M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The Family Groups in Camp

2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “The people of Israel will set up their tents, each by his own flag and beside that of their fathers’. They will set up their tents to face the meeting tent on every side. ³ Those who stay in their tents on the east side toward the sunrise will have the flag of Judah by their armies. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon the son of Amminadab. ⁴ The number of all his army is 74,600. ⁵ The family of Issachar will set up their tents next to Judah. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel the son of Zuar. ⁶ The number of his army is 54,400. ⁷ The family of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab the son of Helon. ⁸ The number of his army is 57,400. ⁹ The whole number among the tents of Judah is 186,400, by their armies. They will be first to move on.

¹⁰ “On the south side will be the tents of Reuben by their armies with their flags. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur the son of Shedeur. ¹¹ The number of his army is 46,500. ¹² The family of Simeon will set up their tents next to him. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. ¹³ The number of his army is 59,300. ¹⁴ The family of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph the son of Deuel. ¹⁵ The number of his army is 45,650. ¹⁶ The whole number among the tents of Reuben is 151,450 by their armies. They will be second to move on.

¹⁷ “Then the meeting tent will go out with the Levites among the people. In the same way that they set up their tents, so they will leave to move on, every man in his place, by his flags.

¹⁸ “On the west side will be the flag of the tents of Ephraim by their armies. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama the son of Ammihud. ¹⁹ The number of his army is 40,500. ²⁰ The family of Manasseh will be next to him. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ²¹ The number of his army is 32,200. ²² The family of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan the son of Gideoni. ²³ The number of his army is 35,400. ²⁴ The whole number among the tents of Ephraim is 108,100, by their armies. They will be third to move on.

²⁵ “On the north side will be the flag of the tents of Dan by their armies. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ The number of his army is 62,700. ²⁷ The family of Asher will set up their tents next to him. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel the son of Ochran. ²⁸ The number of his army is 41,500. ²⁹ The family of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira the son of Enan. ³⁰ The number of his army is 53,400. ³¹ The whole number among the tents of Dan is 157,600. They will be last to move on with their flags.”

³² These are the numbers of the men of Israel by their fathers’ houses. The whole number among all the tents, by their armies, was 603,550. ³³ But the Levites were not numbered with the people of Israel, just as the Lord had told Moses. ³⁴ So the people of Israel did all that the Lord had told Moses. They set up their tents by their flags. And they left to move on in the same way, every one by his family and by his father’s house.

Sinful Men—Loving God

36 Sin speaks to the sinful man within his heart. There is no fear of God in his eyes. ² For he makes much of himself in his own eyes. So his sin is not known and hated. ³ The words of his mouth are sinful and false. He has stopped being wise and doing good. ⁴ He plans wrong-doing upon his bed. He sets himself on a path that is not good. He does not hate what is bad.

⁵ O Lord, Your loving-kindness goes to the heavens. You are as faithful as the sky is high. ⁶ You are as right and good as mountains are big. You are as fair when You judge as a sea is deep. O Lord, You keep safe both man and animal. ⁷ Of what great worth is Your loving-kindness, O God! The children of men come and are safe in the shadow of Your wings. ⁸ They are filled with the riches of Your house. And You give them a drink from Your river of joy. ⁹ All life came from You. In Your light we see light.

¹⁰ Keep on giving Your loving-kindness to those who know You. Keep on being right and good to the pure in heart. ¹¹ Do not let the foot of pride come near me. Do not let the hand of the sinful push me away. ¹² There have the wrong-doers fallen. They have been thrown down, and cannot rise.

12 Remember also your Maker while you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years when you will say, “I have no joy in them,” ² before the sun, the light, the moon and the stars are made dark, and clouds return after the rain. ³ This will be the day when the men who watch the house shake in fear. Strong men bow. Those who grind will stop because they are few. And the eyes of those who look through windows will not see well. ⁴ The doors on the street will be shut when the sound of the grinding is no more. One will rise up at the sound of a bird. All the daughters of song will sing very low. ⁵ Men will be afraid of a high place and of fears on the road. Flowers will grow on the almond tree. The grasshopper will pull himself along. And desire will be at an end. For man will go to his home that lasts forever, while people filled with sorrow go about in the street. ⁶ Remember Him before the silver rope of life is broken and the gold dish is crushed. Remember Him before the pot by the well is broken and the wheel by the water-hole is crushed. ⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was. And the spirit will return to God Who gave it. ⁸ “It is of no use,” says the Preacher, “It is all for nothing!”

The Preacher’s Last Words

⁹ Besides being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people much learning. He thought about, and looked for, and put together many wise sayings. ¹⁰ The Preacher looked to find pleasing words and to write words of truth in the right way.

¹¹ The words of wise men are like a stick. Their gathered sayings are like well-driven nails given by one Shepherd. ¹² But more than this, my son, be careful. There is no end to the writing of many books and reading many of them makes the body tired.

¹³ The last word, after all has been heard, is: Honor God and obey His Laws. This is all that every person must do. ¹⁴ For God will judge every act, even everything which is hidden, both good and bad.

¹ This letter is from Paul. I am in prison because of Jesus Christ. Brother Timothy is also writing to you, Philemon. You are a much-loved workman together with us. ² We are also writing to the church that meets in your home. This letter is also for our Christian sister Apphia and it is for Archippus who is a soldier together with us. ³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you His loving-favor and peace.

⁴ I always thank God when I speak of you in my prayers. ⁵ It is because I hear of your love and trust in the Lord Jesus and in all the Christians. ⁶ I pray that our faith together will help you know all the good things you have through Christ Jesus. ⁷ Your love has given me much joy and comfort. The hearts of the Christians have been made happy by you, Christian brother.

⁸ So now, through Christ, I am free to tell you what you must do. ⁹ But because I love you, I will only ask you. I am Paul, an old man, here in prison because of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I am asking you for my son, Onesimus. He has become my son in the Christian life while I have been here in prison. ¹¹ At one time he was of no use to you. But now he is of use to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him back to you. It is like sending you my own heart. ¹³ I would like to keep him with me. He could have helped me in your place while I am in prison for preaching the Good News. ¹⁴ But I did not want to keep him without word from you. I did not want you to be kind to me because you had to but because you wanted to. ¹⁵ He ran away from you for awhile. But now he is yours forever. ¹⁶ Do not think of him any longer as a servant you own. He is more than that to you. He is a much-loved Christian brother to you and to me.

¹⁷ If you think of me as a true friend, take him back as you would take me. ¹⁸ If he has done anything wrong or owes you anything, send me

the bill. ¹⁹ I will pay it. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will not talk about how much you owe me because you owe me your life. ²⁰ Yes, Christian brother, I want you to be of use to me as a Christian. Give my heart new joy in Christ. ²¹ I write this letter knowing you will do what I ask and even more.

²² Please have a room ready for me. I trust God will answer your prayers and let me come to you soon. ²³ Epaphras says hello. He is a brother in Christ in prison with me. ²⁴ Mark and Aristarchus and Demas and Luke who are workers with me say hello. ²⁵ May the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.