M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Reuben’s Descendants
5 These are the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn. (Although he was the firstborn, his rights as firstborn were given to his nephews, Joseph’s sons, because he dishonored his father’s bed. However, Joseph couldn’t be listed in the genealogy as the firstborn son. 2 Even though Judah was more prominent than his brothers and the prince was to come from him, Joseph received the rights as firstborn.)
3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4 Joel’s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah’s son was Gog. Gog’s son was Shimei. 5 Shimei’s son was Micah. Micah’s son was Reaiah. Reaiah’s son was Baal. 6 Baal’s son was Beerah. King Tiglath Pilneser of Assyria took him away as a captive. He was leader of the tribe of Reuben. 7 Beerah’s brothers according to their families, when they were enrolled in the genealogical records according to their ancestry, were as follows: The first was Jeiel, then Zechariah 8 and Bela (son of Azaz, grandson of Shema, and great-grandson of Joel).
Reuben’s descendants lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 Some of them lived eastward as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because they had so much livestock in Gilead. 10 In Saul’s day they fought a war against the Hagrites, defeated them, and lived in their tents throughout the entire region east of Gilead.
Gad’s Descendants
11 Gad’s descendants lived next to Reuben’s descendants in Bashan as far east as Salcah. 12 One family descended from Gad’s first son Joel. Another family descended from Gad’s second son Shapham. Other families descended from Gad’s sons Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 Their seven relatives by families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. 14 These were the sons of Abihail, who was the son of Huri, grandson of Jaroah, and great-grandson of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael, grandson of Jeshishai, great-grandson of Jahdo, and great-great-grandson of Buz. 15 Ahi, son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was the head of their families. 16 They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its villages, and in the entire pastureland of Sharon to its extreme edges. 17 All these people were recorded in genealogical records in the days of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel.
Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh Fight Hagar’s Descendants
18 The descendants of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers ready to go to war. They were skilled fighters who could carry shields and swords and shoot arrows. 19 They went to war against Hagar’s descendants (including Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab) 20 and received help while fighting them. Hagar’s descendants and the nations with them were handed over to Reuben’s descendants. They had called out to Elohim during the battle, and he answered their prayers because they trusted him. 21 They confiscated the Hagrites’ livestock: 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep and goats, and 2,000 donkeys. They captured 100,000 people. 22 Many were killed in battle because this was Elohim’s war. Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh lived in the Hagrites’ land until the Assyrians captured them.
The Leaders of the Tribe of Manasseh East of the Jordan River
23 Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. The tribe members were numerous. 24 These were the heads of Manasseh’s families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were soldiers who were famous heads of their families.
The Assyrians Capture Gad, Reuben, and Half of the Tribe of Manasseh
25 But Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh were unfaithful to the Elohim of their ancestors. They chased after the gods of the people of the land as if they were prostitutes. Elohim had destroyed these people as the Israelites arrived. 26 Then the Elohim of Israel led King Pul of Assyria (King Tiglath Pilneser of Assyria) to take Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River. They are still there today.
Levi’s Descendants
6 [a]Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 3 Amram’s children were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. (He was the one who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.) 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah. Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. 15 Jehozadak was taken captive when Yahweh used Nebuchadnezzar to take Judah and Jerusalem away into captivity.
16 Levi’s sons were Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. 17 These are the names of Gershom’s sons: Libni and Shimei. 18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.
These are the descendants of Levi’s sons. They are grouped by families:
20 Gershom’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Jahath. Jahath’s son was Zimmah. 21 Zimmah’s son was Joah. Joah’s son was Iddo. Iddo’s son was Zerah. Zerah’s son was Jeatherai.
22 These were Kohath’s descendants: Kohath’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Korah. Korah’s son was Assir. 23 Assir’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph’s son was Assir. 24 Assir’s son was Tahath. Tahath’s son was Uriel. Uriel’s son was Uzziah. Uzziah’s son was Shaul. 25 Elkanah’s sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Zophai. Zophai’s son was Nahath. 27 Nahath’s son was Eliab. Eliab’s son was Jeroham. Jeroham’s son was Elkanah. 28 Samuel’s sons were Joel, who was his firstborn, and Abijah, who was his second son.
