M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
24 And Avraham was zaken (old), and well stricken in age; and Hashem berach (had blessed) Avraham in all things.
2 And Avraham said unto his eved zekan of his bais, hamoshel (that ruled) over all that he had, Put, now, thy yad under my thigh;
3 And I will make thee swear by Hashem Elohei HaShomayim and Elohei Ha’Aretz, that thou shalt not take an isha unto beni of the Banot HaKena’ani, among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go unto my eretz, and to my moledet, and take an isha unto beni Yitzchak.
5 And the eved said unto him, What if the isha will not be willing to follow me unto HaAretz Hazot: must I needs bring binecha back unto ha’aretz from where thou camest?
6 And Avraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not beni to there!
7 Hashem Elohei HaShomayim, which took me from bais avi,and from the eretz of my moledet, and which spoke unto me, and that swore unto me, saying, Unto thy zera will I give HaAretz Hazot; He shall send His Malach before thee, and thou shalt take an isha unto beni from there.
8 But if the isha will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be released from this my shevu’ah (oath): only do not bring back beni there.
9 And the eved put his yad under yerech Avraham adonav, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 And the eved took asarah gemalim of the gemalei adonav, and departed; for all the goods of adonav were in his yad: and he arose, and went to Aram Naharayim, [Mesopotamia] unto the Ir Nachor.
11 And he made his gemalim to kneel down outside the Ir near a be’er hamayim at the time of erev, at the time that women go out to draw mayim.
12 And he said Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, now, send me success this yom, and show chesed unto adoni Avraham.
13 Hinei, I stand here by the ayin hamayim; and the banot anshei haIr come out to draw mayim;
14 And let it come to pass, that the na’arah to whom I shall say, Let down thy jug, now, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy gemalim drink also; let the same be she that Thou hast appointed for Thy eved Yitzchak; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast showed chesed unto adoni.
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, hinei, Rivkah came out, who was born to Beituel Ben Milcah, eshet Nachor, achi Avraham, with her jug upon her shoulder.
16 And the na’arah was tovat mareh me’od, a betulah, neither had any ish known her: and she went down to haayenah (the spring), and filled her jug, and came up.
17 And the eved hurried to meet her, and said, Let me, now, drink a little mayim of thy jug.
18 And she said,Drink, adoni: and she hasted, and let down her jug upon her yad, and gave him drink
19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw for thy gemalim also, until they have done drinking.
20 And she hasted, and emptied her jug into the trough, and ran back unto the be’er to draw, and drew for all his gemalim.
21 And the ish gazed at her and held his peace, so as to have da’as whether Hashem had made his derech prosperous or not.
22 And it came to pass, just as the gemalim had done drinking, that the ish took a nezem zahav (gold ring) by weight a beka, and two tzemidim (bracelets) by weight ten [shekels of] gold for her wrists;
23 And said, Whose bat art thou? Tell me, now: is there makom in the bais of thy av for us to spend the night?
24 And she said unto him, I am Bat Beituel Ben Milcah, the ben which she bore unto Nachor.
25 She said moreover unto him, We have both teven (straw) and mispo (fodder) enough, and makom (room) to spend the night.
26 And the ish bowed his head, worshiped Hashem.
27 And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, who hath not left destitute of His chesed and His emes; I being on the derech, Hashem led me to the bais achei adoni.
28 And the na’arah ran, and told them of her bais em these things.
29 And Rivkah had an ach, shmo Lavan; Lavan ran out unto the ish, unto the ayin.
30 And it came to pass, when he saw the nezem and tzemidim upon the wrists of his achot, and when he heard the words of Rivkah his achot, saying, Thus spoke the ish unto me; that he came unto the ish; and, hinei, he stood by the gemalim at the ayin.
31 And he said, Come in, Baruch Hashem; why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the bais, and makom for the gemalim.
32 And the ish came into the bais; and he unloaded his gemalim, and gave teven (straw) and mispo (fodder) for the camels, and mayim to wash his raglayim, and the raglei haanashim that were with him.
33 And there was set ochel before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have stated my business. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am eved Avraham.
35 And Hashem hath blessed adoni me’od; and he is become prospered: and He hath given him tzon, and bakar, and kesef, and zahav, and avadim, and shefachot, and gemalim, and chamorim.
