M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

2 Therefore after these things David counselled with the Lord, and said, Whether I shall go up into one of the cities of Judah? (And after these things David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?) And the Lord said to him, Go thou up. And David said to the Lord, Whither shall I go up? And the Lord answered to him, Into Hebron.

² Therefore David went up, and his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

³ But also David led the men that were with him, each man with his house(hold) (each man with his family); and they dwelled in the towns of Hebron.

⁴ And the men of Judah came, and anointed there David, that he should reign upon the house of Judah (And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David to reign upon the house of Judah). And it was told to David, that [the] men of Jabesh of Gilead had buried Saul.

⁵ Therefore David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh of Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that did this mercy with your lord Saul, and buried him. (And so David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh of Gilead, and said to them, May the Lord bless you, who have shown this kindness to your lord Saul, and have buried him.)

⁶ And now soothly the Lord shall yield to you mercy and truth, but also I shall yield thanking, for ye did this word. (And now surely the Lord shall show truth and kindness to you, and I shall also give you thanks, for ye did this thing.)

⁷ Your hands be comforted, and be ye the sons of strength; for though your lord Saul is dead, nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me king to him. (May your hands be strengthened, and may ye be the sons of strength; for though your lord Saul is dead, nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me king upon them.)

⁸ Forsooth Abner, the son of Ner, prince of the host of Saul, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and led him about by the castles, (Then Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of Saul’s army, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim,)

⁹ and made him king on Gilead, and on Ashurites, and on Jezreel, and on Ephraim, and on Benjamin, and on all Israel.

¹⁰ Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was of forty years, when he began to reign upon Israel; and he reigned two years. Soothly the house alone of Judah followed David. (Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign upon Israel; and he reigned for two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.)

¹¹ And the number of days, by which David dwelled reigning in Hebron on the house of Judah, was of seven years and six months.

¹² And Abner, the son of Ner, went out, and the servants of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, from the castles in[to] Gibeon. (And Abner, the son of Ner, and the men of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.)

¹³ And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and they came to them beside the cistern of Gibeon. And when they had come together into one place even against either other, these sat on one part of the cistern, and they on the tother. (And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and David’s men, went out, and they came to them beside the pool of Gibeon. And when they had come together at a place opposite each other, those men sat on one side of the pool, and they sat on the other side.)

¹⁴ And Abner said to Joab, The children rise, and play before us^[a] (And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men rise up, and slay, or kill, each other). And Joab answered, Rise they up.

¹⁵ Then they rose up, and passed forth twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David. (Then they rose up, and came forth twelve in number for Benjamin, on the part of Ishbosheth, Saul’s son; and twelve of David’s men.)

¹⁶ And each man, when he had taken his fellow by the head, fixed his sword into the side of his adversary; and they felled down together. And (so) the name of that place was called The Field of Men Slain Together, (which is) in Gibeon.

¹⁷ And full hard battle rose in that day; and Abner and the sons of Israel were driven (away) of the servants of David. (And a hard fought battle arose that day; and Abner and the men of Israel were driven back by David’s men.)

¹⁸ Forsooth (the) three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was a full swift runner, as one of the caprets that dwell in woods (like one of the gazelles that live in the forest).

¹⁹ And Asahel pursued Abner, and he bowed neither to the right side, nor to the left side, ceasing to pursue Abner.

²⁰ Therefore Abner beheld behind his back, and said, Whether thou art Asahel? Which answered, I am.

²¹ And Abner said to him, Go thou to the right side, either to the left side; and take (down) one of the young men, and take to thee his spoils. But Asahel would not cease, that not he pursued him (But Asahel would not cease from pursuing Abner).

²² And again Abner spake to Asahel, (and said,) Go thou away; do not thou pursue me, lest I be compelled to pierce thee into the earth, and I shall not be able to raise then my face to Joab, thy brother. (And again Abner said to Asahel, Go thou away; do not thou pursue me, lest I be compelled to pierce thee through to the ground, and then I shall not be able to face thy brother Joab.)

²³ And Asahel despised to hear, and would not bow away. Therefore Abner smote him with the spear turned away, that is, turned against him, in the share-bone, that is, behind the maw, in the fifth rib, under which be the members of life, and pierced [him] through, and he was dead in the same place; and all men that passed by the place, in which place Asahel felled down, and was dead, stood still. (And Asahel despised to hear him, and would not turn away. And so Abner struck him with the spear turned against him, in the belly, at the fifth rib, under which be the members of life, and pierced him through, and he died there; and all those who came to the place, where Asahel fell down, and died, stopped and stood there, and gawked.)

