M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
20 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he ·almost died [was about to die]. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ·Make arrangements [L Set your house in order] because you are going to die. You will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Lord, please remember that I have always ·obeyed [L walked before] you. I have ·given myself completely to you [served you wholeheartedly] and have done ·what you said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord].” Then Hezekiah ·cried loudly [wept bitterly].
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the Lord spoke his word to Isaiah: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ·leader [ruler; prince] of my people: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ·ancestor [father] David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears, so I will heal you. Three days from now you will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. I will ·save [rescue; T deliver] you and this city from [L the hand of] the king of Assyria; I will ·protect [defend] the city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Make a ·paste [ointment; poultice] from figs.” So they made it and put it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he got well.
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord on the third day?”
9 Isaiah said, “The Lord will do what he ·says [promises]. This is the sign from the Lord to show you: Do you want the shadow to go forward ten steps or back ten steps?”
10 Hezekiah answered, “It’s ·easy [normal] for the shadow to ·go forward [lengthen] ten steps. Instead, let it go back ten steps.”
11 Then Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten steps back up the ·stairway [or dial; C the shadows moved either on outside stairs or on a sundial] of Ahaz that it had gone down.
Messengers from Babylon(B)
12 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan was king of Babylon. He sent ·letters [greetings] and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah ·was [had been] sick. 13 Hezekiah ·listened to [received] the messengers, ·so [and] he showed them what was in his storehouses: the silver, gold, spices, ·expensive perfumes [precious oils], his ·swords and shields [armory], and all his ·wealth [treasures]. He showed them everything in his ·palace [L house] and his kingdom.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where did they come from?”
Hezekiah said, “They came from a faraway country—from Babylon.”
15 So Isaiah asked him, “What did they see in your ·palace [L house]?”
Hezekiah said, “They saw everything in my ·palace [L house]. I showed them all my ·wealth [L treasuries; store houses].”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the words of the Lord: 17 ‘·In the future to you [The time/day is coming when] everything in your ·palace [L house] and everything your ·ancestors [fathers] have stored up until this day will be ·taken away [carried off] to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘Some of your own ·children [sons], those ·who will be born to you [you will father], will be taken away. And they will become ·servants [eunuchs] in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
19 Hezekiah told Isaiah, “These words from the Lord that you have spoken are good.” He said this because he thought, “Why not? There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”
20 Everything else Hezekiah did—all his ·victories [achievements; power], his work on the pool, his work on the tunnel to bring water into the city—·is [L is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 21 Then Hezekiah ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors], and his son Manasseh became king in his place.
Our Salvation Is Great
2 ·So [For this reason] we must ·be more careful to follow [pay even closer attention to] what we ·were taught [have heard]. Then we will not ·stray [drift] away from the truth. 2 ·The teaching [L If/Since the message/word…] God spoke through angels [Acts 7:53] was shown to be ·true [firm; reliable], and ·anyone who did not follow it or obey it [every violation/transgression and disobedience] received the punishment that ·was earned [it deserved; was just]. 3 ·So surely we also will be punished [L How will we escape…?] if we ignore ·this [such a] great salvation. The Lord himself first ·told about [announced] this salvation, and those who heard him ·testified [confirmed to us] it was true. 4 God also ·testified to the truth of the message [joined in/confirmed their testimony] by using great signs, wonders, many kinds of ·miracles [acts of power], and by ·giving people [L the distribution/apportioning of] gifts through the Holy Spirit, ·just as he wanted [or however he desired].
Christ Became like Us
5 [L For] God did not ·choose angels to be the rulers of the new world that was coming [L subject the world to come to angels], which is what we have been talking about. 6 ·It is written in the Scriptures [L Someone has testified somewhere],
“·Why are people even important to you [L What is man/humanity that you remember/think about him/them]?
·Why do you take care of human beings [L Or the son of man/children of Adam that you care for/about them]?
