M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Absalom Plans to Take David’s Kingdom
15 After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself and fifty men to run before him [C to signal his power and claim of heir to the throne]. 2 Absalom would get up early and stand near the city gate [C the hub of the town for judicial, business, and social interaction]. Anyone who had a ·problem [suit; petition; case] for the king to ·settle [judge] would come here. When someone came, Absalom would call out and say, “What city are you from?”
The person would answer, “·I’m [L Your servant is] from one of the tribes of Israel.”
3 Then Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are ·right [sound/valid and just], but the king has no ·one [representative; deputy] to listen to you.” 4 Absalom would also say, “I wish someone would ·make [appoint] me judge in this land! Then people with ·problems [any suit/complaint/case or cause] could come to me, and I ·could help them get [would give them] justice.”
5 People would come near Absalom to ·bow to [prostrate themselves before] him. When they did, Absalom would reach out his hand and take hold of them and kiss them [C to show he treated them as his equals]. 6 Absalom did that to all the Israelites who came to King David for ·decisions [judgment]. In this way, Absalom stole the hearts of all Israel.
7 After four[a] years Absalom said to King David, “Please let me go to Hebron. I want to carry out my ·promise [vow] that I made to the Lord 8 while ·I [L your servant] was living in Geshur in Aram. I said, ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will ·worship [offer devotion/a sacrifice to] him in Hebron.’”
9 The king said, “Go in peace.”
So Absalom went to Hebron. 10 But he sent ·secret messengers [spies; or runners] through all the tribes of Israel. They told the people, “When you hear the trumpets, say this: ‘Absalom is the king ·at [in] Hebron!’”
11 Absalom ·had invited [took] two hundred men to go with him. So they went from Jerusalem with him [L innocently], ·but they didn’t know [not knowing] what he was planning. 12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, ·one of the people who advised David [David’s counselor], to come from his hometown of Giloh. So ·Absalom’s plans were working very well [the conspiracy grew stronger]. More and more people began to support him.
13 A messenger came to David, saying, “The ·Israelites are giving their loyalty to [L hearts of the people/Israelites are with] Absalom.”
14 Then David said to all his ·officers [officials; L servants] who were with him in Jerusalem, “We must ·leave [flee] quickly! If we don’t, we won’t be able to ·get away from [escape] Absalom. We must hurry before he ·catches [overtakes] us and ·destroys us and kills the people of Jerusalem [L brings disaster and puts the city to the sword].”
15 The king’s ·officers [officials; L servants] said to him, “We will do anything you ·say [decide; L choose].”
16 The king set out with everyone in his house, but he left ten ·slave women [L concubines; C secondary wives; 3:7] to take care of the palace. 17 The king left [L on foot] with all his people following him, and they stopped at ·a house far away [the last house]. 18 All the king’s ·servants [men; officers; officials] passed by him—the Kerethites and Pelethites [C foreign mercenaries who served as the king’s bodyguards], ·all those from Gath, and the six hundred men who had followed him [or and the six hundred men from Gath].
19 The king said to Ittai, a man from Gath, “Why are you also going with us? Turn back and stay with ·King Absalom [L the king] because you are a foreigner. ·This is not [L …—an exile from] your homeland. 20 You joined me only ·a short time ago [L yesterday]. Should I make you wander with us when I don’t even know where I’m going? Turn back and take your ·brothers [kinsmen; people] with you. May ·kindness [faithful love] and ·loyalty [faithfulness; truth] be shown to you.”
21 But Ittai said to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as ·you live [L my lord the king lives], I will ·stay with you [L go wherever my lord the king goes], whether it means life or death.”
22 David said to Ittai, “Go, march on.” So Ittai from Gath and all his people with their ·children [families] marched on. 23 All the people ·cried loudly [wept out loud] as ·everyone [the people] passed by. King David crossed the Kidron Valley, and then all the people went on to the ·desert [wilderness]. 24 Zadok and all the Levites with him carried the Ark of the ·Agreement with God [Covenant/Treaty of God]. They set it down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had ·left [marched out of] the city.
