M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph Tells What the King’s Dreams Mean
41 After two years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River. 2 And he saw seven cows coming out of the Nile. They were good-looking and fat, and they ate the grass beside the river. 3 Then he saw seven other cows coming out of the Nile after them. They looked bad and were thin. They stood by the other cows beside the Nile. 4 Then the bad looking cows that were thin ate the seven good-looking, fat cows, and Pharaoh awoke.
5 Then he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. He saw seven heads of grain growing on one stick of grain. They were large and full. 6 Then he saw seven heads of grain come after them, which were small and made dry by the east wind. 7 And the small heads of grain ate the seven large, full heads of grain.
Then Pharaoh awoke and saw that it was a dream. 8 So when morning came his spirit was troubled. He called for all the wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams. But there was no one who could tell Pharaoh the meaning of them.
9 Then the head cup-carrier said to Pharaoh, “I remember today what I have done wrong. 10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants. And he put me and the head bread-maker in prison in the house of the head of the soldiers. 11 He and I had a dream on the same night. Each dream had its own meaning. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us. He worked for the head of the soldiers. We told our dreams to him. And he told us the meaning of them. He told each of us what our different dreams meant. 13 And it happened just like he had said it would. I was returned to my place of work. The bread-maker was killed on a tree.”
14 Pharaoh then called for Joseph. And they brought him out of the prison in a hurry. He cut off the hair on his face and put on clean clothes. Then he came to Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream. But no one can tell me what it means. I have heard it said that you are able to hear a dream and tell what it means.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “Not by myself. God will give Pharaoh a good answer.” 17 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I was standing beside the Nile. 18 I saw seven cows coming out of the Nile. They were fat and good-looking, and they ate the grass beside the river. 19 Then I saw seven other cows coming after them. They looked bad and were thin. I had never seen worse cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 Then the bad looking cows that were thin ate the first seven fat cows. 21 But after they had eaten them, it could not be seen that they had eaten them. For they were just as bad looking as before. Then I awoke. 22 I saw also in my dream seven heads of grain growing on one stick of grain. They were large and full. 23 Then I saw seven heads of grain come after them. They were small and were dry because of the east wind. 24 The small heads of grain ate the seven good heads of grain. Then I told it to the wise men. But there was no one who could tell me what it means.”
25 Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years. And the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dreams are one and the same. 27 The seven bad looking cows that are thin that came up after them are seven years. And the seven small heads of grain made dry by the east wind mean seven years without food. 28 It is as I have said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Seven years are coming when there will be much food in all the land of Egypt. 30 But after them will come seven years when there will be no food. The time of much food will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The time of no food will destroy the land. 31 The time without food will be so hard that no one in the land will remember when they had much. 32 That the dream was sent twice to Pharaoh shows that what will happen is planned by God. And God will make it happen soon.
33 “So now let Pharaoh look for a man who is understanding and wise. Let the land of Egypt be put into his care. 34 Let Pharaoh take action to choose men to watch over the land. And let him take a fifth part of the food of the land of Egypt during the seven years of much food. 35 Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming. Have them store the grain under the power of Pharaoh, to be used as food in the cities. And let them keep it safe. 36 This food will be kept for the people to eat during the seven years of no food that will come upon the land of Egypt. This way the land will not be destroyed during the time without food.”
Joseph Made Ruler over Egypt
37 The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, who has in him the Spirit of God?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all this, there is no one as understanding and wise as you are. 40 My house will be put in your care. And all my people will do as you say. Only on the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have put you in power over all the land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh took the ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand. He dressed him in clothes of fine cloth. He put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him travel in his second wagon of honor. And they called out in front of him, “Bow down!” Pharaoh put him in power over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. But unless it is your will, no one will raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph the name of Zaphenath-paneah. He gave him for a wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera who was the religious leader of On. So Joseph went out through the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood in front of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went from Pharaoh to visit every part of Egypt. 47 During the seven good years the land brought much food. 48 So he gathered into the cities all the food of these seven years when there was much in the land of Egypt. He put into each city the food from the fields around it. 49 Joseph gathered as much grain as the sand of the sea. The time came when he stopped trying to know how much there was.
Joseph’s Two Sons
50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the years without food came. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the religious leader of On, gave birth to them. 51 Joseph gave the first-born the name Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all those of my father’s house.” 52 He gave the second son the name of Ephraim. “For,” he said, “God has given me children in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven good years of much food in the land of Egypt came to an end. 54 And the seven bad years of no food began, as Joseph had said. No food was growing in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was food. 55 So when all the people of Egypt were hungry, they cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do what he tells you.” 56 When the hunger was spreading over all the earth, Joseph opened the store-houses. And he sold food to the Egyptians for the time without food had become hard in the land of Egypt. 57 The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the time without food was hard everywhere.
