M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Athaliah Usurps the Throne in Judah
11 Now Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, so she prepared to destroy all of the offspring of the royal family. 2 But Jehosheba the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah took Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, and she stole him from among the sons of the king who were being put to death, putting him and his nurse in the inner bedroom. So they hid him from the presence of Athaliah, and he was not killed. 3 He remained with her in the temple of Yahweh, hidden for six years while Athaliah was reigning over the land.
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of the hundreds of the Carites and the runners, and he brought them to himself to the temple of Yahweh. Then he made[a] a covenant with them and made them swear in the house of Yahweh and showed them the son of the king. 5 He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing which you must do: one third of you who go off duty on the Sabbath,[b] the keepers of the guard in the house of the king, 6 and another third at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the runners, shall guard the post of the palace alternately. 7 Two of the units among you, all who go on duty on the Sabbath,[c] guard the post of the temple of Yahweh for the king. 8 You must surround the king all about, each with his weapon in his hand; whoever comes to the ranks must be killed. Be with the king wherever he goes.”[d]
9 So the commanders of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and each took his men who went off duty on the Sabbath[e] and those who came on duty on the Sabbath,[f] and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then the priest gave to the commanders of the hundreds spears and small round shields which were King David’s, which were in the temple of Yahweh. 11 So the royal runners stood, each with his weapons in his hand, from the side of the temple to the south up to the side of the temple on the north, around the altar and around the temple, about the king all around. 12 Then he brought out the son of the king, put the crown on him with the testimony, and they made him king, anointed him, clapped their hands, and said, “Long live the king!”
13 When Athaliah heard the sound of the runners of the people, she came to the people at the temple of Yahweh. 14 She looked, and there was the king standing by the pillar according to the custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by the king, and all of the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing on the trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and she called, “Treason, treason!” 15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the commanders of the hundreds, the appointed of the army, and he said to them, “Bring her out to the house of the ranks! The one coming after her should kill her with the sword,” for the priest had said, “Let her not be killed in the temple of Yahweh.” 16 So they grabbed her[g] as she went by the entranceway of the horses to the palace of the king, and she was killed there. 17 Then Jehoiada made[h] a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that the people should be as a people for Yahweh, and also a covenant between the king and the people. 18 Then all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down, and its altars and its images they broke completely into pieces. Mattan the priest of Baal they killed in front of the altars. Then the priest put guards over the house of Yahweh. 19 He took the commanders of the hundreds and the Carites and the runners and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the temple of Yahweh. And they marched by the way of the runner’s gate to the palace of the king, and he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city rested; for Athaliah had been killed with the sword in the palace of the king.
21 [i] Jehoash was seven years old[j] when he began to reign.
Jehoash/Joash Reigns in Judah
12 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king. He reigned in Jerusalem forty years, and the name of his mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 Jehoash did right in the eyes of Yahweh all of his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 Only the high places were not removed; the people were still making sacrifices and offering incense on the high places.
Temple Repairs Planned
4 Jehoash said to the priests, “All of the money for the sacred things that is brought to the temple of Yahweh, the money taxed at its proper value for each person[k] and all of the money which comes upon the heart of a man to bring to the temple of Yahweh, 5 let the priests take for themselves, each from his treasurers, and let them repair the breach of the temple for every place where damage is found.”
6 It happened in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash that the priests had not repaired the damage in the temple. 7 So King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the priests, and he said to them, “Why are you not repairing the damage in the temple? Now, you shall not take money from your treasurers for the damage in the temple. You must provide it.” 8 So the priests agreed not to take money from the people and not to repair the damage to the temple.
9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a certain chest and bored a hole in its lid, and he put it beside the altar to the right as a man enters into the temple of Yahweh; then the priests who were keepers of the threshold would put there all of the money brought into the temple. 10 It happened that when they saw a great deal of money in the chest, the secretary of the king and the high priest would come up, put the money in bags, then count the money found in the temple of Yahweh. 11 They placed the money, which was weighed out, into the hands of the workers who were appointed over the temple of Yahweh, and they paid it to the skilled craftsmen of wood and to the builders working on the temple of Yahweh 12 and to the masons and the stonecutters, to buy timber and stones for hewing, in order to repair the damage of the temple of Yahweh, and for all who went to the temple to repair it. 13 Only, for the temple of Yahweh, there were not any silver basins, snuffers, bowls for drinking wine, trumpets, or any vessel of gold or silver from the money being brought to the temple of Yahweh. 14 For they gave that to all the workers, and they repaired the temple[l] of Yahweh with it. 15 They did not have to settle accounts with the men into whose hands they placed the money to give to the workers, for they were dealing honestly. 16 The money of the guilt offering and the money of the sin offering was not brought into the temple[m] of Yahweh, but were each for the priests.
Hazael Threatens Judah
17 At that time, Hazael king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it; then Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem. 18 Jehoash king of Judah took all of the holy objects that Jehoshaphat, Joram, and Ahaziah his ancestors,[n] the kings of Judah, had devoted, and all his holy objects and all of the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of Yahweh, and in the palace of the king, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, so that he went up from Jerusalem.
19 Now the remainder of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah? 20 Then his servants arose and conspired and killed Joash in the house of the Millo as he was going down toward Silla. 21 Jozabad[o] the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him and killed him, so they buried him with his ancestors[p] in the city of David. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.
