M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Final Invasion of Nebuchadnezzar
25 It happened that in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came, he and his army, against Jerusalem. He encamped against it and built siege works against it all around. 2 So the city came under siege until the eleventh year of the king. 3 In the ninth month, the famine became severe in the city, and there was no food for the people of the land. 4 Then the city was breached, and all of the men of war entered by night by way of the gate between the wall which was by the garden of the king, and the Chaldeans were against the city all around, so he[a] left by the way of the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the Arabah of Jericho, and all of his army scattered from him. 6 So they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him.[b] 7 They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; then they blinded the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.
Jerusalem Is Sacked and the Temple Burned
8 In the fifth month, on the seventh of the month, that is, the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, a commander of the imperial guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He burned the temple of Yahweh, the palace of the king, and all of the houses of Jerusalem; every large house he burned with fire. 10 He and all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the imperial guard tore down the wall of Jerusalem all around. 11 The remainder of the people left in the city, the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the remainder of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard deported.
12 But the poor of the land the commander of the imperial guard left for the vineyards and for tilling.
Plunder Taken by the Chaldeans
13 The bronze pillars which were in the temple[c] of Yahweh, the water carts, and the bronze sea that was in the temple of Yahweh, the Chaldeans broke into pieces and carried their bronze to Babylon. 14 The pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the dishes, and the vessels of bronze with which they served there, they took. 15 The firepans and the basins, whatever was gold, the commander of the imperial guard took for the gold and whatever was silver, for the silver. 16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the water cart which Solomon had made for the temple of Yahweh, there was no weighing to the bronze of all of these vessels. 17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits; a bronze capital was on it, with the height of the capital being three cubits. The latticework and pomegranates on the capital all around were bronze, and likewise on the latticework for the second pillar.
18 Then the commander of the imperial guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and three of the threshold keepers. 19 From the city he took one court official who was chief officer over the men of war, five men from the king’s council[d] who were found in the city, the secretary of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men from the people of the land being found in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them down and killed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath; thus Judah was removed from its land.
Gedaliah Appointed Governor
22 Now as far as the people left in Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon left behind, he appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan over them. 23 When all of the commanders of the troops heard, they and the men, that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seriah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 24 Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and he said to them, “You must not be afraid because of the Chaldeans. Settle in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and may it go well with you.” 25 But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama from the offspring of the kingship came, and ten men with him, and they struck down Gedaliah so that he died with the Judeans and with the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, from youngest to oldest, and the commanders of the troops, went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the presence of the Chaldeans.
Elderly Jehoiachin Cared for in Babylon
27 It happened in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month on the twenty-seventh of the month, lifted Evil-Merodach king of Babylon in the year that he became king, the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah from the house of imprisonment. 28 He spoke kindly[e] to him, and he gave him a better seat than the seat of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So he changed the clothes of his imprisonment, and he ate food continually in his presence all the days of his life. 30 His allowance was continually given to him from the king, a portion every day[f] all the days of his life.
The Greatness of Melchizedek
7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham as he[a] was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,[b] 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything[c]—in the first place, his name is translated “king of righteousness,” and then also “king of Salem,” that is, “king of peace”; 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God—he remains a priest for all time.
4 But see how great this man was, to whom Abraham[d] the patriarch gave a tenth from the spoils! 5 And indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to collect a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, although they are descended from Abraham[e]. 6 But the one who did not trace his descent from them collected tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent. 8 And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives. 9 And, so to speak[f], even Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham. 10 For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
The Superiority of Jesus to Melchizedek
11 Thus if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for on the basis of it the people received the law, what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not said to be according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when[g] the priesthood changes, of necessity there is a change of the law also. 13 For the one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. 15 And it is still more clear, if another priest according to the likeness of Melchizedek arises, 16 who has become a priest not according to a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is testified,
18 For on the one hand a preceding commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), but on the other hand there is the introduction of a better hope through which we draw near to God. 20 And by as much as this was not without an oath (for these on the one hand have become priests[j] without an oath, 21 but he with an oath by the one who said to him,
22 by so much more[m] Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 And indeed many have become[n] priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he, because he continues forever[o], holds the priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore also he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, because he[p] always lives in order to intercede on their behalf.
26 For a high priest such as this indeed is fitting for us, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and having become exalted above the heavens, 27 who does not need every day[q] like the former high priests to offer up sacrifices for his own sins and then for the sins of the people, because he did this once for all when he[r] offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the statement of the oath, after the law, appoints a Son, who is made perfect forever[s].
Introduction
1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds from Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah the king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Jehoash, two years before[a] the earthquake.
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
2 And he said, “Yahweh roars from Zion and he utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds wither and the top of Carmel dries up.” 3 Thus says Yahweh, “For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[b] because they threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron! 4 So I will send fire against Hazael’s house and it will consume the citadel fortresses of Ben-Hadad. 5 I will break the gate bars of Damascus and I will cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven and the one who takes hold of the scepter of Beth Eden, and the people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,” says Yahweh.
6 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[c] because they exiled a whole community, handing them over to Edom! 7 So I will send a fire against the wall of Gaza and it will devour its citadel fortresses. 8 And I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod and the one who takes hold of the scepter of Ashkelon. I will also turn my hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord Yahweh.
9 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[d] because they delivered up a whole community to Edom and they did not remember the covenant of brotherhood! 10 So I will send a fire against the wall of Tyre and it will devour its citadel fortresses.”
11 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[e] because he pursued his brother with the sword! He stifled his compassion and his anger tore them apart continually,[f] and he kept his rage forever. 12 So I will send a fire against Teman and it will devour the citadel fortresses of Bozrah.”
13 Thus says Yahweh: “For three transgressions of Ammon and for four I will not revoke the punishment,[g] because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory! 14 So I will kindle a fire against the wall of Rabbah and it will devour its citadel fortresses with a war cry on the day of battle, with a storm on the day of the violent tempest. 15 And their king will go into exile, he and his commanders together,” says Yahweh.
A Prayer for National Safety
Of David.[a]
144 Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,
the one who trains my hands for battle,
my fingers for war—
2 my loyal love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, and one in whom I take refuge,
the one who subdues peoples[b] under me.
3 O Yahweh, what is humankind that you take knowledge of him,
or the son of man that you take thought of him?
4 Humankind is like a breath,
his days like a passing shadow.
5 O Yahweh, bow the heavens and come down;
touch the mountains so that they smoke.
6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
dispatch your arrows and rout them.
7 Stretch out your hands from on high;
Rescue me and deliver me from many waters,
from the hand of foreigners,
8 whose mouth speaks falsely,
and their right hand is a false right hand.
9 O God, I will sing a new song to you.
With a lyre of ten strings I will sing praise to you,
10 who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant
from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouth speaks falsely,
and whose right hand is a false right hand,
12 that our sons may be like plants,
full grown in their youth,
our daughters like corner pillars,
carved in the style of a palace,
13 that our granaries may be full,
providing produce of all kinds,[c]
that our sheep may produce by the thousands,
by the tens of thousands in our open fields,
14 that our cattle may be pregnant;
that there be no breach in our walls,
and no going out in exile,
and no outcry in our plazas.
15 Blessed are the people who have it thus.
Blessed are the people whose God is Yahweh.
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