36 And Sarah eshet adoni bore ben to adoni when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37 And adoni made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take an isha for beni of the Banot HaKena’ani, in whose land I dwell;
38 But thou shalt go unto bais avi, to my mishpokhot, and take an isha unto beni.
39 And I said unto adoni, What if the isha will not follow me.
40 And he said unto me, Hashem, before Whom I walk, will send His Malach with thee, and prosper thy derech; and thou shalt take an isha for beni of my mishpokhot, and of my bais avi;
41 Then shalt thou be released from this my oath, when thou comest to my mishpokhot; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be released from my oath.
42 And I came this day unto the ayin, and said, Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, if now Thou do prosper my derech which I go;
43 Hinei, I stand by the ayin hamayim; and it shall come to pass, that when haAlmah [haAlmah used here as synonym for na’arahbetulah, Genesis 24:16; see Isaiah 7:14, p.vii-xii] cometh forth to draw mayim, and I say to her, Give me, now, a little mayim of thy jar to drink;
44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy gemalim; let the same be the isha whom Hashem hath appointed for ben adoni.
45 And before I had done davening in mine lev, hinei, Rivkah came forth with her jar on her shoulder; and she went down unto ha’ayenah, and drew: and I said unto her, Let me drink, now.
46 And she made haste, and let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy gemalim drink also: so I drank, and she made the gemalim drink also.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose bat art thou? And she said, Bat Beituel Ben Nachor, the ben whom Milcah bore unto him: and I put the nezem upon her face, and the tzemidim upon her wrists.
48 And I bowed down my head, and worshiped Hashem, and I said a brocha to Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, which had led me on the derech emes to take bat achi adoni for bno.
49 And now if ye will do chesed and emes to adoni, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to yamin, or to smol.
50 Then Lavan and Beituel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from Hashem; we cannot speak unto thee rah or tov.
51 Hinei, Rivkah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be isha for ben adonecha, just as Hashem hath spoken.
52 And it came to pass, that, when eved Avraham heard their words, he worshiped Hashem, bowing himself to the ground.
53 And the eved brought forth kelei kesef, and kelei zahav, and begadim, and gave them to Rivkah; he gave also to her ach and to her em migdanot (costly gifts).
54 And they did eat and drink, he and the anashim that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the boker, and he said, Send me away unto adoni.
55 And her ach and her em said, Let the na’arah abide with us ten days or so; after that she shall go.
56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing Hashem hath prospered my derech; send me away that I may go to adoni.
57 And they said, We will call the na’arah, and inquire at her mouth.
58 And they called Rivkah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this ish? And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent away Rivkah their achot, and her nurse, and eved Avraham, and his anashim.
60 And they said a brocha over Rivkah, and said unto her, Thou art achoteinu, may thou be increased to thousands upon thousands and may thy zera possess the sha’ar of those which hate them.
61 And Rivkah arose, and her na’arot, and they rode upon the gemalim, and followed the ish: and the eved took Rivkah, and went his way.
62 And Yitzchak had come from Be’er Lachi Roi; for he dwelt in the eretz hanegev.
63 And Yitzchak went out to meditate in the sadeh at erev: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, hinei, the gemalim (camels) were coming.
64 And Rivkah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Yitzchak, she got down from the gamal.
65 For she had said unto the eved, Who is that ish that walketh in the sadeh to meet us? And the eved had said, He is adoni: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
66 And the eved told Yitzchak all things that he had done.
67 And Yitzchak brought her into the ohel of Sarah immo, and took Rivkah, and she became his isha; and he loved her: and Yitzchak was comforted after the [mot] immo.
23 Then Moshiach spoke to the multitudes and to his Talmidim,
2 Saying, Upon the Kisei Moshe (Chair of Moses) sit the Sofrim and the Perushim.
3 Therefore, everything whatever they may tell you, be frum and be shomer, but according to their ma’asim (works) do not be shomer, for they do not practice what they preach.
4 And they tie up heavy [extra-Biblical, Mt 4:4; 15:3,6-9; 22:29] loads, hard to bear, and they place them upon the shoulders of men, but they, with so much as a finger, are not willing to lift the oppressive burdens.
5 And all their maasim hamitzvot (works of the commandments) they do in order to be seen by Bnei Adam, for they broaden their tefillin and lengthen their tzitziyot
6 and they love the places of honor at the seudot (banquet dinners), and the shuls,
7 And the [obsequious] Birkat Shalom greetings in the market places, and to be called by Bnei Adam, Rebbe.
8 But you are not to have pretentious titles like Rebbe, for One is your Rebbe [Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach], and all of you are Achim b’Moshiach.
