M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jonathan’s Heroic Exploits
14 One day Jonathan told his armor bearer,[a] “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine garrison which is on the other side,” but he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Geba under the pomegranate tree which was at Migron, and with him[b] were about 600 men. 3 Along with him were Ahitub’s son Ahijah, Ichabod’s brother, who was Phineas’ son and a grandson of Eli the priest of the Lord at Shiloh, who was carrying the ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4 Now in the pass[c] through which Jonathan planned to get across to the Philistine garrison, there was a sharp crag[d] on one side and a sharp crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh. 5 One crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.
6 Jonathan told his armor bearer,[e] “Come, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. Perhaps the Lord will work for us, since nothing prevents the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.”
7 His armor bearer told him, “Do whatever you want.[f] Let’s move out![g] I’m right here with you, as you wish.”[h]
8 Jonathan said, “Look, we’re going over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us, ‘Stay there until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are[i] and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up and fight us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hands, and this will be the sign for us.”
11 When the two of them showed themselves to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding.”
12 The men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer: “Come up and fight us, and we will show you something.”
Jonathan then told his armor bearer, “Follow me, for the Lord has given them into Israel’s control.”
13 Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following him. The Philistines[j] fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer who was behind him also killed some. 14 In the initial attack, Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre[k] of land. 15 There was terror in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders were terrified. The earth shook, and there was even greater terror.[l]
16 Saul’s sentries in Gibeah of Benjamin watched as the camp[m] was in disarray,[n] going this way and that.[o] 17 Saul told the people who were with him, “Do a roll call[p] and see who has left us.” They did a roll call,[q] and Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
18 Saul told Ahijah, “Bring the Ark of God here.” For at that time the Ark of God was with[r] the Israelis.
19 While Saul was still speaking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp increased more and more, and Saul told the priest, “Remove your hand.”[s]
20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled and went into battle. Now the swords of all the Philistines were against each other,[t] and there was very great confusion. 21 The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines, who had gone up with them from the surrounding areas to the camp, even they joined Israel and those who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 All the Israelis who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, and even they pursued the Philistines[u] in the battle. 23 On that day the Lord delivered Israel, and the battle moved past Beth-aven.
Saul Issues a Rash Edict
24 The men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, and Saul required the army to take an oath: “Cursed is the person who eats food before evening and before I’ve been avenged of my enemies.” So no one tasted food.
25 Later on, all the soldiers[v] entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 The people came into the woods and there was flowing honey, but no one put his hand to his mouth to eat it because the people were afraid due to the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had required the army to swear an oath, so he stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. He brought it back to his mouth and his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the people responded: “Your father strictly ordered the army to take an oath. That’s why he said, ‘Cursed is the person who eats food today,’ and so the army is exhausted.”
29 Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the army had eaten freely today of their enemy’s spoil that they found, because the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.”
31 That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the army was very weary. 32 The army grabbed the spoil, took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground, and then the army ate them with the blood. 33 Someone[w] reported this to Saul: “Right now the army is sinning against the Lord by eating meat[x] with the blood.” He said, “You have acted treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today.”
34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the soldiers and say to them, ‘Let each man bring his ox and his sheep to me, and you are to slaughter them here and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat[y] with the blood.’” So every soldier brought his ox with him that night, and they slaughtered them there. 35 Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until dawn, and let’s not leave a single one[z] of them alive.”
They said, “Do whatever seems good to you!”
But the priest said, “Let’s draw near to God here.”
37 Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But God[aa] did not answer him that day.
38 Saul said, “All you army officers are to come here to find out[ab] what constitutes[ac] this sin today. 39 Indeed, as the Lord who delivers Israel lives, even if the sin[ad] is with my son Jonathan, he will surely die!” Not a single one of the soldiers answered him. 40 Then he told all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.”
The people told Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41 Then Saul told the Lord God of Israel, “Judge us properly.”[ae] Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the army was cleared.[af] 42 Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected. 43 Saul told Jonathan, “Tell me what you’ve done.”