29 These were Merari’s descendants: Merari’s son was Mahli. Mahli’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Shimei. Shimei’s son was Uzzah. 30 Uzzah’s son was Shimea. Shimea’s son was Haggiah. Haggiah’s son was Asaiah.
31 David put men in charge of the music in Yahweh’s temple after the ark was placed there permanently. 32 They served as musicians in the courtyard in front of the tent of meeting until Solomon built Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations set down for them.
33 These are the men who served (their descendants also served):
The musician Heman was from Kohath’s family line. Heman was the son of Joel, who was the son of Samuel, 34 who was the son of Elkanah, who was the son of Jeroham, who was the son of Eliel, who was the son of Toah, 35 who was the son of Zuph, who was the son of Elkanah, who was the son of Mahath, who was the son of Amasai, 36 who was the son of Elkanah, who was the son of Joel, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Zephaniah, 37 who was the son of Tahath, who was the son of Assir, who was the son of Ebiasaph, who was the son of Korah, 38 who was the son of Izhar, who was the son of Kohath, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Israel.
39 Heman’s relative Asaph stood on his right. He was the son of Berechiah, who was the son of Shimea, 40 who was the son of Michael, who was the son of Baaseiah, who was the son of Malchiah, 41 who was the son of Ethni, who was the son of Zerah, who was the son of Adaiah, 42 who was the son of Ethan, who was the son of Zimmah, who was the son of Shimei, 43 who was the son of Jahath, who was the son of Gershom, who was the son of Levi.
44 On the left was Ethan, one of Heman’s relatives descended from Merari. Ethan was the son of Kishi, who was the son of Abdi, who was the son of Malluch, 45 who was the son of Hashabiah, who was the son of Amaziah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 46 who was the son of Amzi, who was the son of Bani, who was the son of Shemer, 47 who was the son of Mahli, who was the son of Mushi, who was the son of Merari, who was the son of Levi.
48 Their relatives, the Levites, were assigned all the other duties in the tent, the house of Elohim.
49 Aaron and his descendants offered sacrifices on the altar for burnt offerings and on the altar for incense. They did all the work in the most holy place and removed Israel’s sins to make Israel acceptable to God. They did exactly what Elohim’s servant Moses had commanded.
50 These were Aaron’s descendants: His son was Eleazar. Eleazar’s son was Phinehas. Phinehas’ son was Abishua. 51 Abishua’s son was Bukki. Bukki’s son was Uzzi. Uzzi’s son was Zerahiah. 52 Zerahiah’s son was Meraioth. Meraioth’s son was Amariah. Amariah’s son was Ahitub. 53 Ahitub’s son was Zadok. Zadok’s son was Ahimaaz.
The Cities Belonging to Levi’s Descendants
54 These are the places where Levi’s descendants lived, the places where they settled in the territory chosen for them when lots were drawn:
The first lot was drawn for the descendants of Aaron from the family descended from Kohath. 55 They were given Hebron in the territory of Judah as well as the pastureland around it, 56 but the fields belonging to the city and its villages were given to Caleb, son of Jephunneh. 57 Aaron’s descendants were given Hebron as a city of refuge, Libnah with its pastureland, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pastureland, 58 Hilen with its pastureland, Debir with its pastureland, 59 Ashan with its pastureland, and Beth Shemesh with its pastureland. 60 From the tribe of Benjamin, Aaron’s descendants received Geba with its pastureland, Alemeth with its pastureland, and Anathoth with its pastureland. There was a total of 13 cities for their families.
61 The rest of Kohath’s descendants received 10 cities chosen by lot from the families of half of the tribe of Manasseh. 62 The families of Gershom’s descendants were given 13 cities chosen by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the part of the tribe of Manasseh that lived in Bashan. 63 The families of Merari’s descendants were given 12 cities chosen by lot from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
64 So the Israelites gave the Levites the cities with their pasturelands. 65 They gave them the cities chosen by lot and mentioned here by name from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
66 Some of the families of Kohath’s descendants had cities chosen by lot from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They were given these cities of refuge: Shechem with its pastureland in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer with its pastureland, 68 Jokmeam with its pastureland, Beth Horon with its pastureland, 69 Aijalon with its pastureland, and Gath Rimmon with its pastureland. 70 From half of the tribe of Manasseh, they were given Aner with its pastureland and Bileam with its pastureland for the families of the rest of Kohath’s descendants.
