M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 2
David’s Parting Words before Death. 1 As David’s death drew near, he instructed Solomon, his son, saying, 2 “I am going the way of all upon the earth. Be strong, and show yourself to be a man. 3 [a]Observe the ordinances of the Lord, your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and what he witnessed in writing in the law of Moses. In this way you will prosper in whatever you do and wherever you go. 4 The Lord will keep the promise he made about me saying, ‘If your descendants heed their way and they walk before me faithfully with all of their heart and all of their soul, there will always be one of yours upon the throne of Israel.’
5 [b]“Now, you know what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the army of Israel, to Abner, the son of Ner, and Amasa, the son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood during peacetime as if it were a time of war. The blood of battle is upon the belt around his waist and the sandals upon his feet. 6 Deal with him as you think wise, but do not let his gray head go down into Sheol in peace. 7 Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite. Let them be among those who eat at your table, for they came to me when I fled from Absalom, your brother.
8 “Now, you also have Shimei, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim. He cursed me terribly on the day I traveled to Mahanaim, yet he also came down to meet me at the Jordan. I swore an oath to him by the Lord saying, ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 9 You should not let him go unpunished. You are a wise man; you will know what to do with him. Bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”
10 David slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the City of David. 11 David had reigned over Israel for forty years. He reigned in Hebron for seven years, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.
12 Solomon Affirms His Power. Then Solomon sat on the throne of David, his father, and his reign was firmly established.
13 Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. She asked him, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “In peace.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine. All of Israel looked to me to reign. But things changed, and the kingdom is my brother’s, for it is his from the Lord. 16 Now I beg one thing from you; do not deny me.” She said, “Speak.” 17 He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not refuse you, and ask him to give me Abishag as a wife.” 18 Bathsheba answered, “Very well, I will speak to the king for you.”
19 Bathsheba, therefore, went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her. He sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for the king’s mother, so that she sat on his right hand.[c] 20 She said, “I desire to make one small request of you. Please do not deny me.” The king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not deny you.” 21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunamite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother saying, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunamite for Adonijah? Why not ask for the kingdom for him, for he is my older brother? Ask it for him and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore an oath by the Lord saying, “May God do this to me and more if Adonijah has not spoken this thing at the cost of his life. 24 Now, therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and has set me upon the throne of David, my father, and who has built a house for me as he promised, this very day Adonijah will be put to death.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and he fell upon him, so that he died.
26 The king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you really deserve to die now. I will not put you to death, however, because you have carried the Ark of the Lord, the God, before David, my father, and because you suffered whatever my father suffered.” 27 So Solomon removed Abiathar as priest of the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord which he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 The news came to Joab (for Joab had followed Adonijah although he had not followed Absalom), and Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and took hold of the horns on the altar. 29 King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and he is by the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall upon him.”
30 Benaiah arrived at the tabernacle of the Lord and said to him, “Thus says the king, ‘Come out.’ ” He answered, “No, I will die here!” Benaiah brought a report back to the king saying, “This is what Joab said; this is how he answered me.” 31 So the king said to him, “Do what he said, fall upon him and bury him, so that you may remove the innocent blood that Joab shed from me and the house of my father.[d] 32 Thus the Lord will bring the blood back upon his own head. He struck down two men who were more righteous and better than he: Abner, the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah. He slew them with the sword, even though my father did not know about it. 33 Their blood shall come back upon the head of Joab and upon the heads of his descendants forever. But there will be peace forever from the Lord upon David, upon his house, and upon his throne.”
34 So Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went up and fell upon him and slew him and buried him in his house in the desert. 35 The king assigned Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, as his replacement to command the army, and the king replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.[e]
36 The king then sent for and summoned Shimei and he said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, but do not leave it to go anywhere. 37 On the same day that you cross over the Kidron Brook, know that you will surely die, and your blood will be upon your own head.” 38 Shimei said to the king, “What you have said is good. Your servant will do what my lord, the king, has said.” Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 Three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish, the son of Maacah, the king of Gath. Shimei was informed, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.” 40 Shimei rose up, and saddled his donkey, and went to Achish in Gath to search for his slaves. Shimei went and brought his slaves back from Gath. 41 Solomon was told that Shimei had traveled from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back again. 42 The king sent for and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make an oath by the Lord and warn you, saying, ‘The day that you go forth and travel anywhere, know that you will surely die?’ You answered me, ‘The word that I have heard is good.’ 43 Why have you not observed the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?”