So Jonathan spoke to him: “I did taste a little honey from the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I’m ready to die!”
44 Saul said, “May God do this to me[ag] and even more, if you don’t surely die, Jonathan!”
45 Then the army told Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who brought about this great deliverance in Israel? As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, because today he did this with God’s help.”[ah]
46 Then Saul stopped pursuing[ai] the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their territory.
Saul’s Military Victories
47 When Saul became king over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Everywhere he turned he was victorious.[aj] 48 He acted valiantly, defeated Amalek, and delivered Israel from those who had been plundering them.
Saul’s Family
49 Saul’s sons included Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. Of his two daughters, the firstborn was named Merab, and the younger one was named Michal. 50 Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, while the commander of his army was Saul’s uncle Ner’s son Abner. 51 Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel. 52 There was intense fighting against the Philistines during Saul’s entire reign, and whenever Saul discovered a strong or valiant warrior, he would enlist him for service.[ak]
Dedicate Your Lives to God
12 I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.[a] 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper,[b] pleasing, and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you. 4 For we have many parts in one body, but these parts do not all have the same function. 5 In the same way, even though we are many people, we are one body in the Messiah[c] and individual parts connected to each other. 6 We have different gifts based on the grace that was given to us. So if your gift is prophecy, use your gift[d] in proportion to your faith. 7 If your gift is serving, devote yourself to serving others.[e] If it is teaching, devote yourself to teaching others.[f] 8 If it is encouraging, devote yourself to encouraging others.[g] If it is sharing, share generously.[h] If it is leading, lead enthusiastically.[i] If it is helping, help cheerfully.[j]
9 Your love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to each other with mutual affection. Excel at showing respect for each other. 11 Never be lazy in showing such devotion. Be on fire with the Spirit. Serve the Lord.[k] 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer. 13 Supply the needs of the saints. Extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Keep on blessing them, and never curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Cry with those who are crying. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Do not be arrogant, but associate with humble people. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are.
17 Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but[l] focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19 Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s[m] wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord.”[n] 20 But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head.”[o] 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Judgment against Babylon
51 This is what the Lord says:
“Look, I’m going to stir up a destroying wind
against Babylon and the inhabitants of Leb-kamai.[a]
2 I’ll send foreigners to Babylon,
and they’ll winnow her,
and devastate[b] her land.
They’ll come against her from every side
on the day of her[c] disaster.
3 Don’t let the archer[d] bend the bow;
don’t let him rise up in his armor.
Don’t spare her young men.
Completely destroy her entire army.
4 The slain will fall in the land of Chaldea,
pierced through in her streets.
5 Indeed, Israel and Judah haven’t been
abandoned[e] by their[f] God,
by the Lord of the Heavenly Armies,
although their land is full of guilt
against the Holy One of Israel.”
6 Flee from Babylon,[g]
and each of you, escape with your life!
Don’t be destroyed[h] because of her guilt,
for it’s time for the Lord’s vengeance.
He is paying back what is due to her.
7 Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand,
making the whole earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine,
therefore the nations have gone mad.
8 Suddenly, Babylon fell down and was shattered.
Wail for her!
Bring balm for her wound,
perhaps she will be healed.
9 We tried to heal Babylon,
but she wouldn’t be healed.
Leave her, and let each of us go to his own country.
For her judgment has reached to the heavens,
and is lifted up to the sky.
10 The Lord will vindicate us.
Come! Let us declare the work of the Lord our God in Zion.
11 Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers!
The Lord has stirred up the spirit
of the kings of the Medes—
he has decided to destroy Babylon.
Indeed, it’s the Lord’s vengeance,
vengeance for his Temple.
12 Lift up the battle standard[i] against Babylon’s walls.
Strengthen the guard;
post watchmen.[j]
Set men in position for an ambush.
For the Lord will both plan and carry out what he has
declared against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 You who live beside many waters,
rich in treasures,
your end has come,
your life thread is cut.[k]
14 The Lord of the Heavenly Armies
has sworn by himself:
“I’ll surely fill you with soldiers[l] like a swarm of locusts,
and they’ll sing songs of victory over you.”