71 Gershom’s descendants received Golan in Bashan with its pastureland and Ashtaroth with its pastureland from the families of half of the tribe of Manasseh. 72 From the tribe of Issachar, they received Kedesh with its pastureland, Daberath with its pastureland, 73 Ramoth with its pastureland, and Anem with its pastureland. 74 From the tribe of Asher, they received Mashal with its pastureland, Abdon with its pastureland, 75 Hukok with its pastureland, and Rehob with its pastureland. 76 From the tribe of Naphtali, they received Kedesh in Galilee with its pastureland, Hammon with its pastureland, and Kiriathaim with its pastureland.
77 The rest of Merari’s descendants received Rimmono with its pastureland and Tabor with its pastureland from the tribe of Zebulun. 78 From the tribe of Reuben,[b] Merari’s descendants received land east of the Jordan River and across from Jericho: Bezer in the wilderness with its pastureland, Jahzah with its pastureland, 79 Kedemoth with its pastureland and Mephaath with its pastureland. 80 From the tribe of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead with its pastureland, Mahanaim with its pastureland, 81 Heshbon with its pastureland, and Jazer with its pastureland.
We Can Enter the Most Holy Place because of Christ’s Superior Work
10 Moses’ Teachings with their yearly cycle of sacrifices are only a shadow of the good things in the future. They aren’t an exact likeness of those things. They can never make those who worship perfect. 2 If these sacrifices could have made the worshipers perfect, the sacrifices would have stopped long ago. Those who worship would have been cleansed once and for all. Their consciences would have been free from sin. 3 Instead, this yearly cycle of sacrifices reminded people of their sins. 4 (The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.)
5 For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“‘You did not want sacrifices and offerings,
but you prepared a body for me.
6 You did not approve of burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.’
7 Then I said, ‘I have come!
(It is written about me in the scroll of the book.)
I have come to do what you want, my God.’”
8 In this passage Christ first said, “You did not want sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin. You did not approve of them.” (These are the sacrifices that Moses’ Teachings require people to offer.) 9 Then Christ says, “I have come to do what you want.” He did away with sacrifices in order to establish the obedience that God wants. 10 We have been set apart as holy because Yeshua Christ did what God wanted him to do by sacrificing his body once and for all.
11 Every day each priest performed his religious duty. He offered the same type of sacrifice again and again. Yet, these sacrifices could never take away sins. 12 However, this chief priest made one sacrifice for sins, and this sacrifice lasts forever. Then he received the highest position in heaven. 13 Since that time, he has been waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 With one sacrifice he accomplished the work of setting them apart for God forever.
15 The Holy Spirit tells us the same thing: 16 “This is the promise[a] that I will make to them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put my teachings in their hearts and write them in their minds.’”
17 Then he adds, “I will no longer hold their sins and their disobedience against them.”
18 When sins are forgiven, there is no longer any need to sacrifice for sins.
19 Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Yeshua we can now confidently go into the holy place. 20 Yeshua has opened a new and living way for us to go through the curtain. (The curtain is his own body.) 21 We have a superior priest in charge of God’s house. 22 We have been sprinkled with his blood to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come to him with a sincere heart and strong faith. 23 We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The one who made the promise is faithful.
Encourage Each Other
24 We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. 25 We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.
26 If we go on sinning after we have learned the truth, no sacrifice can take away our sins. 27 All that is left is a terrifying wait for judgment and a raging fire that will consume God’s enemies. 28 If two or three witnesses accused someone of rejecting Moses’ Teachings, that person was shown no mercy as he was executed. 29 What do you think a person who shows no respect for the Son of God deserves? That person looks at the blood of the promise (the blood that made him holy) as no different from other people’s blood, and he insults the Spirit that God gave us out of his kindness.[b] He deserves a much worse punishment. 30 We know the God who said,
“I alone have the right to take revenge.
I will pay back.”
God also said,
“The Lord will judge his people.”
