M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
War Between Israel and Moab
3 Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in Jehoshaphat’s eighteenth year as king of Judah. And Joram ·ruled [reigned] twelve years. 2 He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], but ·he was not like [not to same extent as] his father and mother; he removed the stone pillars his father had made for Baal. 3 But he ·continued to sin like [L clung to the sin of] Jeroboam son of Nebat who had led Israel to sin. Joram did not ·stop doing these same sins [depart/L turn away from it].
4 Mesha king of Moab ·raised [bred] sheep. He ·paid [delivered to] the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand sheep [C as annual tribute]. 5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab turned against the king of Israel. 6 So King Joram went out from Samaria and ·gathered [mobilized; mustered] ·Israel’s army [L all Israel]. 7 He also sent messengers to Jehoshaphat king of Judah. “The king of Moab has ·turned [rebelled] against me,” he said. “Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
Jehoshaphat replied, “I will go with you. My ·soldiers [L soldiers are your soldiers] and my horses are ·yours [L your horses].”
8 Jehoshaphat asked, “Which ·way should we attack [route should we take]?”
Joram answered, “Through the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah, joined by the king of Edom. After a ·roundabout [circuitous] march for seven days, there was no more water for the army or for their animals that were with them. 10 The king of Israel said, “·This is terrible [T Alas]! The Lord has called us three kings together to hand us over to the Moabites!”
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there ·a [L no] prophet of the Lord here? We can ·ask [inquire of] the Lord through him.”
An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He ·was Elijah’s servant [L used to pour water on the hands of Elijah].”
12 Jehoshaphat said, “·He speaks the Lord’s truth [The word of the Lord is with him].” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to see Elisha.
13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “·I have nothing [L What have I…?] to do with you. Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother [C that is, to the prophets of their false gods]!”
The king of Israel said to Elisha, “No, the Lord has called us three kings together to hand us over to the Moabites.”
14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] lives, ·whom I serve [L before whom I stand], I wouldn’t even look at you or notice you if Jehoshaphat king of Judah were not here. I ·respect [have regard for] him. 15 Now bring me someone who plays the ·harp [lyre].”
While the ·harp [lyre] was being played, the ·Lord gave Elisha power [L hand of the Lord came upon him]. 16 Then Elisha said, “·The Lord says to [T Thus says the Lord:] ·dig holes in the valley [make trenches in this valley; or I will fill this valley full of pools]. 17 The Lord says you won’t see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water. Then you, your cattle, and your other animals can drink. 18 This is ·easy for the Lord to do [a slight/simple thing in the eyes/sight of the Lord]; he will also hand Moab over to you. 19 You will destroy every ·strong, walled [fortified] city and every important town. You will cut down every good tree and stop up all springs. You will ruin every good field with rocks.”
20 The next morning, about the time the sacrifice was offered, water ·came [flowed] from the direction of Edom and filled the valley.
21 All the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So they ·gathered [mobilized; called up] everyone old enough to put on armor and ·waited [they took up positions] at the border. 22 But when the Moabites got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. They saw the water across from them, and it looked as red as blood. 23 Then they said, “This is blood! The kings must have fought and killed each other! Come, Moabites, ·let’s take the valuables from the dead bodies [let’s plunder them; L to the spoil]!”
24 When the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites came out and fought them until they ran away. Then the Israelites ·went on into [invaded] the land, ·killing [slaughtering] the Moabites. 25 They ·tore down [destroyed; overturned] the cities and threw rocks all over every good field. They stopped up all the springs and cut down all the good trees. Kir Hareseth was the only city ·with its stones still in place [still standing], but the men with ·slingshots [slings] surrounded it and ·conquered [attacked] it, too.
26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was ·too much for him [going against him], he took seven hundred men with swords to try to break through ·to [near to; across from] the king of Edom. But they could not break through. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been king after him, and ·offered [sacrificed] him as a burnt offering on the wall. ·So there was great anger against the Israelites, who [or Alarmed at this, the Israelites] left and went back to their own land.
