M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
20 There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”
5 So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he stayed longer than the set time which had been appointed to him. 6 David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”
7 Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out. 9 Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”
12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.
16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’” 17 He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?”
He answered, “I am.”
Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.”
He answered, “I’m listening.”
18 Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. 19 I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up Yahweh’s inheritance?”
20 Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21 The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.”
The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites, 24 Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder, 25 Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests, 26 and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
13 This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”(A) 2 I have warned previously, and I warn again, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now and to all the rest that if I come again, I will not spare, 3 seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me who is not weak, but is powerful in you. 4 For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.
5 Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know about your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I hope that you will know that we aren’t disqualified.
7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect. 10 For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
11 Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
27 Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying, 2 “You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre; 3 and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, the Lord Yahweh says:
“You, Tyre, have said,
‘I am perfect in beauty.’
4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas.
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
5 They have made all your planks of cypress trees from Senir.
They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6 They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan.
They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.
7 Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt,
that it might be to you for a banner.
Blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers.
Your wise men, Tyre, were in you.
They were your pilots.
9 The old men of Gebal
and its wise men were your repairers of ship seams in you.
All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
to deal in your merchandise.
10 “‘“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army,
your men of war.
They hung the shield and helmet in you.
They showed your beauty.
11 The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around,
and valiant men were in your towers.
They hung their shields on your walls all around.
They have perfected your beauty.
12 “‘“Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches. They traded for your wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead.
13 “‘“Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They traded the persons of men and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.
14 “‘“They of the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, war horses, and mules.
15 “‘“The men of Dedan traded with you. Many islands were the market of your hand. They brought you horns of ivory and ebony in exchange.
16 “‘“Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks. They traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies.
17 “‘“Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise.
18 “‘“Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiworks by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.
19 “‘“Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were among your merchandise.
20 “‘“Dedan was your merchant in precious saddle blankets for riding.
21 “‘“Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favorite dealers in lambs, rams, and goats. In these, they were your merchants.
22 “‘“The traders of Sheba and Raamah were your traders. They traded for your wares with the best of all spices, all precious stones, and gold.
23 “‘“Haran, Canneh, Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were your traders. 24 These were your traders in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and embroidered work, and in cedar chests of rich clothing bound with cords, among your merchandise.
25 “‘“The ships of Tarshish were your caravans for your merchandise.
You were replenished
and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.
26 Your rowers have brought you into great waters.
The east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas.
27 Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,
your mariners, your pilots, your repairers of ship seams,
the dealers in your merchandise,
and all your men of war who are in you,
with all your company which is among you,
will fall into the heart of the seas in the day of your ruin.
28 At the sound of the cry of your pilots,
the pasture lands will shake.
29 All who handle the oars,
the mariners and all the pilots of the sea,
will come down from their ships.
They will stand on the land,
30 and will cause their voice to be heard over you,
and will cry bitterly.
They will cast up dust on their heads.
They will wallow in the ashes.
31 They will make themselves bald for you,
and clothe themselves with sackcloth.
They will weep for you in bitterness of soul,
with bitter mourning.
32 In their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you,
and lament over you, saying,
‘Who is there like Tyre,
like her who is brought to silence in the middle of the sea?’
33 When your wares came from the seas,
you filled many peoples.
You enriched the kings of the earth
with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.
34 In the time that you were broken by the seas,
in the depths of the waters,
your merchandise and all your company fell within you.
35 All the inhabitants of the islands are astonished at you,
and their kings are horribly afraid.
They are troubled in their face.
36 The merchants among the peoples hiss at you.
You have come to a terrible end,
and you will be no more.”’”
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm by Asaph. A song.
75 We give thanks to you, God.
We give thanks, for your Name is near.
Men tell about your wondrous works.
2 When I choose the appointed time,
I will judge blamelessly.
3 The earth and all its inhabitants quake.
I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.
4 I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!”
I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.
5 Don’t lift up your horn on high.
Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”
6 For neither from the east, nor from the west,
nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.
7 But God is the judge.
He puts down one, and lifts up another.
8 For in Yahweh’s hand there is a cup,
full of foaming wine mixed with spices.
He pours it out.
Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.
9 But I will declare this forever:
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm by Asaph. A song.
76 In Judah, God is known.
His name is great in Israel.
2 His tabernacle is also in Salem.
His dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flaming arrows of the bow,
the shield, and the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah.
4 Glorious are you, and excellent,
more than mountains of game.
5 Valiant men lie plundered,
they have slept their last sleep.
None of the men of war can lift their hands.
6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob,
both chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
7 You, even you, are to be feared.
Who can stand in your sight when you are angry?
8 You pronounced judgment from heaven.
The earth feared, and was silent,
9 when God arose to judgment,
to save all the afflicted ones of the earth. Selah.
10 Surely the wrath of man praises you.
The survivors of your wrath are restrained.
11 Make vows to Yahweh your God, and fulfill them!
Let all of his neighbors bring presents to him who is to be feared.
12 He will cut off the spirit of princes.
He is feared by the kings of the earth.
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