M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Sheba Goes Up Against David
20 Now (A)a vile fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of (B)Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said,
“(C)We have no portion in David,
Nor do we have inheritance in (D)the son of Jesse;
(E)Every man to his tents, O Israel!”
2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3 Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and (F)the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and placed them under guard and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.
4 Then the king said to (G)Amasa, “Call out the men of Judah for me within three days, and you yourself stand here.” 5 So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he (H)delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6 And David said to (I)Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; (J)take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and deliver himself from our sight.” 7 So Joab’s men pursued him, (K)along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 They were at the large stone which is in (L)Gibeon, and Amasa came [a]to meet them. Now Joab was [b]dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his [c]waist; and as he came out, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And (M)Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
Joab Strikes Amasa
10 But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand so (N)he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 Now there stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, “Whoever delights in Joab and whoever is for David, (O)let him follow Joab.” 12 But Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that all the people stood still. So he [d]removed Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
The Beheading of Sheba
13 As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they were assembled and also came after him. 15 So they came and besieged him in (P)Abel Beth-maacah, and (Q)they [e]cast up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood by the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to cause the wall to fall. 16 Then (R)a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, ‘Draw near that I may speak with you.’” 17 So he drew near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” 18 Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to speak in this way, saying, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute. 19 I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. (S)You are seeking to put to death a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up (T)the inheritance of Yahweh?” 20 And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 Such is not the case. But a man from (U)the hill country of Ephraim, (V)Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give him over alone, and I will go from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman came to all the people in her (W)wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So (X)he blew the trumpet, and they were scattered from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.
23 (Y)Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was over the forced labor, and (Z)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and (AA)Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was also a priest to David.
Examine Yourselves
13 (A)This is the third time I am coming to you. (B)By the mouth of two or three witnesses every [a]matter shall be confirmed. 2 I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have (C)sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that (D)if I come again I will not (E)spare anyone, 3 since you are (F)seeking proof that (G)Christ speaks in me; He is not weak toward you, but (H)mighty in you. 4 For indeed He was (I)crucified because of weakness, yet He lives (J)because of the power of God. For we also are (K)weak [b]in Him, yet (L)we will live with Him because of the power of God toward you.
5 (M)Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; (N)examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you [c](O)fail the test? 6 But I hope that you will realize that we ourselves [d]do not fail the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may [e]appear unapproved. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are (P)weak but you are strong. This we also pray for, [f]that you be (Q)restored. 10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present (R)I need not use (S)severity, in accordance with the (T)authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
11 (U)Finally, brothers, [g]rejoice, [h](V)be restored, be comforted, (W)be like-minded, (X)live in peace, and (Y)the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 (Z)Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 (AA)All the [i]saints greet you.
14 (AB)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the (AC)love of God, and the (AD)fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Lament over Tyre
27 Moreover, the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2 “Now as for you, son of man, (A)take up a lamentation over Tyre 3 and say to Tyre, (B)who inhabits the [a]entrance to the sea, a (C)trader of the peoples to many coastlands, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh,
“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
5 They have [b]made all your planks of fir trees from (D)Senir;
They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6 Of (E)oaks from (F)Bashan they have made your oars;
With ivory they have [c]inlaid your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of (G)Cyprus.
7 Your [d]sail was of fine embroidered linen from Egypt
So that it became your [e]standard;
Your [f]awning was [g](H)blue and purple from the coastlands of (I)Elishah.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and (J)Arvad were your rowers;
Your (K)wise men, O Tyre, were [h]aboard; they were your pilots.
9 The elders of (L)Gebal and her wise men were with you repairing your seams;
All the ships of the sea and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.
10 “(M)Persia and (N)Lud and (O)Put were in your military force, your men of war. They hung shield and helmet in you; they set forth your majesty. 11 The sons of Arvad and your military force were on your walls, all around, and the [i]Gammadim were in your towers. They hung their small shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty.
