M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 20
Sheba’s Rebellion. 1 A trouble-making scoundrel named Sheba, the son of Bichri and a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and cried out:
“We have no share in David,
nor any portion in the son of Jesse.
Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
2 When they heard this, all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba, the son of Bichri. However, the people of Judah maintained their loyalty to the king and followed him steadfastly all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines whom he had left behind to look after the palace, and he put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he did not engage in relations with them. They were shut up in confinement until the day of their death, living as if they were widows.
Amasa’s Death. 4 Then the king said to Amasa: “Summon the men of Judah and order them to appear before me within three days.” 5 Amasa set out to summon the men of Judah, but his mission took longer than the time specified by the king.
6 Then David said to Abishai: “Sheba, son of Bichri, may very well prove to do greater damage to us than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him before he can reach any fortified towns and escape from us.” 7 Therefore, Joab’s forces, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all of the most skilled warriors marched out under the command of Abishai and left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, son of Bichri.
8 When they arrived at the large stone in Gibeon, Amasa came forth from the opposite direction to meet them. Joab was wearing his tunic, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist. As he moved forward, the sword fell loose from his sheath. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa: “I trust that you are well, my brother.” Having said that, Joab grasped Amasa’s beard with his right hand as if to kiss him.
10 Amasa was not on his guard and failed to notice the sword in Joab’s left hand. Joab struck him with it in the belly so that his entrails poured forth to the ground. He did not find it necessary to strike a second blow, since Amasa had died instantaneously. Then Joab set forth with his brother Abishai in pursuit of Sheba, son of Bichri.
11 One of Joab’s men stood on guard next to the body of Amasa, and he shouted: “Follow Joab, all those of you who favor Joab and support David!” 12 Meanwhile Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man who had exhorted all of his fellow soldiers to follow Joab saw that everyone was stopping to stare at the body. Therefore, he carried Amasa’s body from the road and placed it in a field, with a garment covering the corpse. 13 Once the body had been removed from the road, all the men moved on and followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba, son of Bichri.
14 Joab Pursues Sheba. Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel until he arrived at Abel-beth-maacah.[a] Shortly afterward, all of the Bichrites assembled and followed him into the town. 15 Joab’s forces then arrived and besieged him in Abel-beth-maacah. After they threw up a siege ramp against the town, all of Joab’s forces began to batter the wall to throw it down.
16 [b]Suddenly a wise woman stood on the rampart and shouted from the town: “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.” 17 When Joab approached her, the woman asked: “Are you Joab?” He answered: “I am.” She continued: “Listen to what your maidservant has to say.” He replied: “I am listening.”
18 She then spoke as follows: “In the old days they used to say: ‘Go to Abel if you wish to find the answer,’ and in that way a matter would be settled. 19 This town prides itself on being one of the most peaceful and loyal in Israel. She is like a faithful mother, and yet you are seeking to destroy her. Why do you seek to devour the inheritance of the Lord?”
20 Joab replied: “Not at all! Far be it from me to devour or to destroy anything. 21 That is not the case at all. However, a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba, son of Bichri, has rebelled against King David. If you surrender to us just this one man, I will withdraw from the town.” The woman said to Joab: “His head will be thrown over the wall to you.”
22 Then the woman went to confer with all the people, and they followed her advice, cutting off the head of Sheba, son of Bichri, and throwing it to Joab. Thereupon he sounded the trumpet, and all of his forces withdrew from the town, each to his own home while Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
23 David’s Officials. Joab was the commander of the entire army in Israel. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. 24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor. Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the recorder. 25 Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were priests. 26 Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.
Chapter 13
1 This will be the third visit I am making to you. Every charge must be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned those who have sinned, as well as everyone else, and I warn them now in my absence as I did when present on my second visit: when I come again, I will spare no one.
3 This will give you the proof you seek that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but he is powerful among you. 4 For he was crucified in weakness, but he is now alive by the power of God. Similarly, we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live in the power of God.
Examine Yourselves. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? If he is not, then you have failed the test. 6 It is my hope that you will come to the realization that we have not failed. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong—not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to have failed.
8 We have no power to do anything against the truth but only for the truth. 9 We rejoice when we are weak, just as long as you are strong. This is what we desire—that you may become perfect.
10 I am writing this letter prior to my arrival so that when I come I may not have to treat you harshly in exercising the authority that the Lord has given me to build up and not to tear down.
Conclusion[a]
11 Live in Peace. And now, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways. Encourage one another. Be of one mind and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.[b] All the saints send you greetings.
13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Chapter 27
Lamentation over Tyre. 1 This word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, raise lament over Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre which is enthroned at the entrance to the sea and serves as the center of trade between the nations and many coastlands: Thus says the Lord God:
O Tyre, you often used to declare,
“I am a ship perfect in beauty.”
4 Your frontiers bordered the high seas,
and your builders perfected your beauty.
5 They used cypress from Senir[a]
to construct all your planks;
they took cedar of Lebanon
to make a mast above you.
6 From oaks of Bashan,
they made your oars;
they constructed your deck with cypress[b]
from the coasts of Kittim.
