M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Ish-Bosheth Is Murdered

4 Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Then he wasn’t so brave anymore. And all the Israelites became alarmed. ² Two men in Ish-Bosheth’s army led small fighting groups that attacked their enemies. The names of the men were Baanah and Rekab. They were sons of Rimmon from the town of Beeroth. Rimmon was from the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth is considered to be part of Benjamin. ³ That’s because the people who used to live in Beeroth had run away to Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders to this day.

⁴ Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son named Mephibosheth. Both of Mephibosheth’s feet were hurt. He was five years old when the news that Saul and Jonathan had died came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran. But as she hurried to get away, he fell down. That’s how his feet were hurt.

⁵ Rekab and Baanah started out for the house of Ish-Bosheth. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. They arrived there during the hottest time of the day. Ish-Bosheth was taking his early afternoon nap. ⁶ Rekab and his brother Baanah went into the inside part of the house. They acted as if they were going to get some wheat. Instead, they stabbed Ish-Bosheth in the stomach. Then they slipped away.

⁷ They had gone into the house while Ish-Bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They stabbed him and killed him. Then they cut off his head and took it with them. They traveled all night through the Arabah Valley. ⁸ They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to King David at Hebron. They said to him, “Here’s the head of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul. Saul was your enemy. He often tried to kill you. Today the Lord has paid back Saul and his family. He has let you get even with them. You are our king and master.”

⁹ David gave an answer to Rekab and his brother Baanah. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. David said, “The Lord has saved me from every trouble. ¹⁰ Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead.’ He thought he was bringing me good news. But I grabbed him. I had him put to death in Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive. ¹¹ Now you evil men have killed a man in his own house. He hadn’t done anything wrong. You killed him while he was lying on his own bed. You spilled his blood. So shouldn’t I spill your blood? Shouldn’t I wipe you off the face of the earth?”

¹² Then David gave an order to his men. They killed Rekab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet. They hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they buried the head of Ish-Bosheth in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.

David Becomes King Over Israel

5 All the tribes of Israel came to see David at Hebron. They said, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, Saul was our king. But you led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd over my people Israel. You will become their ruler.’ ”

³ All the elders of Israel came to see King David at Hebron. There the king made a covenant with them in front of the Lord. They anointed David as king over Israel.

⁴ David was 30 years old when he became king. He ruled for 40 years. ⁵ In Hebron he ruled over Judah for seven and a half years. In Jerusalem he ruled over all of Israel and Judah for 33 years.

David Captures Jerusalem

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem. They went to attack the Jebusites who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You won’t get in here. Even people who can’t see or walk can keep you from coming in.” The Jebusites thought, “David can’t get in here.” ⁷ But David captured the fort of Zion. It became known as the City of David.

⁸ On that day David had said, “Someone might win the battle over the Jebusites. But they will have to crawl through the water tunnel to get into the city. That’s the only way they can reach those enemies of mine that you say can’t see or walk.” That’s why people say, “Those who ‘can’t see or walk’ won’t enter David’s palace.”

⁹ David moved into the fort. He called it the City of David. He built up the area around the fort. He filled in the low places. He started at the bottom and worked his way up. ¹⁰ David became more and more powerful. That’s because the Lord God who rules over all was with him.

¹¹ Hiram was king of Tyre. He sent messengers to David. He sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers. They worked with wood and stone. They built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had made his position as king secure. He knew that he had made him king over the whole nation of Israel. He knew that the Lord had greatly honored his kingdom. The Lord had done it because the Israelites were his people.

¹³ After David left Hebron, he got more concubines and wives in Jerusalem. More sons and daughters were born to him there. ¹⁴ Here is a list of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem. Their names were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Wins the Battle Over the Philistines

¹⁷ The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel. So their whole army went to look for him. But David heard about it. He went down to his usual place of safety. ¹⁸ The Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ So David asked the Lord for advice. He said, “Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord answered him, “Go. I will surely hand over the Philistines to you.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim. There he won the battle over the Philistines. He said, “The Lord has broken through against my enemies when I’ve attacked them. He has broken through just as water breaks through a dam.” That’s why the place was called Baal Perazim. ²¹ The Philistines left the statues of their gods there. So David and his men carried off the statues.

