my control in the cave, and one of my men[k] told me to kill you, but I had pity[l] on you and responded, ‘I won’t lift my hand against his majesty because he’s the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Look, my father, look! The corner of your robe is in my hand. Indeed, by my cutting off the corner of your robe and not killing you, you may know and understand that I have no evil intent or transgression—I haven’t wronged you, even though you are hunting me to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between me and you, and may he take vengeance on you for me, but I won’t be attacking you. 13 Just like the ancient proverb says, ‘From wicked people comes wickedness,’ but I’m not against you. 14 After whom is the king of Israel going out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord act as judge, and may he decide between me and you. May he see, may he plead my case, and may he vindicate me in this dispute against you.”[m]
Saul’s Apparent Repentance
16 When David had finished saying these things to Saul, Saul asked, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul cried loudly 17 to David, “You are more righteous than I am, because you have treated me well even though I’ve treated you poorly. 18 You have explained how you treated me well, in that the Lord delivered me into your hand but you didn’t kill me. 19 For who would find his enemy and then send him away safely?[n] May the Lord repay you for what you have done for me today. 20 Now I know for certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom will be established under your authority.[o] 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will never eliminate my descendants after me, and that you won’t erase my name from my father’s family.” 22 David made this vow to Saul, and then Saul went home, while David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Disciplining for Sexual Immorality
5 It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, and of a kind that is not found even among the gentiles. A man is actually living with his father’s wife! 2 And you are being arrogant instead of being filled with grief and seeing to it that the man who did this is removed from among you. 3 Even though I am away from you physically, I am with you in spirit. I have already passed judgment on the man who did this, as though I were present with you. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and I am there in spirit), and the power of our Lord Jesus is there, too, 5 turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of his body,[a] so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.[b]
6 Your boasting is not good. You know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough, don’t you? 7 Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you are to be free from yeast. For the Messiah,[c] our Passover, has been sacrificed. 8 So let’s keep celebrating the festival, neither with old yeast nor with yeast that is evil and wicked, but with yeast-free bread that is both sincere and true.
9 I wrote to you in my letter to stop associating with people who are sexually immoral— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, greedy, robbers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you to stop associating with any so-called brother if he is sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunk, or a robber. You must even stop eating with someone like that. 12 After all, is it my business to judge outsiders? You are to judge those who are in the community, aren’t you? 13 God will judge outsiders. “Expel that wicked man.”[d]
Ezekiel’s Commission to Prophesy
3 Then he told me, “Son of Man, eat! Eat what you see[a]—this scroll—and then go talk to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth and he fed me[b] the scroll.
3 Then he told me, “Son of Man, fill your stomach and digest this scroll that I’m giving you.” So I ate it, and it was like sweet honey in my mouth.
4 Then he told me, “Son of Man, go to the house of Israel and tell them what I have to say to them, 5 because you’re not going to a people whose speech you cannot understand or whose language is difficult to speak. Instead, you’re going to the house of Israel. 6 This isn’t a large group of people whose speech is unintelligible to you or whose language is difficult for you to comprehend. Frankly, if I had sent you to that kind of people,[c] they would certainly have listened to you! 7 But the house of Israel won’t listen to you, since they weren’t willing to listen to me. That’s because the entire house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. 8 So pay attention! I’m going to make you just as obstinate[d] and unyielding as they are.[e] 9 I’m making you harder than flint—like diamond! So you are not to fear them or be intimidated by how they look at you,[f] since they’re a rebellious group.”
Ezekiel is Commissioned to Speak
10 Next, he told me, “Son of Man, take to heart every word that I’m telling you. Listen carefully, 11 then go immediately[g] to the exiles; that is, to your people’s descendants, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says…’ whether they listen or not.”[h]
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard a great earthquake behind me and the glory of the Lord arose from his place, 13 accompanied by the sound of the wings of the living creatures gently touching each other and with the sound of the wheels emanating from the front, accompanied by a great earthquake.
Ezekiel Addresses the Israelis
14 Then the Spirit lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly with an angry attitude as the hand of the Lord rested on me. 15 I came to the exiles at Tel-abib by the Chebar River and sat down among them for seven days, appalled. 16 At the end of the seven days, this message from the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of Man,” he said,[i] “I’ve appointed you to be a watchman[j] over the house of Israel. Therefore when you hear a message that comes from me, you are to warn them for me.
18 “So when I say to a wicked person, ‘You’re about to die,’ if you don’t warn or instruct that wicked person that his behavior[k] is wicked so he can live, that wicked person will die in his sin, but I’ll hold you responsible for his death.[l] 19 If you warn the wicked person, and he doesn’t repent of his wickedness or of his wicked behavior,[m] he’ll die in his sin, but you will have saved your own life.
20 “When a righteous man abandons his righteousness to practice unrighteousness, I’ll set a stumbling block before him. He’ll die. If you don’t warn him, he’ll die in his sin and the righteous deeds that he had practiced won’t be remembered, but you’ll be held responsible for his death.[n] 21 If you warn the righteous person, so that he[o] doesn’t commit sin, then he’ll live, since he had been warned. And you will have saved your life.”
Ezekiel Sees God in the Valley
22 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he told me, “Get up! Go to the valley, and I’ll speak with you there.” 23 So I got up, went to the valley, and there was the glory of the Lord, standing there just like[p] I had seen at the Chebar River. So I fell on my face.
24 The Spirit entered me, rested on me, caused me to stand on my feet, and then he spoke to me. This is what he had to say: “Go barricade yourself in your house. 25 Now pay attention! They’re going to bind you with ropes, tying you up right in their midst, so you won’t be able to circulate freely among them. 26 Meanwhile, I’ll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you’ll be mute and unable to reprove them, since they’re a rebellious group.[q] 27 But when I speak with you, I’ll open your mouth so you can say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“As for those who will listen,
‘Let them listen,’
but as for those who refuse,
‘Let them refuse,’
since they’re a rebellious group.”’”[r]
To the Director: To Jeduthun. A Davidic Psalm.
A Prayer about Life’s Priorities
39 I told myself, “I will keep watch over my tongue to keep from sinning.
I will muzzle my mouth when the wicked are around.”
2 I was as silent as a mute person;
I said nothing, not even something good,
and my distress deepened.
3 My heart within me became incensed;[a]
as I thought about it, the fire burned.
Then I[b] spoke out:
4 “Lord, let me know how my life ends,[c]
and the standard by which you will measure[d] my days, whatever it is!
Then I will know how transient my life is.
5 Look, you have made my life span fit in your hand;
It is nothing compared to yours.
Surely every person at their best is a puff of wind.
6 In fact, people walk around as shadows.
Surely, they busy themselves for nothing,
heaping up possessions but not knowing who will get them.
7 How long, Lord, will I wait expectantly?
I have placed my hope in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions,
and do not let fools scorn me.”
9 I remain silent;
I do not open my mouth,
for you are the one who acted.
10 Stop scourging me,
since I have been crushed by your heavy hand.
11 You rebuke by chastening a man with the consequence of iniquities;
you destroy what is attractive to him, as one would treat a moth.
Indeed, every person is a puff of wind.
12 Hear my prayer, Lord,
pay attention to my cry,
and do not ignore my tears.
I am an alien in your presence,
a stranger just like my ancestors were.
13 Stop looking at me with chastisement,[e] so I can smile again,
before I depart and am no more.
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