Pray for Us
3 ·And now [or Finally], brothers and sisters, pray for us that the Lord’s ·teaching [message; word] ·will continue to spread quickly [L might run (forward)] and ·that people will give honor to that teaching [L be honored/glorified], just as happened with you. 2 And pray that we will be ·protected [or rescued; delivered] from ·stubborn [or perverse; worthless; wicked] and evil people, because not all people ·believe [have faith].
3 But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One [C Satan]. 4 ·The Lord makes us feel sure [L We have confidence about you in the Lord] that you are doing and will continue to do the things we ·told [instructed; commanded] you. 5 May the Lord ·lead [guide; direct] your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s ·patience [endurance; perseverance].
The Duty to Work
6 Brothers and sisters, ·by the authority [L in the name] of our Lord Jesus Christ we command you to stay away from any ·believer [L brother (or sister)] who ·refuses to work [or behaves irresponsibly; L lives/walks in idleness/disorder] and does not follow the ·teaching we gave you [L tradition you received from us]. 7 [L For] You yourselves know that you should ·live as we live [follow our example; imitate us]. [L Because] We were not ·lazy [idle; undisciplined] when we were with you. 8 And when we ate another person’s ·food [bread], we always paid for it. We worked ·very hard [L with labor and toil] night and day so we would not be an ·expense [financial burden] to any of you. 9 ·We had [L It was not because we do not have] the right to ask you to help us, but we worked ·to take care of ourselves so we would [L in order to] be an example for you to ·follow [imitate]. 10 [L For even] When we were with you, we gave you this ·rule [instruction; command]: “Anyone who ·refuses [is not willing] to work should not eat.”
11 [L For; or Yet] We hear that some people in your group ·refuse to work [or are behaving irresponsibly; L are living/walking in idleness/disorder]. They do nothing but ·busy themselves [meddle; interfere] in other people’s lives. 12 We command ·those [such] people and ·beg [urge; encourage; exhort] them in the Lord Jesus Christ to ·work quietly [or settle down] and ·earn [L eat] their own ·food [bread]. 13 But you, brothers and sisters, never become tired of doing good.
14 If some people do not obey what we tell you in this letter, then take note of them. ·Have nothing to do [Do not associate] with them so they will ·feel ashamed [or be shamed]. 15 But do not ·treat [regard] them as enemies. ·Warn [Admonish] them as ·fellow believers [L a brother (or sister)].
Final Words
16 Now may the Lord of peace [L himself] give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, ·end this letter now [write this greeting] in my own ·handwriting [L hand]. All my letters have this ·to show they are from me [sign]. This is the way I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Daniel’s Dream About Four Animals
7 In Belshazzar’s first year as king of Babylon [C perhaps 550 bc], Daniel had a dream. He saw visions [L in his head] as he was lying on his bed, and he wrote ·down what he had dreamed [L the beginning of the words/matter].
2 Daniel said: “I saw my vision at night. In the vision the ·wind was blowing from all four directions, which made the sea very rough [L four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea; C a picture of chaos]. 3 I saw four huge ·animals [beasts] come up from the sea, and each ·animal [beast] was different from the others.
4 “The first ·animal [beast] looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. I watched this ·animal [beast] until its wings were torn off. It was lifted from the ground so that it stood up on two feet like a human, and it was given the ·mind [heart] of a human [C perhaps representing Babylon].
5 “Then I saw a ·second [L another] ·animal [beast] before me that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides and had three ·ribs [or tusks] in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat ·all the meat you want [much flesh; many bodies; C perhaps representing the Medes or the Medes and Persians]!’
6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another ·animal [beast]. This ·animal [beast] looked like a leopard with four wings on its back that looked like a bird’s wings. This ·animal [beast] had four heads and was given ·power to rule [authority; C perhaps representing the Persians or the Greeks].
