M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joab Sends a Wise Woman to David
14 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that King David missed Absalom very much. 2 So Joab sent messengers to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. Joab said to her, “Please pretend to be very sad for someone. Put on clothes to show your sadness. Don’t put lotion on yourself. Act like a woman who has been crying many days for someone who died. 3 Go to the king. Talk to him using the words that I tell you.” Then Joab told the wise woman what to say.
4 So the woman from Tekoa talked to the king. She bowed facedown on the ground to show respect. She said, “My king, help me!”
5 King David asked her, “What is the matter?”
The woman said, “I am a widow. My husband is dead. 6 I had two sons. They were out in the field fighting. No one was there to stop them. So one son killed the other son. 7 Now all the family group is against me. They said to me, ‘Bring the son who killed his brother. Then we will kill him for killing his brother. That way we will also get rid of the one who would receive what belonged to his father.’ My son is like the last spark of a fire. He is all I have left. If they kill him, my husband’s name and property will be gone from the earth.”
8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go home. I will take care of this for you.”
9 The woman of Tekoa said to him, “Let the blame be on me. My father’s family and I are to blame, my master and king. But you and your throne are innocent.”
10 King David said, “Bring me anyone who says anything bad to you. Then he won’t bother you again.”
11 The woman said, “Please promise in the name of the Lord your God. Then my relative who has the duty of punishing a murderer won’t add to the destruction. And he won’t kill my son.”
David said, “As surely as the Lord lives, no one will hurt your son. Not even one hair from your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
12 The woman said, “Let me say something to you, my master and king.”
The king said, “Speak.”
13 Then the woman said, “Why have you planned this? It is against the people of God. When you say this, you show that you are guilty. You have not brought back your son whom you forced to leave home. 14 We will all die some day. We’re like water spilled on the ground. No one can gather it back. But God doesn’t take away life. Instead, he plans ways that those who have been sent away will not have to stay away from him! 15 My master and king, I came to say this to you because the people have made me afraid! I thought, ‘Let me talk to the king. Maybe he will do what I ask. 16 Maybe he will listen. Perhaps he will save me from the man who wants to kill both me and my son. That man is trying to keep us from getting what God gave us.’
17 “Now I say, ‘May the words of my master the king give me rest. Like an angel of God, you know what is good and what is bad. May the Lord your God be with you!’”
18 Then King David said, “You must answer the question I will ask you.”
The woman said, “My master the king, please ask your question.”
19 The king said, “Did Joab tell you to say all these things?”
The woman answered, “As you live, my master the king, you are right. Your servant Joab did tell me to say these things. 20 Joab did it so you would see things differently. My master, you are wise like an angel of God. You know everything that happens on earth.”
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
21 The king said to Joab, “Look, I will do what I promised. Now please bring back the young man Absalom.”
22 Joab bowed facedown on the ground. He blessed the king. Then he said, “Today I know you are pleased with me. I know because you have done what I asked.”
23 Then Joab got up and went to Geshur. And he brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But King David said, “Absalom must go to his own house. He may not come to see me.” So Absalom went to his own house. He did not go to see the king.
25 Now Absalom was greatly praised for his handsome appearance. No man in Israel was as handsome as Absalom. No blemish was on him from his head to his foot. 26 At the end of every year, Absalom would cut the hair on his head. He cut it because it became too heavy. He would weigh it, and it would weigh about five pounds by the royal measure.
27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.
28 So Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two full years without seeing King David. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab. Absalom wanted to send Joab to the king. But Joab would not come. Absalom sent a message a second time. But Joab still refused to come. 30 Then Absalom said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine. He has barley growing there. Go burn it.” So Absalom’s servants set fire to Joab’s field.
31 Then Joab went to Absalom’s house. Joab said to him, “Why did your servants burn my field?”
32 Absalom said to Joab, “I sent a message to you, asking you to come here. I wanted to send you to the king. I wanted you to ask him why he brought me home from Geshur. It would have been better for me to stay there! Now let me see the king. If I have sinned, he can kill me!”
33 So Joab went to the king and told him Absalom’s words. The king called for Absalom, and Absalom came. He bowed facedown on the ground before the king. And the king kissed him.
7 Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So we should make ourselves pure—free from anything that makes body or soul unclean. We should try to become perfect in the way we live, because we respect God.
