M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Last Days
1 Now King David had become old, advanced in years,[a] and they covered him with garments, but he was not warm. 2 His servants said to him, “Let them search for a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king. Let her be of use for him, and let her lie in your lap that my lord the king may be warm.” 3 So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunnamite and brought her to the king. 4 Now the young woman was very beautiful; she was of use for the king, and she served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.[b]
Adonijah Seeks David’s Throne
5 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king,” so he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men running before him. 6 His father did not rebuke him at any time[c] by saying, “Why did you do so?” Now he was also very handsome of appearance; she had borne him after Absalom.[d] 7 He conferred[e] with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported Adonijah.[f] 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty warriors were David’s; they were not with Adonijah.
9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened animals near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all of his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty warriors or Solomon his brother.
Solomon’s Intercessors
11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, but our lord David does not know? 12 So then, come, let me advise you please, that you may save[g] your life and the life of your son, Solomon. 13 Come, go to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, “Surely Solomon your son shall become king after me. And he will sit on my throne”? But why is Adonijah king?’ 14 While you are still there speaking with the king, I will enter after you, and I will confirm your words.”[h]
15 So Bathsheba went to the king in the private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending the king. 16 Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”[i] 17 She said to him, “My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, ‘Solomon your son surely shall become king after me, and he will sit upon my throne!’ 18 But now, look! Adonijah has become king! And now, my lord the king, you do not know! 19 He has sacrificed oxen and sheep and fattened animals in abundance,[j] and he has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he did not invite. 20 But as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors,[k] I and my son Solomon will be considered as sinners.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23 They told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came into the presence of the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24 Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne’?
25 “For he went down today and sacrificed oxen, sheep, and fattened animals in abundance.[l] He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look, they are eating and drinking before him. They have also said, “Long live King Adonijah! 26 But me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant he did not invite. 27 If it was from my lord the king that this thing has happened, then all is well, but if not, you must let your servants know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.” 28 Then King David answered and said, “Summon Bathsheba for me.” Then she came before the king and stood in his presence.[m] 29 Then the king swore and said, “As Yahweh lives,[n] who has saved my life from all trouble, 30 surely as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall surely be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ surely I shall do so this very day.” 31 Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, “May my lord, King David, live forever.”
Solomon Is Crowned King
32 Then King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,” and they came before the king. 33 The king said to them, “Take with you all the servants of your lord, and let them make Solomon my son ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon. 34 Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you shall go up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be leader over Israel and Judah.” 36 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! So may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, confirm it! 37 As Yahweh was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” 38 Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, and they let Solomon ride on the mule of King David, and they brought him to Gihon. 39 Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and he anointed Solomon. They blew on the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on the flutes and rejoicing with great joy, and the earth shook with their noise.
Adonijah’s Response to the Coronation of Solomon
41 And Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard it. Now they were finished eating when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is there such a noise in the city?”[o] 42 While he was still speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, “Come, for you are a man of valor, and you bring good news.” 43 Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “But our lord King David has made Solomon king! 44 He sent Zadok the priest with the king, and Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites; they made him ride on the king’s mule. 45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing. The city has gone wild; this is the sound which you heard. 46 And also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom! 47 The servants of the king also came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘Your God has made the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ So the king worshiped on the bed. 48 What is more, the king said, ‘May Yahweh the God of Israel be blessed, who has given this day one sitting on my throne, and my eyes are seeing it!’”
49 Then all the invited guests who were for Adonijah trembled and got up and went, each on his way. 50 Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he got up and went and grasped the horns of the altar. 51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first[p] that he will surely not kill his servant with the sword!’” 52 Solomon said, “If he is a son of noble character, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he will die.” 53 Then King Solomon sent and brought him down from upon the altar. He came and did obeisance to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
Live in Freedom and Love One Another
5 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing! 3 And again I testify to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law. 4 You are estranged from Christ, you who are attempting to be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For through the Spirit by faith we eagerly await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from the one who calls you! 9 A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough. 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will think nothing different, but the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty[b], whoever he may be. 11 Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish that the ones who are disturbing you would also castrate themselves[c]!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[d] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Live by the Spirit and Reject the Deeds of the Flesh
16 But I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that whatever you want, you may not do these things. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are sexual immorality, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, things which I am telling you in advance, just as I said before, that the ones who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ[e][f] have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. 26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
A Lament for Pharaoh, King of Egypt
32 And then[a] in the twelfth[b] year, in the twelfth[c] month, on the first day of the month, the word of Yahweh came[d] to me, saying,[e] 2 “Son of man,[f] raise a lament over Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and you must say to him,
‘With a fierce, strong lion among nations you compared yourself,
and you are like the sea monster in the seas,
and you thrash about in your rivers,
and you make water turbid with your feet,
and you make your rivers muddy.
3 Thus says the Lord Yahweh:
Now I will spread my net over you
in the assembly of many peoples,
and I will bring you up in my dragnet.
4 And I will throw you on the ground;
on the surface of the open field I will hurl you,
and I will cause every bird of the heaven to dwell on you,
and I will satisfy the animals[g] of all of the world from you.
5 And I will put your flesh on the mountains,
and I will fill the valleys with your carcass.
6 And I will water the land with your discharge from your blood
on the mountains,
and valleys will be filled from[h] you.
