M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Family Line of Reuben
5 Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. But he slept with his father’s concubine. By doing that, he made his father’s bed “unclean.” That’s why his rights as the oldest son were given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel. So Reuben isn’t listed in the family history as the one who had the rights of the oldest son. 2 Judah also did not have the rights of the oldest son. Judah didn’t have them even though he was the leader among his brothers. And a ruler came from his family line. But the rights of the oldest son belonged to Joseph. 3 Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. Reuben’s sons were
Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
4 The family line of Joel includes
his son Shemaiah. Gog was the son of Shemaiah.
Shimei was the son of Gog. 5 Micah was the son of Shimei.
Reaiah was the son of Micah. Baal was the son of Reaiah.
6 And Beerah was the son of Baal. Beerah was a leader of the people of Reuben. Tiglath-Pileser took Beerah as a prisoner to another country. Tiglath-Pileser was the king of Assyria.
7 Here are the relatives of the family groups of Reuben. They are listed in their family history.
They include Chief Jeiel, Zechariah 8 and Bela. Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema. Shema was the son of Joel.
All of them made their homes in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 To the east they made their homes in the land up to the edge of the desert. That desert reaches all the way to the Euphrates River. They made their homes there because their livestock had increased in Gilead.
10 While Saul was king, the people of Reuben went to war against the Hagrites. They won the battle over them. Then they lived in the houses of the Hagrites. The people of Reuben lived in the entire area east of Gilead.
The Family Line of Gad
11 The people of Gad lived next to the people of Reuben in Bashan. They spread out all the way to Salekah.
12 Joel was their chief. Shapham was next. Then came Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.
13 Here are their relatives family by family. They included
Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber. The total number of them was seven.
14 These were the sons of Abihail. Abihail was the son of Huri. Huri was the son of Jaroah. Jaroah was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael. Michael was the son of Jeshishai. Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo. And Jahdo was the son of Buz.
15 Ahi was the leader of some of the families of Gad. Ahi was the son of Abdiel. Abdiel was the son of Guni.
16 The people of Gad lived in the land of Gilead. They lived in the villages of Bashan. They also lived on all the grasslands of Sharon as far as they reached.
17 All these names were written down in the family history. They were written during the time when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.
18 The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men able to serve in the army. Each one was able to handle a shield and sword. Each was also able to use a bow. Each was trained for battle. 19 They went to war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 God helped his people fight against the Hagrites and all who were helping them. He handed over all those enemies to his people. That’s because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21 They captured the livestock of the Hagrites. They captured 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also took 100,000 people as prisoners. 22 Many others were killed, because God won the battle over them. His people lived in the land until they themselves were taken as prisoners to other countries.
The Family Line of Half of the Tribe of Manasseh
23 The people in half of the tribe of Manasseh became a very large group. They made their homes in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon. Baal Hermon is also called Senir. Another name for it is Mount Hermon.
24 Here are the leaders of their families. They included Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave fighting men. They were also famous and were leaders of their families. 25 But they weren’t faithful to the God of their people. They joined themselves to the gods of the nations of the land and worshiped them. God had destroyed those nations to make room for his people. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul. He was king of Assyria. He was also called Tiglath-Pileser. He took the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh to other countries as his prisoners. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan. And that’s where they still are to this day.
The Family Line of Levi
6 The sons of Levi were
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
2 The sons of Kohath were
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
3 Aaron, Moses and Miriam
were born into the family line of Amram.
The sons of Aaron were
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas.
Phinehas was the father of Abishua.
5 Abishua was the father of Bukki.
Bukki was the father of Uzzi.
6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah.
Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth.
7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah.
Amariah was the father of Ahitub.
8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz.
9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah.
Azariah was the father of Johanan.
10 Johanan was the father of Azariah.
Azariah served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.
11 Azariah was the father of Amariah.
Amariah was the father of Ahitub.
12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Shallum.
13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah.
Hilkiah was the father of Azariah.
14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah.
And Seraiah was the father of Jozadak.
15 Jozadak was taken away from his own land. The Lord took the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the land of Babylon. He used Nebuchadnezzar to take them there as prisoners.
16 The sons of Levi were
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
17 The names of the sons of Gershon were
Libni and Shimei.
18 The sons of Kohath were
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
19 The sons of Merari were
Mahli and Mushi.
Here are the members of the family groups of the Levites. They are listed under the names of their fathers.
20 Gershon was the father of Libni.
Jahath was Libni’s son.
Zimmah was Jahath’s son.
21 Joah was Zimmah’s son.
Iddo was Joah’s son.
Zerah was Iddo’s son.
And Jeatherai was Zerah’s son.
22 The family line of Kohath included his son Amminadab.
Korah was Amminadab’s son.
Assir was Korah’s son.
23 Elkanah was Assir’s son.
Ebiasaph was Elkanah’s son.
Assir was Ebiasaph’s son.
24 Tahath was Assir’s son.
Uriel was Tahath’s son.
Uzziah was Uriel’s son.
And Shaul was Uzziah’s son.
25 The family line of Elkanah included his son Amasai.
Amasai was the father of Ahimoth.
26 Elkanah was Ahimoth’s son.
Zophai was Elkanah’s son.
Nahath was Zophai’s son.
27 Eliab was Nahath’s son.
Jeroham was Eliab’s son.
Elkanah was Jeroham’s son.
And Samuel was Elkanah’s son.
28 The sons of Samuel were
his first son Joel
and his second son Abijah.
29 The family line of Merari included his son Mahli.
Libni was Mahli’s son.
Shimei was Libni’s son.
Uzzah was Shimei’s son.
30 Shimea was Uzzah’s son.
Haggiah was Shimea’s son.
And Asaiah was Haggiah’s son.
The Levites Who Were in Charge of the Music
31 Here are the Levites David put in charge of the music in the house of the Lord. He did it after the ark was placed there. 32 The men used their music to serve in front of the holy tent, the tent of meeting. They served there until Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They did their work according to the rules they had been given.
33 Here are the men who served. The list also includes their sons.
The family line of Kohath included
Heman. He led the music.
He was the son of Joel.
Joel was the son of Samuel.
34 Samuel was the son of Elkanah.
Elkanah was the son of Jeroham.
Jeroham was the son of Eliel.
Eliel was the son of Toah.
35 Toah was the son of Zuph.
Zuph was the son of Elkanah.
Elkanah was the son of Mahath.
Mahath was the son of Amasai.
36 Amasai was the son of Elkanah.
Elkanah was the son of Joel.
Joel was the son of Azariah.
Azariah was the son of Zephaniah.
37 Zephaniah was the son of Tahath.
Tahath was the son of Assir.
Assir was the son of Ebiasaph.
Ebiasaph was the son of Korah.
38 Korah was the son of Izhar.
Izhar was the son of Kohath.
Kohath was the son of Levi.
And Levi was the son of Israel.
39 Heman had a relative named Asaph. Asaph served as Heman’s helper at his right side.
Asaph was the son of Berekiah.
Berekiah was the son of Shimea.
40 Shimea was the son of Michael.
Michael was the son of Baaseiah.
Baaseiah was the son of Malkijah.
41 Malkijah was the son of Ethni.
Ethni was the son of Zerah.
Zerah was the son of Adaiah.
42 Adaiah was the son of Ethan.
Ethan was the son of Zimmah.
Zimmah was the son of Shimei.
43 Shimei was the son of Jahath.
Jahath was the son of Gershon.
And Gershon was the son of Levi.
44 Here are the Levites in the family line of Merari who served as Heman’s helpers at his left side. They were relatives of the Kohathites.
Ethan was the son of Kishi.
Kishi was the son of Abdi.
Abdi was the son of Malluk.
45 Malluk was the son of Hashabiah.
Hashabiah was the son of Amaziah.
Amaziah was the son of Hilkiah.
46 Hilkiah was the son of Amzi.
Amzi was the son of Bani.
Bani was the son of Shemer.
47 Shemer was the son of Mahli.
Mahli was the son of Mushi.
Mushi was the son of Merari.
And Merari was the son of Levi.
48 The rest of the Levites were appointed to do all the other work at the holy tent. It was the house of God. 49 Aaron and his sons after him brought the offerings. They sacrificed them on the altar of burnt offering. They also burned incense on the altar of incense. That was part of what they did in the Most Holy Room. That’s how they paid for the sin of Israel. They did everything just as Moses, the servant of God, had commanded.
50 Here are the members of the family line of Aaron.
Eleazar was Aaron’s son.
Phinehas was Eleazar’s son.
Abishua was Phinehas’s son.
51 Bukki was Abishua’s son.
Uzzi was Bukki’s son.
Zerahiah was Uzzi’s son.
52 Meraioth was Zerahiah’s son.
Amariah was Meraioth’s son.
Ahitub was Amariah’s son.
53 Zadok was Ahitub’s son.
And Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son.
54 Here were the places where they made their homes. These places were given to them as their territory. Some were given to the children of Aaron who were from the family group of Kohath. They were given out by casting lots. The first lot was for Kohath.
55 In Judah the Kohathites were given Hebron. They also received the grasslands around Hebron. 56 But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. 57 So the people in the family line of Aaron received Hebron. It was a city where people could go for safety. Aaron’s family line received Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Hilen and Debir. 59 They also received Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh. They were given all these towns together with their grasslands.
60 From the tribe of Benjamin they received Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth. They received these towns together with their grasslands.
All these towns were handed out to the family groups of Kohath. The total number of towns was 13.
61 The rest of the members of the family line of Kohath were given ten towns. The towns were from the family groups of half of the tribe of Manasseh.
62 The members of the family line of Gershon were given 13 towns. They received them family group by family group. Most of the towns were from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali. The rest were from the other half of the tribe of Manasseh. It’s in Bashan.
63 The members of the family line of Merari were given 12 towns. They received them family group by family group. The towns were from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
64 So the Israelites gave the Levites all these towns and their grasslands.
65 They gave other towns to them from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.
66 Some of the family groups of Kohath were given towns from the tribe of Ephraim as their territory.
67 In the hill country of Ephraim they received Shechem. Shechem was a city where people could go for safety. The Kohathites also received Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon. They were given all these towns together with their grasslands.
70 From half of the tribe of Manasseh the people of Israel gave the towns of Aner and Bileam. They gave them to the rest of the family groups of Kohath. They gave them together with their grasslands.
71 Here is what the members of the family line of Gershon were given.
From half of the tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth. They received them together with their grasslands.
72 From the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath, 73 Ramoth and Anem. They received them together with their grasslands.
74 From the tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon, 75 Hukok and Rehob. They received them together with their grasslands.
76 From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee. They also received Hammon and Kiriathaim. They were given all these towns together with their grasslands.
77 The members of the family line of Merari make up the rest of the Levites. Here is what they were given.
From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor. They received them together with their grasslands.
78 The tribe of Reuben was across the Jordan River east of Jericho. From that tribe the Merarites received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, 79 Kedemoth and Mephaath. They received them together with their grasslands.
80 From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead. They also received Mahanaim, 81 Heshbon and Jazer. They received all these towns together with their grasslands.
Christ’s Sacrifice Is Once and for All Time
10 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming. It is not the real things themselves. The same sacrifices have to be offered over and over again. They must be offered year after year. That’s why the law can never make perfect those who come near to worship. 2 If the law could, wouldn’t the sacrifices have stopped being offered? The worshipers would have been made “clean” once and for all time. They would not have felt guilty for their sins anymore. 3 But those offerings remind people of their sins every year. 4 It isn’t possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 So when Christ came into the world, he said,
“You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings.
Instead, you prepared a body for me.
6 You weren’t pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am. It is written about me in the book.
I have come to do what you want, my God.’ ” (Psalm 40:6–8)
8 First Christ said, “You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings. You weren’t pleased with them.” He said this even though they were offered in keeping with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am. I have come to do what you want.” He did away with the shadow of the good things that were coming. He did it to put in place the good things themselves. 10 We have been made holy by what God wanted. We have been made holy because Jesus Christ offered his body once and for all time.
11 Day after day every priest stands and does his special duties. He offers the same sacrifices again and again. But they can never take away sins. 12 Jesus our priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Then he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 And since that time, he waits for his enemies to be put under his control. 14 By that one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also speaks to us about this. First he says,
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts.
I will write my laws on their minds.” (Jeremiah 31:33)
17 Then he adds,
“I will not remember their sins anymore.
I will not remember the evil things they have done.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
18 Where these sins have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer necessary.
An Appeal and Warning to Remain Faithful
19 Brothers and sisters, we are not afraid to enter the Most Holy Room. We enter boldly because of the blood of Jesus. 20 His way is new because he lives. It has been opened for us through the curtain. I’m talking about his body. 21 We also have a great priest over the house of God. 22 So let us come near to God with a sincere heart. Let us come near boldly because of our faith. Our hearts have been sprinkled. Our minds have been cleansed from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have. The God who promised is faithful. 24 Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. 25 And let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us encourage one another with words of hope. Let us do this even more as you see Christ’s return approaching.
26 What if we keep sinning on purpose? What if we do it even after we know the truth? Then there is no offering for our sins. 27 All we can do is to wait in fear for God to judge. His blazing fire will burn up his enemies. 28 Suppose someone did not obey the law of Moses. And suppose two or three witnesses made charges against them. That person would die without mercy. 29 People who deserve even more punishment include those who have hated the Son of God. They include people who have said no to him. They include people who have treated as unholy the blood of the covenant that makes them holy. They also include people who have disrespected the Holy Spirit who brings God’s grace. Don’t you think people like this should be punished more than anyone else? 30 We know the God who said, “I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back.” (Deuteronomy 32:35) Scripture also says, “The Lord will judge his people.” (Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 135:14) 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Remember those earlier days after you received the light. You remained strong in a great battle that was full of suffering. 33 Sometimes people spoke badly about you in front of others. Sometimes you were treated badly. At other times you stood side by side with people being treated like this. 34 You suffered along with people in prison. When your property was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew that God had given you better and more lasting things. 35 So don’t throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.
36 You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants. You will receive what he has promised.
37 “In just a little while,
he who is coming will come.
He will not wait any longer.”
38 And,
“The one who is right with God will live by faith.
And I am not pleased with
the one who pulls back.” (Habakkuk 2:3,4)
39 But we don’t belong to the people who pull back and are destroyed. We belong to the people who believe and are saved.
Israel Has Not Returned to the Lord
4 Listen to the Lord’s message,
you women who live on the hill of Samaria.
You treat poor people badly.
You crush those who are in need.
You say to your husbands,
“Bring us some drinks!”
But you are already as fat
as the cows in Bashan.
2 The Lord and King has made a promise
by his own holy name.
He says, “You can be sure
that the time will come
when your enemies will put hooks in your faces.
They will lead every one of you away with fishhooks.
3 Each of you will go straight out
through gaps made in the wall.
You will be thrown out toward Harmon,”
announces the Lord.
4 “People of Samaria, go to Bethel and sin!
Go to Gilgal! Sin there even more!
Bring your sacrifices every morning.
Every third year, bring a tenth
of everything you produce.
5 Bake some bread with yeast.
Burn it as a thank offering.
Brag about the offerings you freely give.
This is what you Israelites love to do,”
announces the Lord and King.
6 “I made sure your stomachs were empty in every city.
You did not have enough bread in any of your towns.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
7 “I also held back rain from you.
The time to harvest crops
was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town.
But I held it back from another.
One field had rain.
But another had no rain and dried up.
8 People wandered from town to town to look for water.
But they did not get enough to drink.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
9 “Many times I kept your gardens and vineyards from growing.
I sent hot winds to dry them up completely.
Locusts ate up your fig and olive trees.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
10 “I sent plagues on you,
just as I did on Egypt.
I killed your young men by swords.
I also let the horses you had captured be killed.
I filled your noses with the stink of your camps.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
11 “I destroyed some of you,
just as I did Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick that was pulled out of the fire.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
12 “So, people of Israel, I will judge you.
Because I will do that to you, Israel,
prepare to meet your God!”
13 The Lord forms the mountains.
He creates the wind.
He makes his thoughts known to human beings.
He turns sunrise into darkness.
He rules over even the highest places on earth.
His name is the Lord God Who Rules Over All.
148 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens.
Praise him in the heavens above.
2 Praise him, all his angels.
Praise him, all his angels in heaven.
3 Praise him, sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens.
Praise him, you waters above the skies.
5 Let all of them praise the name of the Lord,
because at his command they were created.
6 He established them for ever and ever.
He gave them laws they will always have to obey.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all the deepest parts of the ocean.
8 Praise him, lightning and hail, snow and clouds.
Praise him, you stormy winds that obey him.
9 Praise him, all you mountains and hills.
Praise him, all you fruit trees and cedar trees.
10 Praise him, all you wild animals and cattle.
Praise him, you small creatures and flying birds.
11 Praise him, you kings of the earth and all nations.
Praise him, all you princes and rulers on earth.
12 Praise him, young men and women.
Praise him, old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord.
His name alone is honored.
His glory is higher than the earth and the heavens.
14 He has given his people a strong king.
All his faithful people praise him for that gift.
All the people of Israel are close to his heart.
Praise the Lord.
149 Praise the Lord.
Sing a new song to the Lord.
Sing praise to him in the assembly of his faithful people.
2 Let Israel be filled with joy because God is their Maker.
Let the people of Zion be glad because he is their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing.
Let them make music to him with harps and tambourines.
4 The Lord takes delight in his people.
He awards with victory those who are humble.
5 Let his faithful people be filled with joy because of that honor.
Let them sing for joy even when they are lying in bed.
6 May they praise God with their mouths.
May they hold in their hands a sword that has two edges.
7 Let them pay the nations back.
Let them punish the people of the earth.
8 Let them put the kings of those nations in chains.
Let them put their nobles in iron chains.
9 Let them carry out God’s sentence against those nations.
This will bring glory to all his faithful people.
Praise the Lord.
150 Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his holy temple.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his powerful acts.
Praise him because he is greater than anything else.
3 Praise him by blowing trumpets.
Praise him with harps and lyres.
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing.
Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
5 Praise him with clashing cymbals.
Praise him with clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
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