M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
20 Then a hothead whose name was Sheba (son of Bichri, a Benjaminite) blew a trumpet and yelled, “We want nothing to do with David. Come on, you men of Israel, let’s get out of here. He’s not our king!”
2 So all except Judah and Benjamin turned around and deserted David and followed Sheba! But the men of Judah stayed with their king, accompanying him from the Jordan to Jerusalem. 3 When he arrived at his palace in Jerusalem, the king instructed that his ten wives he had left to keep house should be placed in seclusion. Their needs were to be cared for, he said, but he would no longer sleep with them as his wives. So they remained in virtual widowhood until their deaths.
4 Then the king instructed Amasa to mobilize the army of Judah within three days and to report back at that time. 5 So Amasa went out to notify the troops, but it took him longer than the three days he had been given.
6 Then David said to Abishai, “That fellow Sheba is going to hurt us more than Absalom did. Quick, take my bodyguard and chase after him before he gets into a fortified city where we can’t reach him.”
7 So Abishai and Joab set out after Sheba with an elite guard from Joab’s army and the king’s own bodyguard. 8-10 As they arrived at the great stone in Gibeon, they came face-to-face with Amasa. Joab was wearing his uniform with a dagger strapped to his side. As he stepped forward to greet Amasa, he stealthily slipped the dagger from its sheath. “I’m glad to see you, my brother,” Joab said, and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him. Amasa didn’t notice the dagger in his left hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it, so that his bowels gushed out onto the ground. He did not need to strike again, and he died there. Joab and his brother, Abishai, left him lying there and continued after Sheba.
11 One of Joab’s young officers shouted to Amasa’s troops, “If you are for David, come and follow Joab.”
12 But Amasa lay in his blood in the middle of the road, and when Joab’s young officers saw that a crowd was gathering around to stare at him, they dragged him off the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13 With the body out of the way, everyone went on with Joab to capture Sheba.
14 Meanwhile Sheba had traveled across Israel to mobilize his own clan of Bichri at the city of Abel in Beth-maacah. 15 When Joab’s forces arrived, they besieged Abel and built a mound to the top of the city wall and began battering it down.
16 But a wise woman in the city called out to Joab, “Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you.”
17 As he approached, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”
And he replied, “I am.”
18 So she told him, “There used to be a saying, ‘If you want to settle an argument, ask advice at Abel.’ For we always give wise counsel. 19 You are destroying an ancient, peace-loving city, loyal to Israel. Should you destroy what is the Lord’s?”
20 And Joab replied, “That isn’t it at all. 21 All I want is a man named Sheba from the hill country of Ephraim, who has revolted against King David. If you will deliver him to me, we will leave the city in peace.”
“All right,” the woman replied, “we will throw his head over the wall to you.”
22 Then the woman went to the people with her wise advice, and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet and called his troops back from the attack, and they returned to the king at Jerusalem.
23 Joab was commander-in-chief of the army, and Benaiah was in charge of the king’s bodyguard.[a] 24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor battalions, and Jehoshaphat was the historian who kept the records. 25 Sheva was the secretary, and Zadok and Abiathar were the chief priests. 26 Ira the Jairite was David’s personal chaplain.
13 This is the third time I am coming to visit you. The Scriptures tell us that if two or three have seen a wrong, it must be punished. Well, this is my third warning as I come now for this visit.[a] 2 I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there last; now I warn them again and all others, just as I did then, that this time I come ready to punish severely and I will not spare them.
3 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak in his dealings with you but is a mighty power within you. 4 His weak, human body died on the cross, but now he lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak in our bodies, as he was, but now we live and are strong, as he is, and have all of God’s power to use in dealing with you.
5 Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ’s presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren’t at all? 6 I hope you can agree that I have stood that test and truly belong to the Lord.
7 I pray that you will live good lives, not because that will be a feather in our caps,[b] proving that what we teach is right; no, for we want you to do right even if we ourselves are despised. 8 Our responsibility is to encourage the right at all times, not to hope for evil.[c] 9 We are glad to be weak and despised if you are really strong. Our greatest wish and prayer is that you will become mature Christians.
10 I am writing this to you now in the hope that I won’t need to scold and punish when I come; for I want to use the Lord’s authority that he has given me, not to punish you but to make you strong.
11 I close my letter with these last words: Be happy. Grow in Christ. Pay attention to what I have said. Live in harmony and peace. And may the God of love and peace be with you.
12 Greet each other warmly in the Lord. 13 All the Christians here send you their best regards. 14 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. May God’s love and the Holy Spirit’s friendship be yours.
Paul
27 Then this message came to me from the Lord. He said:
2 “Son of dust, sing this sad dirge for Tyre:
3 “‘O mighty seaport city, merchant center of the world, the Lord God speaks. You say, “I am the most beautiful city in all the world.” 4 You have extended your boundaries out into the sea; your architects have made you glorious. 5 You are like a ship built of finest fir from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. 6 They made your oars from oaks of Bashan. The walls of your cabin are of cypress from the southern coast of Cyprus. 7 Your sails are made of Egypt’s finest linens; you stand beneath awnings bright with purple and scarlet dyes from eastern Cyprus.