25 The king said to Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back into the city. If ·the Lord is pleased with me [L I find favor in the Lord’s sight/eyes], he will bring me back and will let me see both it and ·Jerusalem [L its dwelling place/tent/Tabernacle] again. 26 But if the Lord says ·he is not pleased with me [L “I take no delight in you”], ·I am ready [here I am]. He can do ·what he wants with me [L to me what is good in his sight/eyes].”
27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “·Aren’t you a seer [or Do you understand]? Go back to the city ·in peace [quietly] and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan with you. 28 I will wait near the ·crossings into the desert [fords in the wilderness; C shallow crossing points of the Jordan River] until I hear from you.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30 David went up the ·Mount [L Ascent] of Olives, crying as he went. He covered his head and went barefoot [C signs of mourning]. All the people with David covered their heads also and cried as they went. 31 Someone told David, “Ahithophel is one of the ·people with Absalom who made secret plans against you [conspirators with Absalom].”
So David prayed, “Lord, please ·make [turn] Ahithophel’s ·advice foolish [counsel into foolishness].”
32 When David reached the top of the mountain where people ·used to worship [worshiped] God, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him. Hushai’s coat was torn, and there was dirt on his head [C a sign of mourning or distress]. 33 David said to Hushai, “If you go with me, you will be ·just one more person for me to take care of [L a burden]. 34 But if you return to the city, you can ·make Ahithophel’s advice useless [thwart/frustrate/counter Ahithophel’s counsel]. Tell Absalom, ‘I am your servant, my king. In the past I served your father, but now I will serve you.’ 35 The priests Zadok and Abiathar will [L they not…?] be with you. Tell them everything you hear in the royal palace. 36 Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan are with them. Send them to tell me everything you hear.” 37 So David’s friend Hushai ·entered [returned to] Jerusalem just as Absalom arrived.
Christian Giving
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God gave the churches in Macedonia [1:16]. 2 Although they have been tested by great ·troubles [trials; tribulation] ·and are very poor, they gave much because of their great joy [L their deep poverty and abundant joy overflowed into rich generosity]. 3 I can ·tell you [testify] that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it. 4 But they begged and pleaded with us ·to let them [L for the privilege/grace to] share in this service for ·God’s people [T the saints]. 5 And they gave in a way we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. ·This is what God wants […by the will of God]. 6 So we ·asked [urged; encouraged] Titus [2:13] to help you finish this special work of grace since he is the one who started it. 7 You ·are rich [excel] in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in ·truly wanting to help [eagerness; zeal], and in the love ·you learned [L that is in you] from us.[a] In the same way, ·be strong [excel] also in the grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you to give. But I want to ·see [test; prove] if your love is true by comparing you with ·others that really want to help [L the zeal/eagerness of others]. 9 [L For] You know the ·grace [gift] of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich.
10 This is ·what I think you should do [L my opinion on this matter for your benefit]: Last year you were the first to want to give, and you were the first who gave. 11 So now finish the work you started. Then your ·“doing” [L completion] will be equal to your ·“wanting to do” [eager desire]. Give from what you have. 12 If you ·want [are eager/willing] to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have. 13 [L For] We do not want you to have ·troubles [hardships; trials] while other people ·are at ease [have relief], but we want everything to be equal [C giving is not intended to impoverish the giver, but to distribute God’s resources]. 14 At this time ·you have plenty and what you have [L your abundance] can help others who are in need. ·Then later, when they have plenty, they [or In the same way, their abundance] can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal [C Paul may be saying, (1) that the Jerusalem church may one day reciprocate by helping the Corinthians financially; or, (2) that the Corinthians’ financial gift will be reciprocated through Jerusalem’s spiritual gifts]. 15 As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little [Ex. 16:18].”
