M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

19 Then Joab was told, “See, the king is crying. He is filled with sorrow for Absalom.” ² So the happiness of winning the battle that day was changed to sorrow for all the people. For they heard that day, “The king is filled with sorrow for his son.” ³ So the people were quiet as they went in secret into the city that day. They acted like people who are ashamed when they run away from a battle. ⁴ The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” ⁵ Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered the faces of all your servants with shame. Today they have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives and the women who act as your wives. ⁶ But you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. You have shown today that rulers and servants are nothing to you. For today I see that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, you would be pleased. ⁷ So now get up and go out and speak in kindness to your servants. I swear by the Lord that if you do not, for sure not a man will stay with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the bad things that have happened to you since you were young.” ⁸ So the king got up and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, “See, the king is sitting in the gate,” then all the people came to the king.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Now every man of Israel had run to his tent. ⁹ And all the people in all the family groups of Israel were arguing. They said, “The king saved us from those who hate us. He saved us from the Philistines. But now he has run from Absalom and away from the land. ¹⁰ We chose Absalom to rule over us and he has died in battle. So now why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

¹¹ Then King David sent word to Zadok and Abiathar the religious leaders, saying, “Speak to the leaders of Judah. Say to them, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? I have heard from all Israel for me to return to my house. ¹² You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be the captain of my army at all times instead of Joab.’” ¹⁴ He changed the hearts of all the men of Judah as if they were one man. So they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” ¹⁵ So the king returned and came as far as the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and bring him over the Jordan.

¹⁶ Then Gera’s son Shimei, the Benjamite from Bahurim, came down in a hurry with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ There were 1,000 men of Benjamin with him. And Ziba the servant of the family of Saul came with his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the king at the Jordan. ¹⁸ They crossed the river to bring over those of the king’s house, and to do what pleased him. Gera’s son Shimei fell down in front of the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.

David Is Good to Shimei

¹⁹ He said to the king, “Let not my lord think I am guilty. Do not remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king left Jerusalem. Let not the king take it to heart. ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned. So I have come today. I am the first of all the family of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹ But Zeruiah’s son Abishai answered, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this? He spoke against the Lord’s chosen one.” ²² But David said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why should you be against me this day? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that this day I am king of Israel?” ²³ The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” And the king gave him his promise.

David Is Good to Mephibosheth

²⁴ Then Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth came down to meet the king. He had not dressed his feet, trimmed the hair of his face, or washed his clothes, from the day the king left until the day he returned in peace. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶ He answered, “O my lord the king, my servant lied to me. Your servant had said to him, ‘Get a donkey ready for me to travel on, so I may go with the king.’ Because your servant cannot walk. ²⁷ And he has spoken against me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God. So do what you think is best. ²⁸ For all those of my father’s house were nothing but dead men in front of my lord the king. But you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have to complain any more to the king?” ²⁹ The king said to him, “Why speak any more of how things are with you? I have decided that you and Ziba should divide the land.” ³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take it all, since my lord the king has come home and is safe.”

David Is Good to Barzillai

³¹ Now Barzillai of Gilead had come down from Rogelim. He went on to the Jordan with the king, to lead him over the river. ³² Barzillai was eighty years old. He had given food to the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will take care of you with me in Jerusalem.” ³⁴ But Barzillai said to the king, “How much longer have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵ I am now eighty years old. Can I know the difference between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and women any more? Why should your servant be an added problem to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant will only cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king reward me in this good way? ³⁷ Let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. And do for him what is good in your eyes.” ³⁸ The king answered, “Chimham will cross over with me. And I will do for him what is pleasing to you. I will do for you whatever you ask.” ³⁹ All the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king also. Then the king kissed Barzillai and prayed that good would come to him. And Barzillai returned to his own home.

Judah and Israel Argue over the King

⁴⁰ The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. And all the people of Judah and half the people of Israel went with the king.