7 You made ·them [or him] ·a little [or for a little while] lower than the angels
and crowned ·them [or him] with glory and honor.[a]
8 You ·put all things under their control [L subjected everything under his feet; Ps. 8:4–6].”
[L For] When God ·put everything under their control [L subjected everything to him], there was nothing left ·that they did not rule [uncontrolled; not subjected]. Still, [L now; at the present time] we do not yet see ·them [or him; C referring to humanity] ruling over everything. 9 But we see Jesus, who for a short time was made lower than the angels. This was so that, by God’s grace, he could ·die [L taste death] for everyone. And now, because he suffered and died, he is ·wearing a crown of [L crowned with] glory and honor. [C Jesus fulfills humanity’s destiny: to be crowned with glory and honor; Ps. 8 (cited above).]
10 God is the One ·who made all things, and all things are for his glory [L through whom and for whom all things exist]. He wanted to ·have many children share his [lead/bring many children/sons to] glory, so [L it was fitting/appropriate that] he made the ·One who leads people to [Leader/Pioneer/Source of their] salvation perfect through suffering.
11 [L For indeed] ·Jesus, [L the one] who makes people holy, and those who are made holy ·are from the same family [or have the same Father; or have one origin; L are all from one]. ·So [For this reason] he is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12 He says,
“Then, I will ·tell my brothers and sisters about you [L proclaim your name to my brothers (and sisters)];
I will ·praise [sing hymns/praise songs to] you in the ·public meeting [midst of the assembly; Ps. 22:22].”
13 He also says,
“I will ·trust [put my confidence] in ·God [L him; Is. 8:17].”
And he also says,
“I am here, and with me are the children God has given me [Is. 8:18].”
14 [L Therefore] Since these children ·are people with physical bodies [have in common their flesh and blood], Jesus himself ·became like them [shared their humanity; L likewise shared the same things]. He did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death—the devil— 15 and free those who were ·like slaves [held in slavery] all their lives because of their fear of death. 16 [L For] Clearly, it is not angels that Jesus helps, but the ·people who are from [seed/descendants of] Abraham [C the father of the Jewish nation; Gen. 12—25]. 17 For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way so he could ·be their [L become a] merciful and faithful high priest in ·service [L the things pertaining] to God. Then Jesus could ·die in their place to take away [make atonement for; be the sacrifice that pays for; be the sacrifice that appeases God’s wrath against] ·their sins [L the sins of the people]. 18 And now he can help those who are ·tempted [or tested], because he himself suffered and ·was tempted [or was tested; or passed the test].
The Final Word Against Israel
13 ·People used to fear the tribe of Ephraim [L When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling];
they were ·important people [L exalted] in Israel.
But they sinned by worshiping Baal,
·so they must die [L and died].
2 But they still keep on sinning more and more.
They make ·idols of their silver [metal images],
idols that are ·cleverly [skillfully] made,
the work of a craftsman.
·Yet the people of Israel say to each other [or It is said of them],
“·Kiss those calf idols and sacrifice to them [or Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!; or They offer human sacrifices and kiss calf-idols].”
3 So those people will be like the morning mist;
they will disappear like the morning dew.
They will be like chaff ·blown [that swirls away] from the threshing floor,
like smoke going out a window.
4 “I, the Lord, have been your God
since you were in the land of Egypt.
You ·should have known no [must not acknowledge any] other God except me [Ex. 20:3].
·I am the only one who saves [L There is no savior but me].
5 I ·cared for them [L knew you] in the ·desert [wilderness]
·where it was hot and dry [in the land of drought].
6 I gave them ·food [pasture], and they became full and satisfied.
But then they became too proud and forgot me.
7 That is why I will be like a lion to them,
like a leopard ·waiting [lurking] by the ·road [path].
8 I will ·attack [meet them] like a bear robbed of her cubs,
ripping their ·bodies [chest] open.
I will devour them like a lion
and tear them apart like a wild animal.
9 “Israel, I will destroy you.
·Who will be your helper then [or …because you are against me, your helper]?
