M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The Woman From Shunem Gets Her Land Back

8 Elisha had brought a woman’s son back to life. He had said to her, “Go away with your family. Stay for a while anywhere you can. The Lord has decided that there won’t be enough food in the land. That will be true for seven years.” ² The woman did just as the man of God told her to. She and her family went away. They stayed in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

³ The seven years passed. Then she came back from the land of the Philistines. She went to the king of Israel. She wanted to ask him to get her house and land back. ⁴ The king was talking to Gehazi. Gehazi was the servant of the man of God. The king had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.” ⁵ Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought a dead boy back to life. Just then the woman came to ask the king to get her house and land back. She was the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life.

Gehazi said, “King Joram, this is the woman I’ve been telling you about. And this is her son. He’s the one Elisha brought back to life.” ⁶ The king asked the woman about her house and land. And she told him.

Then he appointed an official to look into her case. The king told him, “Give her back everything that belonged to her. That includes all the money that was earned from her land. It was earned from the day she left the country until now.”

Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

⁷ Elisha went to Damascus. Ben-Hadad was sick. He was king of Aram. The king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here.” ⁸ Then the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you. Go and see the man of God. Ask him for the Lord’s advice. Ask him whether I will get well again.”

⁹ Hazael went to see Elisha. Hazael took 40 camels with him as a gift. The camels were loaded with all the finest goods of Damascus. Hazael went into Elisha’s house and stood in front of him. Hazael said, “Ben-Hadad has sent me. He is the king of Aram. He asks, ‘Will I get well again?’ ”

¹⁰ Elisha answered, “Go and tell him, ‘Yes. You will get well again.’ But the Lord has shown me that he will in fact die.” ¹¹ Elisha stared at him without looking away. He did it until Hazael felt uncomfortable. Then the man of God began to weep.

¹² “Why are you weeping?” asked Hazael.

“Because I know how much harm you will do to the people of Israel,” Elisha answered. “You will set fire to their cities that have high walls around them. You will kill their young men with your swords. You will smash their little children on the ground. You will rip open their pregnant women.”

¹³ Hazael said, “How could I possibly do a thing like that? I’m nothing but a dog. I don’t have that kind of power.”

“You will become king of Aram,” Elisha answered. “That’s what the Lord has shown me.”

¹⁴ Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me you would get well again.” ¹⁵ But the next day Hazael got a thick cloth. He soaked it in water. He spread it over the king’s face. He held it there until the king died. Then Hazael became the next king after him.

Jehoram King of Judah

¹⁶ Jehoram began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the fifth year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Jehoram was the son of Jehoshaphat. ¹⁷ Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. ¹⁸ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the royal family of Ahab had done. In fact, he married a daughter of Ahab. Jehoram did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. ¹⁹ But the Lord didn’t want to destroy Judah. That’s because the Lord had made a covenant with his servant David. The Lord had promised to keep the lamp of David’s kingdom burning brightly. The Lord had promised that for him and his children after him forever.

²⁰ When Jehoram was king over Judah, Edom refused to remain under Judah’s control. Edom set up their own king. ²¹ So Jehoram went to Zair. He took all his chariots with him. The men of Edom surrounded him and his chariot commanders. He got up at night and fought his way out. But his army ran back home. ²² To this day Edom has refused to remain under Judah’s control. When Jehoram was Judah’s king, Libnah also refused to remain under the control of Judah.

²³ The other events of Jehoram’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Judah. ²⁴ Jehoram joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the City of David. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became the next king after him.

Ahaziah King of Judah

²⁵ Ahaziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the 12th year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Ahaziah was the son of Jehoram. ²⁶ Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah. She was a granddaughter of Omri. Omri had been the king of Israel. ²⁷ Ahaziah followed the ways of the royal family of Ahab. Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as the family of Ahab had done. That’s because he had married into Ahab’s family.

²⁸ Ahaziah joined forces with Joram. They went to war against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead. Joram was the son of Ahab. Hazael was king of Aram. The soldiers of Aram wounded King Joram. ²⁹ So he returned to Jezreel to give his wounds time to heal. The soldiers of Aram had wounded him at Ramoth in his battle against Hazael, the king of Aram.

Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, went down to Jezreel. He went there to see Joram. That’s because Joram had been wounded. Ahaziah was king of Judah. Joram was the son of Ahab.

