M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
3 The war between Saul’s house and David’s house was long and drawn out. David kept getting stronger, while Saul’s house kept getting weaker.
David’s family
2 David’s sons were born in Hebron. His oldest son was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel; 3 the second was Chileab, by Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel; the third was Absalom, by[a] Maacah, who was the daughter of Geshur’s King Talmai; 4 the fourth was Adonijah, by Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital; 5 and the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These are David’s sons that were born in Hebron.
Joab kills Abner
6 Throughout the war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner was gaining power in Saul’s house. 7 Now Saul had a secondary wife named Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter. Ishbosheth[b] said to Abner, “Why have you had sex with my father’s secondary wife?”
8 Abner got very angry over what Ishbosheth had said.
“Am I some sort of dog’s head?”[c] Abner asked. “I’ve been nothing but loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his brothers and his friends. I haven’t handed you over to David, but today you accuse me of doing something wrong with this woman. 9 May God deal harshly with me, Abner, and worse still if I don’t do for David exactly what the Lord swore to him— 10 removing the kingdom from Saul’s house and securing David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan all the way to Beer-sheba!”
11 Ishbosheth couldn’t say a single word in reply to Abner because he was afraid of him.
12 Abner sent messengers to represent him to David and to say, “Who will own the land?[d] Make a covenant with me, then I’ll help bring all Israel over to your side.”
13 “Good!” David replied. “I will make a covenant with you, but on one condition: don’t show yourself in my presence unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
14 Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ishbosheth. “Give me my wife Michal,” he demanded. “I became engaged to her at the cost of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 Ishbosheth then sent for Michal and took her from her husband Paltiel, Laish’s son. 16 Her husband went with her all the way to Bahurim, crying as he followed her.
“Go home!” Abner told him. So he went home.
17 Abner then sent word to Israel’s elders. “You’ve wanted David to be your king for some time now,” he said. 18 “It’s time to act because the Lord has said about David: I will rescue my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and all their enemies through my servant David.”
19 Abner also spoke directly to the Benjaminites. He then went to inform David in person at Hebron regarding everything that all Israel and the house of Benjamin were willing to do.
20 When Abner, along with twenty others, reached David at Hebron, David threw a celebration for Abner and his men. 21 Then Abner said to David, “Please let me get going so I can assemble all Israel for my master the king. Then they can make a covenant with you, and you will rule over everything your heart[e] desires.” At that, David sent Abner off in peace.
22 Right then, David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing a great deal of loot with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron because David had sent him off in peace. 23 When Joab and all the troops with him returned, Joab was told that Abner, Ner’s son, had come to the king and that David had sent him off in peace.
24 Joab went to the king and asked, “What have you done? Abner came to you here! Why did you send him off? Now he’s gotten away! 25 Don’t you know the evil ways of Abner, Ner’s son?[f] He came to trick you, to find out where you come and go, and to learn everything you do!”
26 Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well at Sirah, but David didn’t know anything of this. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside next to[g] the gate to speak with him in private. But instead Joab stabbed Abner in the stomach, and he died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
28 When David heard about this later, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the shedding of the blood of Abner, Ner’s son. 29 May it fall upon the head of Joab and his entire family tree! May Joab’s family never be without someone with a discharge or a skin disease,[h] someone who uses a crutch,[i] someone who dies by the sword, or someone who is hungry!”
30 So that is how Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner, because he killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 Then David ordered Joab and all the troops who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on funeral clothes! Mourn for Abner!” King David himself walked behind the body. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner’s grave. All the troops cried too. 33 Then the king sang this funeral song[j] for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool dies?
34 Your hands weren’t bound,
your feet weren’t chained,
but you have fallen
like someone falls before the wicked.”
Then the troops cried over Abner again.
35 Then all the soldiers came to urge David to eat something while it was still day, but David swore, “May God deal harshly with me and worse still if I eat bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” 36 All the troops took notice of this and were pleased by it. Indeed, everything that the king did pleased them. 37 So on that day all the troops and all Israel knew that it wasn’t the king’s idea to kill Abner, Ner’s son.
