M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
17 In the twelfth year of Achaz Melech Yehudah began Hoshea Ben Elah to reign as melech in Shomron over Yisroel nine shanim.
2 And he did that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem, but not as the malkhei Yisroel that were before him.
3 Against him came up Shalmaneser Melech Ashur; and Hoshea became his eved (vassal) and paid him minchah (tribute).
4 And Melech Ashur found kesher in Hoshea; for he had sent malachim to So Melech Mitzrayim, and paid no minchah to Melech Ashur, as he had done shanah b’shanah; therefore Melech Ashur took him in custody, and bound him in the bais keleh.
5 Then Melech Ashur came up throughout kol HaAretz, and went up to Shomron, and besieged it shalosh shanim.
6 In the ninth year [722 B.C.E.] of Hoshea, Melech Ashur took Shomron, and carried Yisroel away to Ashur, and placed them in Chalach and in Chavor by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 For so it was, that the Bnei Yisroel had sinned against Hashem Eloheihem Who had brought them up out of Eretz Mitzrayim, from under the yad of Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, had feared elohim acherim,
8 Walked in the chukkot of the Goyim, whom Hashem cast out from before the Bnei Yisroel, and [in the chukkot] of the Malkhei Yisroel, which they had made up.
9 And the Bnei Yisroel did secretly those things that were not right against Hashem Eloheihem, and they built for them [idolatrous] high places in all their towns, from the migdal of the notzerim (watchmen) to the fortified city.
10 And they set up for them matzevot and Asherim on every high hill, under every lushly foliaged green tree;
11 And there they burned ketoret in all the high places, as did the Goyim whom Hashem drove out before them; and wrought devarim ra’im (wicked things) to provoke Hashem to anger;
12 For they served the gillulim (idols), whereof Hashem had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
13 Yet Hashem testified warnings against Yisroel, and against Yehudah, by all the nevi’im, and by all the khozer (seers), saying, Turn ye from your derakhim hara’im and be shomer over My mitzvot and My chukkot, according to all the torah which I commanded your Avoteichem, and which I sent to you by My avadim the Nevi’im.
14 Notwithstanding they would not listen, but stubbornly stiffened their necks, like the neck of their avot, that did not believe in Hashem Eloheihem.
15 And they rejected His chukkot, and His brit (covenant) that He made with their avot, and His edot (testimonies, warnings) which He testified against them; and they followed after hevel, and became hevel, and went after the Goyim that were all around them, concerning whom Hashem had charged them, that they should not do like them.
16 And they forsook all the mitzvot of Hashem Eloheihem, and made them massekhah, even two agalim, and made Asheirah, and worshiped all the Tzava HaShomayim, and served Ba’al.
17 And they caused their banim and their banot to pass through the eish, and practiced kesamim and practiced witchcraft, and sold themselves to do rah in the eyes of Hashem, to provoke Him to anger.
18 Therefore Hashem was very angry with Yisroel, and removed them out of His sight; there was none left but the shevet of Yehudah only.
19 Also Yehudah kept not the mitzvot of Hashem Eloheihem, but walked in the chukkot of Yisroel which they had made up.
20 And Hashem rejected all the zera Yisroel, afflicted them and delivered them into the yad of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.
21 For He tore Yisroel from the Bais Dovid; and they made Yarov‘am Ben Nevat melech; and Yarov‘am drove Yisroel from following after Hashem, and caused them to commit a chata’ah gedolah.
22 For the Bnei Yisroel walked in all the chattot Yarov‘am which he did; they departed not from them;
23 Until Hashem removed Yisroel out of His sight, as He had said by all His avadim the Nevi’im. So was Yisroel carried away into the Golus out of their own adamah to Ashur (Assyria) unto this day.
24 And Melech Ashur brought men from Babylon, and from Kutah, and from Ava, and from Chamat, and from Sepharvayim, and placed them in the cities of Shomron in the place of Bnei Yisroel; and they possessed Shomron, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not Hashem; therefore Hashem sent among them the arayot which killed some of them.
26 Wherefore they spoke to Melech Ashur, saying, The Goyim which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Shomron, know not the mishpat Elohei HaAretz; therefore He hath sent the arayot among them, and, behold, they slew them, because they know not the mishpat Elohei HaAretz.