⁴¹ Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away? Why have they brought the king and those of his family over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” ⁴² All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close brother to us. Why are you angry about this? Has the king paid for our food? Has he given us any gift?” ⁴³ But the men of Israel said to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king. So we have more right to David than you. Why then did you hate us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah had more anger than the words of the men of Israel.

Paul Sees Something True in a Special Dream

12 I have to talk about myself, even if it does no good. But I will keep on telling about some things I saw in a special dream and that which the Lord has shown me. ² I know a man who belongs to Christ. Fourteen years ago he was taken up to the highest heaven. (I do not know if his body was taken up or just his spirit. Only God knows.) ³ I say it again, I know this man was taken up. But I do not know if his body or just his spirit was taken up. Only God knows. ⁴ When he was in the highest heaven, he heard things that cannot be told with words. No man is allowed to tell them. ⁵ I will be proud about this man, but I will not be proud about myself except to say things which show how weak I am. ⁶ Even if I talk about myself, I would not be a fool because it is the truth. But I will say no more because I want no one to think better of me than he does when he sees or hears me.

⁷ The things God showed me were so great. But to keep me from being too full of pride because of seeing these things, I have been given trouble in my body. It was sent from Satan to hurt me. It keeps me from being proud. ⁸ I asked the Lord three times to take it away from me. ⁹ He answered me, “I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people.” I am happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ’s power in me. ¹⁰ I receive joy when I am weak. I receive joy when people talk against me and make it hard for me and try to hurt me and make trouble for me. I receive joy when all these things come to me because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

¹¹ I have been making a fool of myself talking like this. But you made me do it. You should be telling what I have done. Even if I am nothing at all, I am not less important than those false missionaries of yours. ¹² When I was with you, I proved to you that I was a true missionary. I did powerful works and there were special things to see. These things were done in the strength and power from God. ¹³ What makes you feel less important than the other churches? Is it because I did not let you give me food and clothing? Forgive me for this wrong!

¹⁴ This is the third time I am ready to come to you. I want nothing from you. I want you, not your money. You are my children. Children should not have to help care for their parents. Parents should help their children. ¹⁵ I am glad to give anything I have, even myself, to help you. When I love you more, it looks as if you love me less.

¹⁶ It is true that I was not a heavy load to you. But some say I set a trap for you. ¹⁷ How could I have done that? Did I get anything from you through the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I asked Titus and the other Christian brother to visit you. Did Titus get anything from you? Did we not do things that showed we had the same desires and followed the same plan?

¹⁹ It may look to you as if we had been trying to make everything look right for ourselves all this time. God knows and so does Christ that all this is done to help you. ²⁰ I am afraid that when I visit you I will not find you as I would like you to be. And you will not find me as you would like me to be. I am afraid I will find you fighting and jealous and angry and arguing and talking about each other and thinking of yourselves as being too important and making trouble. ²¹ I am afraid when I get there God will take all the pride away from me that I had for you. I will not be happy about many who have lived in sin and done sex sins and have had a desire for such things and have not been sorry for their sins and turned from them.

Word against Tyre

26 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the Word of the Lord came to me saying, ² “Son of man, Tyre has said this about Jerusalem, ‘O, the gate to the nations is broken. It has opened to me. I will do well, now that she is laid waste.’ ³ So the Lord God says, ‘I am against you, O Tyre. And I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. ⁴ They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers. Then I will clean away what is left from her and make her nothing but rock. ⁵ She will be a place to spread fish nets out in the sea, for I have spoken,’ says the Lord God. ‘The nations will take her riches. ⁶ And her villages on the land across the sea from her will be destroyed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

