M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
18 Therefore David, when he had beheld his people, ordained chieftains of thousands, and (chieftains) of hundreds upon them.
2 And he gave the third part of the people under the hand of Joab; and the third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab; and the third part under the hand of Ittai, that was of Gath. And the king said to the people, Also I shall go out with you. (And he sent out a third part of the people under Joab’s command; and a third part under Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother; and a third part under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I shall go out with all of you.)
3 And the people answered, Thou shalt not go out; for whether we flee, it shall not pertain to them by great work of us; whether half the part fall down of us, they shall not reckon (it) enough, for thou art reckoned for ten thousand; therefore it is better, that thou be to us in the city in strong succour. (And the people answered, Thou shalt not go out with us; for if we flee, it shall not pertain to them to make any great effort against us; and even if half of us shall fall down, or shall die, they shall not reckon it enough/they shall not reckon it much, for thou art reckoned for ten thousand; and so it is better for us, if thou be in the city, and support us from here.)
4 And the king said to them, I shall do that, that seemeth rightful to you. Therefore the king stood beside the gate, and the people went out by their companies, by hundreds, and by thousands.
5 And the king commanded to Joab, and to Abishai, and to Ittai, and said, Keep ye to me the child Absalom. And all the people heard the king commanding to all the princes for Absalom. (And the king commanded to Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, and said, For my sake, do not ye harm the young man Absalom. And all the people heard the king commanding to all his officers about Absalom.)
6 Therefore the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was made in the forest of Ephraim.
7 And the people of Israel was slain there of the host of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand was made in that day. (And many Israelites were killed there by David’s army, yea, there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand that day.)
8 And the battle was scattered there upon the face of all the land, and many more were of the people which the forest wasted, than they which the sword devoured in that day. (And the battle there was scattered over all the countryside, and the forest killed many more people that day, than they whom the sword devoured.)
9 Soothly it befelled, that Absalom, sitting on a mule, came against the servants of David; and when the mule had entered under a thick oak, and great, the head of Absalom cleaved to the oak; and when he was hanged betwixt heaven and earth, the mule, on which he sat, passed (forth). (And it befell, that Absalom, sitting on a mule, came toward David’s men; and when the mule had entered under a great thick oak, Absalom’s head got caught in the branches; and while he hung in the air above the ground, the mule, on which he sat, went forth.)
10 And some man saw this, and told it to Joab, and said, I saw Absalom hanged on an oak (and said, I saw Absalom hung up in an oak).
11 And Joab said to the man that told to him, If thou saw him, why piercedest thou not him through to the earth, and I should have given to thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle? (And Joab said to the man who told him this, If thou saw him thus, why didest thou not pierce him through to the ground, and then I would have gladly given thee ten silver shekels, and a girdle.)
12 And he said to Joab, Though thou paidest in mine hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not send mine hand into the son of the king; for while we heard, the king commanded to thee, and to Abishai, and to Ittai, and said, Keep ye to me the child Absalom. (And he said to Joab, Though thou paidest me a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son; for while we heard, the king commanded to thee, and to Abishai, and to Ittai, and said, For my sake, do not ye harm the young man Absalom.)
13 But and though I had done fool hardily against my life (But if I had acted so foolishly against my own life), this might not be hid from the king, and thou wouldest stand on the contrary side.
14 And Joab said, Not as thou wilt, but I shall assail him before thee. Therefore Joab took three spears in his hand, and fixed those in(to) the heart of Absalom. And when he sprawled, yet cleaving in the oak (And yet while he sprawled, still caught up in the oak),
15 ten young squires of Joab ran, and smote, and killed him. (ten young squires of Joab ran over to him, and struck, or stabbed, and killed him.)
16 And Joab trumped with a clarion, and held with him the people, lest it pursued Israel fleeing, and he would spare the multitude. (And then Joab sounded with a trumpet, to hold back the army with him, lest they pursued the men of Israel fleeing away, for he would spare the multitude.)
17 And they took Absalom, and casted forth him into a great ditch in the forest, and bare together a full great heap of stones on him; and all Israel fled into their tabernacles. (And they took Absalom’s body, and threw it forth into a great ditch in the forest, and put a great heap of stones on it; and all Israel fled back to their homes.)