44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart about all of the evil that you did to my father; therefore, the Lord will requite your wickedness upon your own head. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and the throne of David will be secure before the Lord forever.” 46 So the king gave a command to Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the reign was firmly established in the hands of Solomon.[f]
Chapter 6
The Law of Christ.[a] 1 Brethren, if anyone is detected committing a transgression, you who are spiritual must set him right in a spirit of gentleness. Meanwhile, you should take care so that you yourselves are not tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
3 If anyone thinks he is something when in fact he is nothing, he is only deceiving himself. 4 Each person must examine his own work. Then he will have reason to boast with regard to himself alone and not in comparison with someone else. 5 For everyone has his own burden to bear.
6 Anyone who is being taught should give his teacher a share in all his possessions. 7 Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A person will reap only what he sows. 8 The one who sows in his flesh will reap a harvest of corruption, but the one who sows in the Spirit will reap from the Spirit the reward of eternal life.
9 Let us never grow weary in doing what is right, for if we do not give up, we will reap our harvest in due time. 10 Therefore, while we have the opportunity, let us labor for the good of all, but especially for those members of the household of the faith.
Conclusion[b]
11 The Cross of Christ, Our True Boast. Observe what large letters I make when I am writing to you in my own handwriting. 12 It is those who want to gain human approval who are trying to compel you to be circumcised, their sole purpose being to escape persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the Law. They want you to be circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world is crucified to me and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is important, but only a new creation.
16 Blessing and a Plea. May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule, and to the Israel of God.[c]
17 In the future, let no one make trouble for me, for I bear the marks of Jesus branded on my body.
18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
Israel’s Restoration[a]
Chapter 33
Ezekiel as Sentry. 1 This word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, speak to your fellow countrymen and say to them: When I bring the sword upon a country, and the people of that country designate one of their number to be their watchman, 3 and if he sees the sword coming against that country and blows his trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if any who hear the sound of the trumpet pay no attention to the warning, and the sword comes against them and destroys them, they shall bear the responsibility for their own death.
5 Since they had heard the sound of the trumpet and nevertheless ignored the warning, their blood will be on their own heads. But if they had heeded the warning, they would have saved their lives. 6 However, if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the trumpet to warn the people, and the sword then comes and slays anyone, I will hold the watchman responsible for that person’s death.
7 I have appointed you, son of man, as a watchman for the house of Israel. Therefore, whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must pass along my warning to them. 8 If I say to the wicked person, “You shall surely die,” and you do not speak up to warn that person to renounce his evil ways, he will die because of his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 However, if you warn a wicked person to renounce his ways and repent, and he fails to do so, then he will die for his guilt, but you will have saved your life.
10 Message of Conversion.[b] Son of man, say to the house of Israel: You continually complain, “Our crimes and our sins weigh heavily upon us, and we are wasting away because of them. How are we to go on living?” 11 Say to them: As I live, says the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather in their decision to turn from their evil ways and live. Repent and turn from your evil ways. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
12 As for you, son of man, say to your countrymen: The virtue of a righteous man will not save him when he transgresses. Nor will the evil deeds of a wicked man cause his downfall once he renounces his wickedness, any more than the righteous will be able to live by their righteousness when they sin.
13 If I say to the righteous that they will surely live, but then they presume on their righteousness and commit iniquity, none of their righteous deeds will be remembered. Because of the wrong they have done, they will die.
14 Again, if I say to the wicked that they will surely die, and then they turn away from sin and do what is lawful and upright, 15 give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, adhere to the practices that ensure life, and commit no wrongful acts, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 16 None of the previous sins they committed will be remembered against them. Because they have done what is lawful and upright, they shall surely live.