8 “‘Your sailors come from Sidon and Arvad; your helmsmen are skilled men from Zemer. 9 Wise old craftsmen from Gebal do the calking. Ships come from every land with all their goods to barter for your trade.
10 “‘Your army includes men from far-off Paras, Lud, and Put.[a] They serve you—it is a feather in your cap to have their shields hang upon your walls; it is the ultimate of honor. 11 Men from Arvad and from Helech[b] are the sentinels upon your walls; your towers are manned by men from Gamad. Their shields hang row on row upon the walls, perfecting your glory.
12 “‘From Tarshish come all kinds of riches to your markets—silver, iron, tin, and lead. 13 Merchants from Javan, Tubal, and Meshech[c] bring slaves and bronze dishes, 14 while from Togarmah come chariot horses, steeds, and mules.
15 “‘Merchants come to you from Rhodes, and many coastlands are your captive markets, giving payment in ebony and ivory. 16 Edom sends her traders to buy your many wares. They bring emeralds, purple dyes, embroidery, fine linen, and jewelry of coral and agate. 17 Judah and the cities in what was once the kingdom of Israel send merchants with wheat from Minnith and Pannag,[d] and with honey, oil, and balm. 18 Damascus comes. She brings wines from Helbon and white Syrian wool to trade for all the rich variety of goods you make. 19 Vedan and Javan bring Arabian yarn,[e] wrought iron, cassia, and calamus, 20 while Dedan brings expensive saddlecloths for riding.
21 “‘The Arabians and Kedar’s wealthy merchant princes bring you lambs and rams and goats. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah come with all kinds of spices, jewels, and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, Asshur, and Chilmad all send their wares. 24 They bring choice fabrics to trade—blue cloth, embroidery, and many-colored carpets bound with cords and made secure. 25 The ships of Tarshish are your ocean caravans; your island warehouse is filled to the brim!
26 “‘But now your statesmen bring your ship of state into a hurricane! Your mighty vessel flounders in the heavy eastern gale,[f] and you are wrecked in the heart of the seas! 27 Everything is lost. Your riches and wares, your sailors and pilots, your shipwrights, merchants, and soldiers; and all the people sink into the sea on the day of your vast ruin.
28 “‘The surrounding cities quake at the sound as your pilots scream with fright. 29 All your sailors out at sea come to land and watch upon the mainland shore, 30 weeping bitterly and casting dust upon their heads and wallowing in ashes. 31 They shave their heads in grief, put on sackcloth, and weep for you with bitterness of heart and deep mourning.
32 “‘And this is the song of their sorrow: “Where in all the world was there ever such a wondrous city as Tyre, destroyed in the midst of the sea? 33 Your merchandise satisfied the desires of many nations. Kings at the ends of the earth rejoiced in the riches you sent them. 34 Now you lie broken beneath the sea; all your merchandise and all your crew have perished with you. 35 All who live along the coastlands watch, incredulous. Their kings are horribly afraid and look on with twisted faces. 36 The merchants of the nations shake their heads, for your fate is dreadful; you have forever perished.”’”
75 How we thank you, Lord! Your mighty miracles give proof that you care.
2 “Yes,” the Lord replies, “and when I am ready, I will punish the wicked! 3 Though the earth shakes and all its people live in turmoil, yet its pillars are firm, for I have set them in place!”
4 I warned the proud to cease their arrogance! I told the wicked to lower their insolent gaze[a] 5 and to stop being stubborn and proud. 6-7 For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another. 8 In Jehovah’s hand there is a cup of pale and sparkling wine. It is his judgment, poured out upon the wicked of the earth. They must drain that cup to the dregs.
9 But as for me, I shall forever declare the praises of the God of Jacob. 10 “I will cut off the strength of evil men,” says the Lord,[b] “and increase the power of good men in their place.”
76 God’s reputation is very great in Judah and in Israel. 2 His home is in Jerusalem. He lives upon Mount Zion. 3 There he breaks the weapons of our enemies.
4 The everlasting mountains cannot compare with you in glory! 5 The mightiest of our enemies are conquered. They lie before us in the sleep of death; not one can lift a hand against us. 6 When you rebuked them, God of Jacob, steeds and riders fell. 7 No wonder you are greatly feared! Who can stand before an angry God? 8 You pronounce sentence on them from heaven; the earth trembles and stands silently before you. 9 You stand up to punish the evildoers and to defend the meek of the earth. 10 Man’s futile wrath will bring you glory. You will use it as an ornament!
11 Fulfill all your vows that you have made to Jehovah your God. Let everyone bring him presents. He should be reverenced and feared, 12 for he cuts down princes and does awesome things to the kings of the earth.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.