31 Falling into the hands of the living God is a terrifying thing.
32 Remember the past, when you first learned the truth. You endured a lot of hardship and pain. 33 At times you were publicly insulted and mistreated. At times you associated with people who were treated this way. 34 You suffered with prisoners. You were cheerful even though your possessions were stolen, since you know that you have a better and more permanent possession.[c]
35 So don’t lose your confidence. It will bring you a great reward. 36 You need endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what he has promised.
37 “Yet, the one who is coming will come soon. He will not delay.
38 The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.
But if he turns back, I will not be pleased with him.”
39 We don’t belong with those who turn back and are destroyed. Instead, we belong with those who have faith and are saved.
The Lord Will Punish the Women of Samaria
4 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria.
You women oppress the poor and abuse the needy.
You say to your husbands, “Get some wine! Let’s drink!”
2 Adonay Yahweh has taken an oath on his holiness:
Surely, the time is going to come
when you will be taken away on hooks,
and the rest of you on fishhooks.
3 Each of you will leave the city
through breaks in the wall, one woman ahead of another.
You will be thrown into a garbage dump.
Yahweh declares this.
4 Go to Bethel and sin.
Go to Gilgal and sin even more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning.
Bring a tenth of your income every three days.
5 Burn bread as a thank offering.
Brag and boast about your freewill offerings.
This is what you people of Israel love to do.
Adonay Yahweh declares this.
6 I left you with nothing to eat in any of your cities.
I left you with no food in your entire land.
And you still didn’t return to me, declares Yahweh.
7 I stopped the rain from falling
three months before the harvest.
I sent rain on one city and not on another.
One field had rain.
Another field had none and dried up.
8 So people from two or three cities staggered
as they walked to another city in order to get a drink of water.
But they couldn’t get enough.
And you still didn’t return to me, declares Yahweh.
9 I struck your crops with blight and mildew.
Locusts repeatedly devoured your gardens, vineyards,
fig trees, and olive trees.
And you still didn’t return to me, declares Yahweh.
10 I sent plagues on you as I did to Egypt.
With swords I killed your best young men along with your captured horses.
I made the stench from your camps fill your noses.
And you still didn’t return to me, declares Yahweh.
11 I destroyed some of you as Elohim destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning log snatched from a fire.
And you still didn’t return to me, declares Yahweh.
12 This is what I will do to you, Israel.
Prepare to meet your Elohim.
This is what I will do to you, Israel!
13 Elohim forms the mountains and creates the wind.
He reveals his thoughts to humans.
He makes dawn and dusk appear.
He walks on the high places of the earth.
His name is Yahweh Elohe Tsebaoth.
Psalm 148
1 Hallelujah!
Praise Yahweh from the heavens.
Praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels.
Praise him, his entire heavenly army.
3 Praise him, sun and moon.
Praise him, all shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heaven
and the water above the sky.
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh
because they were created by his command.
6 He set them in their places forever and ever.
He made it a law that no one can break.
7 Praise Yahweh from the earth.
Praise him, large sea creatures and all the ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail,
snow and fog,
strong winds that obey his commands,
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedar trees,
10 wild animals and all domestic animals,
crawling animals and birds,
11 kings of the earth and all its people,
officials and all judges on the earth,
12 young men and women,
old and young together.
13 Let them praise the name of Yahweh
because his name is high above all others.
His glory is above heaven and earth.
14 He has given his people a strong leader,[a]
someone praiseworthy for his faithful ones,
for the people of Israel, the people who are close to him.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 149
1 Hallelujah!
Sing a new song to Yahweh.
Sing his praise in the assembly of godly people.
2 Let Israel find joy in their creator.
Let the people of Zion rejoice over their Melek.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing.
Let them make music to him with tambourines and lyres,
4 because Yahweh takes pleasure in his people.
He crowns those who are oppressed with victory.
5 Let godly people triumph in glory.
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of El be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands
7 to take vengeance on the nations,
to punish the people of the world,
8 to put their kings in chains
and their leaders in iron shackles,
9 to carry out the judgment that is written against them.
This is an honor that belongs to all his godly ones.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 150
1 Hallelujah!
Praise El in his holy place.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts.
Praise him for his immense greatness.
3 Praise him with sounds from horns.
Praise him with harps and lyres.
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing.
Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
5 Praise him with loud cymbals.
Praise him with crashing cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes praise Yah!
Hallelujah!
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.