Exhortation to Be Strong in Grace
2 You, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these things to faithful people who will be competent to teach others also. 3 Suffer together with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one who serves as a soldier is entangled in the activities of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him. 5 And also if anyone competes he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The farmer who works hard must be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Consider what I am saying, for the Lord will grant you understanding in all these things.
A Trustworthy Saying
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David according to my gospel, 9 in connection with which I suffer misfortune to the point of imprisonment[a] as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound. 10 Because of this, I endure all things for the sake of the chosen, in order that they also may obtain salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy:
For if we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful—he cannot deny himself[b].[c]
A Worker Approved to God and Not Ashamed
14 Remind people of these things, solemnly urging them before the Lord[d] not to dispute about words. This is in no way beneficial and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, a worker having no need to be ashamed, guiding the word of truth along a straight path. 16 But avoid pointless chatter, for it will progress to greater ungodliness, 17 and their message will spread[e] like gangrene, among whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have deviated concerning the truth by[f] saying the resurrection has already taken place, and they are upsetting the faith of some. 19 However, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,”[g] and “Everyone who names the name of the Lord must abstain from unrighteousness.”
20 Now in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthenware ones, some of which are for honorable use, and some of which are for ordinary use. 21 Therefore, if someone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 But flee from youthful desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, in company with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and uninformed controversies, because you[h] know that they produce quarrels. 24 And the slave of the Lord must not quarrel, but be kind toward everyone, skillful in teaching, tolerant, 25 correcting those who are opposed with gentleness, seeing whether perhaps God may grant them repentance to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they will come to their senses again and escape from the trap of the devil, being held captive by him to do his will.
Another Symbolic Marriage
3 And Yahweh said to me again,
“Go, love a woman
who has a lover[a] and is committing adultery,
just like the love of Yahweh for the children of Israel,
but they are turning to other gods
and love raisin cakes.”
2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver
and a homer of barely and a measure of wine.[b]
3 And I said to her,
“You must remain as mine[c] for many days,
and you will not play the whore;
you will not belong[d] to a man,
and I will belong to you.”
4 The children of Israel will remain for many days
without a king and prince,
without sacrifice and stone pillar, ephod and teraphim.
5 Afterward the children of Israel will return
and seek Yahweh their God and David their king.
They will come in fear to Yahweh
and to his goodness at the end of days.
Yahweh Has an Indictment
4 Hear the word of Yahweh, O children of Israel,
for Yahweh has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or loyalty,
there is no knowledge of God in the land.
2 Swearing and lying,
murdering and stealing,
and adultery break out,[e]
and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
and all those living in it languish
with the animals of the field,
and the birds of the heaven,
and even the fish of the sea
are being swept away.
4 Yet, let no one contend,
and let no one accuse,
for with you, O priest, is my contention.[f]
5 You will stumble by day,
and the priest also will stumble
with you at night.
And I will destroy your mother;
6 My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge,
I reject you from acting as a priest for me.[g]
And since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I will also forget your children.[h]
7 When they became many, their sin increased against me;
they changed[i] their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people,[j]
they are greedy[k] for their iniquity.
9 And it will be like people, like priest;
I will punish them[l] for their[m] ways,
and I will requite them[n] for their[o] deeds.
10 They will eat and not be satisfied;
they will play the whore and not multiply,
because they have forsaken Yahweh to devote themselves to
11 whoredom.[p]
Wine and new wine take away the understanding.[q]
12 My people,
consult their wooden idols,[r]
and their divining rod gives them oracles;
because a spirit of whoredom led them astray,
and they played the whore from under their God.[s]
13 On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice,
and on the hills they make offerings,
under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
because their[t] shade is good.
Therefore your daughters play the whore,
and all your daughters-in-law[u] commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters[v] when they play the whore,
or your daughters-in-law[w] when they commit adultery;
because they go aside with whores,
and they sacrifice with temple prostitutes,
a people that does not understand comes to ruin.
15 Even though you, O Israel, are playing the whore,
do not let Judah become guilty;
do not enter Gilgal,
or go up to Beth-aven;
and do not swear,
“As Yahweh lives!”[x]
16 Indeed, like a stubborn heifer,
Israel is stubborn;
Now Yahweh will feed them,
like a lamb in broad pasture.[y]
17 Ephraim is joined to idols;
let him alone.
18 When their drinking has ended,
they surely indulge in sexual orgies.
They love lewdness more than their[z] glory.
19 A wind has wrapped them[aa] in its wings,
and they will be ashamed because of their altars.
ʽAyin
121 I have done justice and righteousness;[a]
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Pledge good for your servant;
do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes long for[b] your salvation,
and your righteous word.[c]
124 Deal with your servant according to your loyal love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your statutes.
126 It is time for Yahweh to act,[d]
for they have broken your law.
127 Therefore I love your commands
more than gold, even fine gold.
128 Therefore all your precepts of everything I regard as right;
I hate every false way.
Pe
129 Your testimonies are miracles,
therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light,
giving understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commands.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is proper for those who love your name.
133 Direct my steps in your word,[e]
and do not let any iniquity gain power over me.
134 Redeem me from the oppression of humankind,
that I may heed your precepts.
135 Shine your face on your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 Streams of water flow down from my eyes,
because people do not heed your law.
Tsade
137 You are righteous, O Yahweh,
and your ordinances are upright.
138 You have ordained your testimonies in righteousness,
and in exceeding faithfulness.
139 My zeal consumes me,
because my enemies have forgotten your words.
140 Your word is very pure,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your law is truth.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me;
your commands delight me.
144 The righteousness of your testimonies is forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
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