M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Assassination of Ish-bosheth
4 Now when Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage sank, and all the Israelites were disturbed. 2 Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of raiding bands: the name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin, 3 though the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim and live there as outsiders to this day).
4 (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose legs were crippled. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled. It came about, as she was hurrying to flee, that he fell and was crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.)
5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came to the house of Ish-bosheth at the heat of the day, as he was taking his midday nap. 6 When they came within the house, as though to get wheat, they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. 7 When they had gotten within the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they stabbed him and killed him, then beheaded him and took his head, and traveled by the way of the Arabah all night. 8 Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron, and said to the king, “Here is the head of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, your enemy, who sought your life. Today Adonai has avenged my lord the king of Saul and his offspring.”
9 Then David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, saying to them, “As Adonai lives, who redeemed my soul out of all distress, 10 when someone informed me saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead!’ thinking he was a bearer of good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, instead of rewarding him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house and on his bed! Should I not now require his blood from your hands and rid the earth of you?” 12 Then David commanded the young men, and they slew them, cut off their hands and their legs, and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
All Israel Anoints David King
5 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke saying, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. 2 Even before, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and back. Also Adonai said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David cut a covenant with them at Hebron before Adonai. Then they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was 30 years old when he began to reign and he reigned 40 years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned 33 years over all Israel and Judah.
Securing Jerusalem
6 Now the king and his soldiers marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the region. But they said to David, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and the lame could ward you off,” thinking, “David can’t get in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David did capture the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David). 8 On that day David said, “Whoever would conquer the Jebusites must strike through the water shaft to those ‘lame and blind’ whom David’s soul despises.” That is why they used to say, “The blind or lame couldn’t get into the house.” 9 So David occupied the stronghold and renamed it the City of David. Then David fortified it all round from the Millo inward. 10 David continued to grow stronger, for Adonai Elohim-Tzva’ot was with him.
11 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David with cedar logs, carpenters and masons; and they built a palace for David. 12 David then realized that Adonai had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
13 Then David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Master of Breakthroughs
17 Now when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines marched up searching for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines came and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 19 Then David inquired of Adonai saying, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them over into my hand?”
Adonai answered David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines over into your hand.”
20 So David came to Baal-perazim[a] and David struck them down there. So he said, “Adonai has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters!” That is why he named that place Baal-perazim. 21 They abandoned their idols there, so David and his men removed them.
22 But the Philistines marched up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim again. 23 When David inquired of Adonai, He said, “Do not go up; instead circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 24 Now it will be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you must act, for then Adonai will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines. 25 David did just as Adonai had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.
The Victory of the Resurrection
15 Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the Good News which I proclaimed to you. You also received it, and you took your stand on it, 2 and by it you are being saved if you hold firm to the word I proclaimed to you—unless you believed without proper consideration. 3 For I also passed on to you first of all what I also received—
that Messiah died for our sins
according to the Scriptures,[a]
4 that He was buried,
that He was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He appeared to Kefa,
then to the Twelve.
6 Then He appeared to over five hundred
brothers and sisters at one time—
most of them are still alive,
though some have died.[b]
7 Then He appeared to Jacob,
then to all the emissaries,
8 and last of all, as to one untimely born,
He also appeared to me.
9 For I am the least of the emissaries, unworthy to be called an emissary because I persecuted God’s community. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace toward me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than them all—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether then it is I or they, so we proclaim, and so you believed.
12 Now if Messiah is proclaimed—that He has been raised from the dead—how can some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Messiah has been raised! 14 And if Messiah has not been raised, then our proclaiming is meaningless and your faith also is meaningless. 15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that He raised up Messiah—whom He did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Messiah has been raised. 17 And if Messiah has not been raised, your faith is futile—you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Messiah have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Messiah in this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all people.
20 But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also has come through a Man. [c] 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah will all be made alive.
23 But each in its own order: Messiah the firstfruits; then, at His coming, those who belong to Messiah; 24 then the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all rule and all authority and power. [d] 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. [e] 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For God has “put all things in subjection underneath His feet.”[f] But when the psalmist says that “all” has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, who put all things under Messiah. 28 Now when all things become subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also become subject to the One who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what will they do who are immersed for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they immersed for them? 30 And why are we in danger every hour? 31 I die every day—yes, as surely as the boast in you, brothers and sisters, which I have in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. 32 If, for human reasons, I fought with “wild animals” at Ephesus, what good is that to me? If the dead are not raised, “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” [g] 33 Do not be deceived!
“Bad company corrupts good morals.”
34 Come to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame.
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?”[h] and, “With what kind of body do they come?” 36 Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 As for what you sow—you are not sowing the body that will be, but a bare seed, maybe of wheat or something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He planned, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of humans, another flesh of animals, another of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing while the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead:
Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption!
43 Sown in dishonor, raised in glory!
Sown in weakness, raised in power!
