M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
18 David ·counted [mustered; reviewed] his men and placed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He sent the troops out in three groups. Joab commanded one-third of the men. Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah commanded another third. And Ittai from Gath commanded the last third. King David said to them, “I will also go with you.”
3 But the men said, “You must not go ·with us [out]! If we ·run away in the battle [flee], Absalom’s men won’t care. Even if half of us are killed, Absalom’s men won’t care. But you’re worth ten thousand of us! ·You can help us most by staying in the city [It is better that you support us from the city].”
4 The king said to his people, “I will do what ·you think is best [L is good in your sight/eyes].” So the king stood at the side of the gate as the army went out in groups of a hundred and a thousand.
5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Be gentle with young Absalom for my sake.” Everyone heard the king’s orders to the commanders about Absalom.
6 David’s army went out into the field against ·Absalom’s Israelites [Israel], and they fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There David’s army defeated the Israelites. ·Many died [L The slaughter was/casualties were great] that day—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread through all the ·country [countryside], but that day more men ·died [L were devoured/swallowed up] in the forest than ·in the fighting [L by the sword].
Absalom Dies
9 Then Absalom happened to ·meet [run into; come upon] David’s ·troops [L servants]. As Absalom was riding his mule, it went under the thick branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s head got caught in the tree, and his mule ran out from under him. So Absalom was left hanging ·above the ground [L between heaven and earth].
10 When one of the men saw it happen, he told Joab, “I saw Absalom ·hanging [dangling] in an oak tree!”
11 Joab said to him, “You saw him? Why didn’t you ·kill him and let him fall to [L strike him to] the ground? I would have given you a belt and ·four ounces [L ten pieces] of silver!”
12 The man answered, “I wouldn’t ·touch [L raise my hand against] the king’s son even if ·you gave me [L I felt in my hand the weight of] ·twenty-five pounds [L a thousand pieces] of silver. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘·Be careful not to hurt [For my sake protect/spare] young Absalom.’ 13 If I had ·killed him [betrayed the king by killing his son], ·the king would have found out [and there is nothing hidden from the king], and you would ·not have protected [have kept your distance/aloof from] me!”
14 Joab said, “I won’t waste time here with you!” Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, so Joab took three spears and stabbed him in the heart. 15 Ten young men who carried Joab’s armor also gathered around Absalom and struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, so the troops ·stopped [returned from] chasing the Israelites. 17 Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body and threw it into a ·large [deep] pit in the forest and ·filled the pit with [L piled over him] many stones. All the Israelites ·ran away [fled] to their homes.
18 When Absalom was alive, he had ·set up a pillar for [built a monument to] himself in the King’s Valley. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named the ·pillar [monument] after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument even today.
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, “Let me run and take the news to King David. I’ll tell him the Lord has ·saved [rescued; T delivered] him from his enemies.”
20 Joab answered Ahimaaz, “No, you are not the one to take the news today. You may do it another time, but do not take it today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to a man from Cush, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran to tell David.
22 But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again, “No matter what happens, please let me ·go along [run] with the Cushite!”
Joab said, “Son, why do you want to ·carry the news [run]? You won’t get any reward.”
23 Ahimaaz answered, “No matter what happens, I will run.”
So Joab said to Ahimaaz, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the ·Jordan Valley [plain] and ·passed [outran] the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the walls, and as he looked up, he saw a man running alone. 25 He shouted the news to the king.
The king said, “If he is alone, he ·is bringing good news [has news to give/L in his mouth]!”
The man came nearer and nearer to the city. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”
The king said, “He is also bringing ·good news [news]!”
27 The watchman said, “I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
The king said, “Ahimaaz is a good man. He must be bringing good news!”
28 Then Ahimaaz called a greeting to the king. He ·bowed facedown on the ground [prostrated himself] before the king and said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord your God! The Lord has ·defeated [handed over] those who ·were [L raised their hand] against ·you, my [L my lord the] king.”
29 The king asked, “Is young Absalom ·all right [well]?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, I saw some great ·excitement [commotion; confusion], but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Step over here and wait.” So Ahimaaz stepped aside and stood there.
31 Then the Cushite arrived. He said, “·Master and [My Lord the] king, hear the good news! Today the Lord has ·punished [rescued/T delivered you from] those who ·were [rebelled; L rose up] against you!”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom ·all right [well]?”
The Cushite answered, “May your enemies and all who ·come to hurt you [L rise up to do you harm] ·be like [share the fate of] that young man!”
33 Then the king was ·very upset [overcome with emotion], and he went to the room over the city gate and cried. As he went, he cried out, “My son Absalom, my son Absalom! ·I wish [Would that] I had died and not you. Absalom, my son, my son!”
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I wish you would be patient with me even ·when I am a little foolish [in a little foolishness], but you are already doing that. 2 [L For] I am jealous over you with a ·jealousy that comes from God [or godly jealousy]. I promised to give you to Christ, as your only husband. I want to give you as his pure ·bride [L virgin]. 3 But I am afraid that your minds will be ·led away [or corrupted] from your ·true [sincere] and pure following of Christ just as Eve was ·tricked [deceived] by the ·snake [serpent] with his ·evil ways [cunning; craftiness; Gen. 3:1–6]. 4 You ·are very patient with [willingly put up with; gladly tolerate] anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus from the one we preached. You are very willing to accept a spirit that is different from the Spirit you received, or a gospel that is different from the one you ·accepted [or received from us].
5 I do not think that those “·great [super-] apostles” are any better than I am. 6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have shown this to you clearly in every way.
7 Was it ·wrong [a sin] for me to ·humble [lower] myself and ·honor [exalt; lift up] you by preaching God’s ·Good News [Gospel] to you without pay? 8 I accepted pay from other churches, ·taking their money [L “robbing” them] so I could serve you. 9 If I needed something when I was with you, I did not ·trouble [burden] any of you. The brothers who came from Macedonia gave me all that I needed. I did not allow myself to ·depend on [become a burden to] you in any way, and I will ·never depend on you [L keep doing this]. 10 No one in Achaia [C southern Greece; 1:1] will stop me from ·bragging [boasting] about that. ·I say this with the truth of Christ in me [or By Christ’s truth in me! C a strong vow or oath]. 11 ·And why do I not depend on you [L Why]? Do you think it is because I do not love you? ·God knows that I love you [L God knows!].
12 And I will continue doing what I am doing now, because I want to stop those people from having a reason to ·brag [boast]. They ·would like [are looking for an opportunity] to say that the work they ·brag [boast] about is ·the same as [equal to] ours. 13 Such men are ·not true apostles [false apostles; pseudo-apostles] but are ·workers who lie [deceitful workers]. ·They change themselves to look like […disguising themselves as; …masquerading as] apostles of Christ. 14 ·This does not surprise us [And no wonder, since…]. Even Satan ·changes himself to look like [disguises himself as; masquerades as] an ·angel [messenger] of light [C trying to fool people into thinking he is from God, who is pure light]. 15 So it does not surprise us if Satan’s servants also ·make themselves look like [masquerade as] servants ·who work for what is right [of righteousness]. But ·in the end they will be punished for what they do [L their end will match their deeds].
Paul Tells About His Sufferings
16 I tell you again: No one should think I am a fool. But if you think so, accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can ·brag [boast] a little, too. 17 ·When I brag because I feel sure of myself [By boasting so confidently], I am not talking ·as the Lord would talk [or with the Lord’s authority; L according to the Lord] but as a fool. 18 Many people are ·bragging [boasting] ·about their lives in the world [or as the world does; or by human standards; L according to the flesh]. So I will ·brag [boast] too. 19 You are wise, so you will gladly be patient with fools! [C Paul sarcastically suggests that the “wise” Corinthians, who listened to the false apostles, would surely listen to his “foolishness.”] 20 You ·are even patient [bear; put up] with those who ·order you around [L enslave you], or ·use you [exploit you; L devour (your possessions)], or ·trick [take advantage of] you, or ·think they are better than you [act arrogantly; put on airs], or ·hit [slap] you in the face. 21 It is shameful to me to say this, but we were too “weak” to do those things to you!
But if anyone else ·is brave enough [dares] to ·brag [boast], then I also will ·be brave and brag [dare to boast]. (I am talking as a fool.) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they from Abraham’s ·family [descendants; L seed]? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they. I have been in prison more often [Acts 16:23–40]. I have been ·hurt more in beatings [flogged more severely; Acts 16:22]. I have been near death many times. 24 Five times the Jews have given me ·their punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip [L forty minus one; C a shorthand phrase for the standard Jewish punishment; Deut. 25:1–3 allowed a maximum of forty lashes; the Jews gave thirty-nine to avoid breaking the law]. 25 Three different times I was beaten with rods [C a Roman punishment]. One time I was almost stoned to death [Acts 14:19]. Three times I was in ships that wrecked, and one of those times I spent a night and a day in the sea [C Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27 occurred after writing this (c. ad 60), so he experienced at least four shipwrecks]. 26 I have gone on many travels and have been in danger from rivers, from ·thieves [bandits], from my own people [C the Jews], and from the Gentiles. I have been in danger in cities, in ·places where no one lives [the desert/wilderness], and on the sea. And I have been in danger with false ·Christians [L brothers]. 27 I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty, and many times I have been without food. I have been cold and ·without clothes [or destitute; L naked]. 28 Besides all this, there is on me every day the ·load [pressure] of my ·concern [anxiety] for all the churches. 29 I feel weak every time someone is weak [L Who is weak, and I am not weak?], and ·I feel upset every time someone is led into sin [L Who is led into sin, and I am not indignant/L burning (with anger)?].
30 If I must ·brag [boast], I will ·brag [boast] about the things that show I am weak. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is to be praised forever, knows I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the ·governor [L ethnarch; C a title for a minor ruler] under King Aretas wanted to arrest me, so he put guards around the city. 33 But ·my friends lowered me [L I was lowered] in a basket through ·a hole [or window] in the city wall. So I escaped from ·the governor [L his hands].
Prophecy Against Ammon
25 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·look [L set your face] toward the people of Ammon and prophesy against them. 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God. This is what the Lord God says: You ·were glad [L said, “Aha!”] when my ·Temple [sanctuary] was ·dishonored [defiled; profaned; C ritually], when the land of Israel was ·ruined [made desolate], and when the ·people [L house] of Judah ·were taken away as captives [went into exile]. 4 So [L Look; T Behold] I am going to give you to the people of the East ·to be theirs [L as a possession]. They will set up their camps among you and make their ·homes [dwelling places] among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make the city of Rabbah a pasture for camels and the land of Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Lord God says: You have clapped your hands and stamped your feet; you have ·laughed about all the insults you made [L rejoiced with the scorn/malice of your soul] against the land of Israel. 7 So I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against you. I will give you to the nations as ·if you were treasures taken in war [plunder]. I will cut you off from the ·nations [peoples] and wipe you out of the ·countries [lands], and I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’
Prophecy Against Moab and Edom
8 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Moab and ·Edom [L Seir] say, “[L Look; T Behold] The ·people [L house] of Judah are like all the other nations.” 9 So I am going to ·take away the cities that protect Moab’s borders [open up Moab’s flank, starting with its frontier towns], the ·best cities in [L glory of] that land: Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 Then I will give Moab, along with the Ammonites, to the people of the East as their possession. Then, along with the Ammonites, Moab will not be a nation anymore. 11 So I will ·punish [execute judgments upon] the people of Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.’
Prophecy Against Edom
12 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Edom took ·revenge [vengeance] on the ·people [L house] of Judah, and the Edomites became guilty because of it. 13 So this is what the Lord God says: I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against Edom, killing every human and animal in it. And I will ·destroy [lay waste; make desolate] Edom all the way from Teman [C district in central Edom] to Dedan [C territory in southern Edom] as they ·die in battle [L fall by the sword]. 14 I will use my people Israel to take revenge on Edom. ·So the Israelites will do to Edom what my hot anger demands [L …according to my anger and according to my wrath]. Then the Edomites will know what my ·revenge [vengeance] feels like, says the Lord God.’
Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘The Philistines have taken revenge with ·hateful hearts [malice in their souls]. Because of their ·strong [or ancient; or never-ending] hatred, they have tried to destroy Judah. 16 So this is what the Lord God says: [L Look; T Behold] I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against the Philistines. I will ·kill [cut off] the Kerethites, and I will destroy those people still alive on the ·coast of the Mediterranean Sea [seacoast]. 17 I will do great acts of ·revenge [vengeance] to them and punish them in my anger. They will know that I am the Lord when I take ·revenge [vengeance] on them.’”
Book 3: Psalms 73–89
Should the Wicked Be Rich?
A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12].
73 ·God is truly [Surely God is] good to ·Israel [or those with integrity/virtue],
to those who have pure hearts.
2 But ·I had almost stopped believing [L as for me, my feet almost stumbled];
·I had almost lost my faith [my steps almost slipped]
3 because I was ·jealous [envious] of ·proud people [braggers; boasters].
I saw wicked people ·doing well [prospering].
4 They are not ·suffering [struggling; in pain];
·they [their bodies] are ·healthy [perfect] and strong.
5 They don’t have ·troubles [toils] like the rest of us;
they ·don’t have problems [are not plagued] like other people [Gen. 3:17–19].
6 They wear pride like a necklace
and ·put on violence as their clothing [L adorn themselves with garments of violence].
7 ·They are looking for profits [L Their eyes bulge with fat]
and ·do not control their selfish desires [cunning overflows from their hearts/minds].
8 They ·make fun of others [scoff] and speak ·evil [harm];
·proudly [from high] they speak of ·hurting [oppressing; exploiting] others.
9 They ·brag to the sky [L set their mouth against heaven].
·They say that they own [L Their tongue wanders] the earth.
10 So their people turn to them
and ·give them whatever they want [L they drink up water in abundance].
11 They say, “How can God know?
What does God Most High know?”
12 These people are wicked,
always ·at ease [carefree], and getting richer.
13 ·So why have I kept my heart pure [L In vain, I kept my heart pure…]?
·Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong [L …and washed my hands in innocence; Matt. 27:24]?
14 I ·have suffered [am plagued] all day long;
I have been ·punished [corrected] every morning.
15 God, if I had ·decided to talk like this [L said, “I will recount this,”],
I would have ·let your people down [L betrayed the generation/race of your children].
16 I ·tried [thought how] to understand all this,
but it was too ·hard [wearisome] ·for me to see [L in my eyes]
17 until I went to the ·Temple [sanctuary; Holy Place] of God.
Then I understood ·what will happen to them [L their fate/end].
18 You have put them in ·danger [L slippery places];
you cause them to ·be destroyed [L fall into disaster].
19 They are destroyed in a moment;
they are swept away by terrors.
20 It will be like waking from a dream.
Lord, when you ·rise up [awake; arouse yourself], ·they will disappear [L you despise their shadows].
21 When my heart was ·sad [bitter]
and ·I was angry [L my innards felt stabbed],
22 I was senseless and stupid.
I acted like an ·animal [brute beast] toward you.
23 But I am always with you [C in covenant relationship];
you have held my ·hand [L right hand; C guiding him].
24 You guide me with your advice,
and later you will receive me in ·honor [glory; C perhaps in the afterlife].
25 ·I have no one [L Whom do I have…?] in heaven but you;
I ·want [desire] nothing on earth besides you.
26 My body and my ·mind [heart] may become weak,
but God is ·my strength [L the rock of my heart].
He is ·mine [L my portion] forever.
27 Those who are far from ·God [L you] will ·die [perish];
you ·destroy [bring to an end] those who ·are unfaithful [prostitute themselves spiritually].
28 But I am close to God, and that is good.
The Lord God ·is [I have made] my ·protection [refuge].
I will ·tell [recount] all that you have done.
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