M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
18 Then all the people of Israel gathered together at Shiloh. They set up the tent of meeting there. The land around them had been taken in battle. 2 There were still seven family groups among the people of Israel who had not received their share of land. 3 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you wait before going in to take the land the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? 4 Choose three men from each of these seven family groups. I will send them to go through the land and write down what they find it to be like, to be shared by each family. Then they will return to me. 5 They will divide it into seven parts. Judah will stay in his land in the south. The house of Joseph will stay in their land in the north. 6 You will write down how the land should be divided into seven parts, then bring it to me. I will draw names for you here before the Lord our God. 7 The Levites have no share of land among you. Being the religious leaders for the Lord is their share. Gad and Reuben and the half-family group of Manasseh have received their land east of the Jordan. The Lord’s servant Moses gave it to them.”
8 As the men got up to go, Joshua told them, “Go and walk through the land. Write down what you find, and return to me. Then I will draw names for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” 9 The men went and passed through the land. They wrote in a book the cities they found and divided them into seven parts. Then they returned to Joshua among the tents at Shiloh. 10 Joshua drew names for them in Shiloh before the Lord. There he divided the land among the people of Israel, a part for each family.
11 The first name drawn was for the families of the people of Benjamin. The share of their land was between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph. 12 The north side of their land was from the Jordan up to the north side of Jericho. Then it went west through the hill country, ending at the desert of Beth-aven. 13 The side of their land went from there south to the side of Luz (that is, Bethel). Then it went down to Ataroth-addar, near the hill south of the valley land of Beth-horon. 14 The side of their land turned west from there around the south side of the hill before Bethhoron. It ended at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the people of Judah. This was the west side. 15 The south side was from the side of Kiriath-jearim west to the well of the waters of Nephtoah. 16 Then the side of their land went down to the side of the hill in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, at the north end of the valley of Rephaim. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, south of the side of the Jebusites, and down to En-rogel. 17 Then it went north to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth by the hill of Adummim, then down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18 It went on to the north side of Beth-arabah, and down to the Arabah. 19 Then the side of their land went along the north side of Beth-hoglah. And it ended at the north waters of the Salt Sea at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south side. 20 The east side of their land was the Jordan. This was the land with its sides, given to the family group of Benjamin.
21 The cities of the people of Benjamin for their families were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, 22 Betharabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba, twelve cities with their towns. 25 And there were Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath, fourteen cities with their towns. This is the land that was given to the families of the people of Benjamin.
19 The second name drawn was for the families of the people of Simeon. Their land was in the center of the land of the people of Judah. 2 They had in their land the cities of Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, 3 Hazarshual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, 6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen, thirteen cities with the towns around them. 7 There were Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan, four cities with their towns. 8 And they had all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, also known as Ramah of the Negev. This was the land given to the families of the people of Simeon. 9 The land of the people of Simeon was taken from the land of the people of Judah. For the share of the people of Judah was too large for them. So the people of Simeon received a share of land in the center of Judah’s land.
10 The third name drawn was for the families of the people of Zebulun. The share of their land was as far as Sarid. 11 The side of their land went from there west to Marealah, touched Dabbesheth, and on to the river by Jokneam. 12 It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise as far as the land of Chisloth-tabor, then on to Daberath and up to Japhia. 13 From there it went east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, Eth-kazin, and on to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. 14 Then the side of their land turned north to Hannathon, and ended at the valley of Iphtahel. 15 In their land were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. In all there were twelve cities with the towns around them. 16 This is what was given to the families of the people of Zebulun, these cities with the towns around them.
17 The fourth name drawn was for the families of the people of Issachar. 18 Their land spread to Jezreel. In it were Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Bethpazzez. 22 Their land spread to Tabor, Shahazumah, Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan, with sixteen cities and their towns. 23 This is what was given to the families of the people of Issachar, the cities with the towns around them.
24 The fifth name drawn was for the families of the people of Asher. 25 In their land were Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. It spread west to Carmel and Shihor-libnath. 27 It turned east to Beth-dagon and to Zebulun along the valley of Iphtahel north to Bethemek and Neiel. Then it went on north to Cabul, 28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as the big city of Sidon. 29 From there the side of their land turned toward Ramah and then to the strong city of Tyre, turned again to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Achzib, 30 Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities with the towns around them. 31 This is what was given to the families of the people of Asher, these cities with the towns around them.