7 “After that, in my vision at night I saw in front of me a fourth ·animal [beast] that was ·cruel [fearsome], ·terrible [terrifying], and very strong [C perhaps the Greeks or Romans]. It had large iron teeth. It crushed and ate what it killed, and then it ·walked on [L stamped with its feet] whatever was left. This fourth ·animal [beast] was different from any ·animal [beast] I had seen before, and it had ten horns [C representing strength and power].
8 “While I was ·thinking about [reflecting on] the horns, another horn grew up among them. It was a little horn with eyes like a human’s eyes. It also had a mouth, and the mouth was bragging. The little horn ·pulled out [uprooted] three of the other horns.
9 “As I looked,
thrones were put in their places,
and ·God, the Eternal One, [L the Ancient of Days] sat on his throne.
His clothes were white like snow,
and the hair on his head was like wool [C white].
His throne was made from fire,
and the wheels of his throne were blazing with fire.
10 A river of fire was flowing
from in front of him.
·Many [L A thousand] thousands of angels were serving him,
and ·millions [L ten thousand times ten thousand; C angels] stood before him.
Court ·was ready to begin [sat in judgment],
and the books were opened.
11 “I kept on looking because the horn [C the little one] was bragging. I kept watching until finally the ·animal [beast; C the fourth] was killed. Its body was destroyed, and it was ·thrown [given over] into the burning fire. 12 (The ·power and rule [authority; dominion; sovereignty] of the ·other animals [rest of the beasts] had been taken from them, but they were permitted to live for a ·certain period of time [L season and a time].)
13 “In my vision at night I saw in front of me someone ·who looked like a human being [L like a son of man] coming on the clouds in the ·sky [heavens; C God’s heavenly chariot; Ps. 18:10–19; 68:4; 104:3; Is. 19:1; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7]. He came near ·God, who has been alive forever [L the Ancient of Days], and he was ·led to God [presented to him]. 14 He was given ·authority [dominion; sovereignty], glory, and ·the strength of a king [kingship]. People of every tribe, nation, and ·language [L tongue] will ·serve [fear; Prov. 1:7] him. His ·rule will last forever [dominion/sovereignty is an everlasting dominion/sovereignty], and his ·kingdom [kingship] will never be destroyed.
The Meaning of the Dream
15 “I, Daniel, was ·worried [troubled/disturbed in spirit]. The visions that went through my ·mind [L head] ·frightened [terrified] me. 16 I came near one of those standing there [C an angel, perhaps Gabriel who interprets visions; 8:16; 9:21] and asked ·what all this meant [the truth of all this].
“So he told me and explained to me ·what these things meant [L the interpretation of the matter]: 17 ‘The four great ·animals [beasts] are four ·kingdoms [or kings] that will come from the earth [vv. 4–7]. 18 But the holy ·people [L ones; C either the saints or angels or both] who belong to the Most High God will receive the ·power to rule [kingdom] and will have the ·power to rule [kingdom] forever, from now on.’
19 “Then I wanted to know what the fourth ·animal [beast] meant, because it was different from all the others. It was very ·terrible [fearsome] and had iron teeth and bronze claws. It was the ·animal [beast] that crushed and ate what it killed and then ·walked on [stamped with its feet] whatever was left [v. 7]. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn [C the little one] that grew there. It had ·pulled out [uprooted] three of the other ten horns and looked greater than the others. It had eyes and a mouth that kept bragging. 21 As I watched, the horn [C the little one] began making war against ·God’s holy people [L the holy ones; v. 18] and was defeating them 22 until ·God, who has been alive forever, [L the Ancient of Days; v. 9] came. He judged in favor of the holy ·people [ones; v. 18] who belong to the Most High God; then the time came for them to receive the ·power to rule [L kingdom].
