M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Jehoshaphat Returns to Jerusalem

19 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in peace to his house in Jerusalem. ^2 (A)And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him to his face and said to King Jehoshaphat, “^(B)Should you help the wicked and love those who hate Yahweh and ^[a](C)so bring wrath on yourself from Yahweh? ³ But ^(D)some good has been found in you, for ^(E)you have purged the ^[b]Asheroth from the land and you ^(F)have set your heart to seek God.”

⁴ So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. Indeed, he returned and went out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and ^(G)caused them to return back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges

⁵ And he appointed ^(H)judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, in each city. ⁶ And he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for ^(I)you do not judge for man but for Yahweh who is with you ^[c]when you render judgment. ⁷ So now then let the dread of Yahweh be upon you; ^[d]be careful what you do, because ^[e]with Yahweh our God ^(J)there is no unrighteousness ^(K)or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”

⁸ In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some ^(L)of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh and to judge ^[f]disputes. So they returned to Jerusalem. ⁹ Then he commanded them saying, “Thus you shall do in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully and wholeheartedly. ^10 (M)Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before Yahweh and ^(N)wrath may not come on you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not be guilty. ¹¹ And behold, Amariah the chief priest will be over you in ^[g](O)all that pertains to Yahweh, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in ^[h]all that pertains to the king. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. ^(P)Be strong and act, and Yahweh be with the one who is good.”

War Against Judah

20 Now it happened after this, that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the ^[i](Q)Ammonites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. ² Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of ^[j]Aram and behold, they are in ^(R)Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” ³ And Jehoshaphat was afraid and ^[k](S)set his face to seek Yahweh, and ^(T)called for a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴ So Judah gathered together to ^(U)seek help from Yahweh; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh.

Jehoshaphat Before the Assembly

⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Yahweh before the new court, ⁶ and he said, “O Yahweh, the God of our fathers, ^(V)are You not God in the heavens? And ^(W)are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can take their stand against You. ⁷ Did You not, O our God, dispossess the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and ^(X)give it to the seed of ^(Y)Abraham Your friend forever? ⁸ And they have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, ⁹ ‘^(Z)Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for ^(AA)Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and save us.’ ¹⁰ So now, behold, ^(AB)the sons of Ammon and Moab and ^[l]Mount Seir, ^(AC)whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), ¹¹ and behold, they are rewarding us by ^(AD)coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have caused us to possess. ¹² O our God, ^(AE)will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; and we do not know what we should do, but ^(AF)our eyes are on You.”

¹³ Now all Judah was standing before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

Yahweh’s Spirit Comes upon Jahaziel

¹⁴ Then in the midst of the assembly ^(AG)the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; ¹⁵ and he said, “Pay attention, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says Yahweh to you, ‘^(AH)Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for ^(AI)the battle is not yours but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You need not fight in this battle; take your stand—^(AJ)stand and see the salvation of Yahweh on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, ^(AK)for Yahweh is with you.”

¹⁸ So Jehoshaphat ^(AL)bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshiping Yahweh. ¹⁹ Then the Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, rose up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

Yahweh Eradicates the Multitude

²⁰ And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, ^(AM)establish your faith in Yahweh your God and you will be established. Establish your faith in His prophets and succeed.” ²¹ When he had taken counsel with the people, he caused those who sang to Yahweh and those who ^(AN)praised Him to stand in holy attire, as they went out before the army, saying, “^(AO)Give thanks to Yahweh, for His lovingkindness endures forever.” ²² When they began singing for joy and praising, Yahweh ^(AP)set ambushes against the sons of ^(AQ)Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were ^[m]defeated. ²³ Indeed, the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to devote them to destruction and to utterly eradicate them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, ^(AR)they helped to bring one another to ruin.

²⁴ Now Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, and they turned toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses fallen on the ground, and no one had escaped. ²⁵ So Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil and found much among them, including goods, ^[n]garments, and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.

