M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
13 ¶ Saul was as a son of one year when he began to reign, and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in Mount Bethel and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and of the rest of the people he sent each one to his tent.
3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul caused the shofar to be blown throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
4 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines and also that Israel had become a stench unto the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 Then the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude; and they came up and pitched camp in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves and in thickets and in rocks and in high places and in pits.
7 And some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 ¶ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were deserting from him.
9 Then Saul said, Bring me a burnt offering and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him that he might bless him.
11 Then Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were leaving me and that thou didst not come within the days appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash,
12 therefore, I said, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD. I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13 Then Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee, for now the LORD would have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.
14 But now thy kingdom shall not stand; the LORD has sought a man after his own heart unto whom the LORD has commanded that he be captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
15 ¶ And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
16 And Saul and Jonathan, his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 And three companies came out of the camp of the Philistines to destroy the land. One company turned unto the way that leads to Ophrah unto the land of Shual.
18 Another company turned the way to Bethhoron, and another company turned to the way of the border that looks to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, Lest peradventure the Hebrews make swords or spears.
20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen each man his share and his coulter and his axe and his mattock
21 and when they had nicks in the mattocks and the coulters and the forks and the axes, or to fix a goad.
22 So it came to pass in the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan except with Saul and with Jonathan his son who had them.
23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
11 ¶ I say then, Has God cast away his people? No, in no wise. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away his people whom he knew beforehand. Know ye not what the scripture says of Elijah? how speaking to God against Israel, he said,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets and ruined thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what did the answer of God say unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee before Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant by the gracious election of God.
6 And if by grace, then is it not by works; otherwise, the grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, then it is no longer grace; otherwise, the work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks after; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded
8 (according as it is written, God has given them the spirit of anguish, eyes with which they do not see and ears with which they do not hear) unto this day.
9 And David says, Let their table be turned into a snare and a net and a stumblingblock and a recompense unto them;
10 Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled in such a manner that they should fall completely? No, in no wise; but rather through their fall, saving health is come unto the Gentiles to provoke them unto jealousy.
12 And if the fall of them is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their fullness be?
13 For (I call you Gentiles) inasmuch as I am truly the apostle of the Gentiles, my honorable ministry,
14 if in any manner I may provoke my nation to jealousy and cause some of them to be saved.
15 For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, so shall the rest be; and if the root is holy, so shall be the branches.
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them and hath been made participant of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree,
18 do not boast against the branches. But if thou boast, know that thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.
20 Good; because of their unbelief they were broken off, but thou by faith art standing. Do not be highminded, but fear
21 that if God did not forgive the natural branches, neither shall he forgive thee.
22 Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And even them, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is powerful enough to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good olive tree, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye ignore this mystery, that ye not be arrogant regarding yourselves: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles are come in.
26 And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob;
27 and this shall be my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins.
28 So that, as concerning the gospel, I have them for enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election of God, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in time past have not obeyed God, yet have now obtained mercy through the occasion of their disobedience,
31 likewise these also have not believed now that through the mercy shown unto you they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God enclosed everyone in disobedience, that he might have mercy upon everyone.
33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments and his ways past finding out!
34 For who has understood the intent of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor?
35 Or who has first given unto him, that it be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him and by him and in him are all things. To him be the glory for the ages. Amen.
50 ¶ The word that the LORD spoke against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet.
2 Declare ye among the Gentiles, and publish, and set up a banner; publish, and do not conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
3 For out of the north there comes up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and no one shall dwell therein: they shall leave, they shall depart, both man and beast.
4 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the sons of Israel shall come, they and the sons of Judah together, going and weeping they shall go and seek the LORD their God.
5 They shall ask the way to Zion, unto where they shall turn their faces, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in an eternal covenant that shall never be forgotten.
6 My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have caused them to go astray; they have turned them away on the mountains; they have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their restingplace.
7 All that found them have devoured them; and their adversaries said, We are not guilty because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
8 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the meek in front of the flocks.
9 ¶ For, behold, I awake and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country, and from there they shall set themselves in array against her; she shall be taken; their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert one, who shall not return in vain.
10 And the land of the Chaldeans shall be for a spoil; all that spoil her shall come forth full, saith the LORD.
11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced destroying my heritage, because ye filled yourselves as a heifer on grass and neighed like horses;
12 your mother was sore confounded; she that bore you was ashamed: see here the latter end of the Gentiles: wilderness, dry land, and desert.
13 Because of the wrath of the LORD, she shall not be inhabited, but she shall be completely desolate; every one that goes by Babylon shall be astonished and hiss at all her plagues.
14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about; all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows; for she has sinned against the LORD.
15 Shout against her round about; she has given her hand; her foundations are fallen; her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD; take vengeance upon her; as she has done, do unto her.
16 Cut off the sower from Babylon and him that handles the sickle in the time of harvest; for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn each one to his people, and they shall flee each one to his own land.
17 Israel has been like scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away; first the king of Assyria has devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.
18 Therefore thus hath the LORD of the hosts, the God of Israel said; Behold, I visit the king of Babylon and his land as I have visited the king of Assyria.
19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon Mount Ephraim and Gilead.
20 In those days, and in that time, said the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon those whom I shall have left.
21 ¶ Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it and against the inhabitants of Pekod; waste and utterly destroy after them, said the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
22 A sound of battle is in the land and of great destruction.
23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! How is Babylon become a desolation among the Gentiles!
24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware; thou art found, and also caught because thou hast provoked the LORD.
25 The LORD has opened his treasury and has brought forth the vessels of his indignation; for this is the work of the Lord GOD of the hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.
26 Come against her from the ends of the earth, open her storehouses; cast her up as heaps and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
28 The voice of those that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
29 Call together the archers against Babylon; all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she has done, do unto her; for she has become proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
30 Therefore shall her young men fall in her streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, said the LORD.
31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one, said the Lord GOD of the hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
32 And the proud one shall stumble and fall and have no one to raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.
33 ¶ Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said: The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah were oppressed together; and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.
34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of the hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans, said the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon and upon her princes and upon her wise men.
36 A sword is upon the fortune-tellers; and they shall be fools: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be broken.
37 A sword is upon their horses and upon their chariots and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women; a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up; for it is the land of graven images, and they are become mad upon their idols.
39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall no longer be inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
41 Behold, a people comes from the north, and a great nation and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance; they shall be cruel and will not show mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon has heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble; anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the strong habitation; but I will rest and will make him run from upon her; and he who shall be chosen I will appoint over her. For who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD that he has taken against Babylon and his thoughts that he has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall drag them out, and they shall destroy their habitations with them.
46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon, the earth was moved, and the cry was heard among the Gentiles.
A Psalm of David.
1 ¶ Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent unto me lest, if thou be silent unto me, I become like those that go down into the grave.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward the oracle of thy holiness.
3 Do not catch me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbours, but evil is in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render unto them their desert.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them and not build them up.
6 ¶ Blessed be the LORD because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise him.
8 The LORD is the strength of his people, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9 Save thy people and bless thine inheritance; feed them also and lift them up for ever.
A Psalm of David.
1 ¶ Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders: the LORD is upon many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; yea, the LORD broke the cedars of Lebanon.
6 And He made them skip like calves; Lebanon and Sirion like the sons of the unicorns.
7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD that shall shake the wilderness; the LORD shall shake the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD shall make the hinds to calve and shall uncover the forests: and in his temple every one speaks to his glory.
10 The LORD sits upon the flood; yea, the LORD sat down as King for ever.
11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people in peace.
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