M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jehu Writes the Leaders of Samaria
10 Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers and leaders of Jezreel.[a] He also sent the letters to the people who raised Ahab’s sons saying, 2-3 “As soon as you get this letter, choose the one who is the best and most worthy among your master’s sons. You have chariots and horses. And you are living in a strong city. You also have weapons. Put the son you choose on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s family.”
4 But the rulers and leaders of Jezreel were very afraid. They said, “The two kings could not stop Jehu. So we cannot stop him either!”
5 The palace manager, the official in charge of the city, the elders, and the people who raised the king’s children sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants and we will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king; you may do whatever you think is best.”
Leaders of Samaria Kill Ahab’s Children
6 Then Jehu wrote a second letter to these leaders. He said, “If you support me and obey me, cut off the heads of Ahab’s sons. Bring them to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.”
Ahab had 70 sons. They were with the leaders of the city who raised them. 7 When the leaders of the city received the letter, they took the king’s sons and killed all 70 of them. Then the leaders put the heads of the king’s sons in baskets and sent the baskets to Jehu at Jezreel. 8 The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
Then Jehu said, “Lay the heads in two piles at the city gate until morning.”
9 In the morning Jehu went out and stood before the people. He said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master. I killed him. But who killed all these sons of Ahab? You killed them. 10 You should know that everything the Lord says will happen. The Lord used Elijah to say these things about Ahab’s family. Now the Lord has done what he said he would do.”
11 So Jehu killed all the people in Ahab’s family living in Jezreel. He killed all the important men, close friends, and priests. None of Ahab’s people were left alive.
Jehu Kills Ahaziah’s Relatives
12 Jehu left Jezreel and went to Samaria. On the way, he stopped at a place called Shepherd’s Camp. 13 There he met with the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. Jehu asked, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We are the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. We have come down to visit the king’s children and the queen mother’s[b] children.”
14 Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!”
Jehu’s men captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive. There were 42 of them. Jehu killed them at the well near Beth Eked. He did not leave anyone alive.
Jehu Meets Jehonadab
15 After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehonadab was on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted Jehonadab and said to him, “Are you a faithful friend to me, as I am to you?”[c]
Jehonadab answered, “Yes, I am a faithful friend to you.”
Jehu said, “If you are, give me your hand.”
Then Jehu reached out and pulled Jehonadab up into the chariot.
16 Jehu said, “Come with me. You can see how strong my feelings are for the Lord.”
So Jehonadab rode in Jehu’s chariot. 17 Jehu came to Samaria and killed all Ahab’s family who were still alive in Samaria. He killed them all. He did what the Lord had told Elijah.
Jehu Calls the Worshipers of Baal
18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal much. 19 Now call together all the priests and prophets of Baal. And call together everyone who worships Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting. I have a great sacrifice to give to Baal. I will kill anyone who does not come to this meeting.”
But Jehu was tricking them. He wanted to destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20 Jehu said, “Prepare a holy meeting for Baal.” So the priests announced the meeting. 21 Then Jehu sent a message through all the land of Israel. All the worshipers of Baal came. Not one stayed home. The Baal worshipers came into the temple of Baal. The temple was filled with people.
22 Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out the robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” So that man brought out the robes for the Baal worshipers.
23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Look around and be sure that there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only people who worship Baal.” 24 The worshipers of Baal went into the temple of Baal to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
But outside, Jehu had 80 men waiting. He told them, “Don’t let anyone escape. If any man lets one person escape, that man must pay with his own life.”
25 Quickly after Jehu had finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guards and to the captains, “Go in and kill the worshipers of Baal! Don’t let anyone come out of the temple alive!”
So the captains used thin swords and killed the worshipers of Baal. They threw the bodies of the worshipers of Baal out. Then the guards and the captains went to the inner room[d] of the temple of Baal. 26 They brought out the memorial stones that were in the temple of Baal and burned that temple. 27 Then they smashed the memorial stones of Baal. They also smashed the temple of Baal. They made the temple of Baal into a public toilet, which is still used today.
