M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
24 While Jehoiakim was king, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked the land of Judah. So Jehoiakim became Nebu-chadnezzar’s ·servant [vassal] for three years. Then he turned against Nebuchadnezzar and ·broke away from his rule [rebelled]. 2 The Lord sent raiding ·parties [bands] from Babylon, Aram, Moab, and Ammon against Jehoiakim to destroy Judah. This happened ·as the Lord had said it would [L in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken] through his servants the prophets.
3 The Lord commanded this to happen to the people of Judah, to remove them from his ·presence [sight], because of all the sins of Manasseh. 4 He had killed many innocent people and had filled Jerusalem with their blood. And the Lord would not forgive these sins.
5 The other things that happened while Jehoiakim was king and all he did ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 6 Jehoiakim ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors], and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place.
7 The king of Egypt did not ·leave [march/venture out from] his land again, because the king of Babylon had captured all that belonged to the king of Egypt, from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.
Jehoiachin King of Judah(A)
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he ·was king [reigned] three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem. 9 Jehoiachin did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as his father had done.
10 At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem. When they reached the city, they ·attacked [besieged] it. 11 Nebuchadnezzar himself came to the city while his officers were ·attacking [besieging] it. 12 Jehoiachin king of Judah surrendered to the king of Babylon, along with Jehoiachin’s mother, servants, nobles, and ·officers [officials]. So Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin a prisoner in the eighth year he was king of Babylon. 13 Nebuchadnezzar ·took [carried off] all the treasures from the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and from the ·palace [L king’s house]. He ·cut up [stripped away] all the gold ·objects [vessels; articles] Solomon king of Israel had made for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. This happened as the Lord had said it would. 14 Nebuchadnezzar took ·away [into exile] all the people of Jerusalem, including all the ·leaders [commanders], all the ·wealthy people [nobles; or warriors], and all the craftsmen and ·metal workers [artisans]. There were ten thousand ·prisoners [captives] in all. Only the poorest people in the land were left. 15 Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother and his wives, the ·officers [officials], and the ·leading men [elite] of the land. They were taken ·captive [into exile] from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 The king of Babylon also ·took [exiled] all seven thousand ·soldiers [L men of valor], who were strong and ·able to fight in [fit for] war, and about a thousand craftsmen and ·metal workers [artisans]. Nebuchadnezzar ·took [exiled] them as ·prisoners [captives] to Babylon. 17 Then he made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in Jehoiachin’s place. He also changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah King of Judah(B)
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ·was king [reigned] in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah [C not the prophet Jeremiah] from Libnah. 19 Zedekiah did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as Jehoiakim had done. 20 All this happened in Jerusalem and Judah because the Lord was angry with them. Finally, he ·threw [banished; cast] them out of his presence.
Zedekiah ·turned [rebelled] against the king of Babylon.
6 ·So [Therefore] let us ·go on to grown-up teaching [L move forward to maturity/completeness]. Let us ·not go back over [L leave behind] the ·beginning [rudimentary; elementary] ·lessons [teaching; L word] we learned about ·Christ [or the Messiah; 5:5]. We should not again ·start teaching [L lay a foundation] about ·turning away [repentance] from ·those acts that lead to death [or useless works; L dead works] and about faith in God. 2 We should not return to the teaching about baptisms [C either Christian baptism or Jewish ceremonial washings], about laying on of hands [C a ritual of blessing and/or conferring of authority], about the raising of the dead and eternal judgment [C these may be Jewish practices or foundational Christian teaching]. 3 And we will ·go on to grown-up teaching [L do this] if God allows.
4 For it is impossible to ·bring back again to a changed life [L renew again to repentance] those who were once ·in God’s light [enlightened], and ·enjoyed [experienced; L tasted] ·heaven’s gift [or the heavenly gift; C perhaps the gift of salvation], and ·shared in [partook of] the Holy Spirit. 5 They ·found out [L tasted] how good God’s word is, and ·they received [L tasted] the ·powers [miracles] of ·his new world [the coming age/world]. 6 If they have ·fallen away [committed apostasy], it is impossible to ·bring them back to a changed life again [L renew them again to repentance], because they are nailing the Son of God to a cross again and are ·shaming him in front of others [making a public disgrace/exhibition of him].