²⁴ And while Joab and Abishai pursued Abner fleeing, the sun went down; and they came to the little hill of a water conduit, that is even against the valley, and the way of desert in Gibeon. (And while Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner, the sun went down; and they came to the hill of Ammah, that is opposite Giah, on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.)

²⁵ And the sons of Benjamin were gathered to Abner, and they were gathered together into one company, and they stood in the height of an heap of earth (and they stood on the top of a hill).

²⁶ And Abner cried to Joab, and said, Whether thy sword shall be fierce unto slaying? Whether thou knowest not, that despair is perilous? How long sayest thou not to the people, that it cease to pursue his brethren? (How long before thou sayest to thy people, that they should cease pursuing their kinsmen?)

²⁷ And Joab said, The Lord liveth, for if thou haddest spoken thus early, the people pursuing his brother had gone away. (And Joab said, As the Lord liveth, if thou haddest not spoken, the people would have continued pursuing their kinsmen until morning.)

²⁸ And Joab sounded with a clarion, and all the host stood still; and they pursued no further Israel, neither began battle. (And then Joab sounded with a trumpet, and all the army stood in place; and they no longer pursued the men of Israel, and the fighting ceased.)

²⁹ And Abner and his men went (from) thence by the field places of Moab in all that night, and they passed [over] Jordan; and when all Bithron was compassed, they came to the castles. (And Abner and his men went from there through the fields of Moab all that night, and then they crossed over the Jordan River; and when all Bithron had been traversed, they came to Mahanaim.)

³⁰ And when Abner was left, Joab turned again, and gathered together all his people; and ten men and nine, besides Asahel, failed of the servants of David. (And when Joab left off pursuing Abner, he returned, and gathered together all his people; and he found that nineteen of David’s men, besides Asahel, were missing.)

³¹ Forsooth the servants of David smited of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred men and sixty, which also were dead. (But David’s men struck and killed three hundred and sixty of the Benjaminites, and of Abner’s men.)

³² And they took Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem. And Joab, and the men that were with him, went in all that night, and in that morrowtide they came into Hebron (and in the morning they came to Hebron).

13 If I speak with tongues of men and of angels, and I have not charity, I am made as brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling.

² And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries, and all knowing [and all knowing, or science], and if I have all faith, so that I move hills from their place [so that I bear over hills from one place to another], and I have not charity, I am nought.

³ And if I part all my goods into the meats of poor men, and if I betake my body, so that I burn, and if I have not charity, it profiteth to me nothing.

⁴ Charity is patient, it is benign; charity envieth not, it doeth not wickedly, it is not blown [it is not in-blown with pride],

⁵ it is not covetous [of worships], it seeketh not those things that be his own [it seeketh not those things that be her own], it is not stirred to wrath, it thinketh not evil,

⁶ it joyeth not on wickedness, but it joyeth together to truth; [it joyeth not in wickedness, forsooth it joyeth together with truth;]

⁷ it suffereth all things, it believeth all things, it hopeth all things, it sustaineth all things.

⁸ Charity falleth never down, whether prophecies shall be voided, either languages shall cease, either science shall be destroyed [whether prophecies shall be voided, or languages shall cease, or science shall be destroyed].

⁹ For a part we know, and a part we prophesy; [For of part we know, and of part we prophesy;]

¹⁰ but when that shall come that is perfect, that thing that is of part shall be voided.

¹¹ When I was a little child, I spake as a little child, I understood as a little child, I thought as a little child; but when I was made a man, I voided those things that were of a little child.

¹² And we see now [Forsooth we see now] by a mirror in darkness, but then face to face; now I know of part, but then I shall know, as [and] I am known.

¹³ And now dwelleth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the most of these is charity.

11 And the spirit raised me [up], and led me within to the east gate of the house of the Lord, that beholdeth the rising of the sun. And lo! in the entering of the gate were five and twenty men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah, the son of Azur, and Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. (And the spirit raised me up, and led me within to the east gate of the House of the Lord, that faceth the rising of the sun. And lo! at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah, the son of Azur, and Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, the leaders of the people.)

² And he said to me, Thou, son of man, these be the men that think wickedness, and treat the worst counsel in this city, (And he said to me, Thou, son of man, these be the men who think wickedly, and indulge in the worst counsel, or give the worst advice, in this city,)

³ and say, Whether houses were not builded a while ago? this is the cauldron, forsooth we be fleshes. (and say, Were all the houses built a while ago? this city is the cauldron, and we be the meat in it.)

⁴ Therefore prophesy thou of them, prophesy thou, son of man. (And so prophesy thou against them, prophesy thou, son of man.)

