M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The woman from Tekoa
14 Zeruiah's son, Joab, knew how much the king wanted to see Absalom. 2 So he sent a message to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He said to her, ‘Pretend that you are upset because of someone's death. Dress in funeral clothes. Do not use any perfume on your body. You must seem like a woman who has been sad for a long time. 3 Then go to the king to speak to him.’ Then Joab told her the words that she should speak to the king.
4 So the woman from Tekoa went to the king. She bent her body down low with her face towards the ground. She gave honour to the king. Then she said, ‘Please help me, sir!’
5 The king asked her, ‘What is your trouble?’[a]
She said, ‘My husband is dead, sir, and I am a widow. 6 I had two sons. One day, they were fighting in the fields. There was nobody near to stop them. One son knocked down the other son and killed him. 7 Now all my relatives have turned against me. They want to take my son from me, because he killed his brother. They say that he must die. That is the punishment that he deserves. But if they do that, I will have no son. My husband will have no descendants, so the name of our family will not continue.’
8 The king said to the woman, ‘Go to your home. I will make sure that your son is safe.’
9 Then the woman said to the king, ‘My lord the king, I pray that nobody will think that you have done anything wrong. They should call me guilty, but not you or your family.’
10 The king replied, ‘If anyone says anything against you, bring him to me. After that, he will not cause you any more trouble.’
11 Then the woman said, ‘Sir, please stop my relative from punishing my son with death. I do not want this son to die as well as my other son. Please promise me in the name of the Lord your God that it will not happen.’
The king replied, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, I promise that nobody will touch even one hair of your son's head.’
12 Then the woman said, ‘Please sir, there is one other thing that I want to tell you.’
King David said, ‘Tell me.’
13 The woman said, ‘I think that you have done a wrong thing like this against God's own people. You have not let your own son return to his home. He still lives in a foreign city. Because of what you have said to me, you show that you yourself are guilty. 14 We must all die one day. When that happens, we are like water that is poured on the ground. We cannot pick it up again. But God does not remove our lives from us. Instead, he finds a way to bring us back to him when we have gone far away.
15 My lord the king, I have told you this because the people have made me afraid. I thought to myself, “I will speak to the king. I do not deserve it, but perhaps he will do what I ask him to do. 16 Perhaps he will listen to me. Perhaps he will save me from the man who wants to destroy both me and my son. That man wants to take away from us the land that God gave to us.”
17 Now I can say, “I know that the promise of my lord the king will keep me safe. The king can judge things like an angel of God. He knows what is right and what is wrong.” I pray that the Lord your God will be with you!’
18 Then the king said to the woman, ‘Now I want to ask you a question. You must not hide the truth from me.’
She replied, ‘Ask me anything, sir.’
19 The king asked her, ‘Is it Joab who has told you to do this?’
The woman answered, ‘My lord the king, as surely as you live, I cannot hide the truth from you. Yes, it was your servant Joab who told me what to do. He gave me the words to say. 20 He did it because he wanted things to be different. But you, my lord, are as wise as one of God's angels. You know everything that happens in our land.’
21 Then the king spoke to Joab. He said, ‘I have decided to do what you want. Go and bring back the young man Absalom.’
22 Joab bent his body down low with his face towards the ground. He thanked the king. He said, ‘Now I know that you are pleased with me. You have agreed to do what I have asked you to do.’
Joab brings Absalom back to Jerusalem
23 Then Joab went to Geshur. He brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, ‘Absalom must go to live in his own house. I do not want him to come to see me.’
So Absalom did not go to see the king. Instead, he went to live in his own house.
25 Everyone in Israel praised Absalom. They all thought that he was the most handsome man in the whole country. His body was perfect, from head to toe. 26 Once every year he cut his hair because it became too heavy. Each time, the hair that he cut off weighed about 2 kilograms.
27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter. Her name was Tamar. She was a very beautiful woman.
