M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Israel’s King Hoshea
17 In the twelfth year of Judah’s King Ahaz, Hoshea(A) son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned nine years. 2 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.(B)
3 Shalmaneser(C) king of Assyria attacked him,(D) and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute money. 4 But the king of Assyria discovered Hoshea’s conspiracy. He had sent envoys to So king of Egypt(E) and had not paid tribute money to the king of Assyria as in previous years.[a] Therefore the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.(F)
The Fall of Samaria
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea,(G) the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He deported(H) the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah and by the Habor, Gozan’s river, and in the cities of the Medes.(I)
Why Israel Fell
7 This disaster happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt(J) and because they had worshiped[b] other gods.(K) 8 They had lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites(L) and the customs the kings of Israel had introduced.(M) 9 The Israelites secretly did what was not right[c] against the Lord their God. They built high places in all their towns from watchtower(N) to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves sacred pillars(O) and Asherah poles(P) on every high hill and under every green tree.(Q) 11 They burned incense on all the high places just like those nations that the Lord had driven out before them. They did evil things, provoking the Lord. 12 They served idols, although the Lord had told them, “You must not do this.”(R) 13 Still, the Lord warned(S) Israel and Judah through every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commands and statutes according to all the law I commanded your ancestors and sent to you through My servants the prophets.”(T)
14 But they would not listen. Instead they became obstinate like[d] their ancestors who did not believe the Lord their God.(U) 15 They rejected His statutes and His covenant He had made with their ancestors(V) and the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves,(W) following the surrounding nations the Lord had commanded them not to imitate.(X)
16 They abandoned all the commands of the Lord their God. They made cast images(Y) for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole.(Z) They worshiped the whole heavenly host(AA) and served Baal.(AB) 17 They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire(AC) and practiced divination and interpreted omens.(AD) They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight and provoked Him.(AE)
18 Therefore, the Lord was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence.(AF) Only the tribe of Judah remained.(AG) 19 Even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God(AH) but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.(AI) 20 So the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and handed them over to plunderers until He had banished them from His presence.(AJ)
Summary of Israel’s History
21 When the Lord tore(AK) Israel from the house of David, Israel made Jeroboam son of Nebat king.(AL) Then Jeroboam led Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit great sin. 22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam committed and did not turn away from them.(AM) 23 Finally, the Lord removed Israel from His presence just as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel has been exiled to Assyria from their homeland until today.(AN)
Foreign Refugees in Israel
24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in place of the Israelites in the cities of Samaria. The settlers took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.(AO) 25 When they first lived there, they did not fear Yahweh. So the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.(AP) 26 The settlers spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations that you have deported and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Therefore He has sent lions among them that are killing them because the people don’t know the requirements of the God of the land.”
27 Then the king of Assyria issued a command: “Send back one of the priests you deported.(AQ) Have him go and live there so he can teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” 28 So one of the priests they had deported came and lived in Bethel,(AR) and he began to teach them how they should fear Yahweh.
29 But the people of each nation were still making their own gods in the cities where they lived and putting them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made.(AS) 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire(AT) to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the Sepharvaim. 32 They feared the Lord, but they also appointed from their number priests to serve them in the shrines of the high places.(AU) 33 They feared the Lord, but they also worshiped their own gods(AV) according to the custom of the nations where they had been deported from.
34 They are still practicing the former customs to this day. None of them fear the Lord or observe their statutes and ordinances, the law and commandments the Lord commanded the descendants of Jacob. He had renamed him Israel.(AW) 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, “Do not fear other gods; do not bow down to them;(AX) do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them.(AY) 36 Instead fear the Lord, who brought you from the land of Egypt with great power(AZ) and an outstretched arm.(BA) You are to bow down to Him, and you are to sacrifice to Him. 37 You are to be careful always(BB) to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments He wrote for you; do not fear other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant that I have made with you.(BC) Do not fear other gods, 39 but fear the Lord your God, and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”(BD)
40 However, they would not listen but continued practicing their former customs. 41 These nations feared the Lord but also served their idols. Their children and grandchildren continue doing as their fathers did until today.(BE)
Christian Living among Outsiders
3 Remind them to be submissive(A) to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness(B) to all people. 3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions(C) and pleasures,(D) living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love
for mankind appeared,(E)
5 He saved us(F)—
not by works of righteousness that we had done,(G)
but according to His mercy,(H)
through the washing of regeneration(I)
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.(J)
6 He poured out this Spirit on us abundantly(K)
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that having been justified by His grace,(L)
we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.(M)
8 This saying is trustworthy.(N) I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish debates,(O) genealogies,(P) quarrels,(Q) and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a divisive(R) person after a first and second warning,(S) 11 knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.
