M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Josiah King of Judah(A)
22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah, who was from Bozkath. 2 Josiah did ·what the Lord said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He ·lived [L walked] as his ·ancestor [father] David had ·lived [L walked], and he did not ·stop doing what was right [turn aside/deviate to the right or to the left].
3 In Josiah’s eighteenth year as king, he sent Shaphan to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, was the royal secretary. Josiah said, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and have him ·empty [count] out the money the ·gatekeepers [doorkeepers] have ·gathered [collected] from the people. This is the money they have brought into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 5 Have him ·give [entrust] the money to the supervisors of the work on the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. They must pay the workers who ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord— 6 the carpenters, builders, and ·bricklayers [masons]. Also use the money to buy timber and ·cut [finished; dressed] stone to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house]. 7 They do not need to ·report [account for] how they use the money given to them, because they are working ·honestly [faithfully; conscientiously; 12:15].”
The Book of the Teachings Is Found
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the royal secretary, “I’ve found the Book of the ·Teachings [Law; L torah] in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
9 Then Shaphan the royal secretary went to the king and reported to Josiah, “Your ·officers [officials] have ·paid [emptied] out the money that was in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. They have ·given [entrusted] it to the workers and supervisors at the ·Temple [L house].” 10 Then Shaphan the royal secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a ·book [scroll].” And Shaphan read from the ·book [scroll] to the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the ·Teachings [Law; L torah], he tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress]. 12 He gave orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the royal secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant. These were the orders: 13 “Go and ·ask [inquire of] the Lord about the words in the ·book [scroll] that was found. Ask for me, for all the people, and for all Judah. The Lord’s anger is burning ·greatly [fiercely] against us, because our ·ancestors [fathers] did not ·obey [listen to] the words of this ·book [scroll]; they did not do all the things written ·for us to do [concerning us].”
14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, who took care of the king’s ·clothes [wardrobe]. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, in the ·new area [New Quarter] of the city.
15 She said to them, “·This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says [T Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel]: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 ‘This is what the Lord says: I will bring ·trouble to [disaster/evil on] this place and to the people living here, ·as it is written [L in accordance with the words] in the ·book [scroll] which the king of Judah has read. 17 The people of Judah have ·left [abandoned; forsaken] me and have burned incense to other gods. They have ·made me angry [aroused/provoked me to anger] by all that they have done. My anger burns against this place, and it will not be ·put out [quenched].’ 18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ·ask [seek; inquire of] the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the words you heard: 19 When you heard ·my words [what I spoke] against this place and its people, ·you became sorry for what you had done [your heart was touched/responsive/penitent/tender] and humbled yourself before me. I said they would be cursed and ·would be destroyed [desolated]. You tore your clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress], and you ·cried in my presence [wept before me]. This is why I have heard you, says the Lord. 20 So I will ·let you die [L gather you to your fathers/ancestors], and you will be ·buried [L gathered to your grave] in peace. You won’t see all the ·trouble [disaster; evil] I will bring to this place.’”
So they took her message back to the king.
4 ·Now [Therefore], since ·God has left us the promise [the promise remains/still stands] that we may enter his rest, let us ·be very careful [beware; be wary/afraid] so none of you will ·fail to enter [appear/be found to fall short]. 2 [L For] The ·Good News [Gospel] was preached to us just as it was to them. But the ·teaching [message; word] they heard did not help them, because they heard it but did not ·accept [combine; join] it with faith.[a] 3 [L For; Now] We who have believed are able to enter ·and have God’s rest [L the rest]. As God has said,
“I was angry and ·made a promise [declared/swore an oath],
‘They will never enter my rest [Ps. 95:11].’”
But God’s work was finished from the ·time he made [foundation/creation of] the world. 4 ·In the Scriptures [L For somewhere] he talked about the seventh day of the week: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his works [Gen. 2:2].” 5 And again in ·the Scripture [or this passage; C Psalm 95, the passage the author has been discussing] God said, “They will never enter my rest [Ps. 95:11].”
6 ·It is still true that some people will [or This passage shows that some can still] enter God’s rest, but those who ·first [or formerly] ·heard the way to be saved [L had the Good News/Gospel proclaimed to them] did not enter, because they did not ·obey [believe; remain faithful]. 7 So God ·planned [set; established; ordained] another day, called “today” [3:13]. He spoke about that day through David a long time later in the ·same Scripture used before [words quoted before]:
“Today ·listen to what he says [L if you hear his voice…].
Do not ·be stubborn [L harden your hearts; Ps. 95:7–8].”