17 Yet your countrymen say, “The way of the Lord is not just,” when it is their own way that is not just. 18 When a virtuous man turns away from his righteous ways and does wrong, he shall die for it. 19 And when a wicked man turns from his wicked ways and does what is lawful and right, he shall live. 20 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not just.” I will judge each one of you according to your ways, O house of Israel.
21 The Fugitive from Jerusalem.[c] In the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the tenth month, a fugitive arrived from Jerusalem and said to me, “The city has fallen.” 22 The evening before the fugitive had arrived, the hand of the Lord had come on me, but he had opened my mouth by the time the fugitive had come to me in the morning. Therefore, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer unable to speak.
23 Desolation in Judah. This word of the Lord then came to me: 24 Son of man, those people who live in the ruins of the land of Israel say repeatedly, “Even though he was merely one person, Abraham received possession of this country. But we are many in number. Surely the land has been given to us as our possession.”
25 Tell them this in response: Thus says the Lord God: You consume meat with the blood still in it, you raise your eyes to worship idols, and you shed blood. Should you then be permitted to possess the land? 26 You rely on your swords, you engage in abominable practices, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then be permitted to possess the land?
27 Give them this message: Thus says the Lord God: As I live, I swear that those who dwell in the ruins shall fall by the sword, those who live in the countryside I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those who inhabit dens and caves will die of the plague. 28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and its proud strength will come to an end. Furthermore, the mountains of Israel will be so desolate that no one will cross them. 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the abominable deeds that they have committed.
30 Ezekiel’s False Popularity. As for you, son of man, your fellow countrymen gossip incessantly about you along the walls and in the doorways of houses, saying to one another, “Let us go to hear what message the Lord has to give us.” 31 My people come to you, as they are accustomed to do. They sit down in front of you and listen to your words, but they refuse to obey them. They flatter you with their lips, but their hearts are only interested in dishonest gain.
32 To them you are like a singer of lovely songs with a beautiful voice and skill in playing a musical instrument. They listen to your words, but they refuse to obey them. 33 But when all this comes to pass—and that moment is soon approaching—they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.
Psalm 81[a]
Exhortation To Worship Worthily
1 For the director.[b] “Upon the gittith.” Of Asaph.
2 Sing out your joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob.[c]
3 Raise the chant and sound the tambourine;
play the pleasant harp and the lyre.
4 Sound the trumpet at the new moon,
and also at the full moon on the day of our Feast.[d]
5 For this is a law in Israel,
a decree of the God of Jacob.
6 He imposed this testimony on Joseph[e]
when he departed from the land of Egypt.
I now hear an unfamiliar voice:
7 “I lifted the burden from their shoulders;
their hands put aside the laborer’s basket.[f]
8 When you cried out to me in distress, I rescued you;[g]
from the thunderclouds I answered you;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah: Selah
9 “ ‘Listen to me, O my people, while I warn you.
O Israel, if only you would listen to me!
10 You must not accept a foreign god in your presence;
you must not bow down to an alien deity.
11 I am the Lord, your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt;
open your mouth[h] wide so that I may fill it.’
12 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel refused to obey me.[i]
13 So I abandoned them to their stubborn hearts[j]
and let them follow their own devices.
14 [k]“If only my people would listen to me,
if only Israel would walk in my ways,[l]
15 I would quickly subdue their enemies
and raise my hand[m] against their foes.
16 “Then those who hate the Lord[n] would tremble before him,
for their doom would last forever.
17 But Israel he would feed with the finest of wheat[o]
and fill them with honey from the rock.”
Psalm 82[p]
Judgment on Abuse of Authority
1 A psalm of Asaph.[q]
God takes his place in the divine council;[r]
in the midst of the gods he pronounces judgment:
2 “How long will you issue unfair judgments
and rule in favor of those who are wicked?[s] Selah
3 [t]“Grant justice to the weak and the orphan;
defend the rights of the lowly and the poor.
4 Rescue the wretched and the needy;
free them from the hand of the wicked.
5 “They neither know nor understand;
they wander around in darkness
while all the foundations of the earth[u] are crumbling.
6 [v]I declare, ‘Although you are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High,
7 you will die as all men do;
like any ruler you will fall.’ ”[w]
8 Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you.[x]
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