M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Ahaz King of Judah(A)
16 Ahaz was the son of Jotham king of Judah. Ahaz became king of Judah in the seventeenth year Pekah son of Remaliah was king of Israel. 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years in Jerusalem. Unlike his ·ancestor [father] David, he did not do ·what the Lord his God said was right [right in the eyes/sight of the Lord his God]. 3 Ahaz ·did the same things the kings of Israel had done [L walked in the way/path of the kings of Israel]. He even ·made his son pass through fire [sacrificed his son in the fire; C a reference to human sacrifice]. He did the same ·hateful sins [detestable/abominable practices] as the nations had done whom the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land ahead of the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. 4 Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense at the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places: 12:3], on the hills, and under every ·green [spreading] tree.
5 Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, came up to attack Jerusalem. They ·surrounded [besieged] Ahaz but could not ·defeat [conquer; overpower] him. 6 At that time Rezin king of Aram ·took back [recovered] the city of Elath for Aram, and he forced out all the people of Judah. Then ·Edomites [Arameans] moved into Elath, and they still live there today.
7 Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your ·friend [vassal; L son]. Come and ·save [rescue; T deliver] me from the hand of the king of Aram and the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” 8 Ahaz took the silver and gold that was in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and in the treasuries of the ·palace [L king’s house], and he sent these as a gift to the king of Assyria. 9 So the king of Assyria listened to Ahaz. He attacked Damascus and captured it and ·sent all [exiled; deported] its people away to Kir. And he killed Rezin.
10 Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. Ahaz saw an altar at Damascus, and he sent ·plans [a model] and a ·pattern [detailed plan] of this altar to Uriah the priest. 11 So Uriah the priest built an altar, just like the plans King Ahaz had sent him from Damascus. Uriah finished the altar before King Ahaz came back from Damascus. 12 When the king arrived from Damascus, he saw the altar and went ·near [up to it/onto it] and offered sacrifices on it [C the building of this altar was an act of apostasy]. 13 He ·burned [offered; presented] his burnt offerings and grain offerings and poured out his drink offering. He also sprinkled the blood of his ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1] on the altar.
14 Ahaz moved the bronze altar that was previously before the Lord at the front of the ·Temple [L house]. It was between Ahaz’s altar [C the new one] and the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord [C the Temple entrance], but he put it on the north side of his altar. 15 King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “On the ·large [great; C the new one] altar ·burn [offer; present] the morning burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17], the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1], and the whole burnt offering, the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering, and the drink offering for all the people of the land. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offering and of the sacrifice. But I will use the bronze altar to ·ask questions [inquire] of God.” 16 So Uriah the priest did everything as King Ahaz commanded him.
17 Then King Ahaz ·took [cut] off the side panels from the bases and removed the ·washing bowls [basins] from the top of the ·bases [movable stands; portable water carts]. He also took the large bowl, which was called the Sea, off the bronze ·bulls [oxen] that held it up, and he put it on ·a [the] stone ·base [pavement; pediment]. 18 Ahaz took away the ·platform [dais; or canopy; covered portal] for the royal throne, which had been built at the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. He also took away the outside entrance for the king. He did these things because of the king of Assyria [C to show deference and submission].
19 The other things Ahaz did as king ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 20 Ahaz ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried with his ·ancestors [fathers] in the City of David [C Jerusalem], and Ahaz’s son Hezekiah ·became king [reigned] in his place.
Follow theTrue Teaching
2 But you must tell everyone what ·to do to follow [or is consistent with] ·the true [sound; healthy] teaching. 2 Teach older men to be ·self-controlled [sober], ·serious [dignified; worthy of respect], ·wise [self-controlled], ·strong [sound; healthy] in faith, in love, and in ·patience [endurance].
3 In the same way, teach older women to be ·holy [reverent] in their behavior, not ·speaking against [slandering; gossiping about] others or enslaved to ·too much wine [excessive drinking], but teaching what is good. 4 Then they can ·teach [train] the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be ·wise [sensible; self-controlled] and pure, to be ·good workers at home [devoted to home life], to be kind, and to ·yield [submit] to their husbands. Then no one will be able to ·criticize [discredit; malign; blaspheme] the ·teaching God gave us [word of God].