28 So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, 29 but he did not completely turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. Jehu did not destroy the golden calves in Bethel and in Dan.
Jehu’s Rule Over Israel
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have done what I say is good. You destroyed Ahab’s family the way I wanted you to, so your descendants will rule Israel for four generations.”
31 But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the Lord with all his heart. Jehu did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam that caused Israel to sin.
Hazael Defeats Israel
32 At that time the Lord began to cut away sections of Israel and give them to other nations. King Hazael of Aram defeated the Israelites on every border of Israel. 33 He won the land east of the Jordan River—all the land of Gilead, including the land that belonged to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. He won all the land from Aroer by the Arnon Valley to Gilead and Bashan.
The Death of Jehu
34 All the other great things that Jehu did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 35 Jehu died and was buried with his ancestors. The people buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the new king of Israel after him. 36 Jehu ruled over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.
1 Greetings from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because God wanted me to be. God sent me to tell people about the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.
2 To Timothy, a dear son to me.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanksgiving and Encouragement
3 I always remember you in my prayers day and night. And in these prayers I thank God for you. He is the God my ancestors served, and I have always served him with a clear conscience. 4 I remember that you cried for me. I want very much to see you so that I can be filled with joy. 5 I remember your true faith. That kind of faith first belonged to your grandmother Lois and to your mother Eunice. I know you now have that same faith. 6 That is why I want you to remember the gift God gave you. God gave you that gift when I laid my hands on you. Now I want you to use that gift and let it grow more and more, like a small flame grows into a fire. 7 The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.
8 So don’t be ashamed to tell people about our Lord Jesus. And don’t be ashamed of me—I am in prison for the Lord. But suffer with me for the Good News. God gives us the strength to do that.
9 God saved us and chose us to be his holy people, but not because of anything we ourselves did. God saved us and made us his people because that was what he wanted and because of his grace. That grace was given to us through Christ Jesus before time began. 10 And now it has been shown to us in the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and showed us the way to have life. Yes, through the Good News Jesus showed us the way to have life that cannot be destroyed.
11 I was chosen to tell people that message as an apostle and teacher. 12 And I suffer now because of that work. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one I have put my trust in. And I am sure that he is able to protect what I have put into his care[a] until that Day.
13 What you heard me teach is an example of what you should teach. Follow that model of right teaching with the faith and love we have in Christ Jesus. 14 This teaching is a treasure that you have been trusted with. Protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside us.
15 You know that everyone in Asia has left me. Even Phygelus and Hermogenes have left me. 16 I pray that the Lord will show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus. Many times Onesiphorus encouraged me. He was not ashamed that I was in prison. 17 No, he was not ashamed. When he came to Rome, he looked and looked for me until he found me. 18 I pray that the Lord Jesus will make sure Onesiphorus receives mercy from the Lord God on that Day. You know how many ways this brother helped me in Ephesus.
2 “Then you will say to your brothers, ‘You are my people,’ and you will say to your sisters, ‘He has shown mercy to you.’”[a]
2 “Argue with your mother.[b] Argue with her because she is no longer my wife, and I am no longer her husband! Tell her to stop being like a prostitute. Tell her to take away her lovers[c] from between her breasts. 3 If she refuses to stop her adultery, I will strip her naked and leave her like the day she was born. I will take away her people, and she will be like an empty, dry desert. I will kill her with thirst. 4 I will have no pity on her children because they are the children of prostitution. 5 Their mother has acted like a prostitute. She should be ashamed of what she did. She said, ‘I will go to my lovers,[d] who give me food and water, wool and linen, wine and olive oil.’
6 “So I, the Lord, will block Israel’s road with thorns, and I will build a wall. Then she will not be able to find her path. 7 She will run after her lovers, but she will not be able to catch up with them. She will look for her lovers, but she will not be able to find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband. Life was better for me when I was with him. Life was better then than it is now.’
