M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Rebellion of Sheba
20 Now a scoundrel named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and cried out,
“We have no portion in David,
no share in the son of Jesse!
Everyone to your tents, O Israel!”(A)
2 So all the people of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the people of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 David came to his house at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to look after the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.(B)
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.”(C) 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 6 David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities for himself and escape from us.”(D) 7 Joab’s men went out after him, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.(E) 8 When they were at the large stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; as he went forward, it fell out. 9 Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.(F) 10 But Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab’s hand; Joab struck him in the belly so that his entrails poured out on the ground, and he died. He did not strike a second blow.
Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.(G) 11 And one of Joab’s men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood on the highway, and the man saw that all the people were stopping. Since he saw that all who came by him were stopping, he carried Amasa from the highway into a field and threw a garment over him. 13 Once he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14 Sheba[a] passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah,[b] and all the Bichrites[c] assembled and followed him inside. 15 Joab’s forces[d] came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah; they threw up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart. Joab’s forces were battering the wall to break it down.(H) 16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, I want to speak to you.’ ”(I) 17 He came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He answered, “I am listening.” 18 Then she said, “They used to say in the old days, ‘Let them inquire at Abel,’ and so they would settle a matter. 19 I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel; you seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel; why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?”(J) 20 Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not the case! But a man of the hill country of Ephraim called Sheba son of Bichri has lifted up his hand against King David; give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head shall be thrown over the wall to you.”(K) 22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, and all went to their homes, while Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.(L)
23 Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel;[e] Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites;(M) 24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;(N) 26 and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.(O)
Further Warning
13 This is the third time I am coming to you. “Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”(A) 2 I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not be lenient— 3 since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you but is powerful in you.(B) 4 For he was crucified in weakness but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him,[a] but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.(C)
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!(D) 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth but only for the truth. 9 For we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may be restored.(E) 10 So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.(F)
Final Greetings and Benediction
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell.[b] Be restored; listen to my appeal;[c] agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.(G) 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.(H)
13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of[d] the Holy Spirit be with all of you.(I)
Lamentation over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Now you, mortal, raise a lamentation over Tyre,(A) 3 and say to Tyre, which sits at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands: Thus says the Lord God:
O Tyre, you have said,
“I am perfect in beauty.”(B)
4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
your builders made perfect your beauty.(C)
5 They made all your planks
of fir trees from Senir;
they took a cedar from Lebanon
to make a mast for you.(D)
6 From oaks of Bashan
they made your oars;
they made your deck of pines[a]
from the coasts of Cyprus,
inlaid with ivory.(E)
7 Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt
was your sail,
serving as your ensign;
blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah
was your awning.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad
were your rowers;
skilled men of Zemer[b] were within you;
they were your pilots.(F)
9 The elders of Gebal and its artisans were within you,
caulking your seams;
all the ships of the sea with their sailors were within you,
to barter for your wares.(G)
10 Paras[c] and Lud and Put
were in your army,
your mighty warriors;
they hung shield and helmet in you;
they gave you splendor.(H)
11 Men of Arvad and Helech[d]
were on your walls all around;
men of Gamad were at your towers.
They hung their quivers all around your walls;
they made perfect your beauty.(I)
12 Tarshish did business with you out of the abundance of your great wealth; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.(J) 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.(K) 14 Beth-togarmah exchanged for your wares horses, war horses, and mules.(L) 15 The Rhodians[e] traded with you; many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony.(M) 16 Edom[f] did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies.(N) 17 Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat from Minnith, millet,[g] honey, oil, and balm.(O) 18 Damascus traded with you for your abundant goods—because of your great wealth of every kind—wine of Helbon and wool of Zahar.(P) 19 Vedan and Javan from Uzal[h] entered into trade for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were bartered for your merchandise. 20 Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you.(Q) 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold.(R) 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.(S) 24 These traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored material, bound with cords and made secure; in these they traded with you.[i] 25 The ships of Tarshish traveled for you in your trade.
So you were filled and heavily laden
in the heart of the seas.(T)
26 Your rowers have brought you
into the high seas.
The east wind has wrecked you
in the heart of the seas.(U)
27 Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,
your sailors and your pilots,
your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,
and all your warriors within you,
with all the company
that is with you,
sink into the heart of the seas
on the day of your ruin.(V)
28 At the sound of the cry of your pilots
the pasturelands shake,(W)
29 and down from their ships
come all who handle the oar.
The sailors and all the pilots of the sea
stand on the shore(X)
30 and wail aloud over you
and cry bitterly.
They throw dust on their heads
and wallow in ashes;(Y)
31 they make themselves bald for you
and put on sackcloth,
and they weep over you in bitterness of soul,
with bitter mourning.(Z)
32 In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you
and lament over you:
“Who was ever destroyed[j] like Tyre
in the midst of the sea?(AA)
33 When your wares came from the seas,
you satisfied many peoples;
with your abundant wealth and merchandise
you enriched the kings of the earth.(AB)
34 Now you are wrecked by the seas,
in the depths of the waters;
your merchandise and all your crew
have sunk with you.(AC)
35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands
are appalled at you,
and their kings are horribly afraid;
their faces are convulsed.(AD)
36 The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;
you have come to a dreadful end
and shall be no more forever.”(AE)
Psalm 75
Thanksgiving for God’s Wondrous Deeds
To the leader: Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks; your name is near.
People tell of your wondrous deeds.(A)
2 At the set time that I appoint,
I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, “Do not boast,”
and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn;(B)
5 do not lift up your horn on high
or speak with insolent neck.”(C)
6 For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,(D)
7 but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.(E)
8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed;
he will pour a draught from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.(F)
9 But I will rejoice[a] forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.(G)
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.(H)
Psalm 76
Israel’s God—Judge of All the Earth
To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 In Judah God is known;
his name is great in Israel.(I)
2 His abode has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.(J)
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah(K)
4 Glorious are you, more majestic
than the everlasting mountains.[b]
5 The courageous were stripped of their spoil;
they sank into sleep;
none of the troops
was able to lift a hand.(L)
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both rider and horse lay stunned.
7 But you indeed are awesome!
Who can stand before you
when your anger is roused?(M)
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment;
the earth feared and was still(N)
9 when God rose up to establish judgment,
to save all the oppressed of the earth. Selah(O)
10 Human wrath serves only to praise you,
when you bind the last bit of your[c] wrath around you.(P)
11 Make vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
let all who are around him bring gifts
to the one who is awesome,(Q)
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.(R)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.