M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Philistines Take the Ark
4 Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside (A)Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped in (B)Aphek. 2 And the Philistines arranged themselves to meet Israel. Then the battle spread, and Israel was [a]defeated before the Philistines who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield. 3 Then the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “(C)Why has Yahweh [b]defeated us today before the Philistines? (D)Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that [c]it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts (E)who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And it happened that as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, (F)all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth was thrown into confusion. 6 Then the Philistines heard the noise of the shout and said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they knew that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “(G)Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 (H)Be strong and become men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews, (I)as they have been slaves to you; therefore, become men and fight.”
10 So the Philistines fought, and (J)Israel was [d]defeated, and (K)every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel 30,000 foot soldiers. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and (L)the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
The Death of Eli
12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with (M)his robes torn and [e]dust on his head. 13 And he came, and behold, (N)Eli was sitting on his seat [f]by the road eagerly watching because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. Now the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out. 14 Then Eli heard the noise of the outcry, and he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?” So the man came hurriedly and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and (O)his eyes had set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I fled from the battle line today.” And he said, “(P)How did things go, my son?” 17 Then the one who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.” 18 And it happened that when he mentioned the ark of God, [g](Q)Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died, for the man was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years.
19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, was with child and about to give birth. And she heard the report that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, so she kneeled down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “(R)Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she called the boy [h]Ichabod, saying, “(S)The glory has departed from Israel,” because (T)the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.”
Abraham and David’s Faith Counted as Righteousness
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, [a]our forefather (A)according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified [b]by works, he has something to boast about—but (B)not [c]before God! 3 For what does the Scripture say? “(C)Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who (D)works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but (E)believes upon Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “(F)Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8 (G)Blessed is the man whose sin the [d]Lord will not (H)take into account.”
9 Therefore, is this blessing on [e](I)the circumcised, or on [f]the uncircumcised also? For (J)we say, “(K)Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it counted? While he was [g]circumcised, or [h]uncircumcised? Not while [i]circumcised, but while [j]uncircumcised; 11 and he (L)received the sign of circumcision, (M)a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [k]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be (N)the father of (O)all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [l]he had while uncircumcised.
13 For (P)the promise to Abraham or to his seed (Q)that he would be heir of the world was not [m]through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For (R)if those who are [n]of the Law are heirs, faith has been made empty and the promise has been abolished; 15 for (S)the Law brings about wrath, but (T)where there is no law, there also is no trespass.
16 For this reason it is [o]by faith, in order that it may be according to (U)grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to (V)all the seed, not only to [p]those who are of the Law, but also to [q](W)those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is (X)the father of us all— 17 as it is written, “(Y)A father of many nations have I made you”—in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, (Z)who gives life to the dead and [r](AA)calls into being (AB)that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become (AC)a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “(AD)So shall your seed be.” 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now (AE)as good as dead since (AF)he was about a hundred years old, and (AG)the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, (AH)giving glory to God, 21 and (AI)being fully assured that (AJ)what God had promised, He was able also to do. 22 Therefore (AK)it was also counted to him as righteousness. 23 Now (AL)not for his sake only was it written that it was counted to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those (AM)who believe upon Him who (AN)raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was (AO)delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was (AP)raised on account of our justification.
The People Ask Jeremiah to Pray
42 Then all the [a]commanders of the military forces, (A)Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people (B)both small and great approached 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our (C)supplication [b]come before you, and (D)pray for us to Yahweh your God, that is for all this remnant, because we remain but a (E)few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, 3 that Yahweh your God may tell us the (F)way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do.” 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I am going to (G)pray to Yahweh your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole [c]message which (H)Yahweh will answer you. I will (I)not keep back a word from you.” 5 And they said to Jeremiah, “May (J)Yahweh be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole [d]message with which Yahweh your God will send you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will (K)listen to the voice of Yahweh our God to whom we are sending you, so that good (L)may come to us when we listen to the voice of Yahweh our God.”
7 Now it happened that at the (M)end of ten days the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he called for Johanan the son of Kareah and all the [e]commanders of the military forces that were with him, and for all the people both small and great, 9 and said to them, “Thus (N)says Yahweh the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before Him: 10 ‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will (O)build you up and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I have [f](P)relented of the calamity that I have done against you. 11 (Q)Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are now fearing; do not be afraid of him,’ declares Yahweh, ‘for (R)I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand. 12 I will also show you compassion, so that (S)he will have compassion on you and return you to your own soil. 13 But if you are going to say, “We will (T)not stay in this land,” so as not to listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, 14 saying, “No, but we will (U)go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war or (V)hear the sound of a trumpet or hunger for bread, and we will stay there,” 15 then now, listen to the word of Yahweh, O remnant of Judah. Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “If you really set your face to enter (W)Egypt, and you will enter to sojourn there, 16 then the (X)sword, which you are afraid of, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, about which you are anxious, will [g]follow closely after you there in Egypt, and you will die there. 17 So all the men who set their face to go to Egypt to sojourn there will die by the (Y)sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and they will (Z)have no survivors or any who escaped from the calamity that I am going to bring on them.”’”