7 And I will cover you at[i] extinguishing your heavens,
and I will make dark their stars,
and I will cover the sun with the cloud,
and the moon will not give its light.
8 All[j] sources of light in the heavens,
I will make them dark over you,
and I will put[k] darkness on your land,’”
declares[l] the Lord Yahweh.
9 “And I will disturb the hearts[m] of many peoples
at my bringing about your captivity among the nations,
to countries that you do not know.
10 And I will cause many peoples to be awestruck over you,
and their kings will shudder over you in horror,
at[n] my brandishing my sword before their faces,
and they will tremble continually,[o]
each person for his life,
on the day of your downfall.”
11 For thus says the Lord Yahweh:
“The sword of the king of Babylon,
it will come to you.
12 By the swords of warriors I will cause to fall your hordes
by the most ruthless of the nations, all of them,
and they will devastate the majesty of Egypt,
and all of its hordes will be destroyed.
13 And I will destroy all her domestic livestock
beside[p] many waters.
The feet of humans[q] will not make them turbid again,
and the hooves of domestic livestock will not make them turbid.
14 Then I will make their waters settle,
and their rivers as the olive oil I will let flow,”
declares[r] the Lord Yahweh.
15 “Then I make the land of Egypt a desolation,
so that the land will be stripped from its fullness
when I strike all of those dwelling in it,
and they will know that I am Yahweh.
16 This is[s] a lament, and they will chant it as a lament; the daughters of the nations will chant it as a lament over Egypt, and over all of its hordes they will chant it as a lament,” declares[t] the Lord Yahweh.
17 And then[u] in the twelfth[v] year, on the fifteenth[w] day of the month, the word of Yahweh came[x] to me, saying,[y] 18 “Son of man,[z] mourn over the hordes of Egypt, and make her go down, and with her the daughters of mighty nations, down to the deep underworld[aa] with the people going down to the grave.[ab] 19 You are more lovely than whom?[ac] Go down and be laid in rest with the uncircumcised. 20 In the midst of the people slain by the sword it[ad] is given they will fall to a sword; they carried her[ae] off and all of her[af] hordes. 21 The chiefs of the warriors will speak to him from the middle of Sheol; with his helpers they have gone down; the uncircumcised lie still, those slain by the sword.[ag]
22 Assyria is there and all of its assembly; all around it are its graves, all of them killed, those fallen by the sword, 23 who[ah] will be given its graves in the remote areas of the pit, and its assembly will be all around its grave, all of them killed, fallen by the sword, those who spread terror in the land of the living.
24 Elam is there and all of its hordes, all around its grave, all of them dead who fell by the sword, those who went down uncircumcised to the depths of the underworld,[ai] those who spread their terror to the land of the living, and now they bear their disgrace with the people going down to the grave.[aj] 25 In the midst of the slain they made a bed for her with all of her hordes all around its graves, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, for their terror was spread in the land of the living, and they now bear their disgrace with the people going down to the grave;[ak] in the midst of the slain it was placed.
26 Meshech and Tubal are there and all of its hordes, all around him its graves, all of them uncircumcised and killed by the sword, for they gave their terror in the land of the living. 27 And they do not lie with warriors fallen from long ago, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war,[al] and they placed their sword under their heads, and their shields[am] were on their bones, for the terror of the warriors was in the land of the living. 28 And you[an] too in the midst of uncircumcised people will be broken, and you will lie with those slain by the sword.
29 There is Edom, its kings and all of its leaders who are laid along with their might with those killed by the sword; they will lie with the uncircumcised and with the people going down to the grave.[ao]
30 There are also the princes of the north, all of them, all of the Sidonians who have gone down, being ashamed to lie with the slain because[ap] of their terror that they caused from their might, and they lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, and they bear their disgrace along with the people going down to the grave.[aq]
31 Pharaoh will see them, and he will be comforted over all of his hordes killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all of his army,” declares[ar] the Lord Yahweh. 32 “For[as] he spread[at] my terror in the land of the living, and so he will be laid down in the midst of the uncircumcised with those killed by the sword: Pharaoh and all of his hordes,”declares[au] the Lord Yahweh.
A Prayer to Restore Israel
For the music director, according to The Lilies.
A testimony. Of Asaph. A psalm.[a]
80 Give ear, O shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock.
Shine forth, you who sits enthroned above the cherubim.
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
stir up your power
and come for our salvation.
3 O God, restore us,
and cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
4 O Yahweh God of hosts,
how long will you be angry[b]
against the prayer of your people?
5 You have fed them the bread of tears;
you have given them tears to drink in full measure.[c]
6 You have made us an object of strife to our neighbors,
and our enemies mock among themselves.
7 O God of hosts, restore us
and cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You prepared a place before it,
and it took deep root[d] and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
and the mighty cedars with its boughs.
11 It spread its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the river.
12 Why have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass on the road pluck fruit from it?
13 Swine from the forests devour[e] it
and creatures of the field feed on it.
14 Please return, O God of hosts.
Observe from heaven and see,
and pay attention to this vine,
15 eventhe stalk that your right hand planted,
and concerning the shoot[f] you strengthened for yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, cut down.
They perish at the rebuke of your face.
17 Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
on the son of humankind whom you made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn back from you.
Restore us to life, and we will proclaim your name.
19 O Yahweh God of hosts, restore us;
cause your face to shine that we may be saved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software