Jehoshaphat Returns to Jerusalem

²⁶ Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of ^[o]Beracah, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore they have named that place “The Valley of ^[p]Beracah” until today. ²⁷ And every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with gladness, ^(AS)for Yahweh had made them glad over their enemies. ²⁸ And they came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of Yahweh. ²⁹ And ^(AT)the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, ^(AU)for his God gave him rest all around.

^31 (AV)Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ³² And he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it, doing what is right in the sight of Yahweh. ^33 (AW)The high places, however, were not taken away; ^(AX)the people had not yet set their hearts to the God of their fathers.

³⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first ^[q]to last, behold, they are written in the chronicles of ^(AY)Jehu the son of Hanani, which is ^[r]recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahaziah

^35 (AZ)Afterwards, Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly ^[s]in so doing. ³⁶ So he allied himself with him to make ships to go ^(BA)to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. ³⁷ Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works.” So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish.

The Seventh Seal

8 When He opened the ^(A)seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² Then I saw ^(B)the seven angels who stand before God, and seven ^(C)trumpets were given to them.

^3 (D)And another angel came and stood at the ^(E)altar, having a ^(F)golden censer; and much ^(G)incense was given to him, so that he might ^[a]add it to the ^(H)prayers of all the saints on the ^(I)golden altar which was before the throne. ⁴ And ^(J)the smoke of the incense went up ^[b]with the prayers of the saints, out of the angel’s hand, before God. ⁵ Then the angel ^[c]took the censer and ^(K)filled it with the fire of the altar, and ^(L)threw it to the earth; and there followed ^(M)peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an ^(N)earthquake.

The Seven Trumpets

^6 (O)And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

⁷ And the first sounded, and there came ^(P)hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and ^(Q)a third of the earth was burned up, and ^(R)a third of the ^(S)trees were burned up, and all the green ^(T)grass was burned up.

⁸ And the second angel sounded, and something like a great ^(U)mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and ^(V)a third of the ^(W)sea became blood, ⁹ and ^(X)a third of the creatures which were in the sea—those which had life—died; and a third of the ^(Y)ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ And the third angel sounded, and a great star ^(Z)fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a ^(AA)third of the rivers and on the ^(AB)springs of waters. ¹¹ And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and a ^(AC)third of the waters became ^(AD)wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

¹² And the fourth angel sounded, and a ^(AE)third of the ^(AF)sun and a third of the ^(AG)moon and a ^(AH)third of the ^(AI)stars were struck, so that a ^(AJ)third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a ^(AK)third of it, and the night in the same way.

¹³ Then I looked, and I heard ^[d]an eagle flying in ^(AL)midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “^(AM)Woe, woe, woe to ^(AN)those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the ^(AO)three angels who are about to sound!”

The Golden Lampstand

4 Then ^(A)the angel who was speaking with me returned and ^(B)roused me, as a man who is roused from his sleep. ² And he said to me, “^(C)What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a ^(D)lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its ^(E)seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it, ³ also ^(F)two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” ⁴ Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, ^(G)my lord?” ⁵ So ^(H)the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “^(I)Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” ⁶ Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the word of Yahweh to ^(J)Zerubbabel, saying, ‘^(K)Not by ^[a]might nor by power, but by My ^(L)Spirit,’ says Yahweh of hosts. ⁷ ‘What are you, O great ^(M)mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with ^(N)shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”

⁸ Also the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have ^(O)laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will ^(P)finish it. Then you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to ^[b]you. ¹⁰ For who has despised the day of ^(Q)small things? ^[c]But these ^(R)seven will be glad when they see the ^[d](S)plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the ^(T)eyes of Yahweh which ^(U)roam to and fro throughout the earth.”

¹¹ Then I answered and said to him, “What are these ^(V)two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” ¹² And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive ^[e]branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” ¹³ So he spoke to me, saying, “^(W)Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, ^(X)my lord.” ¹⁴ Then he said, “These are the two ^[f](Y)anointed ones who are ^(Z)standing by the ^(AA)Lord of all the earth.”