6 In the same way, encourage young men to be ·wise [self-controlled]. 7 In every way be an example of doing good deeds. When you teach, do it with ·honesty [integrity] and ·seriousness [dignity]. 8 Speak ·the truth [a sound message] so that you cannot be ·criticized [condemned]. Then those who are against you will be ashamed because there is nothing bad to say about us.
9 ·Slaves [Bondservants] should ·yield [submit] to their own masters at all times, trying to please them and not ·arguing with [talking back to] them. 10 They should not ·steal [pilfer] from them but should show their masters ·they can be fully trusted [or that their faith is good/productive; L all good faith] so that in everything they do they will ·make attractive [adorn; show the beauty of] the teaching of God our Savior.
11 ·That is the way we should live, because [L For] God’s grace that can save everyone has ·come [appeared; been revealed]. 12 It ·teaches [trains; disciplines] us to ·turn away from [reject; deny] ungodly living and ·the evil things the world wants to do [or worldly desires; sinful pleasures]. Instead, that grace teaches us to live in the present age in a ·wise [self-controlled] and ·right [upright; just] way and in a ·way that shows we serve God [godly manner]. 13 We should live like that while we wait for our ·great [happy; blessed] hope and the ·coming of the glory [glorious appearing/manifestation] of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us so he might ·pay the price to free [redeem; ransom] us from all ·evil [wickedness; lawlessness] and to make us pure people who belong only to him—people who are always ·wanting [eager; zealous] to do good deeds.
15 Say these things and ·encourage [exhort] the people and ·tell them what is wrong in their lives [rebuke/admonish them], with all authority. Do not let anyone ·treat you as if you were unimportant [look down on/despise/disregard you].
Israel’s Punishment
9 Israel, do not rejoice;
don’t shout for joy as the other nations do.
You have been ·like a prostitute against [unfaithful to] your God.
You love the pay of prostitutes on every threshing floor.
2 But the threshing floor and the winepress will not feed the people,
and ·there won’t be enough new wine [or the new wine will deceive them].
3 The people will not stay in the Lord’s land.
·Israel [L Ephraim] will return ·to being captives as they were in [L to] Egypt,
and in Assyria they will eat ·food that they are not allowed to eat [L unclean food; C food forbidden by the law; Lev. 11].
4 The Israelites will not ·give [pour out] offerings of wine to the Lord;
and their sacrifices will not please him.
Their sacrifices will be like ·food that is eaten at a funeral [mourners bread; Deut. 26:14];
it is unclean, and everyone who eats it becomes unclean [C because touched by someone who has touched a dead body; Num. 19:22].
Their food will only satisfy their hunger;
·they cannot sacrifice it in [L it will not come into] the Temple.
5 What will you do then on the day of ·feasts [your appointed festivals]
and on the day of the Lord’s festival?
6 [L Look; T Behold] Even if the people ·are not destroyed [escape destruction],
Egypt will ·capture [or receive; L gather] them;
Memphis [C a city in Egypt famous for its tombs] will bury them.
·Weeds [Briers; Nettles] will grow over their silver treasures,
and thorns will ·drive them out of [possess; inherit] their tents.
7 The time of punishment has come,
the ·time to pay for sins [L days of recompense/vengeance].
Let Israel know this:
·You think the [L The] prophet is a fool,
and ·you say the [L the] ·spiritual person [Spirit-inspired person] is crazy.
·You [or This is because you] have sinned very much,
and your hatred is great.
8 ·Is Israel a watchman?
Are God’s people prophets? [or The prophet is a watchman over Ephraim on God’s behalf]
·Everywhere Israel goes, traps are set for him [or …yet traps/snares await him on all his paths].
·He is an enemy [or …and hatred even] in God’s house.
9 ·The people of Israel [L They] have gone deep into ·sin [depravity; corruption]
as ·the people of Gibeah did [L in the days of Gibeah; Judg. 19–20].
The Lord will remember ·the evil things they have done [their wickedness/iniquity],
and he will punish their sins.
10 “When I found Israel,
it was like finding grapes in the ·desert [wilderness].
