M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Absalom’s Demise
18 Then David mustered the people who were with him and set commanders of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 Then David sent out the troops, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I must certainly go out with you also.”
3 But the troops said, “You must not go out! For if we were to flee, they would not care about us, even if half of us die, they still wouldn’t care about us—but you are worth 10,000 of us. Therefore now, it is better that you be ready to support us from the city.”
4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate and all the troops went out by their hundreds and thousands. 5 Then the king charged Joab, Abishai and Ittai saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” Now all the troops heard the king’s charge to all the commanders concerning Absalom.
6 Then the troops went out to the field to confront Israel but the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were defeated there before the followers of David, and the slaughter that day was great—20,000 men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the face of the entire countryside and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Now Absalom encountered some of David’s servants. When Absalom was riding on his mule, the mule went under the thick branches of the great oak, and his head got caught in the oak, so that he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 Then a certain man saw it and told Joab saying, “Look, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11 Then Joab said to his informant, “Look here, you saw him, so why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt!”
12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I had 1,000 pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king charged you, Abishai and Ittai saying, ‘Watch over the young man Absalom for me.’ 13 Otherwise, I would have betrayed his soul—and nothing stays hidden from the king—and you yourself would have stood aloof.”
14 “I won’t wait for you!” Joab said. So he took three darts in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 Then ten young men who were Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck and finished him off. 16 Then Joab blew the shofar and the troops returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held back the troops. 17 They took Absalom and threw him into a deep pit in the forest and piled over him a very large heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.
18 (Now Absalom, in his lifetime, had taken and set up for himself a pillar, which is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he called the pillar by his name and it has been called Absalom’s Monument to this day.)
19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and bring the king news that Adonai has vindicated him against the hand of his enemies.”
20 But Joab said to him, “You are not to be the bearer of news today. You may do it another day, but today you shall bear no news—for the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 But Ahimaaz son of Zadok once again said to Joab, “Whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.”
“Why should you run, my son,” Joab said, “since you would have no news worth telling?”
23 “Whatever may come of it, I want to run!”
So he said to him, “Run!” Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and so passed the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. When the watchman on the roof over the gate walked over to the wall, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and all of a sudden, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman cried out and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.” So he came closer and closer.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running, so the watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, “Look, another man is running alone.”
The king said, “He too is bringing good news.”
27 Then the watchman said, “I can see that the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
“This is a good man and he comes with good news,” the king replied.
28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Shalom.” Then he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be Adonai your God, who has given over the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.”
29 Then the king asked, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?”
Ahimaaz answered, “I saw a great tumult when the king’s servant Joab sent me, your servant, but I did not know what it was about.”
30 “Step aside and stand here,” the king said. So he stepped aside and stood still.
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, “Let my lord the king receive good news for Adonai has vindicated you today against all who rose up against you.”
32 Then the king asked the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?”
The Cushite answered, “Let the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be as that young man!”
True and False Apostles
11 I wish that you would put up with a little foolishness from me, but indeed you are putting up with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I betrothed you to one husband, to present you to Messiah as a pure virgin. [a] 3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds might be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion and purity to the Messiah. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Yeshua whom we did not proclaim, or if you receive a different spirit that you did not receive, or a different “good news” that you did not accept, you put up with that well enough!
5 For I consider myself in no way inferior to the “super special” emissaries. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge. No, in every way we have made this clear to you in all things. 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed to you God’s Good News free of charge? 8 I robbed other communities by taking wages from them for service to you. 9 When I was present with you and I was in need, I did not burden anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. In everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Messiah is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off the opportunity from those who want an opportunity in what they boast about to also be regarded just as we are. 13 For such men are false emissaries, deceitful workers masquerading as Messiah’s emissaries. 14 And no wonder, for even satan masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their deeds.
