M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The People Are Counted
26 After the ·great sickness [plague], the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, 2 “·Count [Take a census of; L Lift the head of] all the ·people of Israel [L community/congregation of the sons/T children of Israel] by ·families [clans], all the men who are twenty years old or older who will serve in the army of Israel [C like a military registration; chapter 1 counts the generation that came out of Egypt; this counts the one that would enter the land].” 3 Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke to the people on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, across from Jericho. They said, 4 “Count the men [C supplied from v. 2] twenty years old or older, as the Lord commanded Moses.”
Here are the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] who came out of Egypt:
5 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Reuben, the first son born to Israel, was counted. From Hanoch came the Hanochite ·family group [clan]; from Pallu came the Palluite ·family group [clan]; 6 from Hezron came the Hezronite ·family group [clan]; from Carmi came the Carmite ·family group [clan]. 7 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Reuben, and the total number of men was 43,730.
8 The son of Pallu was Eliab, 9 and Eliab’s sons were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram were the ·leaders [conveners of the community/congregation/assembly] who turned against Moses and Aaron and ·followed [L were in the assembly of] Korah when he ·turned [rebelled] against the Lord. 10 The earth opened up and swallowed them and Korah; they died at the same time the fire burned up the 250 men [16:1–40]. This was a warning, 11 but the children of Korah did not die.
12 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Simeon: From Nemuel came the Nemuelite ·family group [clan]; from Jamin came the Jaminite ·family group [clan]; from Jakin came the Jakinite ·family group [clan]; 13 from Zerah came the Zerahite ·family group [clan]; from Shaul came the Shaulite ·family group [clan]. 14 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Simeon, and the total number of men was 22,200.
15 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Gad: From Zephon came the Zephonite ·family group [clan]; from Haggi came the Haggite ·family group [clan]; from Shuni came the Shunite ·family group [clan]; 16 from Ozni came the Oznite ·family group [clan]; from Eri came the Erite ·family group [clan]; 17 from Arodi came the Arodite ·family group [clan]; from Areli came the Arelite ·family group [clan]. 18 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Gad, and the total number of men was 40,500.
19 Two of Judah’s sons, Er and Onan, died in Canaan [Gen. 38:6–11].
20 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Judah: From Shelah came the Shelanite ·family group [clan]; from Perez came the Perezite ·family group [clan]; from Zerah came the Zerahite ·family group [clan]. 21 These were the ·family groups [clans] from Perez: From Hezron came the Hezronite ·family group [clan]; from Hamul came the Hamulite ·family group [clan]. 22 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Judah, and the total number of men was 76,500.
23 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Issachar: From Tola came the Tolaite ·family group [clan]; from Puah came the Puite ·family group [clan]; 24 from Jashub came the Jashubite ·family group [clan]; from Shimron came the Shimronite ·family group [clan]. 25 These were the ·family groups [clan] of Issachar, and the total number of men was 64,300.
26 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Zebulun: From Sered came the Seredite ·family group [clan]; from Elon came the Elonite ·family group [clan]; from Jahleel came the Jahleelite ·family group [clan]. 27 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Zebulun, and the total number of men was 60,500.
28 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim.
29 These were the ·family groups [clans] of [L the sons/descendants of] Manasseh: From Makir came the Makirite ·family group [clan] (Makir was the father of Gilead); from Gilead came the Gileadite ·family group [clan]. 30 These were the ·family groups [clans] that came from Gilead: From Iezer came the Iezerite ·family group [clan]; from Helek came the Helekite ·family group [clan]; 31 from Asriel came the Asrielite ·family group [clan]; from Shechem came the Shechemite ·family group [clan]; 32 from Shemida came the Shemidaite ·family group [clan]; from Hepher came the Hepherite ·family group [clan]. 33 (Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons; he had only daughters, and their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah [27:1–11; 36:1–13; Josh. 17:3–6].) 34 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Manasseh, and the total number of men was 52,700.
35 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Ephraim: From Shuthelah came the Shuthelahite ·family group [clan]; from Beker came the Bekerite ·family group [clan]; from Tahan came the Tahanite ·family group [clan]. 36 This was the ·family group [clan] from Shuthelah: From Eran came the Eranite ·family group [clan]. 37 These were the ·family groups [clans] of [L the sons/descendants of] Ephraim, and the total number of men was 32,500. These are the ·family groups [clans] that came from Joseph.
38 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Benjamin: From Bela came the Belaite ·family group [clan]; from Ashbel came the Ashbelite ·family group [clan]; from Ahiram came the Ahiramite ·family group [clan]; 39 from Shupham came the Shuphamite ·family group [clan]; from Hupham came the Huphamite ·family group [clan]. 40 These were the ·family groups [clans] from Bela through Ard and Naaman: From Ard came the Ardite ·family group [clan]; from Naaman came the Naamite ·family group [clan]. 41 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Benjamin, and the total number of men was 45,600.
