M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Generations of Returned Exiles
9 So all Israel was recorded by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And (A)Judah was taken away into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.
2 (B)Now the first who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and (C)the [a]temple servants. 3 And some of the sons of Judah, of the sons of Benjamin and of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh lived in (D)Jerusalem:
4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the (E)son of Judah.
5 From the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.
6 From the sons of Zerah were Jeuel and their [b]relatives, 690 of them.
7 From the sons of Benjamin were Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah,
8 and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;
9 and their relatives according to their generations, (F)956.
All these were heads of fathers’ households according to their fathers’ houses.
10 (G)From the priests were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin,
11 and [c]Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, (H)the leader of the house of God;
12 and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
13 and their relatives, heads of their fathers’ households, 1,760 mighty men of valor for the work of the service of the house of God.
14 (I)Of the Levites were Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
15 and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of [d]Zichri, the son of Asaph,
16 and [e]Obadiah the son of [f]Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
17 Now the gatekeepers were [g]Shallum and Akkub and Talmon and Ahiman and their relatives (Shallum the chief
18 being stationed until now at (J)the king’s gate to the east).
These were the gatekeepers for the camp of the sons of Levi.
19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of [h]Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent; and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entrance. 20 (K)And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them previously, and Yahweh was with him. 21 (L)Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting. 22 All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds were 212. These were recorded by genealogy in their villages, (M)whom David and Samuel the seer established (N)in their office of trust. 23 So they and their sons were over the gates of the house of Yahweh, even the house of the tent, as those who kept watch. 24 The gatekeepers were [i]on the four sides, to the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their relatives in their villages (O)were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with [j]them; 26 for the four chief gatekeepers who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. 27 And they spent the night all around the house of God, (P)because the watch was [k]committed to them; and they were over opening it morning by morning.
28 Now some of them were over the utensils of service, for [l]they counted them when they brought them in and when they took them out. 29 Some of them also were appointed over the furniture and over all the utensils of the sanctuary and (Q)over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the frankincense and the spices. 30 Some of (R)the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices. 31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had (S)the office of trust over the things which were baked in pans. 32 Some of their relatives of the sons of the Kohathites (T)were over the showbread to prepare it every sabbath.
33 Now these are (U)the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the chambers of the temple free from other service; for they were over them (V)in their work day and night. 34 These were heads of fathers’ households of the Levites according to their generations, the heads [m]who lived in Jerusalem.
Generations of Saul
35 (W)Now in Gibeon, Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife’s name was Maacah,
36 and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.
38 Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives.
39 (X)Ner became the father of Kish,
and Kish became the father of Saul,
and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40 The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal,
and Merib-baal became the father of Micah.
41 The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, (Y)and Ahaz.
42 Ahaz became the father of Jarah,
and Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri;
and Zimri became the father of Moza.
43 Moza became the father of Binea and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
44 Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.
These were the sons of Azel.
The Death of Saul and His Sons
10 (Z)Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines closely pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and [n](AA)Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 And the battle became heavy against Saul, and the archers [o]hit him; and he was wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer was not willing, for he was greatly afraid. (AB)So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 Then his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, so he also fell on his sword and died. 6 (AC)Thus Saul died with his three sons, and all those of his house died together.
7 Then all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8 Now it happened on the next day, that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 (AD)So they stripped him and took his head and his weapons and sent them all around the land of the Philistines, to proclaim the good news to their idols and to the people. 10 And they placed his weapons in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
Jabesh-gilead Buries Saul
11 Then all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 (AE)so all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh, and they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.
13 (AF)Thus Saul died for his unfaithfulness, which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh which he did not keep; and also (AG)because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it, 14 and did not inquire of Yahweh. Therefore He put him to death and (AH)turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.
Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of Faith
12 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, (A)laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us (B)run with (C)endurance the race that is set before us, 2 [a]fixing our eyes on Jesus, the [b](D)author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him (E)endured the cross, (F)despising the shame, and has (G)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For (H)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, (I)fainting [c]in heart.
The Father’s Discipline
4 (J)You have not yet resisted [d](K)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“(L)My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the [e]Lord,
Nor (M)faint when you are reproved by Him;
6 (N)For those (O)whom the [f]Lord loves He disciplines,
And He flogs every son whom He receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; (P)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, (Q)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we [g]had [h]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we (R)respected them. Shall we not much rather be subject to (S)the Father of [i]spirits, and (T)live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our benefit, (U)so that we may share His holiness. 11 And all discipline (V)for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, but to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the (W)peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12 Therefore, [j](X)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and (Y)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather (Z)be healed.
14 (AA)Pursue peace with all men, and the (AB)sanctification without which no one will (AC)see the Lord, 15 seeing to it that no one (AD)falls short of the grace of God; that no (AE)root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be (AF)defiled; 16 that also there be no (AG)sexually immoral or (AH)godless person like Esau, (AI)who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterwards, (AJ)when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
Contrast of Sinai and Zion
18 (AK)For you have not come to (AL)a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the (AM)blast of a trumpet and the (AN)sound of words which was such that those who heard (AO)begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear what was being commanded, “(AP)If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” 21 And so terrible was what appeared, that Moses said, “(AQ)I am full of fear and trembling.” 22 But (AR)you have come to Mount Zion and to (AS)the city of (AT)the living God, (AU)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to (AV)myriads of [k]angels, 23 to the festal gathering and (AW)assembly of the firstborn who (AX)are enrolled in heaven, and to God, (AY)the Judge of all, and to the (AZ)spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the (BA)mediator of a new covenant, and to the (BB)sprinkled blood, which speaks better than (BC)the blood of Abel.
