M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Amnon’s Rape of Tamar
13 Sometime after this, David’s son Amnon fell in love with David’s other[a] son Absalom’s beautiful sister Tamar. 2 Amnon became so emotionally distressed that he fell sick over his half-sister Tamar. She was a virgin, and Amnon found it difficult to do anything to her.
3 Meanwhile, Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Now Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4 “Why are you so depressed these past few mornings,”[b] Jonadab[c] asked Amnon, “since you’re a son of the king? Why not tell me?”
Amnon replied, “I’m in love with my brother Absalom’s sister Tamar.”
5 Jonadab advised him, “Lie down and pretend to be sick. When your father visits you, ask him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat that she prepares especially for me,[d] and after she makes dinner for me, let her feed it to me personally.’”[e]
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to visit him, Amnon asked the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make some of her bread especially for me,[f] so she can feed it to me personally.”[g]
7 So David sent for Tamar back at the palace, telling her, “Please go to your brother Amnon’s home and prepare some food for him.” 8 Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s home, where he was lying down. She brought along some dough, kneaded it, prepared some cakes especially for him,[h] baked them, 9 and emptied the baking skillet just for him, but he refused to eat.
“Send everybody out of here,” Amnon said. So everyone left the room. 10 Amnon told Tamar, “Bring the food into my private bedroom, so I can eat it with you personally.”[i] So Tamar took the cakes she had prepared and brought them into the private bedroom for her brother Amnon.
11 But as soon as she brought them near him to eat, he overpowered her and told her, “Come here and have sex with me, my sister!”
12 “No, my brother!” she kept telling him. “Don’t humiliate me like this! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this utterly foolish thing! 13 And what about me? Where will I go to escape[j] this disgrace? And as for you, you’ll be known as one of Israel’s greatest fools! So please talk to the king, because he won’t withhold me from you!”
14 But he was unwilling to listen to what she was saying. Since he was stronger than she was, he forced her into having sex with him. 15 Afterwards, though, Amnon hated her very intensely. As a result, his hatred for her exceeded the love that he had previously for her. So Amnon told her, “Get up! Leave!”
16 Even so, she tried to tell him, “No! After all, it’s more wrong to send me away than what you just did to me!”
But he was unwilling to listen to her. 17 So he called out to a young man who was serving him, and told him: “Send this woman away from me and lock the door after her.”
18 Now she was clothed in a long sleeved, multi-colored ornamental tunic, commonly worn by the king’s virgin daughters. When Amnon’s[k] servant threw her out and locked the door after her, 19 Tamar rubbed her head with ashes, tore her tunic that she was wearing, put her hand to her head, and ran off, crying aloud as she went away.
Absalom’s Plans Revenge
20 Later, her brother Absalom asked her, “Has Amnon, that brother of yours, raped[l] you? Then keep quiet about your half-brother for now, my sister. Stop taking this so personally.”[m] From that time on, Tamar lived in continuous desolation within her brother Absalom’s house. 21 When King David heard all about these developments, he flew into a rage over it. 22 But Absalom never said a word, either good or bad, to Amnon. Nevertheless, he hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
Absalom’s Men Kill Amnon
23 Two full years later, Absalom took some men to Baal-hazor near Ephraim to shear his sheep. He[n] also invited all of the king’s sons to come. 24 Absalom had gone to the king to ask him, “I’ve brought some men to shear the sheep. Won’t you please come and join me, along with your senior staff?”
25 But King David declined,[o] saying to Absalom, “No, my son, we won’t all go, since that would be too much trouble for you.” Although Absalom begged David, he would not go, even though he did give his blessing.
26 So Absalom responded, “If you aren’t coming, please allow my brother Amnon to accompany us.”
The king asked, “Why should he go with you?”
27 But Absalom kept begging David[p] until he sent Amnon and all of David’s[q] sons to accompany Absalom.
28 Then Absalom instructed his young men, “Please keep watching Amnon until he’s drunk. Then I’ll tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ As soon as I do, kill him and don’t be afraid! You have your orders, so be strong and brave!” 29 So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as they had been[r] ordered, but the rest of David’s sons jumped up, mounted their mules, and escaped.
30 While they were still on the road, this rumor came to David: “Absalom has struck down all of the king’s sons and none of them has survived.” 31 David arose, ripped his clothes in anguish,[s] and collapsed to the ground while all of his staff stood by with their own clothes torn.
32 But David’s brother Shimeah’s son Jonadab reported, “Your majesty, don’t assume they’ve killed all of the young men—the king’s sons—only Amnon has died, since that was Absalom’s intention from the day Amnon raped[t] his sister Tamar. 33 Now your majesty, don’t be concerned about this rumor that all the king’s sons have died, because only Amnon is dead.”
34 Meanwhile, Absalom had run away. While the young man standing watch was looking around, all of a sudden he observed many people coming down the road behind and to the west of the mountain! So the watchman left his post and reported, “I have seen men coming from the direction of Horonaim.”[u]
35 Jonadab told the king, “Look! Here come the king’s sons. This thing has turned out just like your servant reported.” 36 Just as he finished his comments, the king’s sons arrived, crying loudly. At this, with tears overflowing, the king and his entire staff wept bitterly.
