Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 3

Abner Goes Over to David

⁶ During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner^(j) had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. ⁷ Now Saul had had a concubine^(k) named Rizpah^(l) daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?"

⁸ Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, "Am I a dog's head^(m)—on Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! ⁹ May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised⁽ⁿ⁾ him on oath ¹⁰ and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba."^{(o) 11} Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

¹² Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you."

¹³ "Good," said David. "I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me."^{(p) 14} Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal,^(q) whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins."

¹⁵ So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband^(r) Paltiel^(s) son of Laish. ¹⁶ Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.^(t) Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back.

¹⁷ Abner conferred with the elders^(u) of Israel and said, "For some time you have wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸ Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines^(v) and from the hand of all their enemies.^(w)'"

¹⁹ Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin^(x) wanted to do. ²⁰ When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast^(y) for him and his men. ²¹ Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant^(z) with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires."^(aa) So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

²² Just then David's men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.

²⁴ So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! ²⁵ You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing."

²⁶ Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷ Now when Abner^(ab) returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him^(ac) in the stomach, and he died.^(ad)

²⁸ Later, when David heard about this, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent^(ae) before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹ May his blood^(af) fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family!^(ag) May Joab's family never be without someone who has a running sore^(ah) or leprosy^[a] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food."

³⁰ (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth^(ai) and walk in mourning^(aj) in front of Abner." King David himself walked behind the bier. ³² They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept^(ak) aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept also.

³³ The king sang this lament^(al) for Abner:

And all the people wept over him again.

³⁵ Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(an) if I taste bread^(ao) or anything else before the sun sets!"

³⁶ All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. ³⁷ So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part^(ap) in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

³⁸ Then the king said to his men, "Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen^(aq) in Israel this day? ³⁹ And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah^(ar) are too strong^(as) for me.^(at) May the Lord repay^(au) the evildoer according to his evil deeds!"

Chapter 2

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

¹ In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;^(a) his mind was troubled^(b) and he could not sleep.^{(c) 2} So the king summoned the magicians,^(d) enchanters, sorcerers^(e) and astrologers^[a](f) to tell him what he had dreamed.^(g) When they came in and stood before the king, ³ he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles^(h) me and I want to know what it means.^[b]"

⁴ Then the astrologers answered the king,^[c](i) "May the king live forever!^(j) Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

⁵ The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided:^(k) If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces^(l) and your houses turned into piles of rubble.^{(m) 6} But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.⁽ⁿ⁾ So tell me the dream and interpret it for me."

⁷ Once more they replied, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

⁸ Then the king answered, "I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: ⁹ If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty^(o) for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me."^(p)

¹⁰ The astrologers^(q) answered the king, "There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.^{(r) 11} What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods,^(s) and they do not live among humans."

¹² This made the king so angry and furious^(t) that he ordered the execution^(u) of all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³ So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.^(v)

¹⁴ When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. ¹⁵ He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. ¹⁶ At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

¹⁷ Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.^{(w) 18} He urged them to plead for mercy^(x) from the God of heaven^(y) concerning this mystery,^(z) so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ During the night the mystery^(aa) was revealed to Daniel in a vision.^(ab) Then Daniel praised the God of heaven^{(ac) 20} and said:

Chapter 1

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.^{(ad) 22} The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.^{(ae) 23} Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ "What do you want with us,^(af) Jesus of Nazareth?^(ag) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"^(ah)

²⁵ "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"^{(ai) 26} The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.^(aj)

²⁷ The people were all so amazed^(ak) that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him." ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region^(al) of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many^(am)(an)

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue,^(ao) they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.^(ap) The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.^{(aq) 33} The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.^(ar) He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.^(as)

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(at)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^{(au) 36} Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"

³⁸ Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."^{(av) 39} So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues^(aw) and driving out demons.^(ax)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(ay)

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy^[h] came to him and begged him on his knees,^(az) "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.^[i] He reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ "See that you don't tell this to anyone.^(ba) But go, show yourself to the priest^(bb) and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,^(bc) as a testimony to them." ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.^(bd) Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.^(be)