28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never saw the king. 29 Then Absalom sent a message to Joab. He asked Joab to come to him. He wanted Joab to go to the king on his behalf. But Joab refused to come to Absalom. So then Absalom sent another message, but Joab still refused to come. 30 Then Absalom said to his servants, ‘Joab has a field that is next to mine. Some barley is growing in it. Go and light a fire there, so that it all burns.’ So Absalom's servants went to Joab's field and they did that.
31 Then Joab did go to Absalom's house. He asked Absalom, ‘Why did your servants take fire and burn my field?’
32 Absalom replied, ‘You did not come when I sent messages to you. I wanted you to take a message to the king on my behalf. I wanted to ask the king, “Why have you brought me from Geshur to Jerusalem? It would have been better for me to stay there!” Now I want to go to see the king myself. If he thinks that I am guilty, then he can punish me with death.’
33 So Joab went to the king. He told the king what Absalom had said. King David then sent his men to bring Absalom to him. When Absalom arrived, he bent his body down low in front of the king, with his face towards the ground. The king was happy and he kissed Absalom.
Paul loves the believers at Corinth
7 So, my friends, God has promised these things to us. So we must keep ourselves clean from everything that makes our bodies or our spirits unclean. We must respect and obey God. Then we will become more and more like him.
2 Be friends with us. We have done nothing wrong to any of you. We have not hurt anyone. We have not cheated anyone. 3 I am not saying this to make you feel ashamed. As I have told you before, you are our special friends. We will continue to love you, whether we live together or we die together.
4 I know you and I trust you. I am proud of you. You have helped me to be strong. So, even when we have many troubles, I am still very happy.
5 When we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies did not rest at all.[a] We had many kinds of trouble. All round us, people quarrelled with us. Inside us, we were afraid. 6 But when people feel upset, God helps them to be strong. And God made us happy when Titus arrived. 7 God comforted us not only because Titus came to us. He comforted us also by what Titus told us about you. He said that you had helped him to be strong. He told us that you want to see me. He told us that you are very sad about what happened. He told us also that you are ready to help me. Because of what Titus told us about you, I was very happy.
8 But even if I made you sad by my letter, I am not sorry about that. At one time, I was sorry that I had written it. I saw that my letter had made you sad. But you were sad only for a short time. 9 So now I am happy, but not because my letter made you sad. No, I am happy because it made you turn away from wrong things. You became sad as God wanted you to be sad. So, when the letter made you sad, we did not really hurt you. 10 People need to become sad in the way that God wants. When they are sad like that, it causes them to turn away from wrong things. Then God saves them from their sins. They will never be sorry about that! But when people become sad in the way that the world wants, it does not help them. They do not turn to God and they die in their spirits.
11 You became sad in the way that God wanted. And see what good results that has brought! It has made you work hard to do good things. You want to show people that you do what is right. You are angry against sin. You want to obey God. You want to make things right again. You want to please God. You want to punish anyone who does wrong things. In all these ways, you have shown that you are right. You have done everything that was necessary in this matter.
12 So why did I write that letter to you? It was not because of the person who did the wrong thing. Nor was it to help the person that he hurt. No. I wrote the letter to show you something about yourselves. I wanted God to show you that you do really love us and you respect us. 13 That is how God has comforted us.
It was not only us that God comforted. When Titus came, we were very happy to see how happy he was too. He was happy because all of you had taken care of him. 14 I had told Titus that I was very proud of you. When he came to you, you showed that I was right about you. We have always spoken only true things to you. And when we said good things about you to Titus, you showed that those things were also true. 15 Now, when Titus thinks about you, he loves you even more. He remembers that you were ready to obey him. You respected his authority and you received him into your homes.
16 So now I am very happy because I trust you to do what is right.
The Lord punishes Israel[a]
21 The Lord gave this message to me: 2 ‘Son of man, look towards Jerusalem. Speak about the things in my holy place that are wrong. Speak my message to warn the people of Israel. 3 Say to them, “This is what the Lord says: I am now your enemy. I will take my sword in my hand. I will use it to kill both righteous people and wicked people. 4 I will remove righteous people and wicked people from among you. So I will use my sword to attack everyone in the land, from the north to the south. 5 Then all the people will know that I am the Lord. I am the one who is punishing them with my sword. And I will not put it back in its place.”
