M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
16 1 The infidelity of Ziba. 5 Shimei curseth David. 16 Hushai cometh to Absalom. 21 The counsel of Ahithophel for the concubines.
1 When David was a little past the [a]top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred cakes of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of [b]dried figs, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the King said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, They be [c]asses for the king’s household to ride on, and bread, and dried figs for the young men to eat, and wine, that the faint may drink in the wilderness.
3 And the King said, But where is thy master’s son? Then Ziba answered the King, Behold, he remaineth in Jerusalem: for he said, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then said the King to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, [d]I beseech thee, let me find grace in thy sight, my lord, O King.
5 ¶ And when King David came to [e]Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, named Shimei, the son of Gera: and he came out and cursed.
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David: and all the people, and all the men of war were on his [f]right hand, and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come forth, come forth thou [g]murderer, and [h]wicked man.
8 The Lord hath brought upon thee all the [i]blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned: and the Lord hath delivered thy kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold, thou art taken in thy wickedness, because thou art a murderer.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the King, Why doth (A)this dead dog curse my lord the King: let me go, I pray thee, and take away his head.
10 ¶ But the King said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? for he curseth, even because the Lord hath [j]bidden him curse David: who dare then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son which came out of mine own bowels, seeketh my life: then how much more now may this son of Benjamin? Suffer him to curse: for the Lord hath bidden him.
12 It may be that the Lord will look on [k]mine affliction, and [l]do me good for his cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went by the side of the mountain over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones against him, and cast dust.
14 Then came the King and all the people that were with him weary, and refreshed themselves [m]there.
15 ¶ And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, Hushai said unto Absalom, [n]God save the King, God save the King.
17 Then Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy [o]friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 Hushai then answered unto Absalom, Nay, but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with them will I dwell.
19 And [p]moreover, unto whom shall I do service? not to his son? as I served before thy father, so will I before thee.
20 ¶ Then spake Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel what we shall do.
21 And [q]Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in to thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house: and when all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father, the hands of all that are with thee, shall be strong.
22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days, was like as one had asked [r]counsel at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
9 1 Why, albeit he think well of their ready wills, 3 yet earnestly exhorteth them, 4 he yieldeth a reason: 6 He compareth alms to seed sowing, 10 which God doth repay with great gain.
1 For [a]as touching the ministering to the Saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you.
2 For I know your readiness of mind, whereof I boast myself of you unto them of Macedonia, and say, that Achaia was prepared a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked many.
3 Now have I sent the brethren, lest our rejoicing over you should be in vain in this behalf, that ye (as I have said) be ready.
4 Lest if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we may not say, you) should be ashamed in this my [b]constant boasting.
5 Wherefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to come before unto you, and to finish your benevolence appointed afore, that it might be ready, and come as of benevolence, and not as of [c]niggardliness.
6 [d]This yet remember, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth liberally, shall reap also liberally.
7 As every man [e]wisheth in his heart, so let him give, not (A)[f]grudgingly, or of [g]necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all [h]grace to abound toward you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound in [i]every good work,
9 ((B)As it is written, He hath sparsed abroad and hath given to the poor: his benevolence remaineth for [j]ever.
10 Also he that findeth seed to the sower, will minister likewise bread for food, and multiply your seed, and increase the [k]fruits of your benevolence.)
11 That on all parts ye may be made rich unto all liberality, which causeth through us thanksgiving unto God.
12 [l]For the ministration of this service not only supplieth the necessities of the Saints, but also abundantly causeth many to give thanks to God,
13 (Which by the [m]experiment of this ministration praise God for your [n]voluntary submission to the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution to them, and to all men.)
14 And in their prayer for you, to long after you greatly, for the abundant grace of God in you.
15 [o]Thanks therefore be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
23 Of the Idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem, under the names of Oholah and Oholibah.
1 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one [a]mother.
3 And they committed fornication in [b]Egypt, they committed fornication in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.
4 And the names of [c]them were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters: thus were their names: Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.
5 And Oholah played the harlot [d]when [e]she was mine, and she was set on fire with her lovers, to wit, with the Assyrians her neighbors,
6 Which were clothed with blue silk, both captains and princes they were all pleasant young men, and horsemen riding upon horses.
7 Thus she committed her whoredom with them, even with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted, and defiled herself with all their idols.
8 Neither left she her fornications, learned of the Egyptians: for in her youth they [f]lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.
9 Wherefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, even into the hands of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
10 These discovered her shame: they took away her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword, and she had an evil name among women: for [g]they had executed judgment upon her.
11 And when her sister Oholibah saw this, she marred herself with inordinate love more than she, and with her fornications more than her sister with her fornications.
12 She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbors, both captains and princes clothed with divers suits, horsemen riding upon horses: they were all pleasant young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled, and that they were both after one sort,
14 And that she increased her fornications: for when she saw men [h]painted upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans painted with vermilion,
15 And girded with girdles upon their loins, and with dyed attire upon their heads (looking all like princes after the manner of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their nativity)
16 As soon, I say, as she saw them, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them, into Chaldea.
17 Now when the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, they defiled her with their fornication, and she was polluted with them, and her lust departed from them.
18 So she discovered her fornication, and disclosed her shame: then mine heart forsook her, like as mine heart had forsaken her sister.
19 Yet she increased her whoredom more, and called to remembrance the days of her youth wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 For she doted upon their servants whose members are as the members of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thou calledst to remembrance the wickedness of thy youth, when thy teats were bruised by the Egyptians: therefore the paps of thy youth are thus.