32 The sixth name drawn was for the people of Naphtali, for the families of the people of Naphtali. 33 Their land spread from Heleph, from the big tree in Zaanannim. It went through Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum. And it ended at the Jordan. 34 The side of their land turned from there west to Aznoth-tabor, and went on to Hukkok. It spread to Zebulun in the south, Asher in the west, and to Judah at the Jordan in the east. 35 The strong cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, 38 Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh. There were nineteen cities with their towns. 39 This is what was given to the families of the people of Naphtali, the cities with their towns.
40 The seventh name drawn was for the families of the people of Dan. 41 In their land were Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, 46 Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the land near Joppa. 47 The people of Dan needed more land. So they went up and fought with Leshem and took it with the sword. They took it for themselves and lived in it. And they gave it the name Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. 48 This is what was given to the families of the people of Dan, these cities with their towns.
49 When they finished dividing the land and giving to each family group their share, then the people of Israel gave some land among them to Joshua the son of Nun. 50 As the Lord had told them, they gave him the city he asked for. They gave him Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and lived in it.
51 This is the land which was given by Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the houses of the families of the people of Israel. It was given by drawing names in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. So they finished dividing the land.
A Call to Praise God
149 Praise the Lord! Sing a new song to the Lord! Praise Him in the meeting of His people. 2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker. Let the sons of Zion be full of joy in their King. 3 Let them praise His name with dancing. Let them sing praises to Him with timbrels and a harp. 4 For the Lord is happy with His people. He saves those who have no pride and makes them beautiful.
5 Let those who are God-like be full of joy and honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and in their hand a sword that cuts both ways. 7 Let it be used to punish the nations and the people. 8 Let their kings be tied in chains, and their rulers with ropes of iron. 9 Let the punishment that is written be given to them. This is an honor for all His faithful ones. Praise the Lord!
A Song of Praise
150 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His holy place! Praise Him in the heavens of His power! 2 Praise Him for His great works! Praise Him for all His greatness!
3 Praise Him with the sound of a horn. Praise Him with harps. 4 Praise Him with timbrels and dancing. Praise Him with strings and horns. 5 Praise Him with loud sounds. Praise Him with loud and clear sounds. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
9 If only my head were a well of water, and my eyes a well of tears, that I might cry day and night for my people who have been killed! 2 If only I had a place in the desert for travelers to stay, that I might leave my people, and go away from them! For none of them are faithful. They are a gathering of men who cannot be trusted. 3 “They use their tongue like their bow. Lies, and not truth, rule the land. For they go from sin to sin, and they do not know Me,” says the Lord. 4 “Let every one watch his neighbor. Do not trust any brother. Because every brother sets traps, and every neighbor goes about hurting people with his talk. 5 Every one fools his neighbor, and does not tell the truth. They have taught their tongue to tell lies. They become tired doing so many sins. 6 You live in the center of false ways. In their false ways they are not willing to know Me,” says the Lord.
7 So the Lord of All says, “See, I will make them pure and test them. For what else can I do with My people? 8 Their tongue is an arrow that kills. It lies. A man speaks peace to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he plans to trap him. 9 Should I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord. “Should I not make a nation such as this pay for its sins?
10 “I will cry with a loud voice for the mountains. I will cry out in sorrow for the fields, because they are laid waste. No one passes through them. The sound of the cattle is not heard. The birds of the sky and the wild animals have run away. They are gone. 11 I will break down Jerusalem into pieces, a place where wild dogs live. And I will lay waste the cities of Judah. No people will live there.”
12 Who is the man wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, that he may make it known? Why is the land destroyed and laid waste like a desert, so that no one passes through? 13 And the Lord said, “They have turned away from My Law that I have given them. They have not obeyed My voice and would not be led by it. 14 But they have followed the strongwill of their own hearts, and have gone after the false gods of Baal, as their fathers taught them.” 15 So the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says, “See, I will feed these people with wormwood and put poison in their drinking water. 16 I will spread them out among the nations whom they and their fathers have not known. And I will go after them with the sword until I have put an end to them.”
Jerusalem Cries for Help
17 The Lord of All says, “Take thought and call for the women who are filled with sorrow, that they may come. Call for the women who cry for the dead, that they may come. 18 Let them hurry and cry in a loud voice for us, that tears may come from our eyes, and that our eyes will flow with water. 19 For a sound of loud crying is heard from Zion: ‘How we are destroyed! We are filled with shame, for we have left the land because they have broken down our houses.’” 20 Now hear the Word of the Lord, O you women. Let your ear receive the Word of His mouth. Teach your daughters a song of sorrow. Every one teach her neighbor a song for the dead. 21 For death has come in through our windows. It has come into our beautiful houses of kings. It has cut off the children from the streets, and the young men from the open spaces of the city. 22 Say, “This is what the Lord says: ‘The dead bodies of men will fall like animal waste on the open field, and like grain after the gatherer. But no one will gather them.’”