18 Forsooth Absalom, while he lived yet, had raised to him a memorial, which is in the valley of the king; for he said, I have no son, and this shall be the mind of my name; and he called the memorial by his name, and it is called The Hand, that is, (the) Work, of Absalom, till to this day. (And Absalom, while yet he lived, had raised up a memorial to himself, in the King’s Valley; for he said, I have no son, and this shall be in remembrance of my name; and he called the memorial after his own name, and unto this day it is still called The Work of Absalom.)
19 And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, I shall run, and I shall tell to the king, that the Lord hath made doom to him of the hand of his enemies. (And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, I shall run, and I shall tell the king, that the Lord hath made judgement for him, that is, hath avenged him, upon his enemies.)
20 To whom Joab said, Thou shalt not be a messenger in this day, but thou shalt tell in another day; I will not that thou tell this today, for the son of the king is dead (I do not desire that thou tell this news today, for the king’s son is dead).
21 And Joab said to Cushi, Go thou, and tell to the king those things that thou hast seen. Cushi worshipped Joab, and ran forth (Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran off).
22 And again Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab, What hindereth, if also I run after Cushi? And Joab said to him, What wilt thou run, my son? Come thou hither, thou shalt not be a bearer of good message (And Joab said to him, Why would thou run, my son? It is better to stay here, for thou shalt not be a bearer of good news).
23 The which answered, But what if I shall run? And Joab said to him, (Then) Run thou. Therefore Ahimaaz ran by the way of shortness, and speed, and passed Cushi.
24 And David sat betwixt (the) two gates; soothly the espyer, that was in the highness of the gate on the wall, raised up his eyes, and he saw a man alone running; (And David sat between the two gates of the city; and the watchman, who was on the roof of the gate by the wall, raised up his eyes, and he saw a man running alone;)
25 and the espyer cried, and showed to the king. And the king said to him, If he is alone, good message is in his mouth. But while he hasted, and nighed near, (and the watchman cried aloud, and told the king. And the king said to himself, If he is alone, then he hath good news. But while he hastened, and drew near,)
26 the espyer saw another man running; and the espyer cried on high, and said, Another man running alone appeareth to me. And the king said to him, And this man is a good messenger. (the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman cried out on high, and said, Another man also running alone appeareth to me. And the king said to himself, This man must also have good news.)
27 Soothly the espyer said (And the watchman said), I behold the running of the former, as the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and he cometh bringing a good message.
28 And Ahimaaz cried, and said to the king, Hail king! And he worshipped the king lowly before him to the earth, and said, Blessed be thy Lord God, that hath closed together the men, that raised their hands against my lord the king. (And Ahimaaz cried out, and said to the king, Hail king! And honouring the king, he bowed low to the ground before him, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath given thee victory over the men who raised up their hands, that is, who rebelled, against my lord the king.)
29 And the king said, Whether peace is to the child Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw, that is, I heard, a great noise, when Joab, thy servant, thou king, sent me, thy servant; I know none other thing. (And the king said, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw a great tumult/I heard a great noise, when thy servant Joab, O king, sent me, thy servant; I know nothing else.)
30 To whom the king said, Pass thou, and stand here. And when he had passed, and stood, (To whom the king said, Stand thou over there. And when he had stepped aside, and stood in silence,)
31 Cushi appeared; and he came and said, My lord the king, I bring good message; for the Lord hath deemed today for thee of the hand of all men that rised against thee. (Cushi appeared; and he came and said, My lord the king, I bring good news; for the Lord hath given thee victory today over all the men who rebelled against thee.)
32 And the king said to Cushi, Whether peace is to the child Absalom? To whom Cushi answered, and said, The enemies of my lord the king, and all men that rise against him into evil, be made as the child. (And the king said to Cushi, Is all well with the young man Absalom? To whom Cushi answered, May all the enemies of my lord the king, and all the men who rebel against him, be made like that young man!)
33 Therefore the king was sorry, and went up into the solar of the gate, and he wept, and spake thus going (And so the king was deeply grieved, and went up to the roof of the gate, and as he went, he wept, and spoke thus), My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son! who giveth to me, that I die for thee? Absalom, my son! my son, Absalom!