7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt
was used for your sail
and also for your flag.
Purple and scarlet from the coasts of Elishah[c]
served as your awnings.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad
served as your oarsmen.
Skilled men of Zemer were aboard
to act as your sailors.
9 The elders and craftsmen were available
to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea with their sailors
came to you to trade for your wares.
10 Men from Persia and Lud and Put[d]
served as warriors in your army.
They proudly displayed on your walls
their shields and helmets to bring you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helech
guarded your walls on every side,
while the men of Gamad manned your towers.
They hung their shields all around your walls,
thereby perfecting your beauty.
12 [e]Tarshish[f] traded with you because of the vast abundance of your wealth, exchanging silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares. 13 [g]Javan, Tubal, and Meshech also traded with you, exchanging slaves and articles of bronze for your merchandise.
14 Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, steeds, and mules for your wares. 15 The Rhodians dealt with you; many islands engaged in trade with you and paid you with ivory tusks and ebony. 16 Edom traded with you because of the large variety of your products; for your wares they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel also traded with you, exchanging for your goods wheat, figs, honey, oil, and balm.
18 Damascus traded with you because of your great wealth, offering to you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19 [h]Danites and Javanites traded wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane from Uzal for your wares, 20 while Dedan traded with you for saddle blankets.
21 Arabia and all the sheikhs of Kedar were your customers, paying you with lambs, rams, and goats. 22 Merchants from Sheba and Raamah traded with you, offering in exchange the finest spices, every kind of precious stones, and gold.
23 Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you,[i] 24 offering in return rich garments, embroidered purple cloaks, and materials of many colors bound with cords that were firmly woven.
25 The ships of Tarshish were employed
as carriers for your wares.
Therefore, you were filled and heavily laden
as you sailed the high seas.
26 Your oarsmen rowed through deep waters
on their journey home.
But the east wind[j] wrecked you
when you were far out at sea.
27 Your riches, your goods, your cargo,
your sailors and your crew,
your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,
and all their warriors and passengers
sank into the depths of the sea
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The coasts will begin to quake
upon hearing the cries of your sailors.
29 Then those who handle the oars
will begin to desert their ships.
The sailors and all the seafaring people
will remain ashore.
30 They will mourn aloud over you
and weep bitterly.
They will throw dust on their heads
and roll in ashes.
31 They will shave their heads for you
and put on sackcloth.
For you, they will weep in anguish
and with heartfelt bitterness.
32 In their mourning, they will raise a dirge
and lament over you:
Who was ever destroyed like Tyre
in the midst of the sea?
33 When your goods were unloaded,
you satisfied a multitude of peoples.
You enriched the kings of the earth
with your abundant wealth and merchandise.
34 Now you have been demolished by the sea
in the watery depths.
Your merchandise and all your crew
have gone down with you.
35 All who dwell on the coastlands
are aghast at your fate.
Their kings are horrified;
their faces are convulsed.
36 The merchants among the nations
now hiss at you.
Destruction has overwhelmed you,
and you will be no more.
Psalm 75[a]
God Is Judge of the World
1 For the director.[b] According to “Do not destroy!” A psalm of Asaph. A song.
2 We give thanks[c] to you, O God,
we give thanks to you.
For your wondrous deeds
declare that your name is near.
3 [d]You say, “When I receive the assembly,
I will judge with equity.
4 When the earth quakes, with all its inhabitants,
it is I who will hold its pillars firm.[e] Selah
5 [f]“I say to the arrogant,[g] ‘Do not boast,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
6 Do not rebel against heaven
or speak with arrogance against the Rock.’ ”[h]
7 [i]For judgment does not come from east or west,
nor from the wilderness or the mountains.[j]
8 Rather, it is God who judges rightly,
humbling one and exalting another.[k]
9 The Lord holds in his hand a cup
filled with foaming wine and richly spiced.
When he pours it out,
all the wicked[l] of the earth must drink;
they will drain it down to the dregs.
10 As for me, I will proclaim this forever;
I will sing praises[m] to the God of Jacob.
11 “I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous[n] will be exalted.”
Psalm 76[o]
God, Defender of Zion
1 For the director.[p] With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
2 [q]God is renowned in Judah;
his name is great in Israel.
3 His tent has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
4 There he shattered the flashing arrows,
shields and swords and weapons of war. Selah
5 [r]You are awesome and resplendent,
more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
6 The bold warriors lie plundered
and sleeping their last sleep.[s]
And not one of the men of war
can lift up his hands.
7 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both chariots and horses lie prostrate.
8 You indeed are awesome;
who can stand in your presence when your anger is aroused?
9 You thundered your verdicts from the heavens;
the earth in its terror was silent
10 when you arose, O God, to judge,
to rescue all the afflicted of the land.[t] Selah
11 Human wrath only serves to praise you;[u]
those who survive your anger will cling to you.
12 [v]Make vows to the Lord, your God, and keep them;
let all the lands nearby
bring gifts to the Awesome One,
13 who breaks the spirit of rulers
and inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
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