9 And do not refer to anyone in the Olam Hazeh as your Abba, for One is your Av shbaShomayim.
10 Neither be called Moreinu, for One is your Moreh (teacher) the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach [Moreinu].
11 And the greatest among you will be your eved mesharet (servant, minister).
12 But whoever will lift up himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be lifted up.
13 But oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim (hypocrites), for in front of Bnei Adam you shut the Malchut HaShomayim. You do not go in yourselves, and the ones entering, you do not permit to enter.
14 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim! You devour the batim of almanot and for the sake of chashuve (importance) appearance you make long tefillot; therefore your gezar din (verdict) will be more severe.
15 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim. You travel over the sea and the dry land for the giyyur (proselytization) of one proselyte; then, when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehinnom as you.
16 Oy to you, morei derech ivrim (blind guides), the, ones saying, Whoever swears by the Beis Hamikdash, it is a worthless shevuah (oath): but whoever swears by the gold of the Beis Hamikdash, he is obligated.
17 Ivrim! (blind ones), for which is greater, the gold or the Beis Hamikdash which gives the gold its kedushah (holiness, sanctity)?
18 And whoever swears by the Mizbeach (altar), it is worthless; but whoever swears by the korban upon it, he is obligated.
19 Ivrim, blind ones, for which is greater, the korban or Mizbeach which gives the korban its kedushah (holiness, sanctity)?
20 Therefore, the one having sworn by the Mizbeach swears by it and everything upon it.
21 And the one having sworn by the Beis Hamikdash swears by it and by everything indwelling it.
22 And the one having sworn by Shomayim swears by the kes malchut of Hashem and by the One sitting upon the kes malchut.
23 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim, for you give maasros (tithe) of mint and dill and cumin, and you have neglected the matters of the Torah of greater consequence: mishpat, chesed, and emunah. These things it was necessary to do and those [others] not to neglect.
24 Morei derech ivrim (blind guides), the ones that strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.
25 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim, you cleanse the outside of the kos (cup) and the dish, but inside they are full of chamdanut (greed) and taavanut (lust).
26 Blind Parush, first cleanse the inside of the kos, that perhaps also the outside may become clean.
27 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim, for you are like kevarim (graves) having been whitewashed, which on the outside indeed appear ois vaist (ostensibly) shein (beautiful), but on the inside are full of the unclean bones of the mesim (dead ones) and every trayfnyak.
28 Thus on the outside you indeed appear tzodek (righteous) to Bnei Adam, but on the inside you are full of tzeviut (hypocrisy) and you are lawlessly against the Torah.
29 Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevuim, for you build kevarim of the Neviim and decorate matsevot (gravestones) of the tzaddikim,
30 And you say, If we were in the yamim (days) of Avoteinu (our Fathers), we would not have been shuttafim (partners) with them in the dahm haNeviim (blood of the Prophets).
31 Therefore, you are edim (witnesses) against yourselves that you are the banim (sons) of the ratzchaniyot (murderers) of the Neviim.
32 And you fill up the measure of your Avot.
33 Snakes, you banim of nachashim, how can you escape the Yom HaDin of Gehinnom?
34 For this reason hinei! I send to you Neviim and Chachamim and Sofrim, some of whom you will kill and some you will make talui al haetz (being hanged on the Tree, DEVARIM 21:23) and some you will subject to the shot (whip) in your shuls, and you will drive them out from city to city,
35 So that upon you may come all the dahm naki (innocent blood) shed upon the earth from the blood of Hevel to the blood of Zecharyah, whom you murdered between the Heikhal and the Mizbeach. [trans. note: cf. Lk 11:51 for Mt’s probable original text here]
36 Omein, I say to you, that all these things will come upon this generation.
37 Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, the ones that kill the Neviim and stone those having been sent to you! How often have I wanted to gather your yeladim, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 Hinei! Look! KI LECHARBAH YIH’YEH HABEIT HAZEH (for this House will become a ruin (i.e. churban) YIRMEYAH 22:5).
39 For I say to you, by no means will you see me [Moshiach] from now until you say, BARUCH HABAH BSHEM ADONOI.
13 On that day they read in the Sefer Moshe in the ears of HaAm; and therein was found written, that the Ammoni and the Moavi should not come into the Kehal HaElohim forever,
2 Because they met not the Bnei Yisroel with lechem and with mayim, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them; howbeit Eloheinu turned the kelalah into a brocha.