12 “Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead they paid for your wares. 13 (P)Javan, (Q)Tubal, and (R)Meshech, they were your traders; with the (S)lives of men and vessels of bronze they paid for your merchandise. 14 Those from (T)Beth-togarmah gave horses and war horses and mules for your wares. 15 The sons of (U)Dedan were your traders. Many coastlands were [j]customers at your hand; (V)ivory tusks and ebony they brought as your payment. 16 (W)Aram was your customer because of the abundance of your [k]goods; they paid for your wares with (X)emeralds, purple, (Y)embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of (Z)Minnith, [l]cakes, honey, oil, and balm they paid for your merchandise. 18 (AA)Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your [m]goods, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, because of the wine of Helbon and white wool. 19 Also Vedan and Javan paid for your wares [n]from Uzal; wrought iron, cassia, and [o]sweet cane were among your merchandise. 20 (AB)Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21 (AC)Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were [p]customers at your hand for (AD)lambs, rams, and goats; for these, they were your customers. 22 The traders of (AE)Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you; they paid for your wares with the best of all kinds of (AF)spices and with all kinds of precious stones and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, (AG)Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24 They traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of [q]blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of many colors and tightly wound cords, which were among your merchandise. 25 The (AH)ships of Tarshish were [r]the carriers for your merchandise.
And you were filled and were very [s]glorious
In the heart of the seas.
26 “Your rowers have brought you
Into (AI)great waters;
The (AJ)east wind has broken you
In the heart of the seas.
27 Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,
Your sailors and your pilots,
Your repairers of seams, your dealers in merchandise,
And all your men of war who are in you,
With all your assembly that is in your midst,
Will fall into the heart of the seas
On the day of your downfall.
28 At the sound of the cry of your pilots
The pasture lands will (AK)shake.
29 All who handle the oar,
The (AL)sailors and all the pilots of the sea,
Will come down from their ships;
They will stand on the land,
30 And they will (AM)make their voice heard over you
And will cry bitterly.
They will (AN)cast dust on their heads;
They will (AO)wallow in ashes.
31 Also they will make themselves (AP)bald for you
And (AQ)gird themselves with sackcloth;
And they will (AR)weep for you in bitterness of soul
With bitter mourning.
32 Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a (AS)lamentation for you
And lament over you:
‘Who is like Tyre,
Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea?
33 When your wares went out from the seas,
You satisfied a great number of peoples;
With the (AT)greatness of your wealth and your merchandise
You enriched the kings of earth.
34 [t]Now that you are (AU)broken by the seas
In the depths of the waters,
Your (AV)merchandise and all your assembly
Have fallen in the midst of you.
35 All the (AW)inhabitants of the coastlands
Are appalled at you,
And their kings are horribly horrified;
They are troubled in countenance.
36 The merchants among the peoples (AX)hiss at you;
You have become [u]terrified,
And you (AY)will cease to be forever.’”’”
God Judges with Equity
For the choir director. [a]Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph. [b]A Song.
75 We (A)give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks,
For Your name is (B)near;
Men recount (C)Your wondrous deeds.
2 “For I select an (D)appointed time,
It is I who (E)judge with equity.
3 The (F)earth and all who dwell in it [c]melt;
It is I who have firmly set its (G)pillars. [d]Selah.
4 I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
And to the wicked, ‘(H)Do not raise up the horn;
5 Do not raise up your horn on high,
(I)Nor speak with insolent [e]pride.’”
6 For one’s rising up does not come from the east, nor from the west,
And not from the [f](J)desert;
7 But (K)God is the Judge;
He (L)puts down one and raises up another.
8 For a (M)cup is in the hand of Yahweh, and the wine foams;
It is (N)full of His mixture, and He pours from this;
Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and (O)drink down its dregs.
9 But as for me, I will (P)declare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 And all the (Q)horns of the wicked I will cut off,
But (R)the horns of the righteous will be raised up.
God’s Name Is Great in Israel
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
76 God is (S)known in Judah;
His name is (T)great in Israel.
2 So His [g](U)tabernacle is in (V)Salem;
His (W)dwelling place is in Zion.
3 There He (X)broke the [h]flaming arrows,
The shield and the sword and the battle. [i]Selah.
4 You are shining,
Majestic from the mountains of prey.
5 The (Y)stouthearted were plundered,
[j]They sank into sleep;
And none of the [k]warriors could use his hands.
6 At Your (Z)rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both (AA)chariot rider and horse slumbered into a deep sleep.
7 But You, You are [l](AB)fearsome;
And (AC)who can stand in Your presence when once [m]You are angry?
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