²² Once more the Philistines came up. They spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ So David asked the Lord for advice. The Lord answered, “Do not go straight up. Instead, circle around behind them. Attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ Listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees. Then move quickly. The sound will mean that I have gone out in front of you. I will strike down the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did just as the Lord had commanded him. He struck down the Philistines. He struck them down from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

Christ Rose From the Dead

15 Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it. ² Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don’t, you have believed it for nothing.

³ What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. ⁴ He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. ⁵ He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. ⁷ He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn’t born at the right time.

⁹ I am the least important of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God’s church. ¹⁰ But because of God’s grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn’t do the work. God’s grace was with me. ¹¹ So this is what we preach, whether I or the other apostles who preached to you. And that is what you believed.

Believers Will Rise From the Dead

¹² We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead? ¹³ If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn’t mean anything. Your faith doesn’t mean anything either. ¹⁵ More than that, we would be lying about God. We are witnesses that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn’t mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven. ¹⁸ Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost. ¹⁹ Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else.

²⁰ But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise from the dead. ²¹ Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did. ²² Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive. ²³ But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised. ²⁴ Then the end will come after Christ destroys all rule, authority and power. Then he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. ²⁵ Christ must rule until he has put all his enemies under his control. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ²⁷ Scripture says that God “has put everything under his control.” (Psalm 8:6) It says that “everything” has been put under him. But it is clear that this does not include God himself. That’s because God put everything under Christ. ²⁸ When he has done that, the Son also will be under God’s rule. God put everything under the Son. In that way, God will be all in all.

²⁹ Suppose no one rises from the dead. Then what will people do who are baptized for the dead? Suppose the dead are not raised at all. Then why are people baptized for them? ³⁰ And why would we put ourselves in danger every hour? ³¹ I face death every day. That’s the truth. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I take pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done for you through my work. ³² Did I fight wild animals in Ephesus with nothing more than human hopes? Then what have I gotten for it? If the dead are not raised,

³³ Don’t let anyone fool you. “Bad companions make a good person bad.” ³⁴ You should come back to your senses and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know anything about God. I say this to make you ashamed.

The Body That Rises From the Dead

³⁵ But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?” ³⁶ How foolish! What you plant doesn’t come to life unless it dies. ³⁷ When you plant something, it isn’t a completely grown plant that you put in the ground. You only plant a seed. Maybe it’s wheat or something else. ³⁸ But God gives the seed a body just as he has planned. And to each kind of seed he gives its own body. ³⁹ Not all earthly creatures are the same. People have one kind of body. Animals have another. Birds have another kind. Fish have still another. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies as well as earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of glory. Earthly bodies have another. ⁴¹ The sun has one kind of glory. The moon has another kind. The stars have still another. And one star’s glory is different from that of another star.

⁴² It will be like that with bodies that are raised from the dead. The body that is planted does not last forever. The body that is raised from the dead lasts forever. ⁴³ It is planted without honor. But it is raised in glory. It is planted in weakness. But it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is planted as an earthly body. But it is raised as a spiritual body.

Just as there is an earthly body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ It is written, “The first man Adam became a living person.” (Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life. ⁴⁶ What is spiritual did not come first. What is earthly came first. What is spiritual came after that. ⁴⁷ The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. ⁴⁸ Those who belong to the earth are like the one who came from the earth. And those who are spiritual are like the heavenly man. ⁴⁹ We are like the earthly man. And we will be like the heavenly man.