42 This was the ·family group [clan] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Dan: From Shuham came the Shuhamite ·family group [clan]. That was the ·family group [clan] of Dan, 43 and the total number of men in the Shuhamite ·family group [clan] of Dan was 64,400.
44 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Asher: From Imnah came the Imnite ·family group [clan]; from Ishvi came the Ishvite ·family group [clan]; from Beriah came the Beriite ·family group [clan]. 45 These were the ·family groups [clans] that came from Beriah: From Heber came the Heberite ·family group [clan]; from Malkiel came the Malkielite ·family group [clan]. 46 (Asher also had a daughter named Serah.) 47 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Asher, and the total number of men was 53,400.
48 These were the ·family groups [clans] in the ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Naphtali: From Jahzeel came the Jahzeelite ·family group [clan]; from Guni came the Gunite ·family group [clan]; 49 from Jezer came the Jezerite ·family group [clan]; from Shillem came the Shillemite ·family group [clan]. 50 These were the ·family groups [clans] of Naphtali, and the total number of men was 45,400.
51 So the total number of the ·men [L sons; T children] of Israel was 601,730.
52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “·Divide [Apportion] the land among these people by the number of names. 54 A large tribe will get more ·land [L inheritance], and a small tribe will get less ·land [L inheritance]; the amount of ·land each tribe gets [L inheritance] will depend on the number of its people. 55 ·Divide [Apportion] the land by drawing lots, and the land each tribe ·gets [L inherits] will be named for that tribe. 56 ·Divide [Apportion] the land between large and small groups by drawing lots [Josh. 14:2; 18:6, 8].”
57 The tribe of Levi was also counted. These were the ·family groups [clans] of Levi: From Gershon came the Gershonite ·family group [clan]; from Kohath came the Kohathite ·family group [clan]; from Merari came the Merarite ·family group [clan]. 58 These also were Levite ·family groups [clans]: the Libnite ·family group [clan], the Hebronite ·family group [clan], the Mahlite ·family group [clan], the Mushite ·family group [clan], and the Korahite ·family group [clan]. (Kohath was the ancestor of Amram, 59 whose wife was named Jochebed. She was from the tribe of Levi and she was born in Egypt. She and Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and their sister Miriam [Ex. 2:1–10]. 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died because they made an offering before the Lord with ·the wrong kind of [L strange; C unauthorized by God] fire [Lev. 10:1–20].)
62 The total number of male Levites one month old or older was 23,000. But these men were not counted with the other ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], because they were not given any ·of the land [L inheritance] among the other ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel].
63 Moses and Eleazar the priest counted all these people. They counted the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] on the plains of Moab across the Jordan River from Jericho. 64 Moses and Aaron the priest had counted the Israelites in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai [1:1–54], but no one Moses counted on the plains of Moab was in the first counting. 65 The Lord had told the Israelites they would all die in the ·desert [wilderness], and the only two left were Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun [14:20–25].
A Cry for Help
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” A psalm of David.
69 God, ·save me [give me victory],
because the water has risen to my neck [C the waters of chaos].
2 I’m sinking down into the ·mud [mire],
and there is nothing to stand on.
I ·am in deep water [have come into the depths of the waters],
and the flood ·covers [overwhelms] me.
3 I am ·tired [exhausted] from calling for help;
my throat is ·sore [dry].
My eyes are ·tired [worn out] from ·waiting [hoping]
for God to help me.
4 There are more people who hate me for no reason than hairs on my head;
·powerful [or many] enemies want to destroy me for no reason.
They make me ·pay back [return]
what I did not steal.
5 God, you know ·what I have done wrong [my foolishness];
I cannot hide my guilt from you.
6 Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
do not let those who ·hope in [wait for] you be ashamed because of me.
God of Israel,
do not let ·your worshipers [L those who seek you] be disgraced because of me.
7 For you, I carry this ·shame [reproach; scorn],
and my face is covered with disgrace.
8 I am like a stranger to my closest relatives
and a foreigner to my mother’s children.
9 My ·strong love [jealousy; passion; zeal] for your ·Temple [L house] ·completely controls [L consumes] me [John 2:17].
·When people insult you, it hurts me [L The reproaches/scorn of those who reproach/scorn you fall on me; Rom. 15:3].
10 When I ·cry [weep] and fast,
they ·make fun of [reproach; scorn] me.
11 When I wear ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C a sign of grief],
·they joke about me [L I am a byword/proverb/joke to them].
12 ·They make fun of me in public places [L Those who sit in the gate complain about me],
and the drunkards make up songs about me.
13 But I pray to you, Lord, ·for favor [or at an appropriate time].
God, because of your great ·love [loyalty], answer me.
