M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Hezekiah Rules Judah

18 In the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to rule. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. ³ Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. ⁴ He took away the high places. He broke down the holy pillars used in worship and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the brass snake that Moses had made. For until those days the people of Israel burned special perfume to it. It was called Nehushtan. ⁵ Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah before him or after him. ⁶ For he held to the Lord and did not stop following Him. He kept His Laws which the Lord had given Moses. ⁷ And the Lord was with him. Hezekiah did well in every place he went. He turned against the king of Assyria and did not work for him. ⁸ He destroyed the Philistines as far as Gaza and its land, from the smallest town to the strongest city.

⁹ In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, the seventh year of Elah’s son Hoshea king of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came to fight against Samaria. His army gathered around it. ¹⁰ At the end of three years they took the city. Samaria was taken by Assyria in the sixth year of Hezekiah and the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel. ¹¹ Then the king of Assyria carried the people of Israel away against their will to Assyria. He had them live in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. ¹² Because the people of Israel did not obey the voice of the Lord their God. They sinned against His agreement and even all that the Lord’s servant Moses told them. They would not listen or obey.

The Assyrians Want to Take Jerusalem

¹³ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and fought against all the strong cities of Judah and took them. ¹⁴ Then King Hezekiah of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; leave me. I will pay whatever you ask.” So the king of Assyria had Hezekiah king of Judah pay him silver weighing as much as 300 men, and gold weighing as much as thirty men. ¹⁵ Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the store-rooms of the king’s house. ¹⁶ Then he cut the gold off the doors of the Lord’s house. He cut the gold from the sides of the door which King Hezekiah of Judah had covered with gold. And he gave it to the king of Assyria.

¹⁷ Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris and Rabshakeh with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. They came and stood by the ditch of the upper pool, which is on the road to the fuller’s field. ¹⁸ When they called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah the son of Asaph came out to them. Eliakim was the head of the house. Shebnah was the writer, and Joah wrote down the things of the nation. ¹⁹ Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king of Assyria says. “What is this strength of heart that you have? ²⁰ You say with empty words, ‘I have wisdom and strength for war.’ On whom do you trust, that you have turned against me? ²¹ Look, you are trusting now in Egypt. It is a walking stick like a piece of broken river-grass. It will cut into a man’s hand if he rests on it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. ²² You might tell me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God.’ But is it not He Whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away? And has he not said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship in front of this altar in Jerusalem’? ²³ Come now, make an agreement with my ruler the king of Assyria. And I will give you 2,000 horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them. ²⁴ How can you fight back one captain among the least of my ruler’s servants, when you trust Egypt for war-wagons and horsemen? ²⁵ Have I come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”

²⁶ Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah. The people on the wall might hear it.” ²⁷ But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my ruler sent me to speak these words to your ruler and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall? They are sure to suffer with you, eating and drinking their own body waste.” ²⁸ Then Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in the language of Judah, saying, “Hear the word of the great king of Assyria. ²⁹ The king says, ‘Do not let Hezekiah lie to you. For he will not be able to save you from my power. ³⁰ Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will save us for sure. And this city will not be given to the king of Assyria.” ³¹ Do not listen to Hezekiah. For the king of Assyria says, “Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat of his own vine and fig tree. And every one of you will drink the water of his own well. ³² Then I will come and take you away to a land like your own land. It is a land of grain and new wine. It is a land of bread and grape-fields and olive trees and honey. There you will live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah when he lies to you, saying, “The Lord will save us.” ³³ Has any one of the gods of the nations saved his land from the power of the king of Assyria? ³⁴ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my power? ³⁵ Who among all the gods of the lands have saved their land from my power? So how should the Lord save Jerusalem from my power?’” ³⁶ But the people were quiet. They did not answer him a word. For Hezekiah had told them, “Do not answer him.” ³⁷ Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah who was the head of the house, and Shebna the writer, and Joah the son of Asaph who wrote down the things of the nation, came to Hezekiah. They came with their clothes torn and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

¹ This letter is from Paul. I am in prison because of Jesus Christ. Brother Timothy is also writing to you, Philemon. You are a much-loved workman together with us. ² We are also writing to the church that meets in your home. This letter is also for our Christian sister Apphia and it is for Archippus who is a soldier together with us. ³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you His loving-favor and peace.

⁴ I always thank God when I speak of you in my prayers. ⁵ It is because I hear of your love and trust in the Lord Jesus and in all the Christians. ⁶ I pray that our faith together will help you know all the good things you have through Christ Jesus. ⁷ Your love has given me much joy and comfort. The hearts of the Christians have been made happy by you, Christian brother.

