Formation Journal Reading Plan

4:1 When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

4:2 Saul’s son had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:

4:3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until this day).

4:4 Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

4:5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon.

4:6 They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

4:7 Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.

4:8 They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.”

4:9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

4:10 when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

4:11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?”

4:12 David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

4:14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

4:15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

4:16 For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.

4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

4:20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

4:21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.

4:22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

4:24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

4:26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

4:27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

8:48 Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?”

8:49 Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

8:50 But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges.

8:51 Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”

8:52 Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’

8:53 Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”

8:54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.

8:55 You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.

8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”

8:57 The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”

8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”

8:59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through their midst, and so passed by.