8 [L For; Now] If Joshua [C Moses’ successor, who led God’s people into the Promised Land; Josh. 3—4] had ·led the people into that [L given them] rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 This shows that the ·rest [L Sabbath rest; C sharing in the rest God enjoyed after Creation] for God’s people ·is still coming [or is still available; L remains]. 10 [L For] Anyone who enters God’s rest ·will rest [or has also rested] from his work as God did. 11 Let us ·try as hard as we can [strive; make every effort] to enter ·God’s [L that] rest so that no one will ·fail [be lost; L fall] by following the example of those who ·refused to obey [or did not believe; were unfaithful].
12 [L For] God’s word is alive and ·working [active; powerful; effective] and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It ·cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones [L penetrates until it divides even soul and spirit, joints and marrow]. And it ·judges [discerns] the ·thoughts [ideas] and ·feelings [attitudes; intentions] in our hearts. 13 ·Nothing in all the world [Nothing in all creation; or No creature] can be hidden from God. Everything is ·clear [naked] and ·lies open before him [L exposed to his eyes], and to him we must ·explain the way we have lived [give an account; answer].
Jesus Is Our High Priest
14 [L Therefore] Since we have a great high priest [2:17–18], Jesus the Son of God, who has ·gone into [ascended to; or passed through] ·heaven [or the heavens], let us hold ·on [firmly] to ·the faith we have [L the confession/profession; C of our faith]. 15 ·For our high priest is able [L For we do not have a high priest who is unable] to ·understand [sympathize with] our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. 16 Let us, then, ·feel very sure that we can come before [L confidently approach] God’s throne ·where there is grace [L of grace; C as opposed to a throne of judgment and condemnation]. There we can receive mercy and ·grace [L find grace] to help us ·when we need it [L at the right time].
Locusts Destroy the Crops
1 ·The Lord spoke his word [L The word/message of the Lord that was (given)] to Joel son of Pethuel:
2 Elders, listen to this message.
·Listen to [Hear] me, all you who live in the land.
·Nothing like this has [L Has anything like this…?] ever happened ·during your lifetime [L in your days]
or during your ·ancestors’ [fathers’] ·lifetimes [L days].
3 Tell your children about these things,
let your children tell their children,
and let ·your grandchildren [L their children] tell ·their children [the next generation].
4 What the ·cutting [chewing; or swarming] locusts have left,
the ·swarming [or great] locusts have eaten;
what the ·swarming [or great] locusts have left,
the ·hopping [or crawling; or young] locusts have eaten,
and what the ·hopping [or crawling; or young] locusts have left,
the ·destroying [consuming] locusts have eaten [C these Hebrew terms could mean different species, different stages of development, or different destructive actions; they symbolize God’s judgment against Israel through foreign invaders].
5 Drunks, wake up and ·cry [weep]!
All you ·people who drink wine [wine-drinkers], ·cry [wail]!
Cry because your ·wine [sweet/new wine]
has been ·taken away [snatched; L cut off] from your mouths.
6 A ·powerful [mighty] nation has ·come into [invaded; come up against] my land
·with too many soldiers to count [L without number].
It has teeth like a lion,
·jaws [fangs] like a ·female lion [lioness].
7 It has made my grapevine a waste
and made my fig tree ·a stump [or splintered].
It has ·stripped all [L stripped and thrown away] the bark off my trees
and left the branches white.
8 ·Cry [Lament; Wail] as a young woman ·cries [L clothed in sackcloth]
·when the man she was going to marry has died [L for the husband/or betrothed of her youth].
9 ·There will be no more grain or drink offerings
to offer in [L The grain/gift/tribute (Lev. 2:1) and drink offerings are cut off from] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.
Because of this, the priests,
the servants of the Lord, are ·sad [in mourning].
10 The fields are ·ruined [destroyed];
the ground ·is dried up [or mourns].
·The [L …because the] grain is destroyed,
the new wine is dried up,
and the olive oil ·runs out [fails].
11 Be ·sad [in despair; or ashamed; embarrassed], farmers.
·Cry loudly [Wail], you who grow grapes.
Cry for the wheat and the barley.
Cry because the harvest of the field is ·lost [ruined; destroyed].
12 The vines have ·become dry [dried up],
and the fig trees ·are dried up [have withered/languish].
The pomegranate trees, the date palm trees, the apple trees—
all the trees in the field ·have died [are dried up].
And the ·happiness [joy; gladness] of the ·people [L sons/children of man/humanity] has died, too.
13 Priests, put on your ·rough cloth [sackcloth] and ·cry to show your sadness [mourn; lament].
·Servants [Ministers] of the altar, ·cry out loud [wail].
Servants of my God,
·keep your rough cloth on all night to show your sadness [spend the night in sackcloth].
Cry because there will be no more grain [L gift; tribute; Lev. 2:1] or drink offerings
to offer in the ·Temple [L house] of your God.