22 Therefore, O Oholibah, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thine heart is departed, and I will bring them against thee on every side,
23 To wit, the Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, [i]Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: they were all pleasant young men, captains and princes: all they were valiant and renowned, riding upon horses.
24 Even these shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with a multitude of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield, and helmet round about, and [j]I will leave the punishment unto them, and they shall judge thee according to their [k]judgments.
25 And I will lay mine indignation upon thee, and they shall deal cruelly with thee: they shall cut off thy [l]nose and thine ears, and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall carry away thy sons and thy daughters, and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.
26 They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels.
27 Thus will I make thy wickedness to cease from thee, and thy fornication out of the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt anymore.
28 For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them, whom thou hatest, even into the hands of them from whom thine heart is departed.
29 And they shall handle thee despitefully, and shall take away all thy [m]labor, and shall leave thee naked and bare, and the shame of thy fornications [n]shall be discovered, both thy wickedness, and thy whoredom.
30 I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
31 Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister: therefore will I give her [o]cup into thine hand.
32 Thus saith the Lord God, Thou shalt drink of thy sister’s cup, deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision, because it containeth much.
33 Thou shalt be filled with [p]drunkenness and sorrow, even with the cup of destruction, and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
34 Thou shalt even drink it, and wring it out to the dregs, and thou shalt break the shards thereof, and tear thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.
35 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore thou shalt also bear thy wickedness and thy whoredom.
36 ¶ The Lord said moreover unto me, Son of man, wilt thou judge Oholah and Oholibah? and wilt thou declare to them their abominations?
37 For they have played the whores, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bore unto me, to pass by the fire to be their [q]meat.
38 Moreover, thus have they done unto me: they have defiled my Sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
39 For when they had slain their children to their idols, they came the same day into my Sanctuary to defile it: and lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.
40 And how much more is it that they sent for men to come from [r]far, unto whom a messenger was sent, and lo, they came? for whom thou didst wash thyself, and paintedst thine eyes, and deckedst thee with ornaments,
41 And satest [s]upon a costly bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
42 And a voice of a multitude being at ease, was with her: and with the men to make the company great, were brought men of [t]Saba from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
43 Then I said unto her that was old in adulteries, Now shall she and her fornications come to an end.
44 And they went in unto her as they go to a common harlot: so went they to Oholah and Oholibah the wicked women.
45 And the righteous men they shall judge them after the manner of [u]harlots, and after the manner of murderers: for they are harlots, and blood is in their hands.
46 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, I will bring a multitude upon them, and will give them unto the tumult and to the spoil,
47 And the multitude shall stone them with stones, and cut them with their swords: they shall slay their sons, and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
48 Thus will I cause wickedness to cease out of the land, that all [v]women may be taught not to do after your wickedness.
49 And they shall lay your wickedness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols, and ye shall know that I am the Lord God.
70 1 He prayeth to be right speedily delivered. 2 He desireth the shame of his enemies, 4 And the joyful comfort of all those that seek the Lord.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David, to put [a]in remembrance.
1 O (A)God, [b]haste thee to deliver me: make haste to help me, O Lord.
2 Let them be [c]confounded and put to shame, that seek my soul: let them be turned backward and put to rebuke, that desire mine hurt.
3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their [d]shame, which say, Aha, aha.
4 But let all those that seek thee, be joyful and glad in thee, and let all that love thy salvation, say always, God be praised.
5 Now I am [e]poor and needy: O God, make haste to me: thou art my helper, and my deliverer: O Lord, make no tarrying.
71 He prayeth in faith, established by the word of promise, 5 And confirmed by the work of God from his youth. 10 He complaineth of the cruelty of his enemies, 17 And desireth God to continue his graces toward him, 22 Promising to be mindful and thankful for the same.
1 In (B)[f]thee, O Lord, I trust: let me never be ashamed.
2 Rescue me and deliver me in thy [g]righteousness: incline thine ear unto me and save me.
3 Be thou my strong rock, whereunto I may always resort: thou [h]hast given commandment to save me: for thou art my rock, and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand [i]of the wicked: out of the hand of the evil and cruel man.
5 For thou art mine hope, O Lord God, even my [j]trust from my youth.
6 Upon thee have I been stayed from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be always of thee.
7 I am become as it were a [k]monster unto many: but thou art my sure trust.
8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy glory every day.
9 Cast me not off in the time of [l]age: forsake me not when my strength faileth.
10 For mine enemies speak of me, and they that lay wait for my soul, take their counsel together,
11 Saying, [m]God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
12 Go not far from me, O God: [n]my God haste thee to help me.
13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are against my soul: let them be covered with reproof and confusion, that seek mine hurt.
14 But I will wait continually, and will praise thee more and more.
15 My mouth shall daily rehearse thy righteousness, and thy salvation: [o]for I know not the number.
16 I will [p]go forward in the strength of the Lord God, and will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth even until now: therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works,
18 [q]Yea even unto mine old age and gray head, O God: forsake me not, until I have declared thine arm unto this generation, and thy power to all them that shall come.
19 And thy [r]righteousness, O God, I will exalt on high: for thou hast done great things: [s]O God, who is like unto thee!
20 Which hast showed me great troubles and [t]adversities, but thou wilt return and revive me, and wilt come again, and take me up from the depth of the earth.
21 Thou wilt increase mine honor, and return and comfort me.
22 Therefore will I praise thee for thy [u]faithfulness, O God, upon instrument and viol: unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O Holy one of Israel.
23 My lips will rejoice when I sing unto thee, and my [v]soul which thou hast delivered.
24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness daily: for they are confounded and brought unto shame, that seek mine hurt.
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