Instructions About Widows, Elders and Slaves

5 Correct an older man in a way that shows respect. Make an appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as if they were your brothers. ² Treat older women as if they were your mothers. Treat younger women as if they were your sisters. Be completely pure in the way you treat them.

³ Take care of the widows who really need help. ⁴ But suppose a widow has children or grandchildren. They should first learn to put their faith into practice. They should care for their own family. In that way they will pay back their parents and grandparents. That pleases God. ⁵ A widow who really needs help and is left all alone puts her hope in God. Night and day she keeps on praying. Night and day she asks God for help. ⁶ But a widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still living. ⁷ Give these instructions to the people. Then no one can be blamed. ⁸ Everyone should provide for their own relatives. Most of all, everyone should take care of their own family. If they don’t, they have left the faith. They are worse than someone who doesn’t believe.

⁹ No widow should be put on the list of widows unless she is more than 60 years old. She must also have been faithful to her husband. ¹⁰ She must be well known for the good things she does. That includes bringing up children. It includes inviting guests into her home. It includes washing the feet of the Lord’s people. It includes helping those who are in trouble. A widow should spend her time doing all kinds of good things.

¹¹ Don’t put younger widows on that kind of list. They might want pleasure more than they want Christ. Then they would want to get married again. ¹² If they do that, they will be judged. They have broken their first promise. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of having nothing to do. They go around from house to house. They waste their time. They also bother other people and say things that make no sense. They shouldn’t say those things. ¹⁴ So here is the advice I give to younger widows. Get married. Have children. Take care of your own homes. Don’t give the enemy the chance to tell lies about you. ¹⁵ In fact, some have already turned away to follow Satan.

¹⁶ Suppose a woman is a believer and takes care of widows. She should continue to help them. She shouldn’t let the church pay the expenses. Then the church can help the widows who really need it.

¹⁷ The elders who do the church’s work well are worth twice as much honor. That is true in a special way of elders who preach and teach. ¹⁸ Scripture says, “Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” (Deuteronomy 25:4) Scripture also says, “Workers are worthy of their pay.” (Luke 10:7) ¹⁹ Don’t believe a charge against an elder unless two or three witnesses bring it. ²⁰ But those elders who are sinning should be corrected in front of everyone. This will be a warning to the others. ²¹ I command you to follow these instructions. I command you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels. Treat everyone the same. Don’t favor one person over another.

²² Don’t be too quick to place your hands on others to set them apart to serve God. Don’t take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

²³ Stop drinking only water. If your stomach is upset, drink a little wine. It can also help the other sicknesses you often have.

²⁴ The sins of some people are easy to see. They are already being judged. Others will be judged later. ²⁵ In the same way, good works are easy to see. But even good works that are hard to see can’t stay hidden forever.

The Time of the End

12 “At that time Michael will appear. He is the great prince of the angels. He guards your people. There will be a time of terrible suffering. Things will be worse than at any time since nations began. But at that time of suffering your people will be saved. Their names are written in the book of life. ² Many people who lie dead in their graves will wake up. Some will rise up to life that will never end. Others will rise up to shame that will never end. ³ Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the sky. Those who lead many others to do what is right will be like the stars for ever and ever. ⁴ But I want you to roll up this scroll, Daniel. Seal it until the time of the end. Many people will go here and there to increase their knowledge.”

⁵ Then I looked up and saw two other angels. One was on this side of the Tigris River. And one was on the other side. ⁶ The man who was dressed in linen was above the waters of the river. One of the angels spoke to him. He asked, “How long will it be before these amazing things come true?”

⁷ The man raised both hands toward heaven. I heard him make a promise in the name of the God who lives forever. He answered me, “Three and a half years. Then the power of the holy people will finally be broken. And all these things will come true.”

⁸ I heard what he said. But I didn’t understand it. So I asked, “My master, what will come of all this?”

⁹ He answered, “Go on your way, Daniel. The scroll is rolled up. It is sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many people will be made pure in the fire. They will be made spotless. But sinful people will continue to be evil. Not one sinful person will understand. But those who are wise will.

¹¹ “The daily sacrifices will be stopped. And the hated thing that destroys will be set up. After that, there will be 1,290 days. ¹² Blessed are those who wait for the 1,335 days and reach the end of them.

¹³ “Daniel, go on your way until the end. Your body will rest in the grave. Then at the end of the days you will rise from the dead. And you will receive what God has appointed for you.”

ז Zayin

ח Heth

ט Teth