M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Hushai’s Counsel
17 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. 2 (A)I will come upon him while he is weary and [a]exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then (B)I will strike down the king alone, 3 and I will bring back all the people to you. [b]The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at (C)peace.” 4 So the [c]plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, “Now call (D)Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what [d]he has to say.” 6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to [e]him, “Ahithophel has spoken [f]thus. Shall we [g]carry out his plan? If not, you speak.” 7 So Hushai said to Absalom, “(E)This time the advice that Ahithophel has [h]given is not good.” 8 Moreover, Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are [i]fierce, (F)like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an [j]expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the [k]caves or in another place; and it will be [l]when he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, (G)will completely [m]lose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, (H)from Dan even to Beersheba, (I)as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that [n]you personally go into battle. 12 So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will [o]fall on him (J)as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will (K)drag it into the [p]valley until not even a small stone is found there.” 14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For (L)the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.
Hushai’s Warning Saves David
15 Then (M)Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “[q]This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and [r]this is what I have counseled. 16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘(N)Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be [s]destroyed.’” 17 (O)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at (P)En-rogel, and a maidservant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. 18 But a lad did see them and told Absalom; so the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man (Q)in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down [t]into it. 19 And (R)the woman [u]took a covering and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known. 20 Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And (S)the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “(T)Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.” 22 Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by [v]dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not [w]followed, he [x]saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to (U)his city, and [y](V)set his house in order, and (W)strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.
24 Then David came to (X)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 Absalom set (Y)Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was [z]Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of (Z)Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi (AA)the son of Nahash from (AB)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, (AC)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and (AD)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought (AE)beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, 29 honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, (AF)to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
Paul Describes Himself
10 Now (A)I, Paul, myself (B)urge you by the (C)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who (D)am [a]meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2 I ask that (E)when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against (F)some, who regard us as if we walked (G)according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war (H)according to the flesh, 4 for the (I)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but [b]divinely powerful (J)for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every (K)lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the (L)obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever (M)your obedience is complete.
7 [c](N)You are looking at [d]things as they are outwardly. (O)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, (P)so also are we. 8 For even if (Q)I boast somewhat [e]further about our (R)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, 9 [f]for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his [g]personal presence is (S)unimpressive and (T)his speech contemptible.” 11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.
12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with [h]some of those who (U)commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. 13 But we will not boast (V)beyond our measure, but [i](W)within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for (X)we were the first to come even as far as you in the (Y)gospel of Christ; 15 not boasting (Z)beyond our measure, that is, in (AA)other men’s labors, but with the hope that as (AB)your faith grows, we will be, [j]within our sphere, (AC)enlarged even more by you, 16 so as to (AD)preach the gospel even to (AE)the regions beyond you, and not to boast [k](AF)in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. 17 But (AG)he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. 18 For it is not he who (AH)commends himself that is approved, but he (AI)whom the Lord commends.
Parable of the Boiling Pot
24 And the word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying, 2 “Son of man, write the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon [a]has (A)laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3 Speak a (B)parable to the (C)rebellious house and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord [b]God,
“Put on the (D)pot, put it on and also pour water in it;
4 [c](E)Put in it the pieces,
Every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder;
Fill it with choice bones.
5 “Take the (F)choicest of the flock,
And also pile [d]wood under [e]the pot.
Make it boil vigorously.
Also seethe its bones in it.”
6 ‘Therefore, thus says the Lord God,
“Woe to the (G)bloody city,
To the pot in which there is rust
And whose rust has not gone out of it!
Take out of it piece after piece,
[f]Without making a choice.
7 “For her blood is in her midst;
She placed it on the bare rock;
She did not (H)pour it on the ground
To cover it with dust.
8 “That it may (I)cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
That it may not be covered.”
9 ‘Therefore, thus says the Lord God,
“(J)Woe to the bloody city!
I also will make the pile great.
10 “Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,
[g]Boil the flesh well
And mix in the spices,
And let the bones be burned.
11 “Then (K)set it empty on its coals
So that it may be hot
And its bronze may [h]glow
And its (L)filthiness may be melted in it,
Its rust consumed.
12 “She has (M)wearied Me with toil,
Yet her great rust has not gone from her;
Let her rust be in the fire!
13 “In your filthiness is lewdness.
Because I would have cleansed you,
Yet you are (N)not clean,
You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again
Until I have [i](O)spent My wrath on you.
14 I, the Lord, have spoken; it is (P)coming and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not (Q)pity and I will not be sorry; (R)according to your ways and according to your deeds [j]I will judge you,” declares the Lord God.’”
Death of Ezekiel’s Wife Is a Sign
15 And the word of the Lord came to me saying, 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the (S)desire of your eyes with a (T)blow; but you shall not (U)mourn and you shall not weep, and your (V)tears shall not come. 17 Groan silently; make (W)no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and (X)do not eat the bread of men.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. 19 The people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?” 20 Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me saying, 21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the (Y)desire of your eyes and the delight of your soul; and your (Z)sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22 You will do as I have done; you will not cover your mustache and you will not eat the bread of men. 23 Your turbans will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet. You (AA)will not mourn and you will not weep, but (AB)you will rot away in your iniquities and you will groan [k]to one another. 24 Thus Ezekiel will be a (AC)sign to you; according to all that he has done you will do; when it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord God.’”
25 ‘As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their (AD)stronghold, the joy of their [l]pride, the desire of their eyes and [m]their heart’s delight, their sons and their daughters, 26 that on that day he who (AE)escapes will come to you with information for your ears? 27 On that day your (AF)mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
The Reign of the Righteous King.
A Psalm of Solomon.
72 Give the king (A)Your judgments, O God,
And (B)Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 [a]May [b]he (C)judge Your people with righteousness
And [c](D)Your afflicted with justice.
3 [d]Let the mountains bring [e](E)peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.
4 [f]May he (F)vindicate the [g]afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy
And crush the oppressor.
5 [h]Let them fear You (G)while the sun endures,
And [i]as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 [j]May he come down (H)like rain upon the mown grass,
Like (I)showers that water the earth.
7 In his days [k]may the (J)righteous flourish,
And (K)abundance of peace till the moon is no more.
8 May he also rule (L)from sea to sea
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 [l]Let (M)the nomads of the desert (N)bow before him,
And his enemies (O)lick the dust.
10 [m]Let the kings of (P)Tarshish and of the [n](Q)islands bring presents;
The kings of (R)Sheba and (S)Seba (T)offer [o]gifts.
11 [p]And let all (U)kings bow down before him,
All (V)nations serve him.
12 For he will (W)deliver the needy when he cries for help,
The [q]afflicted also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will have (X)compassion on the poor and needy,
And the [r]lives of the needy he will save.
14 He will [s](Y)rescue their [t]life from oppression and violence,
And their blood will be (Z)precious in his sight;
15 So may he live, and may the (AA)gold of Sheba be given to him;
And let [u]them pray for him continually;
Let [v]them bless him all day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains;
Its fruit will wave like the cedars of (AB)Lebanon;
And may those from the city flourish like (AC)vegetation of the earth.
17 May his (AD)name endure forever;
May his name [w]increase [x](AE)as long as the sun shines;
And let men (AF)bless themselves by him;
(AG)Let all nations call him blessed.
18 (AH)Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who alone (AI)works wonders.
19 And blessed be His (AJ)glorious name forever;
And may the whole (AK)earth be filled with His glory.
(AL)Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
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