Final Instructions and Closing
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you,(T) make every effort to come to me(U) in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos(V) on their journey, so that they will lack(W) nothing.
14 And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works for cases of urgent need, so that they will not be unfruitful.(X) 15 All those who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.(Y)
The Vine and the Calf
10 Israel is a lush[a] vine;(A)
it yields fruit for itself.
The more his fruit increased,
the more he increased the altars.(B)
The better his land produced,
the better they made the sacred pillars.(C)
2 Their hearts are devious;[b](D)
now they must bear their guilt.(E)
The Lord will break down their altars(F)
and demolish their sacred pillars.
3 In fact, they are now saying,
“We have no king!
For we do not fear the Lord.(G)
What can a king do for us?”
4 They speak mere words,
taking false oaths while making covenants.(H)
So lawsuits break out
like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.(I)
5 The residents of Samaria(J) will have anxiety
over the calf(K) of Beth-aven.(L)
Indeed, its idolatrous priests rejoiced over it;
the people will mourn over it,
over its glory.(M)
It will certainly depart from them.
6 The calf itself will be taken to Assyria(N)
as an offering to the great king.[c](O)
Ephraim will experience shame;(P)
Israel will be ashamed of its counsel.(Q)
7 Samaria’s king will disappear[d](R)
like foam[e] on the surface of the water.
8 The high places(S) of Aven, the sin of Israel,(T)
will be destroyed;
thorns and thistles will grow over their altars.(U)
They will say to the mountains,(V) “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”(W)
Israel’s Defeat because of Sin
9 Israel, you have sinned
since the days of Gibeah;(X)
they have taken their stand there.
Will not war against the unjust
overtake them in Gibeah?
10 I will discipline(Y) them at My discretion;(Z)
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bondage[f]
for their two crimes.(AA)
11 Ephraim is a well-trained calf(AB)
that loves to thresh,
but I will place a yoke on[g] her fine neck.(AC)
I will harness Ephraim;(AD)
Judah will plow;
Jacob will do the final plowing.
12 Sow righteousness for yourselves(AE)
and reap faithful love;
break up your unplowed ground.(AF)
It is time to seek the Lord(AG)
until He comes(AH) and sends righteousness
on you like the rain.(AI)
13 You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;(AJ)
you have eaten the fruit of lies.(AK)
Because you have trusted in your own way[h]
and in your large number of soldiers,(AL)
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
and all your fortifications will be demolished(AM)
in a day of war,
like Shalman’s destruction of Beth-arbel.
Mothers will be dashed to pieces
along with their children.(AN)
15 So it will be done to you, Bethel,(AO)
because of your extreme evil.
At dawn the king of Israel will be totally destroyed.
Psalm 129
Protection of the Oppressed
A song of ascents.
1 Since my youth they have often attacked me—
let Israel say—
2 Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not prevailed against me.(A)
3 Plowmen plowed over my back;
they made their furrows long.(B)
4 The Lord is righteous;
He has cut the ropes of the wicked.(C)
5 Let all who hate Zion
be driven back in disgrace.(D)
6 Let them be like grass on the rooftops,
which withers before it grows up[a](E)
7 and can’t even fill the hands of the reaper
or the arms of the one who binds sheaves.(F)
8 Then none who pass by will say,
“May the Lord’s blessing be on you.”
We bless you in the name of Yahweh.(G)
Psalm 130
Awaiting Redemption
A song of ascents.
1 Out of the depths I call to You, Yahweh!(H)
2 Lord, listen to my voice;
let Your ears be attentive
to my cry for help.(I)
3 Yahweh, if You considered sins,
Lord, who could stand?(J)
4 But with You there is forgiveness,
so that You may be revered.(K)
5 I wait for Yahweh; I wait
and put my hope in His word.(L)
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning—
more than watchmen for the morning.(M)
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord.(N)
For there is faithful love with the Lord,
and with Him is redemption in abundance.(O)
8 And He will redeem Israel
from all its sins.(P)
Psalm 131
A Childlike Spirit
A Davidic song of ascents.
1 Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.(Q)
I do not get involved with things
too great or too difficult for me.(R)
2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself
like a little weaned child with its mother;
I am like a little child.(S)
3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
both now and forever.(T)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.