You are ·truly able [faithful] to ·save [give victory].
14 ·Pull [Protect] me from the ·mud [mire],
and do not let me sink.
·Save [Protect] me from those who hate me
and from the deep water.
15 Do not let the flood ·drown [overwhelm] me
or the deep water swallow me
or the ·grave [L pit] close its mouth over me.
16 Lord, answer me because your ·love [loyalty] is so good.
Because of your ·great kindness [abundant compassion], turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from me, your servant.
I am in ·trouble [distress]. Hurry to ·help [L answer] me!
18 Come near and ·save [ransom] me;
·rescue [redeem] me from my enemies.
19 You ·see [know] my ·shame [reproach; scorn] and disgrace.
·You know all my enemies and what they have said [L The humiliation of all my foes is before you].
20 ·Insults [Reproach; Scorn] have broken my heart
and ·left me weak [I am depressed].
I ·looked [hoped; waited] for ·sympathy [pity; consolation], but there was none;
I found no one to comfort me.
21 They ·put [L gave me] poison in my food
and gave me vinegar to drink for my thirst [Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:23, 36; Luke 23:36; John 19:29].
22 Let their ·own feasts cause their ruin [L table be a snare before them];
·let their feasts trap them and pay them back [or a trap for their friends].
23 Let their eyes be ·closed [L darkened] so they cannot see
and their ·backs [L loins] ·be forever weak from troubles [L tremble all the time].
24 Pour your ·anger [wrath] out on them;
let your anger ·catch up with [overtake] them.
25 May their ·place [camp] be ·empty [desolate];
leave no one to live in their tents.
26 They ·chase after [persecute; pursue] those you have ·hurt [struck],
and they talk about the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Charge them with ·crime after crime [L guilt on guilt],
and do not ·let them have anything good [vindicate them].
28 ·Wipe [Blot] their names from the book of life [C kill them],
and do not ·list them [write them down] with those who ·do what is right [are righteous].
29 I am ·sad [afflicted] and ·hurting [in pain].
God, ·save me [give me victory] and ·protect me [give me refuge].
30 I will praise ·God [L the name of God] in a song
and will ·honor [magnify] him by giving thanks.
31 That will please the Lord more than ·offering him cattle [L an ox],
more than sacrificing a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 Poor people will see this and be glad [C offering an ox or bull is expensive].
·Be encouraged, you who worship God [The hearts of those who seek God will be enlivened].
33 The Lord listens to those in need
and does not ·look down on [despise] ·captives [prisoners].
34 Heaven and earth should praise him,
the seas and ·everything in them [L all that swarms in them].
35 God will ·save Jerusalem [L give Zion victory; C the location of the Temple]
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will live there and own the land.
36 The ·descendants [L seed] of his servants will inherit that land,
and those who love ·him [L his name] will live there.
16 Send lambs [C as tribute payment] to the ·king [ruler] of the land
Send it from Sela [C an Edomite city, later the Nabatean capital called Petra] through the desert
to the mountain of ·Jerusalem [L the daughter of Zion; C Zion was the location of the Temple; 1:8].
2 The women of Moab
·try to cross the river [L at the fords of] Arnon
like little birds
·that have fallen [or pushed away; or scattered] from their nest.
3 They say: “·Help us [or Make a decision].
·Tell us what to do [or Grant us justice].
Protect us from our enemies
as ·shade [L shade like night] protects us from the noon sun.
·Hide us, because we are running for safety [L Shelter the fugitives/outcasts]!
Don’t ·give us to our enemies [betray/uncover the refugee].
4 Let ·those of us who were forced out [the fugitives/outcasts] of Moab live ·in your land [L among you].
Hide ·us [L them] from ·our enemies [L the destroyer].”
The ·enemy [oppressor] will ·be defeated [come to an end].
The ·robbing of Moab [L destruction] will stop;
those who ·hurt others [L trample] will disappear from the land.
5 Then a ·new loyal king will come [L throne will be established in faithfulness/lovingkindness];
·this faithful king will be from the family of David [L he will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; 9:1–7; 11:1–16].
He will judge ·fairly [with justice]
and ·do what is right [hasten righteousness].
6 We have heard that the people of Moab are proud
and very conceited.
They are very proud and angry,
but their bragging ·means nothing [is empty].
7 So ·the people of Moab will cry [L Moab wails for Moab];
they will all ·be sad [wail].
They will ·moan and groan [or mourn, utterly stricken]
for the raisin cakes [C perhaps associated with pagan ritual (Hos. 3:1); also known as an aphrodisiac (Song 2:5)] they had in Kir Hareseth.
8 But the fields of Heshbon ·cannot grow grapes [wither; dry up; L languish];
and the vines of Sibmah dry up;
·foreign rulers [L lords of the nations] have ·destroyed [struck down] the ·grapevines [choice plants].