11 I would that ye would suffer a little thing of mine unwisdom, but also support ye me.[a]
2 For I love you by the love of God; for I have espoused [spoused] you to one husband, to yield a chaste virgin to Christ [to give you, a chaste virgin, to one man, Christ].
3 But I dread, lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his subtle fraud, so your wits be corrupted, and fallen down from the simpleness that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh, preacheth another Christ, whom we preached not, or if ye take another spirit, whom ye took not [whom ye received not], or another gospel, which ye received not, rightly ye should suffer.
5 For I ween that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.
6 For though I be unlearned in word, but not in knowing. For in all things I am open to you. [For why though I be unlearned in sermon, or word, but not in science, or knowing. Forsooth in all things I am showed, or made known, to you.]
7 Or whether I have done sin, meeking myself [meeking, or making low, myself], that ye be enhanced, for freely I preached to you the gospel of God?
8 I made naked other churches, and I took wages to your service. [I spoiled, or made naked, or took gifts, of other churches, taking wages to your service.]
9 And when I was among you, and had need [And when I was with you, and needed], I was chargeous to no man; for brethren that came from Macedonia, fulfilled that that failed to me [supplied, or fulfilled, that that failed to me]. And in all things I have kept [me], and shall keep me without charge to you.
10 The truth of Christ is in me; for this glory shall not be broken in me in the countries of Achaia [in the regions, or countries, of Achaia].
11 Why? for I love not you? God knoweth.
12 For that that I do, and that I shall do, is that I cut away the occasion of them that will occasion, that in the thing, in which they glory, they be found [such] as we.
13 For such false apostles be treacherous workmen, and transfigure them(selves) into apostles of Christ.[b]
14 And no wonder, for Satan himself transfigureth him(self) into an angel of light. [And no wonder; soothly he Satan transfigured him into an angel of light.]
15 Therefore it is not great, if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of rightwiseness, whose end shall be after their works.
16 Again I say, lest any man guess me to be unwise [lest any man deem me unwise]; else take ye me as unwise, that also I have glory a little what.
17 That that I speak, I speak not after God, but as in unwisdom [but as to unwisdom], in this substance of glory.
18 For many men glory after the flesh, and I shall glory.
19 For ye suffer gladly unwise men, when ye yourselves be wise.
20 For ye suffer, if any man driveth you into servage [if any man drive you into servage], if any man devoureth, if any man taketh, if any man is enhanced [by pride], if any man smiteth you on the face.
21 By unnobleness I say, as if we were frail in this part[c]. In what thing any man dare, in unwisdom I say, and I dare.
22 They be Hebrews, and I; they be Israelites, and I; they be the seed of Abraham, and I;
23 they be the ministers of Christ, and I. As less wise I say, I more; in full many travails, in prisons more plenteously, in wounds above manner [in wounds above manner, or over measure], in deaths oft times.
24 I received of the Jews five times forty strokes one less;
25 thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I was at ship-break, a night and a day I was in the deepness of the sea;
26 in ways oft, in perils of rivers [in perils of floods], in perils of thieves, in perils of kin, in perils of heathen men, in perils in [the] city, in perils in desert, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,
27 in travail and neediness, in many wakings, in hunger, in thirst [in travail and neediness, either mis-ease, in many wakings, in hunger and thirst], in many fastings, in cold and nakedness.
28 Without those things that be withoutforth, mine each day's travailing is the busyness of all churches. [Without those things that be withoutforth; mine each day's waking, or studying, the busyness of all churches.]
29 Who is frail, and I am not frail? who is caused to stumble, and I am not burnt? [Who is sick, and I am not sick? who is offended, and I am not burnt?]
30 If it behooveth to glory, I shall glory in those things that be of mine infirmity [that be of my infirmity, or frailty].
31 [For] God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is blessed into worlds, knoweth that I lie not [knoweth, that I gab not, or lie not].
32 The provost of Damascus, of the king of the folk of Aretas [The provost, or keeper, of Damascus, of the king of the folk Arteas], kept the city of Damascenes to take me;
33 and by a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and so I escaped his hands.
25 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,
2 Thou, son of man, set thy face against the sons of Ammon, and thou shalt prophesy of them. (Thou, son of man, set thy face toward the Ammonites, and thou shalt prophesy against them.)