3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the Torah, that they separated from Yisroel all the foreign descent.
4 And before this, Elyashiv the Kohen, having the oversight of the storeroom of the Beis Eloheinu, was allied unto Toviyah;
5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the minchah, the levonah, and the vessels, and the ma’aser of the grain, the tirosh, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levi’im, and the singers, and the gatekeepers; and the terumat hakohanim.
6 But in all this time was not I at Yerushalayim; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta Melech Bavel came I unto HaMelech, and after certain days obtained I leave of HaMelech;
7 And I came to Yerushalayim, and understood of the evil that Elyashiv did for Toviyah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the Beis HaElohim.
8 And it grieved me much; therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Toviyah out of the chamber.
9 Then I commanded, and they made tahor the chambers, and there brought I again the vessels of the Beis HaElohim, with the minchah and the levonah.
10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levi’im had not been given them, for the Levi’im and the singers, that did the work, had gone back every one to his sadeh.
11 Then contended I with the officials, and said, Why is the Beis HaElohim forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
12 Then brought all Yehudah the ma’asar of the grain and the tirosh and the oil unto the Otzarot.
13 And I made over the Otzarot Shelemyah the Kohen, and Tzadok the Sofer, and of the Levi’im, Pedayah; and next to them was Chanan ben Zakkur, ben Matanyah; for they were considered ne’emanim, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.
14 Remember me, O Elohai, concerning this, and wipe not out my faithful deeds that I have done for the Beis Elohai, and for the offices thereof.
15 In those days saw I in Yehudah some treading winepresses on Shabbos, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; as also yayin, grapes, and figs, and all manner of massa (burdens), which they brought into Yerushalayim on Shabbos; and I warned them against selling food on Shabbos.
16 There dwelt men of Tzor also therein, which brought dag (fish), and all manner of merchandise, and sold on Shabbos unto the Bnei Yehudah, and in Yerushalayim.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Yehudah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, being Mechallel Shabbos (desecrator of Shabbos)?
18 Did not your avot thus, and did not Eloheinu bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Yisroel by committing Chillul Shabbos (desecration of Shabbos).
19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Yerushalayim began to be dark before Shabbos, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after Shabbos, and some of my own men set I at the gates, that there should no massa (burden) be brought in on Shabbos.
20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise lodged outside Yerushalayim.
21 Then I warned them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on Shabbos.
22 And I commanded the Levi’im that they should make themselves tahor, and that they should come and be shomer over the gates, to set apart as kodesh Shabbos. Remember me, O Elohai, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.
23 In those days also saw I Yehudim that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moav,
24 And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of the Yehudim, but according to the language of each people.
25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by Elohim, saying, Ye shall not give your banot unto their banim, nor take their banot unto your banim, or for yourselves.
26 Did not Sh’lomo Melech Yisroel sin by these things? Yet among many Goyim was there no melech like him, who was beloved of Elohav, and Elohim made him melech over kol Yisroel. Nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.
27 Shall we then pay heed unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against Eloheinu in marrying strange wives?
28 And one of the Bnei Yoyada ben Elyashiv, the Kohen HaGadol, was son-inlaw to Sanvalat the Choroni; therefore I drove him away from me.
29 Remember them, O Elohai, because they have defiled the kehunah, and the brit (covenant) of the kehunah, and of the Levi’im.
30 Thus I cleansed them from all that is foreign, and had them attend again to the duties of the Kohanim and the Levi’im, every one in his appointed work;
31 And for the korban of wood, at times appointed, and for the bikkurim. Remember me, O Elohai, for good.
23 And as he gazed at the Sanhedrin, Rav Sha’ul said, “Anashim, Achim, I have lived before Hashem until this day with a lev tahor.”
2 And the Kohen Gadol Chananyah ordered the ones standing by Rav Sha’ul to strike his mouth.
3 Then Rav Sha’ul said to him, “Hashem is about to strike you, you white-washed wall! You sit judging me according to Torah and yet in violation of the Torah you command me to be struck?” [Lv 19:15; Dt 25:1,2]
4 And the ones standing by said, “Do you revile the Kohen Gadol of Hashem?”
5 And Rav Sha’ul said, “I was without da’as, Achim, that he is the Kohen Gadol, for it has been written, NASI V’AMMECHA LO TA’OR (“A ruler of your people you will not speak evil of, curse,” Ex 22:27(28)
6 And Rav Sha’ul, having da’as that one kat is of Tzedukim (Sadducees) and the other of Perushim (Pharisees), was crying out in the Sanhedrin, “Anashim, Achim, I am a Parush ben Parush and it is for the tikvah of the Techiyas HaMesim that I am being judged.”