8 “Israel didn’t know that I, the Lord, was the one who gave her grain, wine, and oil. I kept giving her more and more silver and gold, but she used this silver and gold to make statues of Baal. 9 So I will return and take back my grain at the time it is ready to be harvested. I will take back my wine at the time the grapes are ready. I will take back my wool and linen. I gave those things to her so that she could cover her naked body. 10 Now I will strip her. She will be naked, so all her lovers can see her. No one will be able to save her from my power.[e] 11 I will take away all her fun. I will stop her festivals, her New Moon celebrations, and her days of rest. I will stop all her special feasts. 12 I will destroy her vines and fig trees. She said, ‘My lovers gave these things to me.’ But I will change her gardens—they will become like a wild forest. Wild animals will come and eat from those plants.
13 “Israel served false gods,[f] so I will punish her. She burned incense to those false gods. She dressed up—she put on her jewelry and nose ring. Then she went to her lovers and forgot me.” This is what the Lord has said.
14 “So I, the Lord, will speak romantic words to her. I will lead her into the desert and speak tender words. 15 There I will give her vineyards. I will give her Achor Valley as a doorway of hope. Then she will answer as she did when she came out of the land of Egypt.” 16 This is what the Lord says.
“At that time you will call me ‘My husband.’ You will not call me ‘My Baal.’[g] 17 I will take the names of those false gods out of her mouth. Then people will not use those names again.
18 “At that time I will make an agreement for the Israelites with the animals of the field, the birds of the sky, and the crawling things on the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the weapons of war in that land. I will make the land safe, so the people of Israel can lie down in peace. 19 And I will make you my bride forever. I will make you my bride with goodness and justice and with love and mercy. 20 I will make you my faithful bride. Then you will really know the Lord. 21 And at that time I will answer.” This is what the Lord says.
“I will speak to the skies,
and they will give rain to the earth.
22 The earth will produce grain, wine, and oil,
and they will meet Jezreel’s needs.
23 I will sow her many seeds[h] on her land.
To Lo-Ruhamah,[i] I will show mercy.
To Lo-Ammi,[j] I will say, ‘You are my people.’
And they will say to me, ‘You are our God.’”
Mem
97 Oh, how I love your teachings!
I talk about them all the time.
98 Your commands are always with me,
and they make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I am wiser than all my teachers,
because I study your rules.
100 I understand more than those who are older,
because I obey your instructions.
101 I have avoided every path that leads to evil
so that I could obey your word.
102 You are my teacher,
so I will always do whatever you decide.
103 Your words are so sweet to me,
like the taste of honey!
104 I gain understanding from your instructions,
so I hate anything that leads people the wrong way.
Nun
105 Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps,
a light that shows the path I should take.
106 Your laws are good and fair.
I have promised to obey them, and I will keep my promise.
107 Lord, I have suffered for a long time.
Say the word, and I will live again![a]
108 Lord, accept the praise I want to give you,
and teach me your laws.
109 My life is always in danger,
but I have not forgotten your teachings.
110 The wicked try to trap me,
but I have not disobeyed your instructions.
111 The rules you have given me to follow will be mine forever.
They give me great joy.
112 More than anything I want to obey your laws always,
until the end of my life.
Samekh
113 Lord, I hate those who are not completely loyal to you,
but I love your teachings.
114 Hide me and protect me.
I trust what you say.
115 Don’t come near me, you who are evil,
so that I can obey my God’s commands.
116 Support me, Lord, as you promised, and I will live.
I trust in you, so don’t disappoint me.
117 Help me and I will be saved.
And I will always give attention to your laws.
118 You reject all who don’t obey your laws,
because they are liars and did not do what they said.
119 You throw away the wicked of this world like trash.
So I love your rules.
120 I am shaking with fear before you.
I fear and respect your judgments.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International