Praise to the God of Jacob
15 He made the earth by his power.
He established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding he spread out the heavens.
16 When his voice sounds, there is thunder from
the waters of heaven,
and he makes clouds rise up
from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings wind out of his storehouses.
17 Everyone is stupid[m] and without knowledge.
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his own idols,
for his images are false,[n]
and there is no life in them.
18 They’re worthless, a work of mockery,
and when the time of punishment comes,[o]
they’ll perish.
19 The Portion of Jacob[p] is not like these.
He made everything,
including the tribe of his inheritance.
The Lord of the Heavenly Armies is his name.
The Lord’s Instrument of Judgment
20 “You are my war-club and
weapons of war.
I’ll smash nations with you
and destroy kingdoms with you.
21 I’ll smash the horse and its rider with you.
I’ll smash the chariot and its rider with you.
22 I’ll smash man and woman with you.
I’ll smash old man and young boy with you.
I’ll smash young man and young woman[q] with you.
23 I’ll smash the shepherd and his flock with you.
I’ll smash the farmer and his team of oxen with you.
I’ll smash governors and officials with you.
24 “Before your eyes I’ll repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil that they did in Zion,” declares the Lord.
25 “Look, I’m against you, destroying mountain,
who destroys the whole earth,”
declares the Lord.
“I’ll stretch out my hand against you
and roll you down from the crags.
And I’ll make you a burned-out mountain.
26 They won’t get a cornerstone
or a foundation stone from you,
because you will be a wasteland forever,”
declares the Lord.
27 Lift up a battle standard in the land.
Blow a trumpet among the nations.
Consecrate the nations against her.
Summon the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni,
and Ashkenaz against her.
Appoint a commander against her,
bring up horses like bristling locusts.
28 Consecrate the nations against her,
the kings of the Medes, their governors, their prefects,
and every land under their domination.
29 The land quakes and writhes
because the Lord’s purposes
against Babylon stand firm,
to make the land of Babylon a waste without inhabitants.
30 The warriors of Babylon have stopped fighting.
They stay in their strongholds;
their strength is dried up;
they have become like women.
Her buildings are set on fire;
the bars of her gates are broken.
31 One runner runs to meet another runner,[r]
and one messenger to meet another messenger,[s]
to tell the king of Babylon that his city has been seized
from one end to the other.[t]
32 The fords have been captured,
and the marshes burned with fire.
The soldiers are terrified.
33 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies,
the God of Israel, says:
“The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor
at the time when it’s pounded down.[u]
In just a little while, the time of her harvest will come.”
Judah’s Complaint against Babylon
34 “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured me
and crushed me.
He set me down
like an empty vessel.
He swallowed me like a monster,
and filled his belly with my delicacies.
Then he washed me away.
35 May the violence done to me
and my flesh be on Babylon,”
says the inhabitant of Zion.
“May my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea,”
says Jerusalem.
36 Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“Look, I’m going to argue your case
and take vengeance for you.
I’ll dry up her sea
and make her fountain dry.[v]
37 Babylon will become a heap of ruins,
a refuge for jackals,
a desolate place
and an object of scorn.[w]
38 They’ll roar together like young lions;
they’ll growl like lion cubs.
39 When they’re excited[x] I’ll serve them their banquet,
and make them drunk until they’re merry.
They’ll sleep forever and won’t wake up,”
declares the Lord.
40 “I’ll bring them down like lambs for the slaughter,
like rams with male goats.
41 “How Sheshak[y] will be captured,
and the prince of all the earth seized!
How Babylon will become an object of horror
among the nations!
42 The sea will come up against Babylon,
and she will be covered by wave upon wave.[z]
43 Her cities will become an object of horror,
a dry land and a desert,
a land in which no one lives,
and through which no human being passes.
44 I’ll punish Bel[aa] in Babylon,
and I’ll make what he has swallowed
come out of his mouth.