7 Now when Rav Sha’ul said this, there came about a machlochet (controversy) between the Perushim and Tzedukim, and the multitude was divided.
8 Loit (according to) the Tzedukim, there is no Techiyas HaMesim nor a malach nor ruchot, but Perushim acknowledge all these things.
9 And there was a kol gadol and some of the Sofrim of the kat of the Perushim were arguing vigorously, saying, “Nothing rah do we find keneged this ish, and what if a ruach did speak to him or a malach?”
10 And fearing much more machloket was coming, the Roman tribune ordered the troops to go down to take Rav Sha’ul away from the midst of them and to bring him into the barracks lest he be torn to pieces by them.
11 And on the following lailah, HaAdon stood by Rav Sha’ul and said, “Chazak! For as you gave solemn edut about me in Yerushalayim, thus it is necessary for you also to bear solemn eidus in Rome.”
12 In the boker, the Judeans joined in a kesher and bound themselves with a shevu’ah that none of them would eat or drink until they had carried out their plot of retzichah b’seter of Rav Sha’ul.
13 Now there were more than arba’im anashim (forty men) who joined in this kesher.
14 After they approached the Rashei HaKohanim (Chief Priests) and the Zekenim (Elders), they said, "We have bound ourselves with a shevu’ah (oath) to eat nothing until we have killed Rav Sha’ul.
15 "Now, therefore, you with the Sanhedrin notify the tribune so that he may bring Rav Sha’ul down to you as if intending to determine more accurately the things concerning him, and, before he draws near, we are ready to kill him."
16 Now when Rav Sha’ul’s achyon (nephew) heard about the ma’arav (ambush), he went and gained entrance into the barracks and reported this to Rav Sha’ul.
17 And Rav Sha’ul summoned one of the centurions and said, "Bring this bochur to the tribune for he has something to report to him."
18 So the centurion took the bochur and brought him to the tribune and says, "The prisoner Rav Sha’ul has summoned me and asked me to bring this bochur to you; he has something to say to you."
19 The tribune grasped the bochur’s hand and drew him aside privately, inquiring, "What is it you have to report to me?"
20 And the bochur said, "The Judeans agreed to ask you to bring Rav Sha’ul down machar (tomorrow) to the Sanhedrin as if intending to inquire something more accurate concerning him.
21 "Therefore, you should not be persuaded by them, for more than arba’im anashim are lying in wait for him and these took a shevu’ah upon themselves neither to eat nor to drink until they have assassinated him, and now they are ready, waiting for your consent."
22 Therefore, the tribune dismissed the bochur, ordering him, "Tell no one that you reported these things to me."
23 And having summoned two of the centurions, the tribune said, "Prepare to leave for Caesarea by nine o’clock tonight the following: two hundred chaiyalim, seventy horsemen, and two hundred bowmen.
24 "And also provide mounts for Rav Sha’ul to ride, that he may be given safe passage to Felix the Moshel."
25 Then the tribune wrote an iggeret to this effect:
26 "Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Moshel, Felix. Greetings.
27 "This man was seized by the Judeans and was about to be killed by them, but when I learned that he is a Roman citizen, I came with the chaiyalim and rescued him.
28 "Desiring to have da’as of the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
29 "I found he was being accused about issues of their Torah and the charge was nothing worthy of mavet or of imprisonment.
30 "And when I received information of a kesher (plot) keneged (against) the man, I sent him immediately to you, having given orders also to his accusers to state their case against Rav Sha’ul before your excellency."
31 Therefore, as they were ordered, the chaiyalim took Rav Sha’ul along and brought him under cover of lailah to Antipatris.
32 And on the next day, having allowed the horsemen to go on with Rav Sha’ul, they returned to the barracks.
33 When the horsemen entered into Caesarea, they delivered the iggeret to the Moshel and also presented Rav Sha’ul to him.
34 And having read it, and having asked from what province Rav Sha’ul hailed, the Moshel learned that he was from Cilicia.
35 "I will give you a hearing," Felix said, "when also your accusers arrive." Then the Moshel commanded Rav Sha’ul to be watched by shomrim in the Praetorium of Herod.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International