Paul’s Joy
2 Open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone. We have not ruined the faith of any person, and we have cheated no one. 3 I do not say this to blame you. I told you before that we love you so much that we would live or die with you. 4 I feel very sure of you. I am very proud of you. You give me much comfort. And in all of our troubles I have great joy.
5 When we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. We found trouble all around us. We had fighting on the outside and fear on the inside. 6 But God comforts those who are troubled. And God comforted us when Titus came. 7 We were comforted by his coming and also by the comfort that you gave him. Titus told us about your wish to see me. He told us that you are very sorry for what you did. And he told me about your great care for me. When I heard this, I was much happier.
8 Even if the letter I wrote you made you sad, I am not sorry I wrote it. I know it made you sad, and I was sorry for that. But it made you sad only for a short time. 9 Now I am happy, but not because you were made sad. I am happy because your sorrow made you change your hearts. You became sad in the way God wanted you to. So you were not hurt by us in any way. 10 Being sorry in the way God wants makes a person change his heart and life. This leads to salvation, and we cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has will bring death. 11 You had the kind of sorrow God wanted you to have. Now see what this sorrow has brought you: It has made you very serious. It made you want to prove that you were not wrong. It made you angry and afraid. It made you want to see me. It made you care. It made you want the right thing to be done. You proved that you were not guilty in any part of the problem. 12 I wrote that letter, but not because of the one who did the wrong. And it was not written because of the person who was hurt. But I wrote the letter so that you could see, before God, the great care that you have for us. 13 That is why we were comforted.
We were very comforted. And we were even happier to see that Titus was so happy. All of you made him feel much better. 14 I bragged to Titus about you. And you showed that I was right. Everything that we said to you was true. And you have proved that what we bragged about to Titus is true. 15 And his love for you is stronger when he remembers that you were all ready to obey. You welcomed him with respect and fear. 16 I am very happy that I can trust you fully.
Babylon, the Lord’s Sword
21 Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 2 “Human being, look toward Jerusalem and speak against their holy place. Prophesy against the land of Israel. 3 Say to Israel: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will pull my sword out of its holder. I will separate you from both wicked people and those who do right. 4 I am going to separate the wicked and those who do right. So my sword will come out from its holder. And it will come against all people from south to north. 5 Then all people will know that I, the Lord, have pulled my sword out from its holder. My sword will not go back in again.’
6 “So, human being, groan with breaking heart and great sadness. Make these sad sounds in front of the people. 7 They will ask you, ‘Why do you make these sad sounds?’ Then you will say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear. All hands will become weak. Everyone will be afraid. All knees will become weak as water. Look, it is coming. It will happen, says the Lord God.’”
8 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 9 “Human being, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:
A sword, a sword,
made sharp and polished.
10 It is made sharp for the killing.
It is polished to flash like lightning.
“‘You are not happy about this horrible punishment by the sword. But my son, Judah, you did not change when you were only beaten with a rod.
11 The sword should be polished.
The sword is meant to be held in the hand.
It is made sharp and polished.
It is made ready for the hand of the killer.
12 Shout and yell, human being.
This is because the sword is against my people.
It is against all the rulers of Israel.
They will be killed by the sword,
along with my people.
So beat your chest in sadness.
13 “‘The test will come. And Judah, who is hated by the armies of Babylon, will not last, says the Lord God.’
14 “So, human being, prophesy.
And clap your hands.
Let the sword hit
two or three times.
It is the sword for killing.
It is the sword for much killing.
This sword surrounds the people.
15 Their hearts will melt with fear.
And many people will die.
I have placed the killing sword
at all their gates.
Oh! The sword is made to flash like lightning.
It is held, ready for killing.
16 Sword, cut on the right side.
Then cut on the left side.
Cut anywhere your blade is turned.
17 I will also clap my hands.
Then my anger will rest.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Jerusalem to Be Destroyed
18 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 19 “Human being, mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can follow. Both of these roads will start from the same country. And make signs where the road divides and one way goes toward the city. 20 One sign shows the road he can take with his sword to Rabbah. It is in the land of the Ammonites. And the other sign shows the road he can take to Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is protected with strong walls. 21 The king of Babylon will come to where the road divides into two. He will use magic. He will throw lots with arrows. He will ask questions of his family idols. He will look at the liver of a sacrificed animal to learn where he should go. 22 The lots will tell him to go toward his right to Jerusalem. They will tell him these things: Use logs to break down the city gates. Shout the battle cry and give the order to kill. Build a dirt road to the top of the walls and devices to attack the walls. 23 The people of Jerusalem have made agreements with other nations to help them fight Babylon. So they will think this prediction is wrong. But the king of Babylon will remind them of their sin. And he will capture them.
