M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will attack him while he is weary and weak-handed, and terrify him so that all the people that are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king when he is alone. 3 Then I will bring all the people back to you—when all will have returned except the man you are seeking, then all the people will be at peace.”
4 Now the plan seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then Absalom said, “Call now Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.” 6 When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him saying, “This is what Ahithophel has advised. Should we follow his counsel? If not, you will speak.”
7 So Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai then added, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and they are embittered in their souls like a bear robbed of her cubs in the wild. Your father is an expert in warfare, and won’t spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now, he must be hiding in one of the caves or in some other place. So if he were to fall on them at first, whoever hears of it would say, ‘There’s a slaughter among the people following Absalom!’ 10 Then even one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt away—for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty warrior and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 Instead, I counsel that all Israel be gathered altogether to you—from Dan to Beersheba, as abundant as the sand by the sea—and that you personally go into the battle. 12 Then we will come upon him in one of the places where he can be found and we’ll fall upon him as dew falls on the ground. None will be left of all the men who are with him—not even one. 13 Moreover if he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into the valley until not even one small stone will be found there.”
14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Adonai had ordained to thwart Ahithophel’s good counsel, so that Adonai might bring evil upon Absalom.
15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the kohanim, “This and that is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this and that is what I advised. 16 Now therefore send word quickly and tell David saying, ‘Don’t spend the night at the fords in the wilderness but by all means, cross over or else the king and all the people with him may be swallowed up.’” 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, and a maidservant used to go and pass information along to them. Then they would go and inform King David for they could not be seen entering the city.
18 But a lad did see them and informed Absalom. So the two of them left quickly and arrived at the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard; so they went down into it. 19 Then the woman took the cover and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on top of it so that nothing was noticeable. 20 When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” the woman said to them, “They crossed over the brook of water.” When they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had departed, they came up from the well, then went and informed King David, telling David, “Get up and cross over the water immediately, for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan. By morning light, not even one of them was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, went to his home in his hometown set his house in order, and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 David had reached Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. (Now Amasa was son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite[a], who had gone to Abigal daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.) 26 Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 Now when David reached Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, Machir son of Ammiel of Lo-debar and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim 28 brought beds, basins, clay pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, 29 honey, curd, sheep and cheese from the herd for David and for the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people must be hungry, weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
Tearing Down Strongholds
10 Now I, Paul, appeal myself to you by the meekness and gentleness of Messiah—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when far away. 2 I beg of you that when I am present I won’t need to be bold with the courage I consider showing against some who judge us as walking in the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful through God for the tearing down of strongholds.[a] We are tearing down false arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that exalts itself[b] against the knowledge of God. We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah— 6 ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
7 Look at what is before your eyes.[c] If anyone is confident in himself that he belongs to Messiah, let him reconsider that just as he belongs to Messiah, so also do we. 8 For even if I boast a little more about our authority—which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down—I will not be put to shame. 9 Not that I would try to terrify you by my letters— 10 for they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his presence in person is weak and his speech of no account.” 11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word through letters when we are absent, we also are in action when we are present.
12 For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. 13 But we will not boast beyond limits, but within the limits of the area that God has assigned to us—to reach even as far as you. 14 We are not extending ourselves too far, as if we did not reach you—for we did come even as far as to you with the Good News of Messiah. 15 Neither are we boasting beyond limits based on the labors of others, but we have hope while your faith is growing for our area among you to be greatly enlarged— 16 so that we may proclaim the Good News even to regions beyond you, not boasting about what has been accomplished in another’s area. 17 But “let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” [d] 18 For it Is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Parable of a Rusted Pot
24 The word of Adonai came to me in the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year saying: 2 “Son of man, record this date, this exact day—this very day the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem. 3 Utter a parable concerning the rebellious house. Say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim:
‘Put on the pot, put it on
and then pour water into it.
4 Gather the pieces into it,
every good piece—thigh and shoulder.
Fill it with the choice bones.
5 Take the choicest of the flock
and pile the bones under it;
bring it to a rolling boil,
so that its bones also seethe in it.’”
6 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim:
“Oy to the city of bloodshed,
to the pot whose corrosion is in it,
whose rust will not come off it!
Draw it out piece by piece
—no lot would fall for it.
7 For her bloodshed is in her midst.
She put it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it upon the ground
to cover it with dust.
8 So it stirs up wrath for taking vengeance.
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
that it may not be covered.”
9 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim:
‘Oy to the city of bloodshed!
I will also make the pile great,
10 heaping on the wood,
kindling the fire,
boiling the meat well,
and mixing in spices.
But let the bones be burned!
11 I will set it empty upon the coals
until it gets hot and its copper scorches,
so its impurity will be melted,
its corrosion consumed.
12 It has wearied toil,
yet its thick rust will not come out of it.
Into the fire with its corrosion!
13 Because of your filthy obscenity,
though I tried to purify you
yet you were not made pure,
you will never be cleansed from your filth
until I have satisfied My fury on you.
14 I, Adonai, have spoken—it is coming.
I will do it, I will not let go,
not pity, not relent
—according to your ways
and according to your deeds
they will judge you.’”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a single blow. But do not lament, do not weep or allow any tears to flow. 17 Sigh silently, do not observe mourning for the dead, keep your turban fastened, and keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I did just as I was commanded. 19 The people said to me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”
20 Then I said to them, “The word of Adonai came to me saying, 21 speak to the house of Israel, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will profane My Sanctuary, the pride of your might, the desire of your eyes and the longing of your soul. Your sons and your daughters that you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22 You will do just as I have done: you will not cover your upper lips or eat the bread of mourners. 23 Your turbans will remain on your heads and your shoes on your feet—you will not lament or weep. But you will pine away in your iniquities and groan to each other. 24 Ezekiel will be a sign for you; just as he has done, you will do. When this comes, you will know that I am Adonai.’
25 “You, son of man, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, the longing of their soul, as well as their sons and their daughters— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to you to tell you the news. 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped. You will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am Adonai.”
A Powerful King for the Poor
Psalm 72
1 Of Solomon.
Give the king Your judgments, O God,
and Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 May he judge Your people with righteousness,
and Your poor ones with justice.
3 Let the mountains bring shalom to the people,
and the hills righteousness.
4 May he vindicate the poor of the people,
save the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor.
5 Let them fear You while the sun endures,
and while the moon lasts, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the ground.
7 Let the righteous flourish in his days.
Let shalom abound till the moon is no more.
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 Let desert dwellers bow before him,
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute,
kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
11 So let all kings bow down before him,
and all nations serve him.
12 For he rescues the needy crying for help,
also the poor and the one with no helper.
13 He will take pity on the poor and needy,
and the souls of the needy he will save.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their soul,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given to him.
May he pray for him continually,
and bless him all day.
16 Let there be abundance of grain in the land.
Let it sway on the top of the hills,
let its fruit be like Lebanon,
and let people of the city flourish like grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever.
May his name increase before the sun,
and may all nations be blessed by him
and call him blessed.
18 Blessed be Adonai Elohim, God of Israel,
who alone does wonders.
19 Blessed be His glorious Name forever.
May all the earth be filled with His glory!
Amen and Amen!
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are complete.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.