Jesus Teaches at the Feast of Booths

7 And after these things Jesus ^(A)was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because ^(B)the Jews ^(C)were seeking to kill Him. ² Now the feast of the Jews, ^(D)the Feast of Booths, was near. ³ Therefore His ^(E)brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your ^(F)disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret ^[a]when he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself publicly to the world.” ⁵ For not even His ^(G)brothers were believing in Him. ⁶ So Jesus *said to them, “^(H)My time is not yet here, but your time is always here. ^7 (I)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I bear witness about it, that ^(J)its deeds are evil. ⁸ Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not ^[b]yet going up to this feast because ^(K)My time has not yet been fulfilled.” ⁹ Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

¹⁰ But when His ^(L)brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as in secret. ^11 (M)So the Jews ^(N)were seeking Him at the feast and saying, “Where is He?” ¹² And there was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; ^(O)some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the crowd astray.” ¹³ Yet no one was speaking openly about Him for ^(P)fear of the Jews.

¹⁴ But when it was now the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to ^(Q)teach. ^15 (R)The Jews then were marveling, saying, “How has this man ^(S)become learned, not having been educated?” ¹⁶ So Jesus answered them and said, “^(T)My teaching is not Mine, but from Him who sent Me. ^17 (U)If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God or I speak from Myself. ¹⁸ He who speaks from himself ^(V)seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

¹⁹ “^(W)Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet none of you does the Law. Why do you ^(X)seek to kill Me?” ²⁰ The crowd answered, “^(Y)You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” ²¹ Jesus answered them, “I did ^(Z)one work, and you all marvel. ²² For this reason ^(AA)Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from ^(AB)the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. ^23 (AC)If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? ²⁴ Do not ^(AD)judge according to appearance, but ^[c]judge with righteous judgment.”

²⁵ So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? ²⁶ And look, He is speaking openly, and they are saying nothing to Him. ^(AE)Do the rulers truly know that this is the ^[d]Christ? ²⁷ However, ^(AF)we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” ²⁸ Then Jesus cried out in the temple, ^(AG)teaching and saying, “^(AH)You both know Me and know where I am from; and ^(AI)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. ^29 (AJ)I know Him, because ^(AK)I am from Him, and ^(AL)He sent Me.” ³⁰ So they ^(AM)were seeking to seize Him; ^[e]yet no man laid his hand on Him, because His ^(AN)hour had not yet come. ³¹ But ^(AO)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “^(AP)When the ^[f]Christ comes, will He do more ^[g](AQ)signs than this man did?”

³² The Pharisees heard the crowd ^[h]whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent ^(AR)officers to ^(AS)seize Him. ³³ Therefore Jesus said, “^(AT)For a little while longer I am with you, then ^(AU)I go to Him who sent Me. ^34 (AV)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” ^35 (AW)The Jews then said to one another, “^(AX)Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? Is He intending to go to ^(AY)the Dispersion among ^(AZ)the Greeks and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What is this statement that He said, ‘^(BA)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

³⁷ Now on ^(BB)the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “^[i](BC)If anyone is thirsty, ^[j]let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, ^(BD)as the Scripture said, ‘From ^[k]his innermost being will flow rivers of ^(BE)living water.’” ³⁹ But this He spoke ^(BF)of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive; for ^(BG)the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet ^(BH)glorified.

Division of People over Jesus

⁴⁰ Some of the crowd therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is ^(BI)the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others were saying, “This is the ^[l]Christ.” Still others were saying, “^(BJ)No, for is the ^[m]Christ going to come from Galilee? ⁴² Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from ^(BK)the seed of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” ⁴³ So ^(BL)a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. ^44 (BM)Some of them were wanting to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

⁴⁵ The ^(BN)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” ⁴⁶ The ^(BO)officers answered, “^(BP)Never has a man spoken like this!” ⁴⁷ The Pharisees then answered them, “^(BQ)Have you also been led astray? ^48 (BR)Have any of ^(BS)the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? ⁴⁹ But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” ^50 (BT)Nicodemus (he who came to Him before), being one of them, *said to them, ⁵¹ “^(BU)Does our Law judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing?” ⁵² They answered him, “^(BV)Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” ^53 [n][Everyone went to his home.