23 “And he explained this to me: ‘The fourth ·animal [beast] is a fourth kingdom that will come on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will ·destroy [consume] ·people all over the world [L the whole earth]. It will ·walk on [trample] and crush the whole earth. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will ·come [arise] from this fourth kingdom. After ·those ten kings are gone [L them], another king will ·come [arise]. He will be different from the ·kings who ruled before him [L former ones], and he will ·defeat [cause to fall] three of the other kings. 25 This king will speak against the Most High God, and he will ·hurt and kill [L wear out] ·God’s holy people [L the holy ones of Most High God; v. 18]. He will try to change ·times [holy times] and laws that have already been set. ·The holy people that belong to God will be in that king’s [L They will be given into his] power for ·three and one-half years [L a time, times, and half a time; C he will seem to grow but then be cut back].
26 “‘But the court will ·decide what should happen [L sit in judgment]. ·The power of the king [L His dominion/sovereignty] will be taken away, and his kingdom will be completely destroyed. 27 Then the holy ·people [ones] who belong to the Most High God [v. 18] will have the power to rule. They will rule over all the kingdoms under heaven with power and greatness, and their power to rule will last forever. People from all the other kingdoms will ·respect [fear] and ·serve [obey] them.’
28 “That was the end of the ·dream [L matter]. I, Daniel, was ·very afraid [terrified]. My face became ·white from fear [pale], but I kept everything ·to myself [L in my own heart/mind].”
God Brought Israel from Egypt
114 When ·the Israelites [Israel] went out of Egypt,
the ·people [L house] of Jacob left ·that foreign country [L a people of incomprehensible language].
2 Then Judah became God’s holy place [Ex. 19:6];
Israel became ·the land he ruled [his dominion].
3 The Sea [C Red (or Reed) Sea; Ex. 14–15] looked and ·ran away [fled];
the Jordan River turned back [Josh. 3].
4 The mountains ·danced [skipped] like ·sheep [rams]
and the hills like little lambs.
5 Sea, why did you ·run away [flee]?
Jordan, why did you turn back?
6 Mountains, why did you ·dance [skip] like ·sheep [rams]?
Hills, why did you ·dance [skip] like little lambs?
7 Earth, ·shake with fear [writhe; tremble] before the Lord,
before the God of Jacob.
8 He turned a rock into a pool of water,
a hard ·rock [flint] into a spring of water [Ex. 17:1–7; Num. 20:1–13].
The One True God
115 ·It does not belong [L Not to us, not] to us, Lord.
The glory belongs to ·you [L your name]
because of your ·love [loyalty] and ·loyalty [faithfulness].
2 Why do the nations ask,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven.
He does what he pleases.
4 Their idols are made of silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak.
They have eyes, but they cannot see.
6 They have ears, but they cannot hear.
They have noses, but they cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but they cannot feel.
They have feet, but they cannot walk.
No sounds come from their throats.
8 People who make ·idols [L them] ·will be [or are] like them,
and so will those who ·trust [have confidence in] them [135:15–18; Is. 44:9–20; 46:6–7; Jer. 10:1–9; Hab. 2:18–19].
9 ·Family of [L O] Israel, ·trust [have confidence in] the Lord;
he is your helper and your ·protection [L shield].
10 ·Family [L House] of Aaron [C the priests], ·trust [have confidence in] the Lord;
he is your helper and your ·protection [L shield].
11 You who ·respect [fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7] should ·trust [have confidence in] him;
he is your helper and your ·protection [L shield].
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the ·family [L house] of Israel;
he will bless the ·family [L house] of Aaron [C the priests].
13 The Lord will bless those who ·respect [fear] him [Prov. 1:7],
from the ·smallest [or least] to the greatest.
14 May the Lord ·give you success [make you increase],
and may he give you and your children ·success [increase].
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth [Gen. 1].
16 Heaven belongs to the Lord,
but he gave the earth to people.
17 Dead people do not praise the Lord;
those ·in the grave are silent [L who go down in silence].
18 But we will praise the Lord
now and forever.
Praise the Lord!
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