The nations will no longer stream to him.
Even the wall of Babylon will fall.
45 “Come out of her, my people,
flee for your lives from the Lord’s anger!
46 Do this[ab] now, so your heart does not grow faint,
and so you don’t become frightened
because of the rumors[ac] that are heard in the land—
a rumor comes one year[ad] and then after it
another rumor[ae] comes the next year[af]
about violence in the land
and one ruler against another ruler.[ag]
47 Therefore, look, days are coming
when I’ll punish the idols of Babylon.
Her entire land will be put to shame,
and all her slain will fall in her midst.
48 Then the heavens and the earth
and all that are in them
will shout for joy about Babylon
because the destroyers will come
out of the north against her,”
declares the Lord.
49 “So Babylon will fall
because of the slain of Israel,
even as the slain of all the earth
have fallen because of Babylon.
50 Go, you who escaped the sword!
Don’t stand around!
Remember the Lord from far away,
and let Jerusalem come to your mind.
51 We have been put to shame
because we have heard insults.
Disgrace has covered our faces because foreigners have
come into the Holy Places of the Lord’s house.
52 “Therefore, look, days are coming,”
declares the Lord,
“when I’ll punish her idols,
and throughout her land the wounded will groan.
53 Though Babylon should reach up to the heavens
and fortify her high fortresses,
from me destroyers will come to her,”
declares the Lord.
54 “The sound of a cry is coming from Babylon,
great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans.
55 For the Lord is destroying Babylon,
and he will make the loud sounds from her disappear.[ah]
Their waves will roar like many waters,
the noise of their voices will sound forth.
56 Indeed, the destroyer is coming against her,
against Babylon.
Her warriors are captured,
and her bows are broken.
For the Lord is a God of recompense,
and he will repay in full.
57 I’ll make their leaders, their wise men,
their governors, their deputies,
and their warriors drunk so that they sleep forever
and don’t wake up,”
declares the King
whose name is the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
58 This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says:
“The broad wall of Babylon will be completely leveled,
and its high gate set on fire.
and so the peoples toil for nothing,
and the nations weary themselves only for fire.”
Jeremiah’s Symbolic Message against Babylon
59 This is[ai] the message that Jeremiah the prophet delivered[aj] to Neriah’s son Seraiah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60 Jeremiah wrote on a single scroll all the disasters that would come on Babylon, all these things that were written about Babylon. 61 Jeremiah told Seraiah, “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘Lord, you have declared about this place that you would destroy it so that there wouldn’t be an inhabitant in it, neither human nor animal, because it will be a wasteland forever.’ 63 When you finish reading this scroll, tie a rock around it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates. 64 Then say, ‘Babylon will sink like this and won’t rise from the disaster that I’m bringing on her. Her people[ak] will be exhausted.’”
This concludes the writings of Jeremiah.
A Davidic Psalm for the dedication of the Temple.
Thanksgiving for Deliverance
30 I exalt you, Lord,
for you have lifted me up,
and my enemies could not gloat over me.
2 Lord, my God!
I cried out to you for help
and you healed me.
3 Lord, you brought me from death;[a]
you kept me alive so that I did not descend into the Pit.[b]
4 You, his godly ones,
sing to the Lord,
give thanks at the mention of his holiness.
5 For his wrath is only momentary;
yet his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may lodge for the night,
but shouts of joy will come in the morning.
6 As for me,
I said in my prosperity,
“I will never be moved.”
7 By your favor, Lord,
you established me as a strong mountain;
Then you hid your face,
and I was dismayed.
8 I cried out to you, Lord,
and I make supplication to the Lord:
9 “What profit is there in my death[c] if I go down to the Pit?[d]
Can dust worship you?
Can it proclaim your faithfulness?”
10 Hear me, Lord,
and have mercy on me!
Lord, help me!
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you took off my sackcloth
and clothed me with a garment of joy,
12 so that I may sing praise to you
and not remain silent.
Lord, my God,
I will give you thanks forever!
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