37 Absalom continued to flee, eventually going to Ammihud’s son King Talmai of Geshur, while King David continued to mourn for his son every day. 38 After fleeing to Geshur, Absalom remained there for three years. 39 Meanwhile, King David longed to visit Absalom, since he was moved to compassion over Amnon’s death.
Workers with God
6 Since, then, we are working with God,[a] we plead with you not to accept God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“At the right time I heard you,
and on a day of salvation I helped you.”[b]
Listen, now is really the “right time”! Now is the “day of salvation”!
We are God’s Servants
3 We do not put an obstacle in anyone’s way. Otherwise, fault may be found with our ministry. 4 Instead, in every way we demonstrate that we are God’s servants by tremendous endurance in the midst of difficulties, hardships, and calamities; 5 in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger; 6 with purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; with the Holy Spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and divine power; through the weapons of righteousness in the right and left hands; 8 through honor and dishonor; through ill repute and good repute; perceived[c] as deceivers and yet true, 9 as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet—as you see—very much alive, as punished and yet not killed, 10 as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing, as poor and yet enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken frankly[d] to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are wide open. 12 We have not cut you off, but you have cut off your own feelings toward us. 13 Do us a favor—I ask you as my children—and open wide your hearts.
Relating with Unbelievers
14 Stop becoming[e] unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony exists between the Messiah[f] and Beliar,[g] or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common? 16 What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we[h] are the temple of the living God, just as God said:
“I will live and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[i]
17 Therefore,
A Prophecy against Israel’s Elders
20 On the seventh year, on the tenth day[a] of the fifth month, men came from the elders of Israel to seek the Lord. They sat down in front of me.
2 “Son of Man,” the Lord told me, 3 “Tell the elders of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God asks, “Did you come to inquire of me? As long as I live, I won’t let myself be sought by you,” declares the Lord God.’
4 “Will you judge them? Son of Man, will you indeed judge them? Teach them about the detestable things that their ancestors did. 5 Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “The day I chose Israel, when I made my commitment[b] to the descendants of Jacob’s house, I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt and I made my promise to them with the words, ‘I am the Lord your God.’ 6 That day I promised to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land that I had explored for them—a land flowing with milk and honey. It’s the most beautiful of all lands. 7 Then I told them, ‘Each of you are to abandon your detestable practices.[c] You are not to defile yourselves with Egypt’s idols. I am the Lord your God.’”’”
A Brief History of Israel’s Rebellion
8 “But they rebelled against me and weren’t willing to obey me. None of them abandoned their detestable practices[d] or their Egyptian idols. So I said, ‘I’ll pour out my anger on them, extending my fury in the middle of the land of Egypt.’ 9 I did this so my reputation[e] might not be tarnished among the nations where they were living, among whom I made myself known in their presence when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. 10 I brought them out of the land of Egypt to bring them to the wilderness 11 where I gave them my statutes and revealed my ordinances to them, which if a person[f] observes, he’ll live by them. 12 Also, I instituted[g] my Sabbath for them as a sign between me and them, so they would know that I am the Lord, who has set them apart.”
Israel Rebels in the Wilderness
13 “But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t live by[h] my statutes. They despised my ordinances, which if a person observes, he’ll live by them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my anger on them and bring them to an end in the wilderness. 14 I did this so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations in whose presence I had brought them out.
15 “Moreover, I solemnly swore to them in the wilderness that I wouldn’t bring them to the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands— 16 because they kept on rejecting my ordinances. They didn’t live life consistent with my statutes, they profaned my Sabbaths, and their hearts followed[i] their idols. 17 Even then, I[j] looked on them with compassion and didn’t completely destroy them in the wilderness. 18 I told their children in the wilderness, ‘You are not to follow the statutes of your ancestors, observe their ordinances, or be defiled by their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. You are to follow my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them. 20 You are to make my Sabbaths holy, and you are to let them serve as a sign between you and me, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”
More of Israel’s Rebellion
21 “But they rebelled against me. They didn’t live according to my statutes, observe my ordinances, or practice them, by which a person will live. They also kept profaning my Sabbaths. So I said that I was going to pour out my anger on them and in my anger I’m going to bring about a complete end to them in the wilderness. 22 But I withdrew my decision[k] so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations before whose eyes I brought them out.
23 “Furthermore, I solemnly swore in the wilderness to disperse them among the nations and scatter them to other[l] lands 24 because they didn’t observe my ordinances. Instead, they rejected my statutes, profaned my Sabbaths, and worshipped[m] their ancestors’ idols. 25 So I gave them statutes that weren’t good and ordinances by which they could not live. 26 I made them unclean because of their offerings, so they made all their firstborn[n] to pass through the fire, so that I could make them astonished. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”
The Blasphemy of Israel’s Ancestors
27 “Therefore, Son of Man, you are to speak to the children of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Your ancestors also blasphemed me in their treacherous behavior against me. 28 I brought them to the land that I had promised to give them. But whenever they saw any high hill and or any leafy tree, they slaughtered their sacrifices there and presented their offerings that provoked my anger. There they presented their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offering. 29 So I asked them, ‘What is the high place to which you’re going?’ That’s why the name of the place has been called Bamah[o] to this day.”’