7 ·Some people are like land that gets plenty of rain and [L Land that drinks in the abundance of rain] produces a ·good [useful] crop for those who ·work [farm] it. That land receives God’s blessings. 8 ·Other people are like land that [L But if it…] grows thorns and ·weeds [thistles] and is worthless. It is about to be cursed by God and ·will be destroyed by fire [L its end/fate is burning].
9 ·Dear friends [Loved ones; T Beloved], we are saying this to you, but we ·really expect [are convinced/confident of] better things from you that ·will lead to [or accompany; come with] your salvation. 10 [For] God is ·fair [L not unjust]; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed ·for him [L in his name] by ·helping [serving] his ·people [holy people; T saints]. And he will remember that you are still ·helping [serving] them. 11 We ·want [desire for] each of you to ·go on with the same hard work [demonstrate the same zeal/diligence] ·all your lives [L until the end] ·so you will surely get what you hope for [or until your hope is fulfilled/attained]. 12 We do not want you to become ·lazy [sluggish; C in contrast to diligent; v. 11]. Be ·like [L imitators of] those who through faith and ·patience [endurance] will ·receive [inherit] what God has promised.
13 [L For] God made a promise to Abraham. And as there is no one greater than God, he ·used himself [vowed by his own name; L swore by himself] when he swore to Abraham, 14 saying, “I will ·surely [or greatly] bless you and ·give you many [greatly multiply your] descendants [Gen. 22:17].” 15 Abraham ·waited patiently for this to happen [persevered], and he received what God promised.
16 [L For] People always ·use the name of [L swear by] someone greater than themselves when they swear. The oath ·proves [is confirmation] that what they say is true, and this ·ends all arguing [or settles the dispute; C an oath by a higher authority is taken as a legal guarantee]. 17 God wanted to ·make very clear [demonstrate convincingly] to ·those who would get what he promised [L the heirs of the promise] that his ·purposes [or plans] never change, so he ·made [L confirmed/guaranteed it with] an oath. 18 These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things greatly encourage us, who ·came [L have fled] to God for safety, to hold on to the hope ·we have been given [L set before us]. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for ·the soul [our lives], ·sure [stable; secure] and ·strong [reliable; unshifting]. It enters behind the curtain in the ·Most Holy Place in heaven [L inner place/sanctuary], 20 where Jesus has gone ·ahead of us [L as a forerunner] ·and for us [on our behalf]. He has become the high priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek [Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10; 7:1–17].
Punishment for Judah’s Enemies
3 “[L For look/T behold] In those days and at that time,
when I will ·make things better for [restore the fortunes of; or return the exiles/captives of] Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all the nations together
and bring them down into the Valley ·Where the Lord Judges [L of Jehoshaphat; C Jehoshaphat means “the Lord judges”].
There I will ·judge [enter into judgment against] them,
because those nations scattered my ·own people [L people, my heritage] Israel
·and forced them to live in other [L among the] nations.
They divided up my land
3 and ·threw [T cast] lots for my people.
They traded boys for prostitutes,
and they sold girls to buy wine to ·drink [get drunk].
4 “Tyre and Sidon and all of you regions of Philistia! What did you have against me? Were you ·punishing me [paying me back; taking vengeance] for something I did, ·or were you doing something to hurt me? [or If you were trying to pay me back,] I will very quickly ·do to you [L return on your heads] what you have done to me. 5 You took my silver and gold, and you put my ·precious [costly; rich; prized] treasures in your ·temples [or palaces]. 6 You sold the ·people [sons; descendants] of Judah and Jerusalem to the [L sons/descendants of the] Greeks so that you could ·send [remove] them far from their ·land [L border].
7 “[L Look; T Behold] You sent my people to that faraway place, but I will ·get them [rouse them; stir them up] and bring them back, and I will ·do to you [L return on your heads] what you have done to them. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabean people [C Arab merchants from the southeast; Job 1:15] far away.” The Lord said this.
God Judges the Nations
9 ·Announce [Proclaim] this among the nations:
Prepare for war!
·Wake up [Rouse; Call out] the ·soldiers [warriors; mighty men]!
Let all the men of war come near and attack.
10 ·Make swords from your plows [T Beat your plowshares into swords],
and make spears from your ·hooks for trimming trees [pruning hooks; C the opposite of Is. 2:4].
Let even the weak person say,
“I am ·a soldier [a warrior; or strong].”
11 All of you nations, hurry,
and ·come together [assemble] in that place.
