M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Israel Attacks the Midianites
31 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 2 “·Pay back [Avenge] the Midianites for what they did to the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel; 25:6]; after that you will ·die [L be gathered to your people].”
3 So Moses said to the people, “·Get some men ready [Arm some men] for war. The Lord will use them to ·pay back [avenge himself against] the Midianites. 4 Send to war a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” 5 So twelve thousand men ·got ready for war [were armed], out of the thousands of Israel a thousand men from each tribe. 6 Moses sent ·those men [L a thousand from each tribe] to war; Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest was with them. He took with him the ·holy things [or vessels of the Holy Place] and the trumpets for giving the alarm. 7 They fought the Midianites as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every Midianite man. 8 Among those they killed were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with a sword [Num. 22–24; Deut. 23:4–5; Josh. 13:22; 24:10; Neh. 13:2; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14].
9 The ·Israelites [L sons of Israel] captured the Midianite women and children, and they took all their flocks, herds, and goods. 10 They burned all the Midianite towns where they had settled and all their camps, 11 but they took all the ·people and animals and goods [L plunder and all the spoil, both people and animals]. 12 Then they brought the captives, the ·animals, and the goods [L spoil and the plunder] back to Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the ·Israelites [L community/assembly/congregation of the sons/T children of Israel]. Their camp was on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the ·people [community; assembly; congregation] went outside the camp to meet them. 14 Moses was angry with the army officers, the commanders over a thousand men, and those over a hundred men, who returned from war.
15 He asked them, “Why did you let the women live? 16 They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice [Jude 11] and turned the ·Israelites [L community/assembly/congregation of Israel] from the Lord at Peor. Then a ·terrible sickness [plague] struck the Lord’s people [Num. 25]. 17 Kill all the Midianite boys, and kill all the Midianite women who have ·had sexual relations [L known a man by going to bed with him]. 18 But save for yourselves the girls who have not ·had sexual relations with a man [L known a man by going to bed with him].
19 “All you men who killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days [19:11]. On the third and seventh days you and your captives must make yourselves clean [C in a ritual sense]. 20 You must clean all your clothes and anything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone to war, “These are the ·teachings [L statutes/ordinances/requirements of the law/instruction] that the Lord gave to Moses: 22 Put any gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead— 23 anything that will not burn—into the fire, and then it will be clean. But also purify those things with the cleansing water. Then they will be clean. If something cannot stand the fire, wash it with the water. 24 On the seventh day wash your clothes, and you will be clean. After that you may come into the camp.”
Dividing the Goods
25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “You, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the ·family groups [clans of the community/assembly/congregation] should take a count of the ·goods [spoils], the men, and the animals that were taken. 27 Then divide ·those possessions [the spoil] between the soldiers who went to war and the ·rest of the people [community; assembly; congregation]. 28 From the soldiers who went to war, take a ·tax [tribute] for the Lord of one item out of every five hundred. This includes people, cattle, donkeys, or sheep. 29 Take it from the soldiers’ half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s ·share [offering]. 30 And from the ·people’s half [L half of the sons/T children of Israel], take one item out of every fifty. This includes people, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals. Give that to the Levites, who take care of the Lord’s ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle].” 31 So Moses and Eleazar did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 There remained from what the soldiers had taken 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 women who had not ·had sexual relations with a man [L known a man by going to bed with him]. 36 The soldiers who went to war got 337,500 sheep, 37 and they gave 675 of them to the Lord. 38 They got 36,000 cattle, and they gave 72 of them to the Lord. 39 They got 30,500 donkeys, and they gave 61 of them to the Lord. 40 They got 16,000 people, and they gave 32 of them to the Lord. 41 Moses gave the Lord’s ·share [tribute] to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord had commanded him.
42 Moses separated the ·people’s [L sons/T children of Israel’s] half from the soldiers’ half. 43 The people got 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 people. 47 From the ·people’s [L sons/T children of Israel’s] half Moses took one item out of every fifty for the Lord. This included the animals and the people. Then he gave them to the Levites, who took care of the Lord’s ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle]. This was what the Lord had commanded Moses.
48 Then the officers of the army, the commanders of a thousand men and commanders of a hundred men, came to Moses. 49 They told Moses, “We, your servants, have ·counted [taken a census of; L lifted the head of] our soldiers ·under our command [L in our hand], and not one of them is missing. 50 So we have brought the Lord a ·gift [offering] of the gold things that each of us found: arm bands, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces. These are to ·remove our sins so we will belong to [make atonement for ourselves before] the Lord.”