Your ·ancestors [fathers; forefathers] were like
finding the first figs on the fig tree.
But when they came to Baal Peor,
they ·began worshiping an idol [L consecrated/dedicated themselves to a shameful thing; Num. 25:3–18],
and they became as ·hateful [detestable] as the thing they ·worshiped [L loved].
11 ·Israel’s [L Ephraim’s; 4:17] glory will fly away like a bird;
there will be no more pregnancy, no more births, no more conception.
12 But even if ·the Israelites [L they] bring up children,
I will take them all away.
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] them
when I ·go away [turn away; depart] from them!
13 I have seen Israel, like ·Tyre [or a young palm],
·given [L planted in] a pleasant place.
But ·the people of Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] will soon bring out
their children to ·be killed [slaughter; or the slayer].”
14 Lord, ·give them what they should have [L give them].
What will you give them?
·Make their women unable to have children [L Give them wombs that miscarry];
give them ·dried-up breasts that cannot feed their babies [L dry breasts].
15 “The Israelites were very wicked in Gilgal [C a center of false worship in Israel; 4:15],
so I have hated them there.
Because of the sinful things they have done,
I will ·force them to leave [drive them out of] my land.
I will no longer love them;
their ·leaders [princes] ·have turned against me [are rebels/rebellious].
16 ·Israel [L Ephraim] is ·beaten down [struck down; or blighted];
its root is ·dying [withered; dried up], and it ·has [bears] no fruit.
If they have more children,
I will kill the ·children they love [L cherished offspring of their womb].”
17 My God will reject them,
because they have not obeyed him;
they will ·wander [be wanderers/fugitives] among the nations.
Lord, Bring Your People Back
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
126 When the Lord ·brought the prisoners back to [brought back those who returned to; or restored the fortunes of] Jerusalem [L Zion; C probably the return from the exile; 2 Chr. 36:22–23; Ezra 1],
it seemed as if we were dreaming [C so surprised and happy that it did not seem real].
2 Then ·we [L our mouths] were filled with laughter,
and ·we [L our tongues] ·sang happy songs [shouted joyfully].
Then the other nations said,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we ·are very glad [rejoice].
4 Lord, ·return our prisoners [bring back those who return; or restore our fortunes] again,
as you bring streams to the ·desert [L Negev; C an arid area in the south of Israel].
5 Those who cry as they ·plant crops [sow; plant seed]
will ·sing [shout for joy] at harvest time.
6 Those who ·cry [L go out weeping]
as they carry out the ·seeds [L bag with seeds]
will return singing
and carrying ·bundles of grain [sheaves].
All Good Things Come from God
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover]. Of Solomon.
127 If the Lord doesn’t build the house,
the builders are working ·for nothing [in vain; without purpose].
If the Lord doesn’t guard the city,
the guards are watching ·for nothing [in vain; without purpose].
2 It is ·no use [in vain; without purpose] for you to get up early
and stay up late,
·working for a living [L eating the bread of hardship/pain].
The Lord ·gives sleep to those he loves [or provides for those he loves while they sleep].
3 Children are ·a gift [an inheritance] from the Lord;
·babies [L the fruit of the womb] are a reward.
4 Children ·who are born to a young man [L of one’s youth]
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior [C they help in the challenges and conflicts of life].
5 ·Happy [Blessed] is the man
who has his ·bag [quiver] full of ·arrows [L them].
They will not be ·defeated [L humiliated]
when they ·fight [L speak to] their enemies at the city gate [C the central place of commerce and government].
The Happy Home
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
128 ·Happy [Blessed] are those who ·respect [fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7] and ·obey him [L walk in his ways].
2 You will ·enjoy what you work for [L eat the labor of your hands],
and you will be ·blessed [happy] with ·good things [prosperity].
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine [C produce many children] in your house [Prov. 31:10–31].
Your children will be like olive branches [C bringing much good] around your table [Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10].
4 This is how the man who ·respects [fears] the Lord [Prov. 1:7]
will be blessed.
5 May the Lord bless you from Mount Zion [C the location of the Temple];
may you ·enjoy [experience; L see] the ·good things [prosperity] of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6 May you see your grandchildren.
Let there be peace in Israel.
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