⁸ So now, through Christ, I am free to tell you what you must do. ⁹ But because I love you, I will only ask you. I am Paul, an old man, here in prison because of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I am asking you for my son, Onesimus. He has become my son in the Christian life while I have been here in prison. ¹¹ At one time he was of no use to you. But now he is of use to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him back to you. It is like sending you my own heart. ¹³ I would like to keep him with me. He could have helped me in your place while I am in prison for preaching the Good News. ¹⁴ But I did not want to keep him without word from you. I did not want you to be kind to me because you had to but because you wanted to. ¹⁵ He ran away from you for awhile. But now he is yours forever. ¹⁶ Do not think of him any longer as a servant you own. He is more than that to you. He is a much-loved Christian brother to you and to me.

¹⁷ If you think of me as a true friend, take him back as you would take me. ¹⁸ If he has done anything wrong or owes you anything, send me

the bill. ¹⁹ I will pay it. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will not talk about how much you owe me because you owe me your life. ²⁰ Yes, Christian brother, I want you to be of use to me as a Christian. Give my heart new joy in Christ. ²¹ I write this letter knowing you will do what I ask and even more.

²² Please have a room ready for me. I trust God will answer your prayers and let me come to you soon. ²³ Epaphras says hello. He is a brother in Christ in prison with me. ²⁴ Mark and Aristarchus and Demas and Luke who are workers with me say hello. ²⁵ May the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

God’s Love for His Sinful People

11 “When Israel was a child, I loved him. And I called My son out of Egypt. ² The more I called them, the more they went from Me. They kept giving gifts in worship to the Baals and burning special perfume to false gods. ³ Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in My arms. But they did not know that I healed them. ⁴ I led them with ropes of human kindness, with ties of love. I lifted the load from their neck and went down to feed them.

⁵ “They will not return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria will be their king, because they would not return to Me. ⁶ The sword will come upon their cities and destroy their gates. And it will destroy them because of their plans. ⁷ My people are always turning from Me. Even when those who speak for the Lord call them to the Most High, no one honors Him.

⁸ “How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I give you up, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart will not let Me do it. I love you very much. ⁹ I will not do anything in My burning anger. I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man. I am the Holy One among you, and I will not come in anger. ¹⁰ They will follow the Lord, and He will make noise like a lion. Yes, He will make noise like a lion, and His children will come from the west shaking with fear. ¹¹ They will come shaking like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria. And I will return them to their homes,” says the Lord.

Israel and Judah Are Judged

¹² “The lies of Ephraim and the lies of the people of Israel are all around Me. And Judah will not obey God, the One Who is holy and faithful.”

A Prayer for the House of God

132 O Lord, remember David and all of his suffering. ² Remember how he swore to the Lord, and how he made a promise to the Powerful One of Jacob: ³ “For sure I will not go into my house or lie on my bed, ⁴ or let sleep come and close my eyes, ⁵ until I find a place for the Lord, a house of worship for the Powerful One of Jacob.”

⁶ See, we heard about it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar. ⁷ Let us go into the House of God. Let us worship at His feet. ⁸ Rise up, O Lord. Go to the place where You can rest, You and the special box of the Way of Worship which is Your strength. ⁹ Let Your religious leaders be dressed with what is right and good. And let those who belong to You sing for joy.

¹⁰ Because of David Your servant, do not turn away from Your chosen one. ¹¹ The Lord has made a sure promise to David that He will never break: “I will set upon your throne your own children. ¹² If your sons will keep My Law and My Word which I will teach them, then their sons will sit upon your throne forever.”

¹³ For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has wanted it for a place to live: ¹⁴ “This is the place where I can rest forever. Here I will live, for I have wanted it. ¹⁵ I will give her many good things. I will give her poor people much bread. ¹⁶ I will dress her religious leaders with saving power. And those in her that belong to Me will sing for joy. ¹⁷ There I will make the horn of David grow and will make a lamp ready for My chosen one. ¹⁸ I will dress those who hate him with shame. But the crown on him will shine.”

A Song of Praise

133 See, how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to live together as one! ² It is like oil of great worth poured on the head, flowing down through the hair on the face, even the face of Aaron, and flowing down to his coat. ³ It is like the morning water of Hermon coming down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has given the gift of life that lasts forever.

A Call to Praise

134 See, give honor and thanks to the Lord, all who work for the Lord, who stand during the night in the house of the Lord. ² Lift up your hands to the holy place and give thanks to the Lord. ³ May the Lord bring good to you from Zion. He is the One Who made heaven and earth.