Paul Boasts in the Lord
16 I say again, let no one consider me to be a fool. But if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I also may boast a little. 17 What I am saying, I am saying not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this self-confident boasting. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you, being so wise, put up with fools gladly. 20 For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone puts on airs, if someone slaps you on the face. 21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak.
Yet whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I speak in foolishness—I dare, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Messiah? I am more so—I speak like I’m out of my mind—in labors much more, in prisons much more, in beatings more brutal, near death often. 24 Five times from the Jewish leaders I received forty lashes minus one. [b] 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent in the open sea. 26 In my many journeys I have been in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the desert, dangers in the sea, dangers among false brothers, 27 in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Besides these other things, there is daily pressure on me of concern for all of Messiah’s communities. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Yeshua, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.[c]
Vengeance on Nearby Nations
25 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 2 “Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon and prophesy against them. 3 Say to the children of Ammon—hear the word of Adonai, thus says Adonai Elohim—‘Because you said, “Aha!” against My Sanctuary when it was defiled, against the land of Israel when it was made desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore behold, I will give you over to the children of the east as a possession. They will set up their camps among you and make their dwellings among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make Rabbah a grazing place for camels and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am Adonai.’”
6 For thus says Adonai Elohim: “Because you have clapped your hands, stomped your feet and rejoiced with all the disdain of your soul against the land of Israel, 7 therefore behold, I will stretch out My hand over you. I will deliver you as plunder for the nations. I will cut you off from the people. I will cause you to perish from among the countries. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am Adonai.”
8 Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘See, the house of Judah is like all the other nations!’ 9 therefore behold, I will expose the mountain slope of Moab with all its cities, from its frontier cities, the glorious country of Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 I will deliver it, together with the children of Ammon, to the children of the east as a possession, so that the children of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. 11 Then I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they will know that I am Adonai.”
12 Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Because Edom has taken severe vengeance against the house of Judah and has grievously offended by taking revenge upon them, 13 therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘I will stretch out My hand upon Edom. I will cut off man and beast from it. I will make it desolate. From Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14 I will take My vengeance upon Edom by the hand of My people Israel. They will do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury. They will know My vengeance.’” It is a declaration of Adonai.
15 Thus says Adonai Elohim: “Because the Philistines have acted in revenge and have taken severe vengeance with scornful soul, destroying in unending hatred, 16 therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will stretch out My hand over the Philistines. I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. 17 I will execute severe vengeance upon them with furious punishments. So they will know that I am Adonai, when I lay My vengeance upon them.’”
God Is the Strength of My Heart
Psalm 73
1 A psalm of Asaph.
Surely God is good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped.
My steps nearly slid out from under me.
3 For I envied the arrogant,
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains at their death,
their body is healthy.
5 They have none of humanity’s trouble,
nor are they plagued like others.
6 Therefore, they put on pride as a necklace,
and violence wraps around them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness.
The imaginations of their hearts run wild.
8 They scoff and wickedly plan evil.
From on high they threaten.
9 They set their mouth against heaven.
Their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore His people return here,
while they drink their fill.
11 So they say: “How does God know?
And does Elyon have knowledge?”
12 Behold, such are the wicked—
always at ease and amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure,
and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day I have been stricken,
my chastisement comes every morning.
15 If I had said: “I will speak thus,”
surely I would have betrayed a generation of Your children.
16 But when I tried to make sense of this,
it was troubling in my eyes—
17 until I entered the Sanctuary of God,
and perceived their end.
18 Surely You put them in slippery places.
You hurled them down to destruction.
19 How suddenly they became a ruin—
terminated, consumed by terrors.
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
thus when You arise, my Lord,
You will despise their form.
21 When my heart was embittered
and I was pierced in my heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant.
I was like a beast before You.
23 Yet I am continually with You.
You hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with Your counsel,
and afterward You will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
On earth there is none I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 For behold, those far from You will perish.
You put an end to all who like a harlot are unfaithful to You.
28 But for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made my Lord Adonai my refuge.
So I will tell of all Your works.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.