M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Destruction of Jerusalem
25 Now it came to pass in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his entire army advanced against Jerusalem, set up camp by it, and built a siege wall all around it. 2 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine became so severe in the city that there was no bread for the common people.
4 Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors fled by night by the way of the gate between the double walls near the king’s garden—though the Chaldeans were all around the city—and they went by the way to the Arabah. 5 But the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. 6 So they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and passed sentence on him. 7 They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8 Now on the seventh day of the fifth month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the imperial guard, officer of the Babylonian king, came to Jerusalem. 9 He burned down the House of Adonai, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem—every notable building he burned with fire. 10 Then the whole Chaldean army that was with the captain of the guard demolished the walls of Jerusalem on every side. 11 Then the remnant of the people who were left in the city—the deserters who had defected to the Babylonian king and the rest of the populace—Nebuzaradan captain of the guard exiled them. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and field hands.
13 Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars that were in the House of Adonai, the stands and the bronze sea that were in the House of Adonai, and carried their bronze away to Babylon. 14 They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the pans and all the bronze vessels that were used in Temple service. 15 The captain of the guard took away the fire pans and the basins—whatever was gold or silver. 16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the House of Adonai—the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 17 The height of each pillar was eighteen cubits, with a bronze capital on top. The height of the capital was three cubits, with a netting of copper pomegranates encircling the capital. The same was true of the second pillar with its netting.
18 Then the captain of the guard took away Seraiah the chief kohen, Zephaniah the deputy kohen, and the three doorkeepers. 19 From the city he took an official who had been overseeing the soldiers and five of the royal advisers who were found in the city, and the scribe of the army captain who mustered the people of the land, and 60 men of the common people that were found in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was exiled from its land.
22 Now as for the people that were left in the land of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had left, he appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. 23 Now when all the captains of the troops, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men. 24 Gedaliah swore to them and to their men and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the Chaldean officials. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.”
25 But it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of royal descent, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah, so he died along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 So all the people, young and old, and the captains of the troops, got up and fled to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
27 Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, that King Evil-merodach of Babylon, in the year he became king, released King Jehoiachin of Judah from Prison. 28 He spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So he changed his prison garments, and regularly ate bread in the king’s presence all the days of his life. 30 As for his allowance, a regular allowance was granted to him by the king, an allotment for each day, all the days of his life.
Melchizedek, a Kohen Forever
7 For this Melchizedek was king of Salem, kohen of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, [a] 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything. First, by the translation of his name, he is “King of Righteousness”[b]; and then also King of Salem, which is “King of Shalom.” 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like Ben-Elohim, he remains a kohen for all time.
4 Now see how great this man is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth out of the plunder. 5 Indeed, those sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have, according to Torah, a command to collect a tithe from the people[c]—that is, from their kin, although they have come out of the loins of Abraham. 6 But this one—who did not have their genealogy—has collected tithes from Abraham and has blessed him, the one holding the promises. 7 Now it is beyond dispute that the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In one case, dying men receive tithes; but in the other, one about whom it is testified that he lives on. 9 Through Abraham even Levi, the one receiving tithes, has paid the tithe, so to speak— 10 for he was still in his father’s loins when Melchizedek met him.
Yeshua, Our Kohen Gadol Forever
11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for based on it the people had been given the Torah[d]), what further need was there for a different kohen to arise—designated according to the order of Melchizedek, not according to the order of Aaron? 12 For whenever the priesthood is altered, out of necessity an alteration[e] of law also takes place. 13 For the one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord has sprung forth[f] from Judah—concerning this tribe, Moses said nothing about kohanim. 15 And it is even more evident, if another kohen arises like Melchizedek— 16 one made not by virtue of a Torah requirement of physical descent,[g] but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is testified,
“You are a kohen forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”[h]
18 For on the one hand, a former requirement is set aside because of its weakness and ineffectiveness— 19 for Torah made nothing perfect. But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
20 Moreover, it was not without a sworn oath. (Others indeed have become kohanim without a sworn oath, 21 but He with an oath—sworn by the One who said to Him, “Adonai has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a kohen forever.’”[i]) 22 How much more then has Yeshua become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 Now on the one hand, many have become kohanim, who through death are prevented from continuing in office. [j] 24 But on the other hand, the One who does remain forever has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, always living to make intercession for them.