An Unshakable Kingdom
25 (BD)See to it that you do not refuse Him who is (BE)speaking. For (BF)if those did not escape when they (BG)refused him who (BH)warned them on earth, [l]much less will we escape who turn away from Him who (BI)warns from heaven. 26 And (BJ)His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “(BK)Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 Now this expression, “Yet once more,” indicates (BL)the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a (BM)kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us [m]show gratitude, by which we may (BN)offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for (BO)our God is a consuming fire.
Woe to Those at Ease in Zion
6 (A)Woe to those who are at ease in Zion
And to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria,
The (B)distinguished men of the first of the nations,
To whom the house of Israel comes.
2 Pass on over to (C)Calneh and look,
And go from there to (D)Hamath the great,
Then go down to (E)Gath of the Philistines.
Are [a]they better than these kingdoms,
Or are their borders greater than your borders?
3 Do you (F)put off the day of calamity,
And would you (G)cause the seat of violence to approach?
4 Those who lay down on beds of ivory
And sprawl on their (H)couches
And (I)eat lambs from the flock
And calves from the midst of the stall,
5 Who improvise to the [b]sound of the harp,
And like David have [c]composed (J)songs for themselves,
6 Who (K)drink wine from [d]sacrificial bowls
While they anoint themselves with the first pick of the oils,
Yet they have not (L)grieved over the destruction of Joseph.
7 Therefore, they will now (M)go into exile among the first of the exiles,
And the (N)sprawlers’ [e]banqueting will turn aside.
8 Lord Yahweh has (O)sworn by Himself, Yahweh God of hosts has declared:
“I (P)abhor the lofty pride of Jacob
And hate his (Q)citadels;
Therefore I will (R)deliver up the city as well as its fullness.”
9 And it will be, if (S)ten men are left in one house, they will die. 10 Then one’s [f]uncle, or the one who [g](T)burns his bones, will lift him up to bring out his bones from the house, and he will say to the one who is in the innermost part of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will [h]answer, “(U)Keep quiet. For [i]the name of Yahweh is (V)not to be mentioned.” 11 For behold, Yahweh is going to (W)command and will strike the (X)great house to pieces and the small house to fragments.
12 Do horses run on rocks?
Or does one plow [j]them with oxen?
Yet you have overturned (Y)justice into gall
And the fruit of righteousness into [k]wormwood,
13 You who are glad in [l](Z)Lo-debar
[m]And say, “Have we not (AA)by our own strength taken [n]Karnaim for ourselves?”
14 “For behold, (AB)I am going to raise up a nation against you,
O house of Israel,” declares Yahweh God of hosts,
“And they will press down on you from [o](AC)Lebo-hamath
To the (AD)brook of the Arabah.”
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Now [a]at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to (A)the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was (B)filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And [b]how has it happened to me, that the mother of (C)my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And (D)blessed is she who believed [c]that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her [d]by the [e]Lord.”
Mary Magnifies the Lord
46 And Mary said:
“(E)My soul (F)magnifies the [f]Lord,
47 And (G)my spirit has rejoiced in (H)God my Savior.
48 For (I)He has looked upon the humble state of His slave,
For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me (J)blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50 (K)And His mercy is [g]upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (L)He has done a mighty deed with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [h]thoughts of their heart.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (M)exalted those who were humble.
53 (N)He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54 He has given help to Israel His servant,
[i]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (O)As He spoke to our fathers,
(P)To Abraham and his seed forever.”
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
John the Baptist Is Born
57 Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to [j]give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had (Q)magnified His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her.
59 And it happened that on (R)the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No, but (S)he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 And they (T)were making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “(U)His name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 (V)And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all those living around them, and all these matters were being talked about in all (W)the hill country of Judea. 66 And all who heard these things put them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For (X)the hand of the [k]Lord was indeed with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah (Y)was filled with the Holy Spirit, and (Z)prophesied, saying:
68 “(AA)Blessed be the [l]Lord God of Israel,
For He visited and accomplished (AB)redemption for His people,
69 And raised up a (AC)horn of salvation for us
In the house of David (AD)His servant—
70 (AE)As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets (AF)from of old—
71 [m](AG)Salvation (AH)from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 (AI)To show mercy toward our fathers,
(AJ)And to remember His holy covenant,
73 (AK)The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 (AL)In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the (AM)prophet of (AN)the Most High,
For you will go on (AO)before the [n]Lord to (AP)make ready His ways,
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
[o]By (AQ)the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which (AR)the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 (AS)To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To direct our feet into the (AT)way of peace.”
80 (AU)And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the desolate regions until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.