14 ·Call for [Declare; Appoint; Consecrate] a ·day when everyone fasts [fast]!
·Tell everyone to stop work [L Call a sacred assembly]!
·Bring [Assemble] the elders
and everyone who lives in the land
to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
15 ·What a terrible day it will be [L Ah, for the day]!
The ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord] is near [2:1, 11, 31; Is. 13:6, 9; Jer. 46:10],
when ·punishment [destruction] will come
like a destroying attack from the Almighty [C “destroying” (shod) and “Almighty” (shaddai) are related words in Hebrew].
16 Our food is ·taken away [L cut off]
·while we watch [L in front of our eyes].
Joy and ·happiness [gladness] are gone
from the ·Temple [L house] of our God.
17 ·Though we planted fig seeds,
they lie dry and dead in the dirt [L The seed shrivels under the clods/or shovels].
The ·barns [storehouses] are ·empty and falling down [desolate].
The ·storerooms for grain [granaries] have been broken down,
because the grain has dried up.
18 The animals are groaning!
The herds of cattle ·wander around confused [mill about; are restless/distraught],
because they have no ·grass to eat [pasture];
even the flocks of sheep suffer.
19 Lord, I am calling to you for help,
because fire has ·burned up [devoured] the ·open [or wilderness] pastures,
and flames have burned all the trees in the field.
20 Wild animals ·also [even] ·need your help [cry out to you; long/pant for you].
The ·streams of water [water brooks; riverbeds] have dried up,
and fire has ·burned up [devoured] the ·open [or wilderness] pastures.
A Prayer for Protection
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
140 Lord, rescue me from evil people;
protect me from ·cruel [violent] people
2 who ·make evil plans [L consider evil in their hearts],
who ·always start fights [L every day stir up war; Prov. 15:18; 29:22].
3 They make their tongues sharp as a snake’s;
·their words are like snake poison [L the venom of vipers is under their lips; Rom. 3:13]. ·
4 Lord, ·guard [keep] me from the ·power [L hand] of wicked people;
protect me from ·cruel [violent] people
who plan ·to trip me up [my downfall].
5 The ·proud [arrogant] hid a trap for me.
They spread out a net [L with cords] beside the road;
they set ·traps [snares] for me. ·
6 I said to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Lord, ·listen [L give ear] to my prayer ·for help [of supplication].
7 Lord God, my ·mighty [strong] ·savior [victor],
you ·protect me in [L cover my head in the day of] battle.
8 Lord, do not give the wicked what they ·want [desire].
Don’t let their plans succeed,
or they will become ·proud [exalted]. ·
9 Those around me have ·planned trouble [L uplifted heads].
Now let ·it [L the trouble of their lips] come to them.
10 Let burning coals ·fall [rain] on them.
·Throw them [Let them fall] into the fire
or into pits from which they cannot ·escape [get up].
11 Don’t let ·liars [L a tongue-man] ·settle [be established] in the land.
Let evil ·quickly [or with blows] hunt down ·cruel [violent] people.
12 I know the Lord will get justice for the poor
and will defend the needy in court.
13 ·Good [Righteous] people will ·praise [thank] his name;
·honest [virtuous] people will live in his presence.
A Prayer Not to Sin
A psalm of David.
141 Lord, I ·call [pray] to you. Come quickly to me.
·Listen to me [L Give ear to my voice] when I ·call [pray] to you.
2 Let my prayer be like incense placed before you [Ex. 30:7–8; Rev. 5:8],
and ·my praise [L the lifting of my hands] like the evening sacrifice.
3 Lord, ·help me control my tongue [L set a guard on my mouth];
·help me be careful about what I say [L keep watch on the door of my mouth; Prov. 13:3; 21:23; James 3:1–12].
4 ·Take away my desire to do evil [L Don’t incline my heart to an evil matter]
or to join others in doing wrong.
Don’t let me eat tasty food
with those who do evil.
5 If a ·good [righteous] person ·punished [L hit] me, that would be ·kind [an act of loyalty].
If he corrected me, that would be like perfumed oil on my head.
·I [L My head] shouldn’t refuse it.
But I pray against those who do evil.
6 Let their ·leaders [judges] be thrown down the cliffs.
Then people will ·know that I have spoken correctly [L listen to my words for they are pleasant]:
7 “·The ground [or The rock; L Like it] is plowed and broken up.
In the same way, our bones have been scattered at the ·grave [L mouth of Sheol; C the grave or the underworld].”
8 God, ·I look to you for help [L my eyes are to you].
I ·trust [find refuge] in you, Lord. Don’t let ·me die [L my life pour out].
9 ·Protect [Guard; Keep] me from the traps they set for me
and from the net that evil people have spread.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
but let me pass by safely.
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