51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, which had been made into all kinds of objects. 52 The commanders of a thousand men and the commanders of a hundred men gave the Lord the gold, and all of it together weighed about ·420 pounds [L 16,750 shekels]; 53 each soldier had taken ·something [plunder] for himself. 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the commanders of a thousand men and the commanders of a hundred men. Then they put it in the Meeting Tent as a memorial before the Lord for the ·people [L sons; T children] of Israel.
God the Judge
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12]. A song.
75 God, we ·thank [praise] you;
we ·thank [praise] you because ·you [L your name] are near.
We tell about the ·miracles [wonders] you do.
2 You say, “I set ·the time for trial [L an appointed time],
and I will judge ·fairly [with integrity].
3 The earth with all its people may ·shake [totter],
but I ·am the one who holds it steady [L set/establish its pillars; C the idea was that the earth was supported by pillars]. ·
4 I say to those who ·are proud [brag; boast], ‘Don’t ·be proud [brag; boast],’
and to the wicked, ‘Don’t ·show your power [L exalt your horn; C a horn is a symbol of strength].
5 Don’t ·try to use your power [L exalt your horn] against ·heaven [L the heights; or on high].
Don’t ·be stubborn [L speak with an insolent neck].’”
6 No one from the east or the west
or the ·desert [wilderness] ·can judge you [comes exalting].
7 God is the judge;
he ·judges one person as guilty [L puts one down] and ·another as innocent [L raises another up].
8 The Lord holds a cup in his hand;
it is ·full of wine mixed with [foaming wine full of] spices [C the cup of God’s wrath; 60:3; Jer. 25:15–29; Nah. 3:11; Matt. 26:39].
He pours it out ·even to the last drop [until its dregs drain out],
and the wicked drink it all.
9 I will tell about this forever;
I will ·sing praise [make a psalm] to the God of Jacob.
10 ·He will take all power away from [L I will cut off all the horns of] the wicked [v. 4],
but the ·power [L horn] of ·good [righteous] people will ·grow [be exalted].
The God Who Always Wins
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12]. A song.
76 ·People in Judah know God [L God is known in Judah];
his ·fame [name] is great in Israel.
2 His Tent is in ·Jerusalem [L Salem; C shortened name of Jerusalem];
his ·home [abode] is on Mount Zion [Ps. 48].
3 There God broke the flaming arrows,
the shields, the swords, and the weapons of war. ·
4 God, how ·wonderful [glorious; awesome; or radiant] you are!
You are more ·splendid [majestic] than the ·hills full of animals [hills full of prey; or everlasting mountains].
5 The ·brave soldiers [L strong of heart] were ·stripped [plundered]
as they ·lay asleep in death [sleep their last sleep].
Not one ·warrior [valiant person]
·had the strength to stop it [L could lift their hand].
6 God of Jacob, ·when you spoke strongly [L at your rebuke/reprimand],
horses and riders ·fell dead [L were in deep sleep; or lay stupefied].
7 You are ·feared [awesome];
·no one [L who…?] can stand against you when you are angry.
8 From heaven you ·gave the decision [made your judgment heard],
and the earth was afraid and silent.
9 God, you ·stood [rose] up to judge
and to ·save [give victory to] the needy people of the earth. ·
10 ·People praise you for your anger against evil [or Human anger praises you].
·Those who live through your anger are stopped from doing more evil [Those who survive your wrath are restrained; L You gird the remains of wrath on you].
11 Make and keep your ·promises [vows] to the Lord your God.
From all around, gifts should come to the God ·we worship [L who is awesome].
12 God ·breaks [cuts off] the spirits of ·great leaders [princes];
the kings on earth fear him.
God’s Message to Lebanon
23 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Tyre [C port city in Phoenicia, north of Israel; present-day Lebanon]:
You ·trading ships [L ships of Tarshish; C western port city, probably in Spain; 2:16], ·cry [wail]!
The houses and harbor of Tyre are ·destroyed [devastated; laid waste].
This news came to the ships
from the land of ·Cyprus [L the Kittim; C the people of Cyprus, an island west of Israel].
2 ·Be silent [or Mourn in silence], you who live on the ·island of Tyre [or coastland];
you merchants of Sidon [C port city of Phoenica], be silent.
·Sailors have made you rich [or …whose messengers have crossed the sea].
3 They traveled ·the sea [the great waters; or many seas] to bring ·grain from Egypt [L the grain of Shihor; C the east branch of the Nile in Egypt];
the harvest of the Nile was Tyre’s ·profit [revenue];
she was the marketplace of the nations.
4 Sidon, be ashamed.
·Strong city [Fortress] of the sea, be ashamed, because the sea says:
“I have not ·felt the pain of giving birth [gone into labor or given birth];
I have not reared young men or women.”
5 Egypt will hear the news about Tyre,
and it will make Egypt ·hurt with sorrow [be in anguish].