38 The king told his soldiers, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man in Israel has fallen today? 39 And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak. These men, Zeruiah’s sons, are too strong for me.[k] May the Lord repay the one who does evil according to the evil they did!”
Spiritual gifts and church order
14 Pursue love, and use your ambition to try to get spiritual gifts but especially so that you might prophesy. 2 This is because those who speak in a tongue don’t speak to people but to God; no one understands it—they speak mysteries by the Spirit. 3 Those who prophesy speak to people, building them up, and giving them encouragement and comfort. 4 People who speak in a tongue build up themselves; those who prophesy build up the church. 5 I wish that all of you spoke in tongues, but I’d rather you could prophesy. Those who prophesy are more important than those who speak in tongues, unless they are able to interpret them so that the church might be built up. 6 After all, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation, some knowledge, a prophecy, or a teaching? 7 Likewise, things that aren’t alive like a harp or a lyre can make a sound, but if there aren’t different notes in the sounds they make, how will the tune from the harp or the lyre be recognized? 8 And if a trumpet call is unrecognizable, then who will prepare for battle? 9 It’s the same way with you: If you don’t use language that is easy to understand when you speak in a tongue, then how will anyone understand what is said? 10 It will be as if you are speaking into the air! There are probably many language families in the world, and none of them are without meaning. 11 So if I don’t know the meaning of the language, then I will be like a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be like foreigners to me. 12 The same holds true for you: since you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, use your ambition to try to work toward being the best at building up the church.
13 Therefore, those who speak in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret. 14 If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind isn’t productive. 15 What should I do? I’ll pray in the Spirit, but I’ll pray with my mind too; I’ll sing a psalm in the Spirit, but I’ll sing the psalm with my mind too. 16 After all, if you praise God in the Spirit, how will the people who aren’t trained in that language say “Amen!” to your thanksgiving, when they don’t know what you are saying? 17 You may offer a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I’d rather speak five words in my right mind than speak thousands of words in a tongue so that I can teach others.
20 Brothers and sisters, don’t be like children in the way you think. Well, be babies when it comes to evil, but be adults in your thinking. 21 In the Law it is written: I will speak to this people with foreign languages and foreigners’ lips, but they will not even listen to me this way,[a] says the Lord. 22 So then, tongues are a sign for those who don’t believe, not for those who believe. But prophecy is a sign for believers, not for those who don’t believe. 23 So suppose that the whole church is meeting and everyone is speaking in tongues. If people come in who are outsiders or unbelievers, won’t they say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if everyone is prophesying when an unbeliever or outsider comes in, they are tested by all and called to account by all. 25 The secrets of their hearts are brought to light. When that happens, they will fall on their faces and worship God, proclaiming out loud that truly God is among you!
26 What is the outcome of this, brothers and sisters? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All these things must be done to build up the church. 27 If some speak in a tongue, then let two or at most three speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 However, if there is no interpreter, then they should keep quiet in the meeting. They should speak privately to themselves and to God. 29 In the case of prophets, let two or three speak and have the rest evaluate what is said. 30 And if some revelation comes to someone else who is sitting down, the first one should be quiet. 31 You can all prophesy one at a time so that everyone can learn and be encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets. 33 God isn’t a God of disorder but of peace. Like in all the churches of God’s people, 34 the women should be quiet during the meeting. They are not allowed to talk. Instead, they need to get under control, just as the Law says. 35 If they want to learn something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is disgraceful for a woman to talk during the meeting.
36 Did the word of God originate with you? Has it come only to you? 37 If anyone thinks that they are prophets or “spiritual people,” then let them recognize that what I’m writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 If someone doesn’t recognize this, they aren’t recognized. 39 So then, brothers and sisters, use your ambition to try to get the gift of prophecy, but don’t prevent speaking in tongues. 40 Everything should be done with dignity and in proper order.
