M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Philistines Reject David
29 The Philistines assembled their whole army at Aphek, and Israel camped at the spring in Jezreel. 2 The Philistine leaders were marching by with their companies and regiments. David and his men were marching in the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine officers asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
Achish asked the Philistine officers, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me now for a year or two? I’ve found nothing wrong with him from the day he defected until now.”
4 But the Philistine officers were angry with Achish. “Send the man back,” the Philistine officers told him. “Return him to the place you assigned him. He shouldn’t go with us into battle. He shouldn’t be allowed to become our enemy during the battle. Is this man going to try to regain his master’s favor? He’ll do it with the lives of our men! 5 Isn’t this David of whom people sing in dances:
‘Saul has defeated thousands
but David tens of thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and told him, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh lives, you are a dependable man. I consider your campaigning with me a good thing, because I’ve never found anything wrong with you from the day you came to me until now. But the rulers don’t approve of you. 7 So leave peacefully without doing anything to displease the Philistine rulers.”
8 “What have I done?” David asked Achish. “What have you learned about me from the time I came to you until now? Why shouldn’t I fight your enemies, Your Majesty?”
9 Achish answered David, “I admit that in my judgment you’re as good as Elohim’s Messenger. However, the Philistine officers said, ‘He shouldn’t go into battle with us.’ 10 Get up early in the morning with Saul’s servants who came with you, and go to the place I have assigned to you. Don’t worry about the unkind words, because I still approve of you.[a] Get up in the morning, and leave when it’s light.”
11 Early the next morning David and his men returned to Philistine territory, while the Philistines went to Jezreel.
David Defeats the Amalekites
30 Two days later, when David and his men came to Ziklag, the Amalekites had raided the Negev, including Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it. 2 Although they captured the young and old women who were there, they killed no one. Instead, they had taken the women and other prisoners and gone away. 3 By the time David and his men came to the town, it had been burned down, and their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and his men cried loudly until they didn’t have the strength to cry anymore. 5 The Amalekites also captured David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail (who had been Nabal’s wife) from Carmel. 6 David was in great distress because the people in their bitterness said he should be stoned. (They were thinking of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in Yahweh his Elohim.)
7 David told the priest Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring me the priestly ephod.”[b] So Abiathar brought David the ephod.
8 Then David asked Yahweh, “Should I pursue these troops? Will I catch up with them?”
“Pursue them,” Yahweh told him. “You will certainly catch up with them and rescue the captives.”
9 So David and his 600 men went to the Besor Valley, where some were left behind. 10 David and 400 men went in pursuit, while 200 men who were too exhausted to cross the Besor Valley stayed behind.
11 David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and took him to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink. 12 They gave him a slice of fig cake and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, he revived. (He hadn’t eaten any food or drunk any water for three whole days.) 13 David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where do you come from?”
“I’m an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite,” the young man answered. “My master left me behind because I got sick three days ago. 14 We raided the portion of the Negev where the Cherethites live, the territory of Judah, the portion of the Negev where Caleb settled, and we burned down Ziklag.”
15 “Will you lead me to these troops?” David asked him.
He answered, “Take an oath in front of Elohim that you won’t kill me or hand me over to my master, and I’ll lead you to these troops.”
16 The Egyptian led him to them. They were spread out all over the land, eating, and drinking. They were celebrating because they had taken so much loot from Philistine territory and from the land of Judah. 17 From dawn until evening the next day, David attacked them. No one escaped except 400 young men who rode away on camels. 18 David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing—young or old, sons or daughters, the loot or anything else they had taken with them. David brought back everything. 20 He took all the sheep and the cattle. His men drove the animals ahead of him and said, “This is David’s loot.”
21 David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had stayed in the Besor Valley. They came to meet David and the people with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them. 22 Then every wicked and worthless man who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, they shouldn’t be given any of the loot we recovered. Each of them should take only his wife and children and leave.”
23 But David said, “My brothers, don’t do that with the things which Yahweh has given us. He has protected us and handed the troops that attacked us over to us. 24 Besides, who is going to pay attention to what you have to say in this matter? Certainly, the share of those who go into battle must be like the share of those who stay with the supplies. They will all share alike.” 25 From that time on he made this a rule and a custom in Israel as it is to this day.
26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah. He said, “Here is a gift for you from the loot taken from Yahweh’s enemies.” 27 There were shares for those in Bethel, Ramoth in the Negev, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 Racal, the cities belonging to the Jerahmeelites, the cities belonging to the Kenites, 30 Hormah, Borashan, Athach, 31 Hebron, and to all the places David and his men visited from time to time.
Learn from What Happened in the Time of Moses
10 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that all our ancestors who left Egypt were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea. 2 They were all united with Moses by baptism in the cloud and in the sea. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet, God was not pleased with most of them, so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.
6 These things have become examples for us so that we won’t desire what is evil, as they did. 7 So don’t worship false gods as some of them did, as Scripture says, “The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy.” 8 We shouldn’t sin sexually as some of them did. Twenty-three thousand of them died on one day. 9 We shouldn’t put the Lord[a] to the test as some of them did. They were killed by snakes. 10 Don’t complain as some of them did. The angel of death destroyed them. 11 These things happened to make them an example for others. These things were written down as a warning for us who are living in the closing days of history. 12 So, people who think they are standing firmly should be careful that they don’t fall.
13 There isn’t any temptation that you have experienced which is unusual for humans. God, who faithfully keeps his promises, will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. But when you are tempted, he will also give you the ability to endure the temptation as your way of escape.
Stay Away from Worshiping False Gods
14 Therefore, my dear friends, get as far away from the worship of false gods as you can.
15 I’m talking to intelligent people. Judge for yourselves what I’m saying. 16 When we bless the cup of blessing aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we are one body, although we are many individuals. All of us share one loaf.
18 Look at the people of Israel from a human point of view. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices share what is on the altar? 19 Do I mean that an offering made to a false god is anything, or that a false god itself is anything? 20 Hardly! What I am saying is that these sacrifices which people make are made to demons and not to God. I don’t want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot participate at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
23 Someone may say, “I’m allowed to do anything,” but not everything is helpful. I’m allowed to do anything, but not everything encourages growth. 24 People should be concerned about others and not just about themselves. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the market without letting your conscience trouble you. 26 Certainly, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything it contains is his.” 27 If an unbeliever invites you to his house for dinner, and you wish to go, eat anything he serves you without letting your conscience trouble you. 28 However, if someone says to you, “This was sacrificed to a god,” don’t eat it because of the one who informed you and because of conscience. 29 I’m not talking about your conscience but the other person’s conscience. Why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I give thanks to God for the food I eat, why am I condemned for that? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God. 32 Don’t cause others to stumble, whether they are Jewish, Greek, or members of God’s church. 33 I try to please everyone in every way. I don’t think about what would be good for me but about what would be good for many people so that they might be saved.
Idolatry in Jerusalem
8 On the fifth day of the sixth month in the sixth year, I was sitting in my home. Judah’s leaders were sitting in front of me. The power of Adonay Yahweh came over me. 2 As I looked, I saw something that looked like a human. From the waist down its body looked like fire, and from the waist up its body looked like glowing metal. 3 It stretched out what looked like a hand and grabbed me by the hair on my head. In these visions from Elohim, the Ruach carried me between heaven and earth. He took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the temple. That was where an idol that stirs up God’s anger was located. 4 There I saw the glory of Israel’s Elohim as I did in the vision that I saw in the valley.
5 Elohim said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked toward the north, and there in the entrance to the north gate beside the altar, I saw the idol that stirs up God’s anger.
6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see what the people of Israel are doing? The people of Israel are doing very disgusting things here, things that will force me to go far away from my holy place. But you will see even more disgusting things.”
7 Then he took me to the entrance of the courtyard. As I looked, I saw a hole in the wall. 8 He said to me, “Son of man, dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and I saw a door.
9 He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked, disgusting things that the people of Israel are doing here.” 10 So I went in and looked. I saw that the walls were covered with drawings of every kind of crawling creature, every kind of disgusting animal, and all the idols in the nation of Israel. 11 In front of these drawings stood 70 of Israel’s leaders. Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, was standing with the leaders. Each of them was holding an incense burner in his hand, and a cloud of incense went up.
12 Elohim asked me, “Son of man, do you see what the leaders of the nation of Israel are doing in secret? Each of them is in the room where his god is, and each one of them is thinking, ‘Yahweh doesn’t see me. Yahweh has abandoned this land.’”
13 Then he said to me, “You will see even more disgusting things that they are doing.”
14 He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of Yahweh’s temple. Women were sitting there and crying for the god Tammuz. 15 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this? You will see even more disgusting things than these.”
16 Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of Yahweh’s temple. There at the entrance to Yahweh’s temple, between the entrance and the altar, were about 25 men who had their backs turned to Yahweh’s temple. They were facing east and worshiping the rising sun. 17 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this? Isn’t it bad enough that the people of Judah have done these disgusting things that you have seen here? Yet, they also fill the land with violence and continue to provoke me even more. Look how they insult me in the worst possible way.[a] 18 So I will take action because I’m angry, and I won’t have compassion for them or feel sorry for them. Even if they shout in my ears, I won’t listen to them.”
Psalm 46
For the choir director; a song by the descendants of Korah; according to alamoth.[a]
1 Elohim is our Machseh and strength,
an ever-present help in times of trouble.
2 That is why we are not afraid
even when the earth quakes
or the mountains topple into the depths of the sea.
3 Water roars and foams,
and mountains shake at the surging waves. Selah
4 There is a river
whose streams bring joy to the city of Elohim,
the holy place where Elyon lives.
5 Elohim is in that city.
It cannot fall.
Elohim will help it at the break of dawn.
6 Nations are in turmoil, and kingdoms topple.
The earth melts at the sound of God’s voice.
7 Yahweh Tsebaoth is with us.
The Elohim of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah
8 Come, see the works of Yahweh,
the devastation he has brought to the earth.
9 He puts an end to wars all over the earth.
He breaks an archer’s bow.
He cuts spears in two.
He burns chariots.
10 Let go of your concerns!
Then you will know that I am Elohim.
I rule the nations.
I rule the earth.
11 Yahweh Tsebaoth is with us.
The Elohim of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah
Psalm 47
For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.
1 Clap your hands, all you people.
Shout to Elohim with a loud, joyful song.
2 We must fear Yahweh, Elyon.
He is the great Melek of the whole earth.
3 He brings people under our authority
and puts nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah
5 Elohim has gone up with a joyful shout.
Yahweh has gone up with the sound of a ram’s horn.
6 Make music to praise Elohim.
Play music for him!
Make music to praise our Melek.
Play music for him!
7 Elohim is the Melek of the whole earth.
Make your best music for him!
8 Elohim rules the nations.
Elohim sits upon his holy throne.
9 The influential people from the nations gather together
as the people of the Elohim of Abraham.
The rulers of the earth belong to Elohim.
He rules everything.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.