6 ·You ships should return [Travel; or Send word; L Cross over] to Tarshish [v. 1].
·Be sad [Wail], you people ·living near the sea [of the coast].
7 ·Look at [L Is this…?] your ·once happy [boisterous] city,
·founded so long ago [whose beginning was from days of antiquity].
·People from that city have traveled […whose feet have taken her]
far away to live.
8 Who planned Tyre’s destruction?
Tyre ·made others rich [bestower of crowns; or wearer of crowns].
Its merchants ·were treated like [L were; or are] princes,
and its traders were ·greatly respected [L the honored/renowned of the earth].
9 It was the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] who planned this.
He decided to ·make these proud people unimportant [L bring down the pride of all her glory/splendor];
he decided to ·disgrace [humble] ·those who were greatly respected [L the honored/renowned of the earth].
10 Go through[a] [or Cultivate; Till] your land, ·people [L daughter] of Tarshish [v. 1],
like ·the Nile goes through Egypt [or they do along the Nile].
There is no ·harbor [or marketplace; or restraint; or strength] for you now!
11 The Lord has stretched his hand over the sea
and made its kingdoms tremble.
He commands that Canaan’s
·strong, walled cities [fortresses; strongholds] be destroyed.
12 He said, “·Sidon [L Virgin daughter Sidon], you will not ·rejoice [celebrate] any longer,
because you are ·destroyed [crushed; oppressed].
·Even if you cross the sea [L Arise, cross over] to ·Cyprus [L Kittim],
[but] you will not find a place to rest.”
13 Look at the land of the ·Babylonians [Chaldeans];
·it is not a country now [this people is no more].
Assyria has made it a place for ·wild [desert] animals.
Assyria built ·towers to attack it [siege towers];
the soldiers ·took all the treasures from its cities [stripped bare/tore down its fortresses/palaces],
and they turned it into ruins.
14 ·So be sad [Wail], you ·trading ships [L ships of Tarshish; v. 1; 2:16],
because your ·strong city [fortress; stronghold] is destroyed.
15 ·At that time [L In that day] Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, which is the length of a king’s life. ·After [L At the end of] seventy years, Tyre will be like the prostitute in this song:
16 “Oh ·woman [prostitute; harlot], you are forgotten.
Take your harp and walk through the city.
Play your harp well. Sing ·your song often [many songs].
Then people will remember you.”
17 ·After [L At the end of] seventy years the Lord will ·deal with [visit] Tyre, and it will again ·have trade [earn wages]. It will be like a prostitute for all the ·nations [kingdoms] of the earth. 18 The profits will be ·saved [set apart; holy] for the Lord. Tyre will not ·keep [store up or hoard] the money she earns but will give them to the people who ·serve [worship; L dwell before] the Lord, so they will have plenty of food and ·nice clothes [beautiful coverings].
1 We ·write [announce/proclaim to] you now about what ·has always existed [was from the beginning; Gen. 1:1; John 1:1], which we have heard, [L which] we have seen with our own eyes, [L which] we have looked at, and we have touched with our hands. We ·write [announce/proclaim] to you about the ·Word that gives life [Word of life; C associating the logos or “word” with Jesus suggests he is God’s communication with humanity; John 1:4; 11:25; 14:6]. 2 ·He who gives life [L The life] ·was shown [appeared; was revealed] to us. We saw him and can ·give proof about [testify/witness to] it. And now we ·announce [proclaim; declare] to you ·that he has life that continues forever [L the eternal life]. He was with ·God the Father [L the Father] and ·was shown [appeared; was revealed] to us. 3 We ·announce [proclaim; declare] to you what we have seen and heard, ·because we want you also to have [so that you also may have] fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with ·God the Father [L the Father] and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to you so ·we[a] may be full of joy [our joy may be complete/perfect/come to full expression].
God Forgives Our Sins
5 Here is the message we have heard from ·Christ [L him] and now ·announce [proclaim; declare] to you: God is light [C referring to God’s truth and goodness], and in him there is no darkness [C referring to falsehood and evil] at all. 6 So if we say we have fellowship with God, but we ·continue living [L are walking] in darkness, we are liars and do not ·follow [perform; practice; act according to] the truth [John 8:12; 12:35]. 7 But if we ·live [L walk] in the light, as ·God [L he] is in the light, we ·can share [have] fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin.
8 If we say we ·have no sin [or have no sin nature; or are not guilty of sinning], we are ·fooling [deceiving] ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because ·we can trust God to do what is right [L he is faithful and righteous/just; Deut. 32:4]. He will ·cleanse [purify] us from all ·the wrongs we have done [unrighteousness]. 10 If we ·say [claim] we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and ·we do not accept God’s teaching [L his word is not in us].
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