⁵ And the Spirit of the Lord fell into me (And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me), and said to me, Speak thou, The Lord saith these things, Ye house of Israel spake thus, and I knew the thoughts of your heart;

⁶ ye killed full many men in this city, and ye filled the ways thereof with slain men. (ye killed a great many people in this city, and ye filled its ways with the slain.)

⁷ Therefore the Lord saith these things, Your slain men, which ye putted in the midst thereof, these be the fleshes, and this is the cauldron; and I shall lead you out of the midst thereof. (And so the Lord saith these things, Your slain, whom ye put in its midst, they be the meat, and this is the cauldron; but I shall lead you out of its midst.)

⁸ Ye dreaded sword, and I shall bring in a sword on you, saith the Lord God. (Ye feared the sword, and I shall bring in a sword upon you, saith the Lord God.)

⁹ And I shall cast you out of the midst thereof, and I shall give you into the hand of enemies, and I shall make dooms in you. (And I shall take you out of its midst, and I shall give you into the hands of your enemies, and I shall bring in judgements, or a sentence of death, upon you.)

¹⁰ By sword ye shall fall down, I shall deem you in the ends of Israel; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord. (Ye shall fall by the sword, yea, I shall judge you unto the ends of Israel; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord.)

¹¹ This shall not be to you into a cauldron, and ye shall not be into fleshes in the midst thereof; I shall deem you in the ends of Israel, (And so this city shall not be like a cauldron for you, and ye shall not be like the meat in its midst; I shall judge you unto the ends of Israel,)

¹² and ye shall know, that I am the Lord. For ye went not in my behests, and ye did not my dooms, but ye wrought by the dooms of heathen men, that be in your compass. (and ye shall know, that I am the Lord. For ye did not follow my commands, and ye did not follow my laws, or my judgements, but ye followed the laws of the heathen, who be all around you.)

¹³ And it was done, when I prophesied, Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, was dead (Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, fell down dead); and I fell down on my face, and I cried with great voice, and said, Alas! alas! alas! Lord God, thou makest [an] ending of the remnants of Israel.

¹⁴ And the word of the Lord was made to me, and said,

¹⁵ Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, thy kinsmen, and all the house of Israel, and all men, to whom the dwellers of Jerusalem said, Go ye away far from the Lord, the land is given to us into possession. (Son of man, thy brothers, thy brothers, yea, thy kinsmen, and all the house of Israel, and all the people, be to whom the present inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Go ye far away from the Lord, for the land is given to us as our possession.)

¹⁶ Therefore the Lord God saith these things, For I made them (to be) far (off) among heathen men, and for I scattered them in lands, I shall be to them into a little hallowing, in the lands to which they came (And so the Lord God saith these things, For I made them to be far away among the heathen, and for I scattered them into many lands, I shall be their sanctuary, in the lands to which they have gone.)

¹⁷ Therefore speak thou, The Lord God saith these things, I shall gather you from (the) peoples, and I shall gather you together from (the) lands, in which ye be scattered; and I shall give the earth of Israel to you (and I shall give the soil of Israel to you/and I shall give you the land of Israel).

¹⁸ And they shall enter thither, and shall do away all offences, [or grievings,] and all abominations thereof in that day. (And they shall enter there, and shall do away all the offences, and all the abominations there, on that day.)

¹⁹ And I shall give to them one heart, and I shall give a new spirit in the entrails of them; and I shall take away a stony heart from the flesh of them, and I shall give to them an heart of flesh; (And I shall give them one heart, and I shall give them a new spirit in their bowels, or in their innards; and I shall take away a heart of stone from their flesh, and I shall give them a heart of flesh;)

²⁰ that they go in my commandments, and keep my dooms, and do those; and that they be into a people to me, and I be into God to them. (so that they walk in my commandments, and obey my laws, and do them; and so that they be my people, and I be their God.)

²¹ But of which the heart goeth after their offendings and abominations, I shall set the way of them in their head, saith the Lord God. (But of those whom their hearts go after their offences and abominations, I shall bring down their ways upon their own heads, saith the Lord God.)

²² And the cherubims raised [up] their wings, and the wheels went with those, and the glory of God of Israel was on those. (And the cherubim raised up their wings, and the wheels went with them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over, or above, them.)

²³ And the glory of the Lord ascended from the midst of the city, and stood on the hill, which is at the east of the city.

²⁴ And the spirit raised me, and brought me into Chaldea, to the passing over, in [a] vision by the spirit of God; and the vision which I had seen, was taken away from me. (And the spirit raised me up, and brought me into Chaldea, to the exiles, or to the captives, in a vision by the Spirit of God; and then the vision which I had seen, was taken away from me.)