3 And thou shalt say to the sons of Ammon, Hear ye the word of the Lord God; the Lord God saith these things, For that that ye said, Well! well! on my saintuary, for it is defouled, and on the land of Israel, for it is made desolate, and on the house of Judah, for they be led into captivity; (And thou shalt say to the Ammonites, Hear ye the word of the Lord God; the Lord God saith these things, Because ye said, Well! well! to my sanctuary, for it is defiled, and to the land of Israel, for it is made desolate, and to the house of Judah, for they be led into captivity;)
4 lo! therefore I shall give thee (to) the sons of the east into heritage (and so lo! I shall give thee to the sons of the east for a possession), and they shall set their folds in thee, and they shall set their tents in thee; they shall eat thy fruits, and they shall drink thy milk.
5 And I shall give Rabbah into a dwelling place of camels, and the sons of Ammon into a bed of beasts; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord. (And I shall make Rabbah into a dwelling place for camels, and the Ammonites into a bed for beasts; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord.)
6 For the Lord God saith these things, For that that thou clappedest with hand(s), and smitedest with the foot, and joyedest of all [thy] desire on the land of Israel; (For the Lord God saith these things, Because thou clappedest with thy hands, and struckest, or hast kicked, with the foot, and joyedest over the land of Israel with all thy desire;)
7 therefore lo! I shall stretch forth mine hand [up]on thee, and I shall give thee into ravishing of heathen men (and I shall give thee into robbing by the heathen), and I shall slay thee from (the other) peoples, and I shall lose thee, and all-break thee from (the other) lands; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord.
8 The Lord God saith these things, For that that Moab and Seir said, Lo! the house of Judah is as all folks, (The Lord God saith these things, Because Moab and Seir said, Lo! the house of Judah is like all the other nations,)
9 therefore lo! I shall open the shoulder of Moab of cities, soothly of cities thereof, and of the ends thereof, the noble cities of the land, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim, (and so lo! I shall open the shoulder of Moab and its cities, yea, its cities, and its borders, from one end unto the other, yea, the noble cities of the land, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim,)
10 to the sons of the east, with the sons of Ammon. And I shall give it into heritage, that mind of the sons of Ammon be no more among heathen men, (together with the Ammonites, and I shall give them to the sons of the east. And I shall give them for a possession, so that the memory of the Ammonites no more be among the heathen,)
11 and in Moab I shall make dooms (and I shall bring in judgements upon Moab); and they shall know, that I am the Lord.
12 The Lord God saith these things, For that that Idumea did vengeance, that it avenged itself of the sons of Judah, and sinned doing trespass, and asked greatly vengeance of them; (The Lord God saith these things, Because Edom did vengeance, and avenged itself upon the sons of Judah, and sinned doing trespass, and took great vengeance upon them;)
13 therefore the Lord God saith these things, I shall stretch forth mine hand on Idumea, and I shall take away from it man and beast, and I shall make it desert of the south; and they that be in Dedan shall fall by sword. (and so the Lord God saith these things, I shall stretch forth my hand upon Edom, and I shall take away man and beast from it, and I shall make it into a wasteland, from Teman unto Dedan; and they shall all fall by the sword.)
14 And I shall give my vengeance on Idumea, by the hand of my people Israel (And I shall take vengeance upon Edom, through my people Israel); and they shall do in Edom by my wrath, and by my strong vengeance; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God.
15 The Lord God saith these things, For that that Palestines did vengeance, and avenged themselves, with all will slaying, and filling old enmities; (The Lord God saith these things, Because the Philistines did vengeance, and avenged themselves, killing with all their will, and fulfilling old enmities;)
16 therefore the Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall stretch forth mine hand on Palestines, and I shall slay [the] slayers, and I shall lose the remnants of the sea coast; (and so the Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall stretch forth my hand upon the Philistines, and I shall kill the killers, and I shall destroy the rest of those who live on the sea coast;)
17 and I shall make great vengeances in them, and I shall reprove in strong vengeance; and they shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall give my vengeance on them. (and I shall bring great vengeance upon them, and I shall rebuke them with strong vengeance; and they shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall take my vengeance upon them.)