Titus and His Companions Help
16 ·I thank [L Thanks be to] God because he ·gave [L put into the heart of] Titus [2:13] the same ·love [L eagerness; zeal] for you that I have. 17 [L For] Titus accepted what we asked him to do. He ·wanted very much [was eager] to go to you, and this was ·his own idea [of his own accord]. 18 We are sending with him the brother who is praised by all the churches because of his service ·in preaching the Good News [L in the Gospel; C unknown person, possibly Luke]. 19 Also, this brother was ·chosen [appointed] by the churches to go with us ·when we deliver this gift of money [or in this ministry/administration of grace]. We are doing this ·service [ministry] to bring glory to the Lord and to show ·that we really want [our eagerness/willingness] to help.
20 We are being careful so that no one will ·criticize [blame] us for the way we are handling this ·large [abundant; generous] gift. 21 [L For] We are trying hard to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people [Prov. 3:4].
22 Also, we are sending with them our brother, who has proved to us in many ways that he is always ·ready [eager; zealous] to help. He wants to help even more now, because he has much ·faith [confidence] in you.
23 ·Now [or If there is any question] about Titus [2:13]—he is my partner ·who is working with me [and coworker] to help you. ·And [or If there is any question] about the other brothers—they are ·sent [messengers] from the churches, and ·they bring glory to [or they are the glory of] Christ. 24 So show these men the proof of your love and the reason we ·are proud [boast] of you. ·Then [or …so that] all the churches can see it.
The Sins of Jerusalem
22 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “And you, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], will you judge? Will you judge the city of ·murderers [bloodshed; C Jerusalem]? Then tell her about all her ·hateful [detestable; abominable] acts. 3 You are to say: ‘This is what the Lord God says: You are a city that ·kills those who come to live there [L sheds blood in her midst]. You ·make yourself unclean [defile yourself; C ritually] by making idols. 4 You have become guilty of ·murder [bloodshed] and have become ·unclean [defiled] by your idols which you have made. So you have brought your ·time of punishment [L days] near; you have come to the end of your years. That is why I have made you a ·shame [object of scorn] to the nations and ·why all lands laugh at you [L a mockery/laughingstock to all lands]. 5 Those near and those far away ·laugh at [mock] you with your ·bad [defiled] name, you city full of ·confusion [turmoil].
6 “‘See how each ·ruler [prince; leader] of Israel in you [C Jerusalem; v. 2] has been trying to ·kill people [shed blood]. 7 The people in you ·hate [treat with contempt] their fathers and mothers. They ·mistreat [oppress] the foreigners in you and wrong the ·orphans [fatherless] and widows in you. 8 You ·hate [despise] my holy things and ·dishonor [desecrate; profane; C ritually] my Sabbaths. 9 The ·lying [slanderous] men in you ·cause the death of others [shed blood]. The people in you eat ·food offered to idols at the mountain places of worship [L on the mountains], and they take part in ·sexual sins [L lewd/obscene acts among you]. 10 The men in you ·have sexual relations with their fathers’ wives [L uncover their father’s nakedness] and ·with [L violate] women who are unclean [C ritually], during their time of ·monthly bleeding [L impurity]. 11 One man in you does a ·hateful [detestable; abominable] act with his neighbor’s wife, while another has shamefully ·made his daughter-in-law unclean sexually [L defiled his daughter-in-law; C ritually]. And another ·forces his half sister to have sexual relations [L violates his father’s daughter] with him [C all forbidden in the Law; Lev. 18:9, 15, 20]. 12 The people in you take ·money [bribes] to ·kill others [shed blood; Deut. 27:25]. You take ·interest [usury; 18:13, 17; Lev. 25:36] and profits and make profits by ·mistreating [extorting] your neighbor. And you have forgotten me, says the Lord God.