Lord, ·send your soldiers
to gather the nations [L bring down your warriors].
12 “·Wake up, nations [or Let the nations be roused],
and come ·to attack in [up to] the Valley ·Where the Lord Judges [L of Jehoshaphat; v. 2].
There I will sit to judge
all the nations on every side.
13 Swing the ·cutting tool [sickle],
because the harvest is ripe.
Come, ·walk on them as you would walk on grapes to get their juice [L trample the grapes],
because the winepress is full
and the ·barrels [vats] are ·spilling over [overflowing],
because ·these people are so evil [their wickedness/evil is great]!”
14 ·There are huge numbers of people [L Multitudes, multitudes]
in the Valley of Decision [C the place of the Lord’s verdict against the nations; vv. 2, 12],
because the ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord; 1:15] is near
in the Valley of Decision.
15 The sun and the moon will become dark,
and the stars will ·stop shining [L withhold their brightness; 2:10].
16 The Lord ·will roar like a lion from Jerusalem [L roars from Zion];
his loud voice will thunder from ·that city [L Jerusalem],
and the ·sky [heavens] and the earth will shake.
But the Lord will be a ·safe place [refuge] for his people,
a ·strong place of safety [stronghold] for the ·people [L sons; T children] of Israel.
17 “Then you will know that I, the Lord your God,
live on my holy Mount Zion.
Jerusalem will be a holy place,
and ·strangers [foreigners] will never even go through it again [C as invaders].
A New Life Promised for Judah
18 “On that day ·wine [sweet/new wine] will drip from the mountains,
milk will flow from the hills [C symbols of bounty and prosperity],
and water will run through all the ·ravines [streambeds] of Judah.
A fountain will flow from the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord
and give water to the valley of ·acacia trees [L Shittim; C perhaps a proper name; Num. 25:1].
19 But Egypt will ·become empty [be desolate],
and Edom an ·empty desert [deserted wilderness],
because ·they were cruel [of their violence] to the ·people [L sons; descendants] of Judah.
They ·killed innocent people [L shed innocent blood] in that land.
20 But ·there will always be people living in Judah [Judah will be inhabited forever],
and ·people will live in Jerusalem from now on [L Jerusalem from generation to generation].
21 ·Egypt and Edom killed my people,
so I will definitely punish them [L I will avenge/punish their blood, which I have not yet avenged/punished].”
The Lord ·lives [dwells] in Jerusalem!
A Prayer Not to Be Killed
A psalm of David.
143 Lord, hear my prayer;
·listen [L give ear] to my ·cry for mercy [prayer of supplication].
Answer me
because you are ·loyal [faithful] and ·good [righteous].
2 Don’t ·judge me [L bring me into judgment], your servant,
because no one alive is ·right [righteous] before you [Rom. 3:22; Gal. 2:16].
3 My enemies are ·chasing [pursuing; persecuting] me;
they crushed me to the ground.
They made me ·live [sit] in darkness
like those long dead [Lam. 3:6].
4 ·I am afraid [I am depressed; L my spirit is faint; 142:3];
my ·courage is gone [L heart within me is desolated].
5 I remember ·what happened long ago [L the former days];
I ·consider [meditated on] everything you have done.
I ·think [considered] ·about all you have made [L the work of your hands].
6 I ·lift my hands to you in prayer [L spread out my hands to you].
·As a dry land needs rain, I thirst [L My life/soul is like a thirsty/parched land] for you. ·
7 Lord, answer me quickly,
because ·I am getting weak [L my spirit languishes].
Don’t ·turn away [L hide your face] from me,
or I will be like those who ·are dead [L go down to the pit].
8 ·Tell me [Make me hear] in the morning about your ·love [loyalty],
because I ·trust [have confidence in] you.
·Show me what I should do [L Make me know the way I should walk],
because ·my prayers go up [L I lift up my soul] to you.
9 Lord, ·save [protect] me from my enemies;
I hide in you.
10 Teach me to do ·what you want [your will],
because you are my God.
Let your good Spirit [or spirit]
·lead [guide] me on level ground.
11 Lord, let me live
·so people will praise you [L for the sake of your name].
In your ·goodness [righteousness]
·save me [L bring me out] from my ·troubles [distress].
12 In your ·love [loyalty] ·defeat [destroy] my enemies.
·Destroy [L Make perish] all those who ·trouble [distress] me,
because I am your servant.
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