⁵⁰ Brothers and sisters, here is what I’m telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can’t share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can’t share in what never dies. ⁵¹ Listen! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all die. But we will all be changed. ⁵² That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen at the blast of the last trumpet. Then the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed. ⁵³ Our natural bodies don’t last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die. ⁵⁴ In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says, “Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle.” (Isaiah 25:8)

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.

⁵⁸ My dear brothers and sisters, remain strong in the faith. Don’t let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord. Because you belong to the Lord, you know that your work is not worthless.

The Lord Punishes Those Who Pretend to Be True Prophets

13 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, ² “Son of man, prophesy against those who are now prophesying in Israel. What they prophesy comes out of their own minds. Tell them, ‘Listen to the Lord’s message! ³ The Lord and King says, “How terrible it will be for you foolish prophets! You say what your own minds tell you to. Your visions do not come from me. ⁴ Israel, your prophets are like wild dogs that live among broken-down buildings. ⁵ You have not repaired the cracks in the city wall for the people of Israel. So it will not stand firm in the battle on the day I judge you. ⁶ The visions of those prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But their magic tricks are lies. They say, ‘The Lord announces.’ But I have not sent them. In spite of that, they expect him to make their words come true. ⁷ You prophets have seen false visions. You have used magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But your magic tricks are lies. So you lied when you said, ‘The Lord announces.’ I did not even speak to you at all.”

⁸ “ ‘The Lord and King says, “I am against you prophets. Your messages are false. Your visions do not come true,” announces the Lord and King. ⁹ “Israel, my power will be against the prophets who see false visions. Their magic tricks are lies. They will not be among the leaders of my people. They will not be listed in the records of Israel. In fact, they will not even enter the land. Then you will know that I am the Lord and King.

¹⁰ “ ‘ “They lead my people away from me. They say, ‘Peace.’ But there isn’t any peace. They are like people who build a weak wall. They try to cover up the weakness by painting the wall white. ¹¹ Tell those who do this that their wall is going to fall. Heavy rains will come. I will send hailstones crashing down. Powerful winds will blow. ¹² The wall will fall down. Then people will ask them, ‘Now where is the paint you covered it with?’ ”

¹³ “ ‘So the Lord and King speaks. He says, “When I am very angry, I will send a powerful wind. Hailstones and heavy rains will come. They will fall with great force. ¹⁴ I will tear down the wall you prophets painted over. I will knock it down. The only thing left will be its foundation. When it falls, you will be destroyed along with it. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁵ So I will pour out all my great anger on the wall. I will also send it against you prophets who painted it. I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone. You who painted it will be gone too. ¹⁶ You prophets of Israel prophesied to Jerusalem. You saw visions of peace for its people. But there wasn’t any peace,’ announces the Lord and King.” ’

¹⁷ “Son of man, turn your attention to the daughters of your people. What they prophesy comes out of their own minds. So prophesy against them. ¹⁸ Tell them, ‘Here is what the Lord and King says. “How terrible it will be for you women who sew magic charms to put around your wrists! You make veils of different lengths to put on your heads. You do these things to trap people. You trap my people. But you will also be trapped. ¹⁹ You have treated me as if I were not holy. You did it among my very own people. You did it for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You told lies to my people. They like to listen to lies. You killed those who should have lived. And you spared those who should have died.”

²⁰ “ ‘So the Lord and King says, “I am against your magic charms. You use them to trap people as if they were birds. I will tear them off your arms. I will set free the people you trap like birds. ²¹ I will tear your veils off your heads. I will save my people from your power. They will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ²² I had not made godly people sad. But when you told them lies, you made them lose all hope. You advised sinful people not to turn from their evil ways. You did not want them to save their lives. ²³ So you will never see false visions again. You will not use your magic tricks anymore. I will save my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

For the director of music. A maskil of David when Doeg, who was from Edom, had gone to Saul. Doeg had told Saul, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.

For the director of music. To be played on stringed instruments. A maskil of David when the men from Ziph had gone to Saul. They had said, “Isn’t David hiding among us?”