13 “‘·So, Jerusalem, [L Look; T Behold] I will ·shake my fist [L strike my hand] at you for ·stealing money [your dishonest gain] and for ·murdering people [bloodshed]. 14 Will ·you still be brave [L your heart stand] and ·strong [L your hands be strong] when I ·punish [deal with] you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will act. 15 I will scatter you among the nations and spread you through the countries. ·That is how I will get rid of [L I will remove] your uncleanness [C ritually]. 16 But you, yourself, will be ·dishonored [defiled; profaned; C ritually] in the ·sight [eyes] of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Israel Is Worthless
17 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 18 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], the ·people [L house] of Israel have become ·scum [dross; C useless] to me. They are like the ·copper [or bronze], tin, iron, and lead left in the furnace when silver is purified. 19 So this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you have become ·scum [dross], I am going to bring you together inside Jerusalem. 20 Just as people put silver, ·copper [or bronze], iron, lead, and tin together inside a furnace to melt them down in a blazing fire, so I will gather you in my hot anger and put you together in Jerusalem and melt you down. 21 I will ·put [gather] you together and ·make you feel [L blow on you with] the ·heat [fire] of my ·anger [fury; wrath]. You will be melted down ·inside Jerusalem [L in the midst of it]. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, you will be melted inside ·the city [L it]. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have poured out my ·anger [wrath] on you.’”
Sins of the People
23 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 24 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], say to the land, ‘You are a land that ·has not had rain or [or is not cleansed with] showers ·when God is angry [L in the day of wrath/indignation].’ 25 Like a roaring lion that tears ·the animal it has caught [its prey], Israel’s ·rulers[a] [princes] ·make evil plans [conspire]. They have ·destroyed [devoured] lives and have taken treasure and ·valuable [precious] things. They have caused many women to become widows. 26 ·Israel’s [L Her; Its] priests do ·cruel things [violence] to my ·teachings [laws; instructions; L Torah] and ·do not honor [profane; C ritually] my holy things. They make no difference between holy and ·unholy [common; profane; C ritually] things, and they teach there is no difference between clean and unclean things [C ritually]. They ·do not remember [disregard; L close their eyes to] my Sabbaths, so I am ·dishonored by [profaned among; C ritually] them. 27 Like wolves tearing ·a dead animal [their prey], ·Jerusalem’s leaders [L her princes/officials] have ·killed people [L shed blood and destroy lives] for profit. 28 And the prophets ·try to cover this up by [whitewash their actions with; 13:10–15] false visions and by lying ·messages [divinations]. They say, ‘This is what the Lord God says’ when the Lord has not spoken. 29 The people of the land ·cheat others [practice extortion] and ·steal [commit robbery]. They ·hurt [oppress] the poor and needy. They ·cheat [mistreat; extort] foreigners and ·do not treat them fairly [deny them justice].
30 “I looked for someone to ·build up [repair; 13:5] the walls and to stand before me ·where the walls are broken [in the gap/breach] ·to defend these people [L on behalf of the land] so I would not have to destroy them. But I could not find anyone. 31 So I ·let them see [poured out] my ·anger [wrath]. I destroyed them with an anger that was like fire ·because of all the things [L bringing down on their heads all] they have done, says the Lord God.”
A Cry for Help
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” A psalm of David.
69 God, ·save me [give me victory],
because the water has risen to my neck [C the waters of chaos].
2 I’m sinking down into the ·mud [mire],
and there is nothing to stand on.
I ·am in deep water [have come into the depths of the waters],
and the flood ·covers [overwhelms] me.
3 I am ·tired [exhausted] from calling for help;
my throat is ·sore [dry].
My eyes are ·tired [worn out] from ·waiting [hoping]
for God to help me.
4 There are more people who hate me for no reason than hairs on my head;
·powerful [or many] enemies want to destroy me for no reason.
They make me ·pay back [return]
what I did not steal.