30 “Therefore you are to say to Israel’s house, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Will you defile yourselves like your ancestors did by acting as a prostitute, consistent with their horrible deeds? 31 When you present your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with your idols to this day. Should I be inquired of by you, you house of Israel? As I live,” declares the Lord, “I certainly won’t be inquired of by you.” 32 The thing that you’re imagining[p] is never going to happen, since you’re thinking, “We’ll be like the nations, like the clans of other[q] lands who serve gods made from wood and stone.”’”
The Coming Discipline of Israel
33 “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “with my powerful hand and outstretched arm, along with my wrath poured out, I’ll reign as king over you. 34 I’ll bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered. With a powerful hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, 35 I’ll bring you into the wilderness of the nations. I’ll judge you right there, face to face. 36 Just as I judged your ancestors in the wilderness in the land of Egypt, so I’ll judge you,” declares the Lord. 37 “I’ll cause you to pass under the rod until I will have brought you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I’ll eliminate the rebels among you, along with those who are transgressing against me. I’ll bring them out of the land where you’ve lived, but they won’t be able to enter the land of Israel. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”
The Coming Regathering of Israel
39 And now, you house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says, “Go ahead and serve your idols, both now and later, but later you’ll listen to me, and you won’t profane my sacred name again by your offerings and idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, on Israel’s high mountains,” declares the Lord God, “the whole of Israel’s house—all of it—will serve me there in the land. I’ll accept them there. And there I’ll demand your offerings, the first fruits of your portions of all your sacred things.
41 “When I will have brought you from among the people and have gathered you from the lands where you were scattered, I’ll accept you as a pleasing aroma. I’ll reveal my holiness among you, and the entire world will see it. 42 Then you’ll know that I, the Lord, brought you to the land of Israel, to the land that I promised to give to your ancestors. 43 You’ll remember all your practices and evil actions by which you’ve become defiled. You’ll loathe yourselves[r] because of all the evil things you’ve done. 44 Then you’ll know that I am the Lord, when I will have dealt with you for the benefit of my own reputation and not according to your evil attitudes or corrupt practices, you house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.
Coming Judgment on the South
45 [s]This message came to me from the Lord: 46 “Son of Man, turn to the south and oppose it, talking toward the south. 47 Prophesy against the forest of the Negev,[t] ‘Listen to this message from the Lord. This is what the Lord God says: “Look out! I’m about to ignite a fire and set it against you. It will devour every tree—whether green or dry—that lives in you. This powerful flame will not be extinguishable, and the entire surface from south to north will be scorched by it. 48 Then everyone[u] will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it, because it won’t be extinguished.”’”
Ezekiel’s Complaint to God
49 Then I said, “O Lord God! They’re saying about me, ‘Isn’t he one to propound parables?’”
To the Director: A song. A Psalm.
A Song of Praise
66 Shout praise to God all the earth!
2 Sing praise about the glory of his name.[a]
Make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God: “How awesome are your works!
Because of your great strength
your enemies cringe before you.”
4 The whole earth worships you.
They sing praise to you.
They sing praise to your name.
5 Come and see the awesome works of God
on behalf of human beings:
6 He turned the sea into dry land.
Israel[b] crossed the river on foot;
let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules by his power forever,
his eyes watching over the nations.
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.
8 Bless our God, people,
and let the sound of his praise be heard.
9 He gives us life
and does not permit our feet to slip.
10 For you, God, tested us,
to purify us like fine silver.
11 You have led us into a trap[c]
and set burdens on our backs.
12 You caused men to ride over us.[d]
You brought us through fire and water,
but you led us to abundance.
13 I will come to your house with burnt offerings.
I will fulfill my vows to you
14 that my lips uttered and that my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat,
along with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams.
I will offer bulls along with goats.
16 Come and listen, all of you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 I called aloud to him
and praised him with my tongue.
18 Were I to cherish iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not listen to me.
19 Surely God has heard,
and he paid attention to my[e] prayers.
20 Blessed be God, who did not turn away my prayers
nor his gracious love from me.
To the Director of music: Accompanied by stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song.
A Call to Thanksgiving
67 May God show us favor and bless us;
may he truly show us his favor.[f]
2 Let your ways be known by all the nations of the earth,
along with your deliverance.
3 Let the people thank you, God.
Let all the people thank you.
4 Let the nations rejoice and sing for joy,
because you judge people with fairness
and you govern the people of the earth.
5 Let the people thank you, God;
let all the people thank you.
6 May the earth yield its produce.
May God, our God, bless us.
7 May God truly bless us
so that all the peoples[g] of the earth will fear him.
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