²⁵ And I spake to the passing over all the words of the Lord, which he had showed to me. (And I told the exiles, or the captives, all that the Lord had shown me.)

50 The psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord of gods, spake/God, the God of gods, spake; and called the earth, from the rising of the sun till to the going down. (The song of Asaph. God, the Lord of gods, spoke/God, the God of gods, spoke; and called to the people of the earth, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of it.)

² The shape of his fairness from Zion, God shall come openly; (God shineth from Zion, perfect in beauty;)

³ our God, and he shall not be still. Fire shall burn on high in his sight; and a strong tempest in his compass. (our God shall come, and he shall not be silent. Fire shall burn on high before him; and it shall be a strong tempest surrounding him/and a strong tempest shall surround him.)

⁴ He called heaven above; and the earth, to (witness him) deem his people. (He calleth heaven above, and the earth beneath, to the judgement of his people.)

⁵ Gather ye to him his saints; that ordain his testament above sacrifices. (And he saith, Gather my saints to me; those who have made a covenant with me, by offering a sacrifice.)

⁶ And heavens shall show his rightwiseness/And heavens shall tell his rightfulness; for God is the judge. (And the heavens shall tell out his righteousness; for God himself is the judge.)

⁷ My people, hear thou, and I shall speak to Israel; and I shall witness to thee, I am God, thy God. (My people, hear thou, and I shall speak; Israel, I shall testify against thee; I am God, thy God.)

⁸ I shall not reprove thee in thy sacrifices; and thy burnt sacrifices be ever[more] before me. (I shall not rebuke thee for thy sacrifices, and for thy burnt sacrifices, that be before me forevermore./Shall I not rebuke thee for thy sacrifices, and for thy burnt sacrifices, that be before me forevermore?)

⁹ I shall not take calves of thine house; neither goat bucks of thy flocks. (But I do not need calves from thy house, or thy farm; or goat bucks from thy flocks.)

¹⁰ For all the wild beasts of (the) woods be mine; work beasts, and oxes in hills (and the work beasts as well, and the oxen on the hills).

¹¹ I have known all the volatiles of the firmament; and the fairness of the field is with me. (I know all the birds on those hills; and the wild beasts of the fields be mine.)

¹² If I shall be hungry, I shall not say to thee; for the world and the fullness thereof is mine. (If I am hungry, I have no need to tell thee; for the world and its fullness be mine.)

¹³ Whether I shall eat the flesh of bulls? either shall I drink the blood of goat bucks? (Shall I eat the flesh of bulls? or drink the blood of goat bucks? Nay!)

¹⁴ Offer thou to God the sacrifice of praising; and yield thine avows to the highest God. (Offer, or give, thou to God the sacrifice of praise; and pay thy vows to the Most High God.)

¹⁵ And inwardly call thou me in the day of tribulation; and I shall deliver thee, and thou shalt honour me. (And call thou on me in the day of trouble; and I shall save thee, and then thou shalt honour me.)

¹⁶ But God said to the sinner, Why tellest thou out my rightfulnesses; and takest my testament by thy mouth? (But God said to the sinner, Why should thou tell out my statutes? and why hast thou my covenant in thy mouth?)

¹⁷ Soothly thou hatedest lore, or discipline; and hast cast away my words behind (thee). (Truly thou hatedest chastisement; and hast thrown away my words behind thee.)

¹⁸ If thou sawest a thief, thou rannest with him; and thou settedest thy part with adulterers.

¹⁹ Thy mouth was plenteous of malice; and thy tongue meddled together guiles. (Thy mouth is full of malice; and thy tongue mixeth up batches of lies.)

²⁰ Thou sitting spakest against thy brother, and thou settedest slander against the son of thy mother; (And thou sitteth down, and speakest against thy brother, yea, thou settest forth slander against thy mother’s son;)

²¹ thou didest these things, and I was still. Thou guessedest wickedly, that I shall be like thee; I shall reprove thee, and I shall set (them) against thy face. (thou didest these things, and I was silent. And thou wickedly guessedest that I was just like thee; but I shall rebuke thee, and I shall do it to thy face.)

²² Ye that forget God, understand these things; lest sometime he ravish, and none be that shall deliver. (Ye who forget God, understand these things; lest sometime I tear thee in pieces, and there be no one who shall save thee.)

²³ The sacrifice of praising shall honour me; and there is the way, wherein I shall show to him the health of God. (The sacrifice of praise shall honour me; and to those who follow my way/and to those who obey me, I shall give them the salvation of God.)