6 So now, son of man, cry aloud. Let the people see how sad and upset you are. 7 They will ask you, “Why are you so sad?” Then you will say, “I am sad because of the news that will soon come. Every one of you will be very afraid. Your hands will be weak and your knees will shake.” You can be sure that this will happen very soon. That is what the Almighty Lord says.’
8 The Lord gave this message to me: 9 ‘Son of man, speak my message to the people. Say, “This is what the Lord says:
Look at my sword! It is sharp and it shines brightly.
10 It is sharp and it is ready to kill people.
It shines as bright as lightning!
Should we trust in the power of our king?
No! This sword does not respect any kingdom.
11 Now it is sharp and it shines.
It is ready for someone to take in their hand.
It is ready for the killer to use it.”
12 Cry aloud, son of man!
This sword is ready to attack my people.
It will attack all the leaders of Israel.
It will destroy my people and their leaders.
Because of that, show that you are very upset.
13 I am ready to test my people.
My sword does not respect the power of any king.
So my people will not escape punishment.
That is what the Almighty Lord says.
14 So speak my message to warn my people, son of man.
Then clap your hands together.
My sword must attack them many times.
It is ready to kill many people.
It will attack them from all directions.
15 So people will shake with fear. Many of them will fall down.
My sword is ready to kill them at every gate of the city.
It shines like lightning. It is ready to kill!
16 My sword, attack quickly on your right side!
Now turn and attack on your left side!
Attack in every direction that you turn!
17 Then I, too, will clap my hands together.
Finally, my anger will finish.
I, the Lord, have spoken.’
18 The Lord gave this message to me: 19 ‘Son of man, make a mark on two roads for the king of Babylon to follow with his army. Both these roads must start from the same country. Put a sign at the place where the two roads go in separate directions. 20 Show the two places that the roads go to. One road goes to Rabbah, the big city of the Ammonites. The other road goes to Judah and its strong city, Jerusalem. 21 The king of Babylon will arrive at the place where the road goes in separate directions. He will try to decide which way to go. He will use magic to ask his gods to tell him. He will shake arrows in his hands. He will pray to his idols. He will look at the livers of animals.[b] 22 The arrow in his right hand shows him that he should go to Jerusalem. He will command his army to go and kill the people there. His soldiers will use heavy pieces of wood to knock down the walls and gates of the city. They will shout as they attack the city. They will build heaps of earth against the city's walls. 23 The people in Jerusalem had promised to serve the king of Babylon. So they think that he will not attack them. But he will tell them about the wrong things that they have done. Because of that he will take them as his prisoners.[c]
24 So this is what the Almighty Lord says: You have shown everyone that you are guilty of many sins. Everything that you do shows your sins very clearly. Because you are guilty, your enemies will take you as their prisoners.
25 I say this to you, wicked king of Israel. The time for your final punishment has now arrived. 26 This is what the Almighty Lord says:
Take off the special cloth from the king's head.
Remove his crown!
Everything will change!
Give honour to humble people!
Make proud people ashamed!
27 I will cause your city to become a heap of stones.
I will destroy the kingdom.
This will happen when my chosen man comes.
I have chosen him to punish the city.
Then I will give him authority over the city, because it belongs to him.
28 You, son of man, must speak my message about the Ammonites. They have insulted Israel. This is what the Almighty Lord says:
A sword is ready to destroy them.
It shines brightly like lightning and it is ready to kill.
29 Their visions about the battle have deceived them.
What they think will happen is only lies.
The sword will punish wicked people with death.
The time for their final punishment has now arrived.
30 Now put the sword back in its place![d]
I will judge you in your own land,
in the place where you were born.
31 I will punish you very strongly,
because I am so angry with you.
I will put you under the power of cruel men
who know how to destroy people.
32 You will be like wood that helps a fire to burn.
You will die a violent death in your own land.