The Last Time Jesus Goes to Jerusalem (A)
11 Jesus and His followers were near Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives. They were in the towns of Bethphage and Bethany. Jesus sent two of His followers on ahead. 2 He said to them, “Go into the town over there. As soon as you get there, you will find a young donkey tied. No man has ever sat on it. Let the donkey loose and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing that?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it. He will send it back again soon.’”
4 The two followers went on their way. They found the young donkey tied by the door where two streets crossed. They took the rope off its neck. 5 Some men were standing there. They said to the two followers, “Why are you taking the rope off that young donkey?” 6 The two followers told them what Jesus had said and the men let them take the donkey. 7 They brought it to Jesus and put their coats over it. Jesus sat on the donkey. 8 Many people put their clothes down on the road. Others cut branches off the trees and put them down on the road. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed spoke with loud voices, “Greatest One! Great and honored is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Great is the coming holy nation of our father David. It will come in the name of the Lord, Greatest One in the highest heaven.”
11 Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the house of God. He looked around at everything. Then He went with the twelve followers to the town of Bethany because it was late.
The Fig Tree with No Fruit
12 They came from Bethany the next morning. Jesus was hungry. 13 Along the road He saw a fig tree with leaves on it. He went over to see if it had any fruit. He saw nothing but leaves. It was not the right time for figs. 14 Jesus said to the tree, “Let no one ever again eat fruit from you.” His followers heard Him say it.
Jesus Stops the Buying and the Selling in the House of God (B)
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the house of God. He began to make the people leave who were selling and buying in the house of God. He turned over the tables of the men who changed money. He turned over the seats of those who sold doves. 16 He would not allow anyone to carry a pot or pan through the house of God. 17 He taught them saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? You have made it a place of robbers.”
18 The teachers of the Law and the religious leaders of the Jews heard it. They tried to find some way to put Jesus to death. But they were afraid of Him because all the people were surprised and wondered about His teaching. 19 When evening came, Jesus and His followers went out of the city.
The Fig Tree Dries Up (C)
20 In the morning they passed by the fig tree. They saw it was dried up from the roots. 21 Peter remembered what had happened the day before and said to Jesus, “Teacher, see! The fig tree which You spoke to has dried up!” 22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For sure, I tell you, a person may say to this mountain, ‘Move from here into the sea.’ And if he does not doubt, but believes that what he says will be done, it will happen. 24 Because of this, I say to you, whatever you ask for when you pray, have faith that you will receive it. Then you will get it. 25 When you stand to pray, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins also. 26 *If you do not forgive them their sins, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.”
27 They came again to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking around in the house of God. The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and other leaders came to Him. 28 They asked, “How do You have the right and the power to do these things? Who gave You the right and the power to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing also. If you tell Me, then I will tell you by what right and power I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Tell Me.” 31 They talked among themselves. They said, “If we say from heaven, He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 32 But how can we say, ‘From men’?” They were afraid of the people because everyone believed that John was one who spoke for God. 33 So they said, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said, “Then I will not tell you by what right and power I do these things.”
Job Keeps On Talking
7 “Is not man made to work on earth? Are not his days like the days of a man paid to work? 2 Like a servant who desires to be out of the sun, and like a working man who waits for his pay, 3 I am given months of pain and nights of suffering for no reason. 4 When I lie down I say, ‘When will I get up?’ But the night is long, and I am always turning from side to side until morning. 5 My flesh is covered with worms and dirt. My skin becomes hard and breaks open. 6 My days are faster than a cloth-maker’s tool, and come to their end without hope.
7 “Remember that my life is only a breath. My eye will not again see good. 8 The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will be gone. 9 When a cloud goes away, it is gone. And he who goes down to the place of the dead does not come back. 10 He will not return to his house, and his place will not know him any more.
11 “So I will not keep my mouth shut. I will speak in the suffering of my spirit. I will complain because my soul is bitter. 12 Am I the sea, or a large sea animal, that You put someone to watch me? 13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, and there I will find rest from my complaining,’ 14 then You send dreams to me which fill me with fear. 15 So a quick death by having my breath stopped would be better to me than my pains. 16 I hate my life. I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are only a breath. 17 What is man, that You make so much of him? Why do You care about him, 18 that You look at him every morning, and test him all the time? 19 How long will it be until You look away from me? Will You not let me alone until I swallow my spit? 20 Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have you made me something to shoot at, so that I am a problem to myself? 21 Why then do You not forgive my wrong-doing and take away my sin? For now I will lie down in the dust. You will look for me, but I will not be.”
