M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Betrayal of Abner
3 Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. While David grew steadily stronger, the house of Saul grew steadily weaker. 2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3 his second was Chileab by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4 the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner strengthened his position in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”
8 But Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s words and said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? To this day I’ve been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his kinsmen, and to his friends, and I haven’t handed you over to David—yet today you are accusing me of wrongdoing with this woman. 9 May God do so to Abner and even more if, as Adonai has sworn to David, I don’t accomplish this for him— 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba!” 11 But Ish-bosheth could not respond to Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and see, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”
13 “Good!” said David. “I will cut a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you will not see my face unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see my face.”
14 Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ish-bosheth demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for 100 Philistine foreskins.” 15 So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16 But her husband accompanied her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return!” So he returned.
17 Now Abner had a word with the elders of Israel saying, “In times past you wanted David to be king over you. 18 So now do it! For Adonai has spoken of David saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will deliver My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner went to Hebron to speak in the hearing of David about all that was agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 When Abner came to David in Hebron along with 20 other men, David held a banquet for Abner and the men with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me get up and go rally all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may cut a covenant with you, and you may reign over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he departed in shalom.
22 Just then, David’s soldiers and Joab came from a raid, bringing with them much spoil. By then Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he departed in shalom. 23 When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, they told Joab, saying, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in shalom.”
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you—why did you send him away? Now he is getting away! 25 You know Abner son of Ner—surely he came to deceive you, to spy on your goings and comings, and to find out all that you are doing.”
26 When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, so they brought him back from the well of Sirah, though David knew nothing about it. 27 Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the groin, so that he died—on account of the blood of his brother Asahel. 28 When David heard about it afterward, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Adonai forever from the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May it whirl on Joab’s head and on all his father’s house. May the house of Joab never be without someone with discharge or tza’arat, lame or one fallen by the sword or one who lacks food.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes, gird with sackcloth, and lament before Abner.” King David walked behind the platform. 32 When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king lifted up his voice and wept aloud at Abner’s grave, and all the people wept. 33 Then the king chanted a lament for Abner and said,
“Should Abner die like a senseless fool?
34 Your hands were not bound,
your feet were never put in fetters.
As one falls
before the children of iniquity,
so did you fall.”
Then all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came to urge David to eat some food while it was still day, but David vowed saying, “May God do so to me and even more if I taste food or anything else before the sun sets.” 36 All the people took note of it and it pleased them, just as everything the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s will to kill Abner son of Ner. 38 Then the king said to his soldiers, “Don’t you realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel today? 39 So today I am vulnerable, even though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me to handle. May Adonai reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
Orderly Governing of the Gifts
14 Pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to people but to God—for no one understands, but in the Ruach he speaks mysteries. 3 But one who prophesies speaks to people for building up, urging on, and uplifting. 4 One who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but one who prophesies builds up the community. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy.[a] One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues—unless he interprets, so that the community may be built up.
6 But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you—unless I speak to you by way of revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 It is the same for lifeless things that make a sound—like a flute or a harp. If they make no distinction in the tones, how will what is played be recognized? 8 For if the trumpet[b] makes an unclear sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 So also with you with your tongue—unless you utter speech that is intelligible, how will what is spoken be understood? For you will be talking to the wind! 10 It may be that there are many kinds of languages in the world—and none without meaning. 11 If then I do not understand the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner[c] to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12 Likewise with you—since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, keep trying to excel for the building up of the community.
13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray in my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, and I will also sing praises with my mind. 16 Otherwise if you give thanks and praise in the spirit, how will one filling the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he has no idea what you’re saying? 17 For you certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 However, in Messiah’s community I would rather speak five words with my mind, so I may also instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers and sisters, stop being children in your thinking—rather, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Prophets[d] it is written,
“By those with strange tongues
and by the lips of strangers
I will speak to this people.
And not even then will they listen to me,” says Adonai.