27 Then Melech Ashur commanded, saying, Carry back there one of the kohanim whom ye brought captive from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the mishpat Elohei HaAretz.
28 Then one of the kohanim whom they had carried away captive from Shomron came and dwelt in Beit-El, and was moreh (teacher) to them how they should fear Hashem.
29 Howbeit every goy (nation) made g-ds of their own, and set them up in the batim (houses) of the high places which the Shomronim had made, every goy in their towns wherein they dwelt.
30 And the men of Babylon made [the g-d] Sukkot Benot, and the men of Kutah made Nergal, and the men of Chamat made Ashima,
31 And the Avim made Nivchaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvim burned their banim in eish to Adramelech and Anammelech, the g-ds of Sepharvayim.
32 So they feared Hashem, and made for themselves of the lowest of them kohanim of the [idolatrous] high places, which were officiating for them in beis habamot.
33 They feared Hashem, and served their own g-ds, after the mishpat (manner) of the Goyim from which places as exiles they had been carried away.
34 Unto this day they [the Samaritans] do after the mishpatim harishonim (former practices); they fear not Hashem, neither do they after their chukkot, or after their mishpatim, or after the torah and mitzvah which Hashem commanded the Bnei Ya’akov, whom He named shmo Yisroel;
35 With whom Hashem had cut a Brit, and commanded them, saying, Ye shall not fear elohim acherim, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor offer zevakhim to them;
36 But Hashem, Who brought you up out of Eretz Mitzrayim with koach gadol and a stretched out zero’a, Him shall ye fear, and to Him shall ye bow down in worship, and to Him shall ye offer zevakhim.
37 And the chukkot, and the mishpatim, and the torah, and the mitzvah, which He wrote for you, ye shall be shomer over to do kol hayamim; ye shall fear no elohim acherim.
38 And the Brit that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear elohim acherim.
39 But Hashem Eloheichem ye shall fear; and He shall deliver you out of the yad of all your oyevim.
40 Howbeit they did not pay heed, but they did after their mishpat harishon (former custom).
41 So these Goyim feared Hashem, and also served their peselim, both their banim, and their bnei banim; as did their avot, so do they unto this day.
3 Remind them to be "V’NISHMA" ("obedient, and we will obey!" SHEMOT 24:7) to sarim (rulers), to shiltonim (authorities), to be submissive, to be obedient, ready for every ma’aseh tov.
2 Speak lashon hora of no one, be not ohev riv (quarrelsome). Be eidel (gentle), displaying anavah (meekness) to kol Bnei Adam.
3 For all of us were once without da’as, sorrarim (disobedient), being led astray, avadim (slaves) of ta’avot and to various ta’anugot (pleasures) of the Olam Hazeh, spending our lives in eyvah (enmity BERESHIS 3:15) and kina (jealousy), hated, and hating one another.
4 But when the Chen v’Chesed and the ahavas Hashem Moshieynu appeared to Bnei Adam,
5 Not by tzidkateynu (our righteousness) in ma’asim tovim which is to our zchus (merit), but according to His rachamim, He granted us Yeshu’at Eloheynu through the mikveh mayim ruchani of rebirth and renewing of the Ruach Hakodesh [Yn 3:3],
6 Which Hashem poured out on us richly through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Moshieynu,
7 That, having been made YITZDAK IM HASHEM (IYOV 25:4) by the Chen v’Chesed of Hashem, we might become yoreshim (heirs) in the tikvah HaChayyei Olam.
8 This dvar Emes is trustworthy. And I counsel you to strongly affirm the divrei torah I am handing on to you, that those who have become ma’aminim in Hashem may be shomer for ma’asim tovim. These things to Bnei Adam are good, tov me’od.
9 But pilpul minutiae controversies and toldot and quarrels and fights about the Torah, avoid, for they are unprofitable hevel.
10 An ish hacholek (a man of division, a divisive man) after one or two warnings, avoid,
11 Having da’as that such a man is perverted and sinful, bringing harsha’ah (condemnation) upon himself.
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, try to come to me at Nicopolis, for there I have decided to spend the choref (winter).