23 The Lord says, “Let not a wise man speak with pride about his wisdom. Let not the strong man speak with pride about his strength. And let not a rich man speak with pride about his riches. 24 But let him who speaks with pride speak about this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who shows loving-kindness and does what is fair and right and good on earth. For I find joy in these things,” says the Lord.
25 “See, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “when I will punish all who have gone through the religious act of the Jews, but have not had the sin cut from their heart. 26 I will punish Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all those who live in the desert. For none of these nations have had their flesh cut. And none of the people of Israel have had the sin cut from their heart.”
The Teachers of the Law and the Proud Religious Law-Keepers (A)
23 Then Jesus talked to the many people and to His followers. 2 He said, “The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers have put themselves in Moses’ place as teachers. 3 Do what they tell you to do and keep on doing it. But do not follow what they do. They preach but do not obey their own preaching. 4 They make heavy loads and put them on the shoulders of men. But they will not help lift them with a finger. 5 Everything they do, they do to be seen of men. They have words from the Holy Writings written in large letters on their left arm and forehead and they make wide trimming for their clothes. 6 They like to have the important places at big suppers and the best seats in the Jewish places of worship. 7 They like to have people show respect to them as they stand in the center of town where people gather. They like to be called teacher.
8 “But you are not to be called teacher. There is only one Teacher, and all of you are brothers. 9 Do not call any man here on earth your father. There is only one Father and He is in heaven. 10 You are not to be called leader. There is only one Leader and He is Christ.
11 “He who is greatest among you will be the one to care for you. 12 The person who thinks he is important will find out how little he is worth. The person who is not trying to honor himself will be made important.
Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Proud Religious Law-Keepers
13 “It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You keep men from going into the holy nation of heaven. You are not going in yourselves, and you do not allow those to go in who are about to go in. 14 It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! (*You take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. Then you try to cover it up by making long prayers. You will be punished all the more because of this.) 15 It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You go over land and sea to win one follower. When you have him, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “It is bad for you, blind leaders! You say, ‘Whoever makes a promise by the house of God, his promise is worth nothing. But whoever makes a promise by the gold of the house of God, then his promise has to be kept.’ 17 You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the house of God that makes the gold holy? 18 You say, ‘Whoever will promise by the altar, his promise does not have to be kept. But whoever makes a promise by the gift on the altar, then his promise has to be kept.’ 19 You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 Whoever makes a promise by the altar, promises by it and by everything on it. 21 Whoever makes a promise by the house of God, promises by it and by Him Who is in it. 22 Whoever makes a promise by heaven, promises by the throne of God and by Him Who sits there.
23 “It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You give one-tenth part of your spices, and have not done the most important things of the Law, such as thinking what is right and wrong, and having pity and faith. These you should have done and still have done the other things also. 24 You blind leaders, you take a small bug out of your cup but you swallow a camel!
25 “It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You clean the outside of the cup and plate, but leave the inside full of strong bad desires and are not able to keep from doing sinful things. 26 You blind proud religious law-keepers! Clean the inside of the cup and plate, then the outside will be clean also.
27 “It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You are like graves that have been made white and look beautiful on the outside. But inside you are full of the bones of dead men and of every sinful thing. 28 As men look at you, you seem to be good and right but inside you are full of sin. You pretend to be someone you are not.
29 “It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You make buildings for the graves of the early preachers, and you make the graves beautiful of those who are right with God. 30 You say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our early fathers, we would not have helped kill the early preachers.’ 31 In this way, you are showing that you are the sons of those who killed the early preachers. 32 You might as well finish what your early fathers did. 33 You snakes! You family of snakes! How can you be kept from hell?
34 “Because of this, I am going to keep on sending to you men who speak for God and wise men and teachers of the Law. Some of them you will kill and nail to a cross. Some of them you will beat in your places of worship. You will make it very hard for them as they go from city to city. 35 Because of this, you will be guilty of the blood of all those right with God on the earth. It will be from the blood of Abel who was right with God to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachias. He was the one you killed between the house of God and the altar. 36 For sure, I tell you, all these things will come on the people of this day.
Jesus Sorrows Over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the men who speak for God and throw stones at those who were sent to you. How many times I wanted to gather your children around Me, as a chicken gathers her young ones under her wings. But you would not let Me. 38 See! Your house is empty. 39 I say to you, you will not see Me again until you will say, ‘Great is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.