22 Therefore tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers—but prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if Messiah’s whole community comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and uninstructed or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? 24 But if all are prophesying and some unbelieving or ungifted person comes in, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all. 25 The secrets of his heart become known, and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring, “God really is among you!”[e]
26 What is it then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If someone speaks in a tongue, let it be by two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the community but speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others evaluate. 30 But if something is revealed to another sitting nearby, let the first one become silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so all may learn and be encouraged. 32 The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 33 for God is not a God of confusion, but shalom.
As in all the communities of the kedoshim, 34 let women keep silent in the communities, for it is not permitted for them to speak out. Rather let them be in order, as the Torah also says. [f] 35 If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home—for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak out in the community. 36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or did it reach you alone?
37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if someone does not recognize it, he is not recognized. 39 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But let everything be done decently and in order.
Baggage for Exile
12 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 2 “Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house. They have eyes to see, but do not see, ears to hear, but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house. 3 You, son of man, prepare supplies for exile. Go into exile by day in their sight, go away as if into exile from your home to another place in their sight—perhaps they will recognize that they are a rebellious house. 4 You will bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile. You will go out at evening in their sight, like those going into exile. 5 As they watch, dig through the wall and go out through it. 6 Bear the burden on your shoulder in their sight. Carry it out in the darkness; cover your face so that you cannot see the ground. For I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.” 7 I did just as I was commanded: I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile. In the evening, I dug through the wall with my hand. I carried it out in the darkness and bore it on my shoulder, as they watched.
8 In the morning, the word of Adonai came to me saying, 9 “Son of man, has the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim: this burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel there.’ 11 Say, ‘I am a sign for you. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them—they will go into exile, into captivity. 12 The prince who is among them will bear a burden on his shoulder, and go out in the darkness. They will dig through the wall to get out; he will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 I will spread out My net upon him, so he will be caught in My net. I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans. He will not see it, though he will die there. 14 I will disperse toward every wind all that surround him to help him and all his troops. I will draw out the sword after them. 15 So they will know that I am Adonai when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries. 16 But I will let a few of them escape the sword, the famine and the pestilence, so they may tell about all their detestable practices among the nations where they go. And they will know that I am Adonai.”
17 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking and drink your water with trembling and anxiety. 19 Say to the people of the land, this is what Adonai says concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because her land will be stripped of all that is in it, because of the violence of all who live there. 20 The inhabited cities will be deserted and the land will become desolate. And you will know that I am Adonai.”
21 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 22 “Son of man, what is that proverb you people have in the land of Israel saying, ‘The days are prolonged and every vision fails?’ 23 Tell them therefore, thus says Adonai Elohim, ‘I will put an end to this proverb. They will not use it anymore as a proverb in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are at hand as well as the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For no longer will every vision be deceitful and every oracle false in the house of Israel. 25 For I am Adonai. I will speak whatever word I will speak and it will happen. It will not be delayed anymore; for in your days, rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it.’” It is a declaration of Adonai.
26 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 27 “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel says, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now. He prophesies about times that are far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim, ‘None of My words will be delayed anymore, but the word that I speak will be fulfilled.’” It is a declaration of Adonai.
Create in Me a Clean Heart
Psalm 51
1 For the music director: a psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba.
3 Be gracious to me, O God,
according to Your mercy.
According to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
4 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
5 For I know my transgressions
and my sin is ever before me.
6 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are just when You speak,
and blameless when You judge.
7 Behold, I was born in iniquity and in sin
when my mother conceived me.
8 Surely You desire truth in the inner being.
Make me know wisdom inwardly.
9 Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
10 Let me hear joy and gladness,
so the bones You crushed may rejoice.
11 Hide Your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
12 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
13 Do not cast me from Your presence—
take not Your Ruach ha-Kodesh from me.
14 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and sustain me with a willing spirit.
15 Then will I teach transgressors Your ways
and sinners will return to You.
16 Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God—
God of my salvation.
Then my tongue will sing for joy of Your righteousness.
17 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.
18 For You would not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it,
nor be pleased by burnt offerings.
19 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
A broken and a contrite heart, O God,
You will not despise.
20 In Your favor do good to Zion.
Build up the walls of Jerusalem.
21 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.