Baggage for exile
12 The Lord’s word came to me: 2 Human one, you live in a household of rebels. They have eyes to see but they don’t see, ears to hear but they don’t hear, because they are a household of rebels. 3 But you, human one, prepare a backpack for going into exile. In the daytime while they watch, go into exile; while they watch, go out from your place to another. Even though they are a household of rebels, perhaps they will understand. 4 In the daytime while they watch, carry your backpack as if for exile. At twilight while they watch, go out like those who are led out to exile. 5 While they watch, dig a hole through the wall and take your backpack out through it. 6 While they watch, shoulder your backpack and carry it out in the dark. Cover your face so that you can’t see the land, because I’m making you a sign for the house of Israel. 7 So I did as I was commanded. I carried out my backpack like an exile’s backpack in the daytime. At night I dug a hole through the wall with my hands. In the darkness, I shouldered my backpack and carried it out while they watched.
8 In the morning, the Lord’s word came to me: 9 Human one, has the house of Israel, that household of rebels, asked you, “What are you doing?” 10 Say to them, The Lord God proclaims: This concerns the prince in Jerusalem, along with the entire house of Israel in it.[a] 11 Say: I’m your sign. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into captivity in exile. 12 Their prince will shoulder his backpack at night and go out. They will dig through the wall to lead him out through it, and he will cover his face so that his eyes won’t see the land. 13 But I will spread my net over him, catch him in my trap, and bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans. He won’t see it, but he will die there. 14 As for all those who are in league with him, I will scatter his helpers and all his troops to the winds and let the sword loose after them. 15 They will know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. 16 But I will preserve a few of their number from the sword, famine, and plague, so that they may confess all their detestable practices among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
17 The Lord’s word came to me: 18 Human one, eat your bread in trembling, and drink your water in anxious agitation. 19 Say to the land’s people, The Lord God proclaims to those living in Jerusalem regarding Israel’s fertile land: As they anxiously eat up their bread and drink up their water in dismay, the land will be emptied of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there. 20 The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land left desolate, and you will know that I am the Lord.
Fulfillment of prophecy
21 The Lord’s word came to me: 22 Human one, what is this proverb of your people concerning Israel’s fertile land? They say, “The days go by, and every vision vanishes.” 23 Therefore, say to them, The Lord God proclaims: I’ll put an end to this proverb! It will never again be uttered in Israel. Tell them instead: The days are coming soon for the fulfillment of every vision. 24 Never again will there be any worthless vision or deceptive divination in the house of Israel. 25 I am the Lord! The word that I speak is the word that I will speak! It will happen and be delayed no longer. In your own days, household of rebels, I speak a word and make it happen. This is what the Lord God says!
26 The Lord’s word came to me: 27 Human one, the house of Israel is now saying, “The vision that he sees is for distant days; he prophesies about future times.” 28 Therefore, say to them, The Lord God proclaims: It will be delayed no longer. Every word of mine that I’ve spoken is certain, and it will happen. This is what the Lord God says.
Psalm 51
For the music leader. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him just after he had been with Bathsheba.
51 Have mercy on me, God, according to your faithful love!
Wipe away my wrongdoings according to your great compassion!
2 Wash me completely clean of my guilt;
purify me from my sin!
3 Because I know my wrongdoings,
my sin is always right in front of me.
4 I’ve sinned against you—you alone.
I’ve committed evil in your sight.
That’s why you are justified when you render your verdict,
completely correct when you issue your judgment.
5 Yes, I was born in guilt, in sin,
from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 And yes, you want truth in the most hidden places;
you teach me wisdom in the most secret space.[a]
7 Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and celebration again;
let the bones you crushed rejoice once more.
9 Hide your face from my sins;
wipe away all my guilty deeds!
10 Create a clean heart for me, God;
put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!
11 Please don’t throw me out of your presence;
please don’t take your holy spirit away from me.
12 Return the joy of your salvation to me
and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach wrongdoers your ways,
and sinners will come back to you.
14 Deliver me from violence, God, God of my salvation,
so that my tongue can sing of your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
16 You don’t want sacrifices.
If I gave an entirely burned offering,
you wouldn’t be pleased.
17 A broken spirit is my sacrifice, God.[b]
You won’t despise a heart, God, that is broken and crushed.
18 Do good things for Zion by your favor.
Rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.
19 Then you will again want sacrifices of righteousness—
entirely burned offerings and complete offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible