M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Aaron and His Sons Offer Sacrifices
9 On the eighth day after the time of appointing, Moses called for Aaron and his sons and for the elders of Israel. 2 He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf and a ·male sheep [ram] ·that have nothing wrong with them [unblemished], and offer them to the Lord. The calf will be a ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering, and the male sheep will be a whole burnt offering [1:1–17]. 3 Tell the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering and a calf and a lamb for a whole burnt offering [1:1–17]; each must be one year old, and it must ·have nothing wrong with it [be unblemished]. 4 Also take a bull and a male sheep for ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [3:1], along with a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [2:1] mixed with oil. Offer all these things to the Lord, because the Lord will appear to you today.’”
5 So all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] came to the front of the Meeting Tent, bringing the things Moses had commanded them to bring, and they stood before the Lord. 6 Moses said, “You have done what the Lord commanded, so you will see the Lord’s glory [C his manifest presence].”
7 Then Moses told Aaron, “Go to the altar and offer ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offerings and whole burnt offerings [1:1–17]. Do this to ·remove your sins and the people’s sins so you will belong to God [make atonement for you and the people]. Offer the sacrifices for the people and ·perform the acts to remove their sins for them so they will belong to the Lord [make atonement for them] as the Lord has commanded.”
8 So Aaron went to the altar and ·killed [slaughtered] the bull calf as a ·sin [purification; 4:3] offering for himself. 9 Then Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the ·corners [horns; 27:2] of the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the ·bottom [base] of the altar. 10 Aaron took the fat, the kidneys, and the ·best part [appendage] of the liver from the ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering and ·burned them [L turned them into smoke] on the altar, in the way the Lord had commanded Moses. 11 The meat and skin he burned outside the camp.
12 Then Aaron ·killed [slaughtered] the animal for the whole burnt offering [1:1–17]. His sons brought the blood to him, and he ·sprinkled [dashed] it on all sides of the altar. 13 As they gave him the pieces and head of the burnt offering [1:1–17], Aaron ·burned them [L turned them into smoke] on the altar. 14 He also washed the inner organs and the legs of the burnt offering [1:1–17] and ·burned them [L turned them into smoke] on top of the burnt offering [1:1–17] on the altar.
15 Then Aaron brought the offering that was for the people. He took the goat of the people’s ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering and ·killed [slaughtered] it and offered it for the sin [or purification; 4:3] offering, just as he had done the first ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering.
16 Then Aaron brought the whole ·burnt offering [1:1–17] and offered it ·in the way that the Lord had commanded [L according to regulations]. 17 He also brought the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [2:1] to the altar. He ·took a handful of the grain [L filled his hand with a portion] and ·burned it [L turned it into smoke] on the altar, in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.
18 Aaron also ·killed [slaughtered] the bull and the ·male sheep [ram] as the ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [3:1] for the people. His sons brought him the blood, and he ·sprinkled [dashed] it on all sides of the altar. 19 Aaron’s sons also brought to Aaron the fat of the bull and the ·male sheep [ram]—the fat tail, the fat covering the inner organs, the kidneys, and the ·best part [appendage] of the liver. 20 Aaron’s sons put them on the breasts of the bull and the sheep. Then Aaron ·burned [L turned into smoke] these fat parts on the altar. 21 He ·presented [raised] the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord as ·the priests’ share of the [an elevation] offering, as Moses had commanded.
22 Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. When he had finished offering the ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering, the burnt offering [1:1–17], and the ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering [3:1], he stepped down from the altar.
23 Moses and Aaron went into the Meeting Tent. Then they came out and blessed the people, and the Lord’s glory [C his manifest presence] came to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the Lord and burned up the burnt offering [1:1–17] and fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and bowed facedown on the ground.
A Complaint About Evil People
10 Lord, why ·are you [L do you stand] so far away?
Why do you hide ·when there is [L in times of] ·trouble [distress]?
2 Proudly the wicked ·chase down [hunt down; persecute] ·those who suffer [or the poor].
Let them be caught in ·their own traps [L the schemes they have thought up].
3 They ·brag [boast] about the ·things they want [L cravings/desires of their soul].
·They bless the greedy but [or The greedy curse and] ·hate [reject] the Lord.
4 The wicked people are too proud.
They do not ·look for [pursue; seek] God;
there is no room for God in their thoughts.
5 ·They always succeed [L Their ways are always successful/prosperous].
·They are far from keeping your laws [L Your judgments are above their grasp];
they ·make fun of [sneer/scoff at] their enemies.
6 They say ·to themselves [L in their hearts], “·Nothing bad will ever happen to me [L I will never be moved/shaken];
I will never ·be ruined [have trouble/be harmed].”
7 Their mouths are full of curses, ·lies [deceit], and ·threats [violence];
·they use their tongues for [L under their tongues is] ·sin [trouble] and evil [Rom. 3:14].
8 They ·hide [L lie in ambush] near the villages.
They ·look for innocent people to kill [murder the innocent; Prov. 1:11];
·they watch in secret [L their eyes look intently] for the helpless.
9 They ·wait in hiding [L lie in ambush in a covert/cover] like a lion.
They ·wait [L lie] to catch poor people;
they catch the poor in nets and drag them off.
10 The poor are crushed and thrown down;
they ·are defeated [L fall] ·because the others are stronger [L by their might].
11 The wicked ·think [L say in their hearts], “God has forgotten us.
He ·doesn’t see what is happening [L has hidden his face and does not see anything].”
12 Lord, rise up and ·punish the wicked [L raise your hand, God].
Don’t forget those who ·need help [are oppressed].
13 Why do wicked people ·hate [despise] God?
They say ·to themselves [L in their hearts], “·God won’t punish us [L You will not pursue].”
14 Lord, surely you see these ·cruel [troublesome] and ·evil [grievous] things;
look at them and ·do something [L put it in your hands].
·People in trouble [L The helpless] ·look to you for help [entrust/abandon themselves to your hands].
You are the one who helps the orphans.
15 Break the ·power [L hand] of wicked and evil people.
·Punish them for the evil they have done [L You will seek out their wickedness until you find none].
16 The Lord is King forever and ever.
·Destroy from your land those nations [L The nations will perish from his land].
17 Lord, you have heard ·what the poor people want [the desires of the poor].
·Do what they ask [L You will strengthen their heart], and ·listen to them [L you will cause your ear to pay attention].
18 ·Protect [L Bring justice to] the orphans and ·put an end to suffering [L the oppressed]
so ·they will no longer be afraid of evil people [L those from the earth may terrify no more].
24 Don’t envy evil people
or ·try to be friends [L long to be] with them.
2 Their ·minds [L hearts] are ·always planning [focused/fixated on] violence,
and ·they always [L their lips] talk about making trouble [Ps. 37; 73].
3 ·It takes wisdom to have a good family [L By wisdom a house is built],
and ·it takes understanding to make it strong [L by understanding it is established].
4 ·It takes knowledge to fill a home [L By knowledge rooms are filled]
with rare and beautiful treasures [31:10–31].
5 Wise people ·have great power [or are mightier than strong people],
and those with knowledge ·have [or than those with] great strength.
6 So you need ·advice [guidance] when you go to war.
If you have lots of ·good advice [counselors], you will win.
7 Foolish people cannot understand wisdom.
They ·have nothing to say [L do not open their mouth] in ·a discussion [L the gate; C where the elders make decisions].
8 Whoever makes evil plans
will be ·known as [called] a ·troublemaker [master schemer].
9 ·Making foolish plans [Scheming] is sinful,
and ·making fun of wisdom is hateful [or people despise mockers].
10 If you ·give up [show yourself weak] ·when trouble comes [L on the day of distress/trouble],
it shows that ·you are weak [L your strength is small].
11 ·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] those who are being led to their death;
·rescue [L don’t restrain yourself from] those who ·are about [L tottering off] to be killed.
12 If you say, “We don’t know anything about this,”
God, who ·knows what’s in your mind [evaluates motives; L weighs hearts], ·will notice [L doesn’t he know?].
He ·is watching you [protects/guards your life], and he will know.
He will reward each person for what he has done.
13 My ·child [L son], eat honey because it is good.
Honey from the honeycomb ·tastes sweet [L is sweet on your palate].
14 In the same way, wisdom is pleasing to ·you [your soul].
If you find it, you have ·hope for the [L a] future,
and your ·wishes [hope] will ·come true [L not be cut off].
15 Don’t be wicked and ·attack [ambush; lie in wait at] a ·good [righteous] family’s house;
don’t ·rob [or destroy] the place where they live.
16 Even though ·good [righteous] people may ·be bothered by trouble [L fall] seven times, they ·are never defeated [L get back up],
but the wicked ·are overwhelmed by [stumble into] trouble.