24 “So this is what the Lord God says: ‘You have shown how sinful you are by turning against the Lord. Your sins are seen in all the things you do. So you will be taken captive by the enemy.
25 “‘You unclean and evil leader of Israel, you will be killed! The time of your final punishment has come. 26 This is what the Lord God says: Take off the turban. Take off the crown. Things will change. Those who are important now will be made unimportant. And those who are unimportant now will be made important. 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! This place will not be rebuilt until the one comes who has a right to be king. Then I will give it to him.’
The Punishment of Ammon
28 “And you, human being, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord God says about the people of Ammon and their insults:
A sword, a sword
is pulled out of its holder.
It is polished to kill and destroy.
It will flash like lightning!
29 Prophets see false visions about you
and prophesy lies about you.
The sword will be put on the necks
of these evil people who are to be killed.
Their day has come.
The time of your final punishment has come.
30 Put the sword back in its holder.
I will judge you in the place where you were created.
I will judge you in the land where you were born.
31 I will pour out my anger against you.
I will breathe on you with the fire of my anger.
I will hand you over to cruel men
who are skilled in destruction.
32 You will be like fuel for the fire.
You will die in the land.
You will not be remembered.
I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
Praise God Who Saved the Nation
For the director of music. A song of David.
68 Let God come and scatter his enemies.
Let those who hate him run away.
2 Blow them away as smoke
is driven away by the wind.
As wax melts before a fire,
let the wicked be destroyed before God.
3 But those who do right should be glad.
They should rejoice before God.
They should be happy and glad.
4 Sing to God. Sing praises to his name.
Prepare the way for him
who rides through the desert.
His name is the Lord.
Rejoice before him.
5 God is in his holy Temple.
He is a father to orphans.
He defends the widows.
6 God gives the lonely a home.
He leads prisoners out with joy.
But those who turn against God will live in a dry land.
7 God, you led your people out.
You marched through the desert. Selah
8 The ground shook,
and the sky poured down rain
before God, the God of Mount Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 God, you sent much rain.
You refreshed your tired land.
10 Your people settled there.
God, in your goodness
you took care of the poor.
11 The Lord gave the command.
And a great army told the news:
12 “Kings and their armies run away.
The women at home divide the wealth taken in war.”
13 Those who stayed behind by the sheepfold
will get the riches taken in battle.
14 God scattered kings
like snow on Mount Zalmon.
15 The mountains of Bashan are great mountains.
Mount Bashan has many peaks.
16 Why do you mountains with many peaks look down
on Mount Zion, which God chose for his home?
The Lord will live there forever.
17 God comes with millions of chariots.
The Lord comes from Mount Sinai to his holy place.
18 He went up to the heights.
He led a parade of captives.
He received the payment he demanded from the people,
even from those who turned against him.
And the Lord God will live there.
19 Praise the Lord, day by day.
God our Savior helps us. Selah
20 Our God is a God who saves us.
The Lord God saves us from death.
21 God will crush his enemies’ heads,
the hairy skulls of those who continue to sin.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring the enemy back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea.
23 Then you can stick your feet in their blood.
And your dogs can lick their share.”
24 God, people have seen your victory march.
God my King marched into the holy place.
25 The singers are in front, and the instruments are behind.
In the middle are the girls with the tambourines.
26 Praise God in the meeting place.
Praise the Lord in the gathering of Israel.
27 There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, leading them.
And there are the leaders of Judah with their group.
There also are the leaders of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28 God, order up your power.
Show the mighty power you have used for us before.
29 Kings will bring their wealth to you,
to your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 Punish Egypt, the beast among the tall grass along the river.
Punish the leaders of nations, those bulls among the cows.
Then they will bring you their silver.
Scatter those nations that love war.
31 Messengers will come from Egypt with forced payment.
The people of Cush will pray to God.
32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Sing praises to the Lord. Selah
33 Sing to the one who rides through the skies, which are from long ago.
He speaks with a thundering voice.
34 Announce that God is powerful.
He rules over Israel.
His power is in the skies.
35 God, you are wonderful in your Temple.
The God of Israel gives his people strength and power.
Praise God!
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.