Nobody will remember you any more.
I, the Lord, have said this.’
This psalm is a song that David wrote for the music leader.
God will win![a]
68 God will rise up
and he will chase his enemies away!
The people who hate him
will quickly run away from him![b]
2 God, blow them away,
as wind blows smoke away.
Destroy those wicked people,
as wax melts near a fire!
3 But righteous people will be happy,
when they come near to you.
They will shout with joy,
because they are so happy!
4 Sing songs to God!
Sing to praise his name!
He is the one who rides on the clouds,
so praise him aloud!
His name is the Lord!
Shout with joy to worship him!
5 God is a father for those who have no father.
He takes care of widows.
He rules from his holy home.
6 God gives homes and a family to lonely people.
He makes prisoners go free
so that they are happy.
But people who turn against him
have to live in a hot, dry land.[c]
7 God, you led your people out.
You took them across the desert.
Selah.
8 Then the ground shook,
and rain poured down from the sky.
You showed your power at Sinai mountain.
You are the God who rules at Sinai.[d]
You are the God that Israel's people serve.
9 God, you caused much rain to fall
on your special land.
You made it fresh again
when it had been dry.[e]
10 Your own people came to live in it.
God, because you are kind,
you gave many good things to poor people.
11 The Lord gives a command!
Very many women take his message to other places.
12 Kings with large armies quickly run away.
Yes, they run away!
The women at home share the valuable things
that the armies have left behind.
13 Even those who stayed to take care of the sheep
found valuable things,
like a dove with silver wings
and bright gold feathers.[f]
14 When the Almighty God chased away foreign kings,
it was like snow that fell on Mount Zalmon.
15 Bashan mountain is great, like God.
It has many high rocks.
16 You high mountains, why are you jealous
when you look at Zion mountain?
That is the mountain where God has chosen to live.
Yes, that is where the Lord will live for ever!
17 God has millions of chariots.
The Lord has come from Sinai mountain
to his own holy place.
18 When you went up to the highest place,
you took many prisoners with you.
You received gifts from men,
even from the men who had fought against you.
Yes, the Lord God lives there!
19 Praise the Lord, as he deserves!
Every day he helps us with our troubles.
He is the God who keeps us safe!
Selah.
20 Our God is the God who rescues people.
The Almighty Lord saves us from death.
21 He will knock down the heads of his enemies.
He will destroy their skulls and their long hair,
if they continue to turn against him.
22 The Lord says, ‘I will bring my enemies back from Bashan,
even from deep down in the sea.
23 Then you can wash your feet in their blood.
Your dogs can have as much as they want!’[g]
24 God, you are my God and my King.
People will see the great crowd that goes with you,
as you go to your holy temple.
25 The singers will march in front.
The musicians will follow them.
Young women will be with them
as they beat their tambourines.
26 They all sing,
‘Praise God, all you crowd of people!
All you people of Israel,
praise the Lord!’
27 Benjamin, the smallest tribe, will lead them all.
The leaders of Judah, with their big group, will follow.
Then will come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.[h]
28 God has commanded that you should be strong.
God, please show again how strong you are,
as you have used your strength to help us in past times.
29 As you live in your temple in Jerusalem,
kings will bring gifts to you.
30 Speak against your enemies!
Some are like wild animals that live in the reeds.[i]
Some are proud nations,
like bulls among their young cows.
They must be humble and offer to you
gifts of valuable silver things.
Chase away those nations that like to fight wars.
31 Egypt's leaders will come with gifts.
People will come from Cush
and they will agree to serve God.[j]
32 All you kingdoms of the earth,
sing to God!
Yes, sing to praise the Lord!
Selah.
33 He is the one who rides in the sky,
as he has done from the beginning of time.
Listen! He shouts with a powerful voice.
34 Agree that God is very powerful!
He is the King who rules over Israel.
He shows his power in the skies.
35 God, how great you are,
as you come from your holy temple!
He is the God of Israel.
He gives power to his people,
and he makes them strong.
Praise God as he deserves!
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