73 The psalm of Asaph. God of Israel is full good; to them that be of rightful heart. (The song of Asaph. The God of Israel is very good; to those who have an upright heart.)
2 But my feet were moved almost; my steps were shed out almost. (But my feet almost stumbled; my steps almost slipped.)
3 For I loved fervently on wicked men; seeing the peace of sinners. (For I envied the wicked; when I saw the prosperity of the sinners.)
4 For beholding is not to the death of them; and steadfastness in the sickness of them. (For it seemed that they never die; yea, they always be strong, and never get sick.)
5 They be not in travail of (other) men; and they shall not be beaten with men. (They do not have trouble, or tribulation, like other people do; and they be not beaten down like others be.)
6 Therefore pride hath held them; they were covered with their wickedness and unfaithfulness.
7 The wickedness of them came forth as of fatness; they went into desire of heart. (Their wickedness came forth like fatness; and they went forth in the desire of their hearts.)
8 They thought and spake waywardness; they spake wickedness on high (they spoke wickedness out loud).
9 They putted their mouth into heaven; and their tongue passed in earth. (They put their mouths against heaven; and their tongues went about over all the earth.)
10 Therefore my people shall be turned again here; and full days shall be found in them. (And so my people followed them; and found nothing to condemn them for.)
11 And they said, How knoweth God; and whether knowing is on high? (And they said, How could God know? how can the Most High have any knowledge of this?)
12 Lo! those sinners and having abundance in the world; (they) held riches.
13 And I said, Therefore without cause I justified mine heart; and washed mine hands among innocents. (And I said, And so I have keep my heart pure, and I have kept my hands clean, all for nothing/all in vain.)
14 And I was beaten all day; and my chastising was in morrowtides. (Yea, all day long I am beaten down; and I am punished every morning.)
15 If I said, I shall tell thus; lo! I [have] reproved the nation of thy sons. (If I had said, I shall talk as they do; lo! I would have brought reproach upon the nation of thy children.)
16 I guessed, that I should know this; (but too much) travail is before me. (I tried to work through all of this; but it was too much for me.)
17 Till I enter into the saintuary of God; and understand in the last things of them. (Until I entered into the sanctuary of God; and there I understood their last things, that is, their end.)
18 Nevertheless for guiles thou hast put to them; thou castedest them down, while they were raised. (For thou shalt put them in slippery places; thou shalt throw them down, after they be raised up.)
19 How be they made into desolation; they failed suddenly, they perished for their wickedness/for their waywardness. (How they shall go into desolation! they shall suddenly fail, and they shall perish for all their wickedness/for all their wayward ways.)
20 As the dream of men that (a)rise; Lord, thou shalt drive their image to nought, in thy city. (Like a dream when one awaketh, and it vanisheth; so, Lord, thou shalt drive them down into nothing/until they completely disappear.)
21 For mine heart is enflamed, and my reins be changed; (When my heart was enflamed, and my feelings were hurt;)
22 and I am driven to nought, and I knew not. As a work beast I am made with thee; (and I was driven down into nothing, and I knew nothing; yea, I was made like a work beast before thee;)
23 and I am ever with thee. Thou heldest my right hand, (but still I am ever with thee. Thou holdest my right hand,)
24 and in thy will thou leddest me forth; and with glory thou tookest me up. (and by thy counsel, or thy instruction, thou leadest me forth; and afterward thou shalt receive me with honour.)
25 For why what is to me in heaven; and what would I of thee on earth? (For what is there for me in heaven, but thee? and what else do I desire here on earth, but thee?)
26 My flesh and mine heart failed; God of mine heart, and my part is God [into] without end. (Though my flesh and my heart fail; but God is my strength, and my portion forever.)
27 For lo! they that draw away far themselves from thee shall perish; thou hast lost all men that do fornication from thee. (For lo! they who take themselves far away from thee, shall perish; thou shalt destroy all those who wantonly abandon thee.)
28 But it is good to me to cleave to God; and to set mine hope in the Lord God. That I tell all thy preachings, in the gates of the daughter of Zion. (But it is good for me to cleave to God; and to trust in the Lord God. And that I tell out all thy works, or all of thy deeds.)
2001 by Terence P. Noble