18 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “As My (AA)anger and wrath have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so My wrath will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And you will become a (AB)curse, an object of horror, an imprecation, and a reproach; and (AC)you will see this place no more.” 19 Yahweh has spoken to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not (AD)go into Egypt!” You should clearly (AE)know that today I have (AF)testified against you. 20 For you have only [h](AG)led yourselves astray; for it is you who sent me to Yahweh your God, saying, “Pray for us to Yahweh our God; and according to all that Yahweh our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” 21 So I have (AH)told you today, but you have (AI)not listened to the voice of Yahweh your God, even according to all that He has sent me to tell you. 22 So now, you should clearly know that you will (AJ)die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, in the (AK)place where you desire to go to sojourn.
Yahweh Is My Rock and My Fortress
For the choir director. Of the servant of Yahweh, of David, [a]who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
18 He said, “I love You, O Yahweh, (A)my strength.”
2 Yahweh is (B)my [b]rock and (C)my fortress and my (D)deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My (E)shield and the (F)horn of my salvation, my (G)stronghold.
3 I call upon Yahweh, who is (H)worthy to be praised,
And I am (I)saved from my enemies.
4 The (J)cords of death encompassed me,
And the (K)torrents of vileness [c]terrified me.
5 The (L)cords of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my (M)distress I called upon Yahweh,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice (N)out of His temple,
And my (O)cry for help before Him came into His ears.
7 Then the (P)earth shook and quaked;
And the (Q)foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up [d]out of His nostrils,
And (R)fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 He (S)bowed the heavens and came down
With thick (T)darkness under His feet.
10 He rode upon a (U)cherub and flew;
And He sped upon the (V)wings of the wind.
11 He made (W)darkness His hiding place, (X)His [e]canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the (Y)brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and (Z)coals of fire.
13 Yahweh also (AA)thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High gave forth His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He (AB)sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and [f]threw them into confusion.
15 Then the (AC)channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were [g]laid bare
At Your (AD)rebuke, O Yahweh,
At the blast of the (AE)breath of Your nostrils.
16 He (AF)sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of (AG)many waters.
17 He (AH)delivered me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were (AI)too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in (AJ)the day of my disaster,
But (AK)Yahweh was my support.
19 He brought me forth also into a (AL)broad place;
He rescued me, because (AM)He delighted in me.
20 Yahweh has (AN)rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the (AO)cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
21 For I have (AP)kept the ways of Yahweh,
And have (AQ)not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all (AR)His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His (AS)statutes from me.
23 I was also [h](AT)blameless with Him,
And I (AU)kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore Yahweh has (AV)recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands before His eyes.
25 With (AW)the [i]kind You show Yourself kind;
With the blameless (AX)You show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You show Yourself (AY)pure,
And with the crooked (AZ)You show Yourself [j]astute.
27 For You (BA)save an afflicted people,
But (BB)eyes which are lifted up, You bring down.
28 For You (BC)light my lamp;
Yahweh my God (BD)illumines my darkness.
29 For by You I can [k](BE)run upon a troop;
And by my God I can (BF)leap over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is [l](BG)blameless;
The (BH)word of Yahweh is [m]tried;
He is a (BI)shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 For (BJ)who is God, but Yahweh?
And who is a (BK)rock, except our God,
32 The God who (BL)girds me with strength
And [n]makes my way [o](BM)blameless?
33 He (BN)makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
And (BO)sets me upon my high places.
34 He (BP)trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can (BQ)bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me (BR)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your (BS)right hand upholds me;
And (BT)Your [p]gentleness makes me great.
36 You (BU)enlarge my steps under me,
And my (BV)ankles have not given way.
37 I (BW)pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back (BX)until they were consumed.
38 I crushed them, so that they were (BY)not able to rise;
They fell (BZ)under my feet.
39 For You have (CA)girded me with strength for battle;
You have [q](CB)subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 [r]You have also made my enemies (CC)turn their backs to me,
And I [s](CD)destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried for help, but there was (CE)none to save,
Even to Yahweh, but (CF)He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them fine as the (CG)dust before the wind;
I emptied them out as the mire of the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the (CH)contentions of the people;
You have placed me as (CI)head of the nations;
A (CJ)people whom I have not known serve me.
44 As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners [t](CK)cower before me.
45 Foreigners (CL)fade away,
And (CM)come trembling out of their [u]fortresses.
46 Yahweh (CN)lives, and blessed be (CO)my rock;
And let (CP)the God of my salvation be lifted high,
47 The God who (CQ)executes vengeance for me,
And (CR)subdues peoples under me.
48 Who (CS)delivers me from my enemies;
Surely You (CT)lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the (CU)violent man.
49 Therefore I will (CV)give thanks to You among the nations, O Yahweh,
And I will (CW)sing praises to Your name.
50 He gives great [v](CX)salvation to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to (CY)His anointed,
To David and (CZ)his seed forever.
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