44 Sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body!
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.”[i] The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 Like the one made of dust,
so also are those made of dust[j];
and like the heavenly,
so also are those who are heavenly.
49 And just as we have borne the image of the one made from dust,
so also shall we bear[k] the image of the One from heaven.
50 Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and what decays cannot inherit what does not decay. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed—
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last shofar.[l]
For the shofar will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we will be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility,
and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 But when this corruptible will have put on incorruptibility
and this mortal will have put on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”[m]
55 “Where, O Death, is your victory?
Where, O Death, is your sting?”[n]
56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Torah. 57 But thanks be to God, who keeps giving us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! 58 Therefore, my dearly loved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord—because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
False Prophets
13 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 2 “Son of man, prophesy concerning the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, hear the word of Adonai, 3 thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit—except they have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up into the breaches and repaired the walls for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Adonai. 6 They have prophesied emptiness and predicted falsely, who say, “Adonai says.” Adonai has not sent them, yet they hope for confirmation of their word. 7 Did you not see an empty vision and speak a false omen, when you say, “Adonai says”—when I have not spoken?’”
8 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: “Because you have spoken falsely and prophesied lies, therefore behold, I am against you.” It is a declaration of Adonai. 9 “My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not remain in the assembly of My people, nor will they be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor enter into the land of Israel. You will know that I am Adonai. 10 Precisely because they have led My people astray saying, ‘Shalom’ when there is no shalom, they build a weak wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash. 11 Say to those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. There will be a down-pouring rain, and on you great hailstones will fall, and a storm wind will break out. 12 Behold, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said about you, ‘Where is the whitewash that you plastered it with?’’’
13 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: “I will cause a storm wind to burst out in My fury. There will be a down-pouring rain in My anger and great hailstones in destructive wrath. 14 I will tear down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation of it is exposed. It will collapse and you will be consumed within it. Then you will know that I am Adonai. 15 I will spend My wrath against the wall and against those who plastered it with whitewash. I will say to you, the wall is no more! The whitewashers are no more— 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and see visions of shalom for her, when there is no shalom.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
17 “Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them 18 saying, thus says Adonai Elohim, ‘Oy to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of every size for their heads in order to ensnare souls! You hunt down the souls of My people, but preserve yourselves. 19 You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, to kill those who should not die and to save those who should not live, by lying to My people, who listen to lies.’”
20 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim, “Behold, I am against your magic charms with which you hunt people like birds. I will tear them from your arms. I will deliver the people you hunt like birds. 21 I will tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands. They will never again be in your hand to be hunted. So you will know that I am Adonai. 22 Because you have discouraged the hearts of the righteous with your lies, when I have not grieved him; and strengthened the hands of the wicked so he may not return from his wicked way and live, 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions or utter lying divinations again. I will deliver My people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am Adonai.”
Treacherous Tongue!
Psalm 52
1 For the music director: a contemplative song of David, 2 when Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul telling him, “David went to Ahimelech’s house.”
3 Why do you brag about evil, mighty man?
God’s lovingkindness is every day.
4 Your tongue plots destruction,
like a sharp razor, working deceit.
5 You love evil instead of good,
lying rather than speaking right. Selah
6 You love only devouring words—
treacherous tongue!
7 God will pull you down forever,
and snatch you, rip you out of your tent,
and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
8 Then the righteous will see and fear,
and laugh at him:
9 “Here is the man who did not make God his stronghold.
Instead he trusted in his great riches—
and was strong in his evil desire.”
10 But I—I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God.
I trust in God’s lovingkindness forever and ever.
11 I will praise You forever for what You have done.
I will hope in Your Name, for it is good,
in the presence of Your kedoshim.
A Fool Denies God
Psalm 53
1 For the music director: on Mahalath, a contemplative song of David.
2 The fool says in his heart:
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, commit vile injustice.
There is no one who does good.
3 God looks down from the heavens
on the children of men,
to see if anyone understands,
who seeks after God.
4 All have turned aside—
together they have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good—
no, not even one!
5 Will the evildoers never learn?
They consume My people as they would eat bread,
and never call upon God.
6 There they are in great dread—
where there is nothing to fear.
For God has scattered the bones of those besieging you.
You have put them to shame,
for God has rejected them.
7 Who will give salvation for Israel out of Zion?
When God restores His captive people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!
Surely God is My Helper
Psalm 54
1 For the music director, on stringed instruments, a contemplative song of David, 2 when the Ziphites came and said to Saul: “Is not David hiding himself among us?”
3 O God, save me by Your Name,
vindicate me by Your might.
4 O God, hear my prayer,
listen to the words of my mouth.
5 For strangers have risen up against me.
Violent men seek after my soul.
They do not set God before them. Selah
6 Surely God is my helper.
My Lord is the supporter of my soul.
7 Let evil return to my foes.
Silence them with Your truth!
8 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You.
I will praise Your name, Adonai, for it is good.
9 For He has delivered me from all trouble,
and my eye has gazed upon my enemies.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.