13 Do your utmost to speed Zenas, the Ben Torah (scholar), and Apollos on their way, that nothing for them may be lacking.
14 Let anshei adateynu (the men of our community) learn to be concerned about ma’asim tovim so as to supply urgent needs, that they may not be lo poreh (unfruitful).
15 Drishat Shalom from all the ones with me. Drishat Shalom to those who have ahavah for us in the emunah [of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach]. Chen v’Chesed Hashem to all of you. [T.N. In the next letter, Rav Sha’ul’s ministry bore fruit in freedom in a messianic shtiebel in Colossae for a slave boy who had run away in the shackles of sin before Moshiach the Go’el set him free.]
10 Yisroel is a running gefen, he bringeth forth p’ri unto himself; according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the mizbechot; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly matzevot (stone pillars, monuments).
2 Their lev is deceitful; now shall they bear guilt; He shall break down their mizbechot, He shall destroy their matzevot.
3 For now they shall say, We have no Melech, because we feared not Hashem; but if we did have a Melech, what could he do for us?
4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in cutting brit (covenant); thus mishpat springeth up as poisonous herb in the furrows of the sadeh.
5 The inhabitants of Shomron tremble because of the eglot (calf-idols) of Beit-Aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, likewise the komer (idolatrous priests) over it, who shout for joy over its kavod, for it has gone into the Golus for them.
6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a minchah (present) to the great king; Ephrayim shall receive disgrace, and Yisroel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 As for Shomron, her melech will float off like a twig upon the surface of the mayim.
8 The high places also of Aven, the chattat Yisroel, shall be made shmad; the kotz (thorn) and the dardar (thistle) shall come up on their mizbechot; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
9 O Yisroel, thou hast sinned from the yamei Giveah; there they have continued. Did not milchamah (war) overtake the bnei alvah (children of unruliness) in Giveah?
10 When I please, I will chastise them; amim shall be gathered against them, when they are punished for their shtei avon (double iniquity).
11 And Ephrayim is an eglah melummadah (a trained heifer), and loveth to tread out the grain; but I will put a yoke on her fair neck; I will drive Ephrayim; Yehudah shall plow, and Ya’akov shall break his clods.
12 Sow to yourselves in tzedakah, reap in chesed; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Hashem, till He come and rain tzedek upon you.
13 Ye have plowed resha, ye have reaped avlah; ye have eaten the pri kachash (fruit of lies); because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy gibborim (mighty men).
14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be devastated, as Shalman devastated Beit-Arbel on the yom milchamah; the em were dashed in pieces with their banim.
15 So shall Beit-El do unto you because of your great wickedness; in the shachar (dawn) shall the Melech Yisroel utterly be cut off [Isa 53:8].
129 (Shir HaMa’alot) Many a time have they afflicted me from my ne’ur, may Yisroel now say;
2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my ne’ur (youth); yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The choreshim (plowers) plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.
4 Hashem is tzaddik; He hath cut asunder the cords of the resha’im.
5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Tziyon [i.e, all anti-Semites].
6 Let them be as the khatzir (grass) upon the housetops, which withereth before it groweth up;
7 With it the kotzer (reaper) filleth not his yad; nor he that gathereth sheaves, his bosom.
8 Neither do they which go by say, Birkat Hashem be upon you; we bless you b’Shem Hashem.
130 (Shir HaMa’alot) Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, Hashem.
2 Adonoi, hear my voice; let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my techinnot (supplications).
3 If Thou, Hashem, shouldest record iniquities, Adonoi, who could stand?
4 But there is selichah (forgiveness) with Thee; therefore, Thou art feared.
5 I wait for Hashem, my nefesh doth wait, and in His Devar do I hope.
6 My nefesh waiteth for Adonoi more than the shomrim that watch for the boker; I say, more than the shomrim that watch for the boker.
7 Let Yisroel hope in Hashem; for with Hashem there is chesed, and with Him is plenteous pedut (redemption).
8 And He shall redeem Yisroel from all his iniquities.
131 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Dovid). Hashem, my lev is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in gedolot, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my nefesh, as a child that is weaned of immo; my nefesh is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Yisroel hope in Hashem from henceforth and ad olam.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International