M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
9 So all Israel was registered by genealogies, and these were written in the book of the kings of Israel. And Judah was led into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.
2 Now the first ones to dwell in their possessions in their cities were children of Israel, priests, Levites, and temple servants.
A Post-Exilic Genealogy(A)
3 Some of the sons of Judah dwelt in Jerusalem alongside some of the sons of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh:
4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the sons of Perez the son of Judah;
5 of the Shilonites:
Asaiah the firstborn and his sons;
6 of the sons of Zerah:
Jeuel and their brothers, six hundred and ninety.
7 Those of the sons of Benjamin were
Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;
8 Ibneiah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;
9 and their brothers according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of families according to their fathers’ houses.
10 Those of the priests were
Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin;
11 Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the head official of the house of God;
12 Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
13 and their brothers, heads of the houses of their fathers, one thousand seven hundred and sixty very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
14 Those of the Levites were
Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mika, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; Berekiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
17 Now the gatekeepers were
Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the head officer 18 who until then had served at the king’s eastern gate). They were the gatekeepers for the camps of the Levites. 19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers from his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, gatekeepers of the tabernacle. Their fathers had been over the camp of the Lord, guards at the entrance. 20 Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the official over them in previous times, and the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
22 All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were registered by their genealogy in their villages. Now David and Samuel the seer established them in their trusted offices. 23 So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tabernacle, as guards. 24 The gatekeepers were on four sides: east, west, north, and south. 25 Their brothers in their villages were to come for seven days from time to time to serve with them. 26 For in their trusted offices the four main gatekeepers who were Levites had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 They spent the night around the house of God, for the watch was entrusted to them, and they were responsible for opening it every morning.
28 Some of them were in charge of the vessels of service, that they should bring them in and out by number. 29 Some others were appointed over the furnishings and all the implements of the sanctuary as well as the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense, and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests mixed the ointment of the spices. 31 Mattithiah, one of the Levites (he was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite), was entrusted with making the flat cakes. 32 Others of the sons of the Kohathites and from their brothers were given charge over the showbread to prepare it every Sabbath.
33 Now these are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who stayed in the temple chambers, free from other service, because they were occupied with the work day and night.
34 These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their generations, leaders, who dwelt in Jerusalem.
The Genealogy of Saul(B)
35 Now Jeiel the father of Gibeon,
whose wife’s name was Maakah, dwelt in Gibeon. 36 His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. These also dwelt in Jerusalem with their own families near their brothers.
39 Ner became the father of Kish; Kish the father of Saul; Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.
40 The son of Jonathan was
Merib-Baal, and Merib-Baal became the father of Micah.
41 The sons of Micah were
Pithon, Melek, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42 Ahaz became the father of Jarah, and Jarah the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza, 43 and Moza became the father of Binea, Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
44 Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
The Death of Saul(C)
10 Now when the Philistines fought against Israel, every Israelite fighter fled before the Philistines, and the slain fell on Mount Gilboa. 2 But the Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. 3 As the battle with Saul became heavy, the archers’ bows found their target and mortally wounded him.
4 So Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through lest these uncircumcised Philistines come and make a fool of me.”
But his armor bearer was unwilling to do it because he was overwhelmed with fear, so Saul took the sword and fell on it himself. 5 When the armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. 6 Thus, Saul and his three sons, namely all his house, died together.
7 Now when all the children of Israel in the valley saw that they had fled the battlefield, and Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and escaped, leaving the Philistines to come and dwell in them.
8 The next day, when the Philistines came to pillage the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they stripped Saul, removed his head and his armor, and circulated the news of his demise throughout the land of the Philistines to their idols as well as the people. 10 Then they placed his armor in the temple of their gods, while his head they impaled in the house of Dagon.
11 Now all Jabesh Gilead heard about everything the Philistines did to Saul, 12 so their valiant men rose up and carried the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted, mourning seven days.
13 So Saul died because of his unfaithful deeds against the Lord, because of his failure to keep the word of the Lord, and because he sought to consult a spirit of divination 14 but did not seek the Lord. So He killed him and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
The Discipline of the Lord
12 Therefore, since we are encompassed with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. 2 Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and your hearts give up.
4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed while striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons:
“My son, do not despise the discipline from the Lord,
nor grow weary when you are rebuked by Him;
6 for whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
and scourges every son whom He receives.”[a]
7 Endure discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? 8 If you are without discipline, of which everyone has partaken, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers, and they corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed disciplined us for a short time according to their own judgment, but He does so for our profit, that we may partake of His holiness. 11 Now no discipline seems to be joyful at the time, but grievous. Yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness in those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore lift up your tired hands, and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame go out of joint, but rather be healed.
Warning Against Rejecting God’s Grace
14 Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord, 15 watching diligently so that no one falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up to cause trouble, and many become defiled by it, 16 lest there be any sexually immoral or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and storm, 19 and to the sound of a trumpet and to a voice speaking words, such that those who heard them begged that the word not be spoken to them anymore. 20 For they could not endure that which was commanded: “If so much as a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned or thrust through with a spear.”[b] 21 So terrible was the sight that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”[c]
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven; to God, the Judge of all; and to the spirits of the righteous ones made perfect; 24 and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant; and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than that of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused Him who spoke on earth, much less shall we escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven. 26 At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has given us a promise, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.”[d] 27 And this statement, “Yet once more,” signifies the removal of those things that can be shaken, things that are created, so that only those things that cannot be shaken will remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us be gracious, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Woe to the Complacent
6 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,
and to those confident on the mount of Samaria,
nobles of the first of the nations,
to whom the house of Israel comes!
2 Cross over to Kalneh and see,
and go from there to Hamath the great;
then go down to Gath of the Philistines—
are you better than these kingdoms?
Or is their territory greater than your territory?
3 You who brush off the day of disaster,
but bring on a session of lawlessness;
4 who lie upon beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches,
eating lambs from the flock and calves from the stall;
5 who sing to the sound of the harp
and invent musical instruments for themselves like David;
6 who drink from bowls of wine
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the destruction of Joseph.
7 Therefore now they will go at the head of the captives into exile,
and the revelry of those who are lounging will vanish.
8 The Lord God hath sworn by Himself, an oracle of the Lord the God of Hosts:
I abhor the pride of Jacob
and hate his palaces,
so I will deliver up the city
with all that is in it.
9 If there remain ten people in one house, they will die. 10 And when a relative or one who prepares the bodies picks them up to carry them out of the house, and says to someone in the recesses of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” he will say, “Hush!”—not to pronounce the name of the Lord.
11 But indeed the Lord gives a command,
and He will shatter the great house to bits,
and the small house to pieces.
12 Can horses run on a rocky crag?
Can one plow the sea with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison,
and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood,
13 you who rejoice in Lo Debar, who say,
“Is it not by our own strength that we captured Karnaim?”
14 Watch: I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel,
says the Lord, the God of Hosts,
and they will oppress you
from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi Arabah.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary arose and quickly went into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She spoke out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 Indeed, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a completion to those things which were told her by the Lord.”
The Song of Mary
46 And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant;
surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
50 His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
55 as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”[a]
56 Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now Elizabeth’s time had come to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and cousins heard how the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they were calling him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered, “Not so! He shall be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 They made signs to his father, asking what he would have him called. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke and praised God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them. And all these facts were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All those who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will he be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
The Prophecy of Zechariah
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
70 as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant,
73 the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
74 to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
might serve Him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people
by the remission of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he remained in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to Israel.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.