17 Don’t ·be happy [rejoice] when your enemy ·is defeated [L falls];
don’t let your heart be glad when he ·is overwhelmed [L stumbles].
18 The Lord will notice and ·be displeased [L it will be bad in his eyes].
He may ·not be angry with them anymore [L turn his anger from them; Job 31:29; Ps. 35:15–16; Rom. 12:17–21].
19 Don’t ·envy [get mad at] evil people,
and don’t be jealous of the wicked.
20 An evil person has ·nothing to hope for [L no future];
the lamp of the wicked will be ·put out [extinguished].
21 My ·child [L son], ·respect [fear] the Lord and the king.
Don’t join those people who ·refuse to obey them [rebel].
22 ·The Lord and the king [L They] will quickly destroy such people.
·Those two can cause great disaster! [L Who knows the disaster that both can bring?]
More Words of Wisdom
23 These are also ·sayings of [L according to] the wise [22:17]:
It is not good to ·take sides when you are the judge [show partiality/favoritism in judgment].
24 ·Don’t tell [L Those who say to] the wicked ·that they [L “You…”] are ·innocent [righteous];
people will curse you, and nations will ·hate [despise] you.
25 But things will go well if you ·punish [correct; rebuke] the guilty,
and you will receive rich blessings.
26 An honest answer is as pleasing
as a kiss on the lips.
27 First, ·finish your outside work [execute/establish your affairs in public]
and prepare your fields.
After that, you can build your house.
28 Don’t ·testify [witness] against your neighbor for no good reason.
Don’t ·say things that are false [L deceive with your lips].
29 Don’t say, “·I’ll get even [L As they did to me so I will do to them];
I’ll ·do to him what he did to me [repay them according to their actions].”
30 I ·passed by [happened upon] a lazy person’s field
and by the vineyard of someone ·with no sense [L who lacks heart/sense].
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere.
The ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone walls had fallen down.
32 I ·thought about [took to heart] what I had seen;
I learned this lesson from what I saw.
33 ·You sleep a little; you take a nap [“A little sleep, a little slumber”].
·You fold your hands and [L “A little folding of the arms to…”] lie down to rest [6:10].
34 So ·you will be as poor as if you had been robbed [L poverty will come on you like a robber];
·you will have as little as if you had been held up [L deprivation (will come on you) like a shielded warrior].
3 When we could ·not wait any [endure it no] longer, we decided it was best to stay in Athens alone 2 and send Timothy to you. Timothy, our brother, ·works with us [is our coworker] for God ·and helps us tell people the Good News about [L in the Gospel of] Christ. We sent him to strengthen and ·encourage [comfort; or exhort] you in your faith 3 so none of you would be ·upset [disturbed; shaken] by these ·troubles [trials]. [L For] You yourselves know that we ·must face these troubles [L are destined/appointed for this]. 4 [L For] Even when we were with you, we told you [L in advance] we all would have to ·suffer [be persecuted; suffer hardship/affliction], and you know it has happened. 5 Because of this, when I could ·wait [endure it] no longer, I sent Timothy to you so I could learn about your faith. I was afraid ·the devil [L the tempter] had tempted you, and perhaps our hard work would have been ·wasted [in vain; for nothing].
6 But Timothy now has come back to us from you and has brought us good news about your faith and love. He told us that you always remember us in a good way and that you ·want [long] to see us just as much as we ·want [long] to see you. 7 So, brothers and sisters, ·while we have much [L in all of our] ·trouble [distress] and ·suffering [trials; persecution], we are ·encouraged [comforted; reassured] about you because of your faith. 8 ·Our life is really full [L For now we live/are alive (again)] ·if you stand [since you are standing] ·strong [firm; fast] in the Lord. 9 ·We cannot thank God enough [L For what thanks can we give to God…?] for all the joy we feel ·in God’s presence [before our God] because of you. 10 Night and day we continue praying ·with all our heart [most earnestly] that we can see you again and ·give you all the things you need [L strengthen/supply what is lacking] to make your faith strong.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus ·prepare [clear; direct] the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love grow more and ·multiply [abound; overflow] for each other and for all people ·so that you will love others as we love you [or just as our love abounds for you]. 13 ·May your hearts [L …so that your hearts may] be made strong so that you will be holy and ·without fault [blameless] before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his ·holy ones [T saints; or holy angels].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.