10 ·What good [L Where] is your king?
Can he save you in any of your towns?
·What good are [L Where are] your leaders
about whom you said, ‘Give us a king and leaders’?
11 So I gave you a king, but only in anger,
and I took him away in my ·great anger [wrath].
12 The ·sins [guilt; iniquity] of Israel are ·on record [bound up in a scroll],
stored away, waiting for punishment.
13 The pain of birth will come for him,
but he is like a ·foolish [senseless; unwise] baby
who won’t come out of its mother’s womb.
14 Will I save them from ·the place of the dead [the power of the grave; L the hand of Sheol]?
Will I ·rescue [redeem] them from death?
·Where are [or Bring on…!] your plagues, death?
·Where is [or Bring on…!] your ·pain [destruction], ·place of death [O grave]?
·I will show them no mercy [L Pity/compassion is hidden from my eyes].
15 ·Israel is doing well among the nations [L He is fruitful among his brothers],
but the Lord will send a wind from the east,
coming from the ·desert [wilderness],
that will dry up his springs and wells of water.
He will ·destroy [plunder] from their treasure houses ·everything of value [every precious/desirable thing].
16 ·The nation of Israel [L Samaria; 10:5] will ·be ruined [or bear its guilt],
because it ·fought [rebelled] against God.
·The people of Israel will die in war [L They will fall by the sword];
their ·children [infants; little ones] will be ·torn to [dashed in] pieces,
and their pregnant women will be ripped open.”
Israelites in Captivity
137 By the rivers in Babylon we sat and ·cried [wept; C during the Babylonian exile]
when we remembered ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
2 On the ·poplar [or willow] trees nearby
we hung our harps.
3 ·Those who captured us [Our captors] asked us to sing;
our ·enemies [oppressors] wanted happy songs.
They said, “Sing us a song about ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]!”
4 But we cannot sing songs about the Lord
while we are in this foreign ·country [land]!
5 Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand ·lose its skill [L forget; C its skill of playing a musical instrument].
6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not ·think about Jerusalem
as my greatest joy [or go up to Jerusalem with joy on my head].
7 Lord, remember ·what the Edomites did [L the sons of Edom]
on the day ·Jerusalem fell [L of Jerusalem; Lam. 4:21; Ezek. 25:12–14; 35:5–15; Obad. 11–14].
They said, “Tear it down!
Tear it down to its foundations!”
8 ·People [L Daughter] of Babylon, you will be destroyed.
The people who pay you back for what you did to us will be ·happy [blessed].
9 They will grab your ·babies [little ones]
and throw them against the rocks.
A Hymn of Thanksgiving
A psalm of David.
138 Lord, I will ·thank [praise] you with all my heart;
I will ·sing [make a psalm] to you before the gods.
2 I will bow down facing your holy Temple,
and I will ·thank [praise] ·you [L your name] for your ·love [loyalty] and ·loyalty [faithfulness].
You have ·made your name and your word
greater than anything [L exalted your word above all your name].
3 On the day I ·called [prayed] to you, you answered me.
You ·made me strong and brave [L have emboldened/encouraged my soul with strength].
4 Lord, let all the kings of the earth ·praise [thank] you
when they hear the words ·you speak [L of your mouth].
5 They will sing about ·what the Lord has done [L the way of the Lord],
because the Lord’s glory [C his manifest presence] is great.
6 Though the Lord is ·supreme [exalted],
he ·takes care of [looks on] ·those who are humble [the lowly],
but he ·stays away from the proud [L perceives the proud from far away].
7 Lord, ·even when I have trouble all around me [L if I walk in the midst of distress],
you will keep me alive.
When my enemies are angry,
you will ·reach down [L send out your hand] and save me by your ·power [L right hand].
8 Lord, you ·do everything [fulfill/accomplish your plan] for me.
Lord, your ·love [loyalty] continues forever.
Do not ·leave [abandon; forsake] us, ·whom you made [L the work of your hands].
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