⁷ For the Lord God says, “I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north. He will come with horses, war-wagons, horsemen, and a large army. ⁸ And he will kill with the sword those in your villages. He will build battle-walls around you. He will build up earth so they can go over your walls. He will build walls and make battle-coverings around you. ⁹ He will roll down large objects to knock down your walls, and will break down your towers with axes. ¹⁰ There will be so many horses that you will be covered by their dust. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wheels and war-wagons, when he comes through your gates as men come into a city that has been broken open. ¹¹ The feet of his horses will run all over your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground. ¹² They will take your riches and good things as prizes of war. They will break down your walls and destroy your beautiful houses. And they will throw your stones and wood into the sea. ¹³ I will put an end to the music of your songs. And the sound of your harps will be heard no more. ¹⁴ I will make you nothing but rock. You will be a place for nets to be spread. You will never be built again, for I the Lord have spoken,” says the Lord God.

¹⁵ The Lord God says to Tyre, “Will not the lands beside the sea shake at the sound of your fall, when those who have been hurt cry in pain, when your people are killed? ¹⁶ Then all the leaders of the sea will step down from their thrones and take off their beautiful clothing. They will clothe themselves with fear. They will sit on the ground and not be able to stop shaking, full of fear and wonder because of you. ¹⁷ They will cry in sorrow for you and say, ‘How you have been destroyed from the seas, O well-known city where many people once lived! You were powerful on the sea. You and all your people who lived here were filled with fear. ¹⁸ Now the islands shake in fear on the day of your fall. Yes, the lands which are by the sea are afraid because of how you are destroyed.’” ¹⁹ The Lord God says, “I will lay waste your city and make you like a destroyed city where no one lives. I will bring up the deep sea over you, and the many waters will cover you. ²⁰ Then I will send you down with those who go down to the grave, to the people of long ago. I will make you stay in the lower parts of the earth, like in waste places of long ago, with those who go down to the grave. So you will not have people living in you, and you will not have a place in the land of the living. ²¹ I will fill you with fear and destroy you. People will look for you, but you will never be found again,” says the Lord God.

A Prayer for the Nation

74 O God, why have You turned away from us forever? Why does Your anger burn against the sheep in Your fields? ² Remember Your people that You bought a long time ago. You made them free to be the family of Your promise, and Mount Zion, where You have lived. ³ Turn Your steps toward this place that has been destroyed forever. Those who hate You have destroyed all that is in the holy place. ⁴ Those who hate You have called out in the center of Your meeting place. They have set up their flags to show that they have won. ⁵ They acted like men taking up axes against a group of trees. ⁶ All of its fine work has been broken with axes and sticks. ⁷ They have burned Your holy place to the dust. They have made dirty the house of Your name. ⁸ They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy all of these places!” They have burned all the meeting places where God was worshiped in the land. ⁹ We do not see any special things happening. There is no longer anyone who speaks for God. And none of us knows how long this will be. ¹⁰ O God, how long will those who hate You laugh at the truth? Will they speak against Your name forever? ¹¹ Why do You take Your hand away, even Your right hand? Put it out and destroy them!

¹² God is still my King from long ago. He does saving works upon the earth. ¹³ You divided the sea by Your power. You broke the heads of the large dragons in the waters. ¹⁴ You crushed the heads of the Leviathan. And You fed him to the animals of the desert. ¹⁵ It was You Who opened up the earth for water to flow out. And You dried up rivers that flow forever. ¹⁶ The day is Yours. And the night is Yours. You have set the light and the sun in their places. ¹⁷ You have divided all the lands and seas and nations of the earth. You have made summer and winter.

¹⁸ Remember how those who hate You have laughed at the truth, O Lord. Foolish people have spoken against Your name. ¹⁹ Do not give the life of Your dove over to the wild animal. Do not forget the lives of Your troubled people forever. ²⁰ Think about Your agreement. For the dark places of the land are full of fighting. ²¹ Do not let those who suffer under a bad power return without honor. Let those who suffer and those who are in need praise Your name.

²² Rise up, O God. Stand up for Your rights. Remember how the foolish man speaks against You all day long. ²³ Do not forget the voice of those who hate You, the noise that comes without stopping from those who rise against You.