26 For such a Kohen Gadol was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need to offer up sacrifices day by day like those other kohanim g’dolim—first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people.[k] For when He offered up Himself, He did this once for all. 28 For the Torah appoints as kohanim g’dolim men who have weakness; but the word of the oath,[l] which came after the Torah, appoints a Son—made perfect forever.
The Lion Roars at the Nations
1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds from Tekoa. He perceived these words concerning Israel during the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2 He said:
Adonai roars from Zion,
From Jerusalem He gives His voice.
The shepherds’ pastures mourn,
and the top of Mount Carmel withers.
3 Thus says Adonai:
For three crimes of Damascus,
even for four, I will not relent.
For they threshed Gilead
with iron threshing sledges,
4 I will send fire into Hazael’s palace.
It will devour Ben-hadad’s citadels.
5 I will break the Damascus gate-bar
and cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven,
wielding Beth-eden’s scepter.
So the people of Aram
will go into exile to Kir.
Adonai has said it.
6 Thus says Adonai:
“For three crimes of Gaza,
even for four, I will not relent.
For they exiled an entire population,
giving them over to Edom.
7 So I will send fire on the wall of Gaza
—it will devour its citadels.
8 I will cut off Ashdod’s inhabitant,
wielding Ashkelon’s scepter.
I will turn My hand against Ekron
and the rest of the Philistines will perish.
My Lord Adonai has said it.
9 Thus says Adonai:
For three crimes of Tyre,
even for four, I will not relent.
For they gave an entire population over to Edom,
and did not remember the covenant of brothers.
10 I will send fire on the wall of Tyre—
it will devour its citadels.
11 Thus says Adonai:
For three crimes of Edom
even for four, I will not relent.
For he pursued his brother with a sword
and stifled his compassion.
For his anger tore continually,
and he kept his wrath forever.
12 So I will send fire in Teman—
it will devour Bozrah’s citadels.
13 Thus says Adonai:
For three crimes of the sons of Ammon
even for four, I will not relent.
For they ripped open pregnant women of Gilead
to expand their territory,
14 I will kindle fire on Rabbah’s wall
and it will devour its citadels,
amid shouting on a day of battle,
with storm on a day of whirlwind.
15 Their king will go into exile,
he and his princes together.
Thus Adonai has said.
Rescue from Battle
Psalm 144
1 Of David.
Blessed be Adonai my Rock—
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
2 He is my lovingkindness, my fortress,
my strong tower, and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues my people under me.
3 Adonai, what is man, that You take note of him?
Or the son of man, that You consider him?[a]
4 Man is like a breath—
his days are like a passing shadow.
5 Adonai, part Your heavens and come down.
Touch the mountains, so they smoke.
6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them.
Send out Your arrows and confuse them.
7 Stretch forth Your hands from on high.
Snatch me, deliver me out of deep waters,
out of the hand of foreigners,
8 whose mouth speaks falsehood,
whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
9 God, I sing a new song to You, on a ten-string harp
I sing praises to You—
10 who gives salvation to kings,
who rescues Your servant David from the evil sword.
11 Snatch me, deliver me
out of the hand of foreigners,
whose mouth speaks falsehood,
whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
12 Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth,
our daughters like corner pillars carved for the construction of a palace.
13 Our storehouses are full,
supplying every kind of produce.
Our flocks increase by thousands
and ten thousands in our fields.
14 Our oxen bear a heavy load.
There is no breach,
no going into captivity,
no outcry in our streets.
15 Happy are such a people!
Blessed are the people whose God is Adonai!
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.