The grapevines once spread as far as the city of Jazer and into the desert;
they had spread as far as the sea [C probably the Dead Sea].
9 I ·cry [weep] with the people of Jazer
for the grapevines of Sibmah.
I will ·cry with the [or drench you with tears, you] people of Heshbon and Elealeh.
·There will be no shouts of joy,
because there will be no harvest or ripe fruit [or Your enemies shout for joy over your fruit and harvest].
10 There will be no joy and happiness in the orchards
and no songs or shouts of joy in the vineyards.
No one ·makes [treads/stomps out] wine in the winepresses,
because I have put an end to shouts of joy.
11 My ·heart cries [inner parts moan/sigh] for Moab like a ·harp playing a funeral song [L harp];
·I am very sad [L my inner being] for Kir Hareseth.
12 The people of Moab will ·go to their places of worship [L appear and grow weary at their high places]
and will try to pray.
But when they go to their temple to pray,
they will not be able.
13 Earlier the Lord said these things about Moab. 14 Now the Lord says, “In three years ·all those people and what they take pride in [L the glory of Moab] will be ·hated [despised]. (This is three years as a hired helper would count time [C meaning carefully calculated, so as to be properly paid; 21:16].) There will be a few people left, but they will be ·weak [feeble].”
Change Your Lives
4 [L Therefore] Since Christ suffered while he was in his ·body [T flesh], ·strengthen [arm] yourselves with the same ·way of thinking Christ had [intention; attitude; resolve]. [L Because] The person who has suffered in the ·body [T flesh] ·is finished with sin [or has broken from the power of sin]. 2 ·Strengthen [Arm] yourselves so that you will live ·here on earth [L the rest of the time in the flesh] doing ·what God wants [the will of God], ·not the evil things people want [or not pursuing your own human desires]. 3 ·In the past you wasted too much time [or For you have spent enough time in the past] doing what ·nonbelievers [Gentiles; pagans] enjoy. You were guilty of sexual sins, evil desires, drunkenness, wild and drunken parties, and ·hateful [lawless; detestable] idol worship. 4 ·Nonbelievers [The Gentiles/pagans] think it is ·strange [surprising] that you do not ·do the many wild and wasteful things they do [L run with them into the same flood/excess of debauchery], so they ·insult you [abuse/slander you; or blaspheme]. 5 But they will have to ·explain [T give account of] this to God, who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the ·Good News [Gospel] was preached to those who are now dead. Even though they were judged ·like all people [L according to human beings in the flesh], the Good News was preached to them so they could live ·in the spirit as God lives [or in the Spirit as God lives; L according to God in the spirit/Spirit; C though Christians will die physically, because of the Good News they will live forever with God].
Use God’s Gifts Wisely
7 The ·time is near when all things will end [T end of all things is near]. So ·think clearly [be serious/alert] and ·control [discipline] yourselves so you will be able to pray. 8 Most importantly, love each other ·deeply [earnestly], because love ·will cause people to forgive each other for many sins [L covers a multitude of sins; Prov. 10:12; Luke 7:46–47]. 9 ·Open your homes [Be hospitable] to each other, without ·complaining [grumbling]. 10 Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good ·servants [stewards; managers] of God’s various gifts of grace [Rom. 5:15–16; 6:23]. 11 Anyone who speaks should speak ·words from God [or oracles from God; or as one bringing God’s message]. Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives so that in everything God will be ·praised [glorified] through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to him forever and ever [Col. 3:17]. Amen.
Suffering as a Christian
12 ·My friends [Beloved], do not be surprised at the ·terrible trouble [fiery ordeal; Zech. 13:9; Mal. 3:1–3] which now comes to test you. Do not think that something strange is happening to you. 13 But ·be happy [rejoice] that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings so that you will ·be happy and full of joy [L rejoice exulting/joyously] ·when Christ comes again in glory [L at the revelation of his glory]. 14 When people ·insult [ridicule] you ·because you follow Christ [L for the name of Christ], you are blessed, because the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, ·is with [rests on] you [Is. 11:1–2]. 15 Do not suffer for murder, theft, or any other crime, nor ·because you trouble other people [as a meddler/troublemaker]. 16 But if you suffer because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed. ·Praise [Glorify] God ·because you wear that name [or because you are called by his name; L in that name]. 17 [L For] It is time for judgment to begin with ·God’s family [T the household of God; 2:4–5]. And if that judging begins with us, what will ·happen to [L be the end for] those people who do not obey the ·Good News [Gospel] of God?
18 “If it is very hard for a ·good [righteous] person to be saved,
·the wicked person and the sinner will surely be lost! [or What will happen to the wicked person and the sinner?; Prov. 11:31]”
19 So those who suffer ·as God wants [or because God has allowed it; L according to the will of God] should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is ·right [good].
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