11 I ask then, “Has God put His people, the Jews, aside?” No, not at all! I myself am a Jew. Abraham was my early father. I am from the family group of Benjamin. 2 God has not put His people aside. He chose them from the beginning. Do you know what the Holy Writings say about Elijah? Do you know what Elijah said to God against the Jews? 3 He said, “Lord, they have killed Your early preachers. They have destroyed the places where You are worshiped. I am the only one left. They are trying to kill me.” 4 But what did God say to him? God said, “I still have 7,000 men. None of them have worshiped the false god Baal.” 5 It is the same now. A few of the Jews are being chosen because of God’s loving-favor. 6 If they are saved from the punishment of sin because of God’s loving-favor, it is nothing men have done to earn it. If men had earned it, then His loving-favor would not be a free gift. 7 This is the way it was. Many Jews did not get what they were looking for. Only those God chose received it. The hearts of the others were made hard. They could not understand it. 8 The Holy Writings say this about them, “God gave them hearts and minds that want to sleep. He gave them eyes that could not see. To this very day He gave them ears that could not hear.” (A) 9 David said, “Let their table of food become a trap to hold them. Let it be a hole into which they fall and will suffer. 10 Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see. Keep their backs from being straight always because of their troubles.” (B)
11 I ask then, “Did the Jews fall so they would be lost forever?” No, not at all! It means the people who are not Jews are able to be saved from the punishment of sin because the Jews sinned by not putting their trust in Christ. This made the Jews jealous of those who are not Jews. 12 The world received good things from God because of the sin of the Jews. Because the Jews did not receive God’s free gift, the people who are not Jews received good things from Him. Think how much more the world will receive when the Jews finish God’s plan by putting their trust in Christ!
13 I am speaking to you people who are not Jews. As long as I am a missionary to you, I want you to know how important my job is. 14 I do this so it will make my own people, the Jews, jealous. Then it may be that some will be saved from the punishment of sin. 15 Because the Jews have been put aside, many other people in the world have been saved from the punishment of sin. Think what it will be like when they are also gathered in. It will be like the dead coming back to life!
16 If the first loaf is holy, all the bread is holy. If the root is holy, all the branches are holy.
17 But some of the branches (who are the Jews) were broken off. You who are not Jews were put in the place where the branches had been broken off. Now you are sharing the rich root of the olive tree. 18 Do not be proud. Do not think you are better than the branches that were broken off. If you are proud, remember that you do not hold the root. It is the root that holds you. 19 You may say, “Branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 It is true. They were broken off because they did not put their trust in Christ. And you are there only because of your faith. Do not be proud. Instead, be afraid. 21 God did not keep the first branches (who are the Jews) on the tree. Then watch, or He will not keep you on the tree. 22 We see how kind God is. It shows how hard He is also. He is hard on those who fall away. But He is kind to you if you keep on trusting Him. If you do not, He will cut you off. 23 If the Jews would put their trust in Christ, God would put them back into the tree. He has power to do that. 24 You people who are not Jews were cut off from a wild olive tree. Instead of being there, you were put into a garden olive tree which is not the right place for you to grow. It would be easy for God to put the Jews back onto their own olive tree because they are the branches that belong there.
25 Christian brothers, I want you to understand this truth which is no longer a secret. It will keep you from thinking you are so wise. Some Jews have become hard until the right amount of people who are not Jews come to God. 26 Then all the Jews will be saved, as the Holy Writings say, “The One Who saves from the punishment of sin will come out of Jerusalem. He will turn the Jews from doing sinful things.”(C) 27 “And this is My promise to them when I take away their sins.” (D)
28 The Jews are fighting against the Good News. Because they hate the Good News, it has helped you who are not Jews. But God still loves the Jews because He has chosen them and because of His promise to their early fathers. 29 God does not change His mind when He chooses men and gives them His gifts. 30 At one time you did not obey God. But when the Jews did not receive God’s gift, you did. It was because they did not obey. 31 The Jews will not obey now. God’s loving-kindness to you will some day turn them to Him. Then the Jews may have His loving-kindness also. 32 God has said that all men have broken His Law. But He will show loving-kindness on all of them.
33 God’s riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways. 34 The Holy Writings say, “Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to tell Him what to do?” (E) 35 “Who has given first to God, that God should pay him back?” (F) 36 Everything comes from Him. His power keeps all things together. All things are made for Him. May He be honored forever. Let it be so.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.