5 God, you know ·what I have done wrong [my foolishness];
I cannot hide my guilt from you.
6 Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
do not let those who ·hope in [wait for] you be ashamed because of me.
God of Israel,
do not let ·your worshipers [L those who seek you] be disgraced because of me.
7 For you, I carry this ·shame [reproach; scorn],
and my face is covered with disgrace.
8 I am like a stranger to my closest relatives
and a foreigner to my mother’s children.
9 My ·strong love [jealousy; passion; zeal] for your ·Temple [L house] ·completely controls [L consumes] me [John 2:17].
·When people insult you, it hurts me [L The reproaches/scorn of those who reproach/scorn you fall on me; Rom. 15:3].
10 When I ·cry [weep] and fast,
they ·make fun of [reproach; scorn] me.
11 When I wear ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C a sign of grief],
·they joke about me [L I am a byword/proverb/joke to them].
12 ·They make fun of me in public places [L Those who sit in the gate complain about me],
and the drunkards make up songs about me.
13 But I pray to you, Lord, ·for favor [or at an appropriate time].
God, because of your great ·love [loyalty], answer me.
You are ·truly able [faithful] to ·save [give victory].
14 ·Pull [Protect] me from the ·mud [mire],
and do not let me sink.
·Save [Protect] me from those who hate me
and from the deep water.
15 Do not let the flood ·drown [overwhelm] me
or the deep water swallow me
or the ·grave [L pit] close its mouth over me.
16 Lord, answer me because your ·love [loyalty] is so good.
Because of your ·great kindness [abundant compassion], turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from me, your servant.
I am in ·trouble [distress]. Hurry to ·help [L answer] me!
18 Come near and ·save [ransom] me;
·rescue [redeem] me from my enemies.
19 You ·see [know] my ·shame [reproach; scorn] and disgrace.
·You know all my enemies and what they have said [L The humiliation of all my foes is before you].
20 ·Insults [Reproach; Scorn] have broken my heart
and ·left me weak [I am depressed].
I ·looked [hoped; waited] for ·sympathy [pity; consolation], but there was none;
I found no one to comfort me.
21 They ·put [L gave me] poison in my food
and gave me vinegar to drink for my thirst [Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:23, 36; Luke 23:36; John 19:29].
22 Let their ·own feasts cause their ruin [L table be a snare before them];
·let their feasts trap them and pay them back [or a trap for their friends].
23 Let their eyes be ·closed [L darkened] so they cannot see
and their ·backs [L loins] ·be forever weak from troubles [L tremble all the time].
24 Pour your ·anger [wrath] out on them;
let your anger ·catch up with [overtake] them.
25 May their ·place [camp] be ·empty [desolate];
leave no one to live in their tents.
26 They ·chase after [persecute; pursue] those you have ·hurt [struck],
and they talk about the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Charge them with ·crime after crime [L guilt on guilt],
and do not ·let them have anything good [vindicate them].
28 ·Wipe [Blot] their names from the book of life [C kill them],
and do not ·list them [write them down] with those who ·do what is right [are righteous].
29 I am ·sad [afflicted] and ·hurting [in pain].
God, ·save me [give me victory] and ·protect me [give me refuge].
30 I will praise ·God [L the name of God] in a song
and will ·honor [magnify] him by giving thanks.
31 That will please the Lord more than ·offering him cattle [L an ox],
more than sacrificing a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 Poor people will see this and be glad [C offering an ox or bull is expensive].
·Be encouraged, you who worship God [The hearts of those who seek God will be enlivened].
33 The Lord listens to those in need
and does not ·look down on [despise] ·captives [prisoners].
34 Heaven and earth should praise him,
the seas and ·everything in them [L all that swarms in them].
35 God will ·save Jerusalem [L give Zion victory; C the location of the Temple]
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will live there and own the land.
36 The ·descendants [L seed] of his servants will inherit that land,
and those who love ·him [L his name] will live there.
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