M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jonathan’s Victory
14 Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of (A)Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in (B)Migron. And the people who were with him were (C)about six hundred men, 3 and Ahijah, the (D)son of Ahitub, (E)Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord at (F)Shiloh, (G)was [a]wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 (H)Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp crag on the one side and a sharp crag on the other side, and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the garrison of (I)these uncircumcised; perhaps the Lord will work for us, for (J)the Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few.” 7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and here I am with you according to your [b]desire.” 8 Then Jonathan said, “(K)Behold, we will cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them. 9 If they [c]say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you’; then we will stand in our place and not go up to them. 10 But if they [d]say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hands; and (L)this shall be the sign to us.” 11 When both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said, “Behold, (M)Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” 12 So the men of the garrison [e]hailed Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, “Come up to us and (N)we will tell you something.” And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for (O)the Lord has given them into the hands of Israel.” 13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer behind him; and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death after him. 14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land. 15 And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and (P)the raiders trembled, and (Q)the earth quaked so (R)that it became a [f]great trembling.
16 Now Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away; and they went here and there. 17 Saul said to the people who were with him, “[g]Number now and see who has gone from us.” And when they had [h]numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18 Then Saul said to Ahijah, “(S)Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel. 19 (T)While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, (U)every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even (V)they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the (W)men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also pursued them closely in the battle. 23 So (X)the Lord delivered Israel that day, and the battle [i]spread beyond (Y)Beth-aven.
Saul’s Foolish Order
24 Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had (Z)put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food [j]before evening, and until I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25 All the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people entered the forest, behold, (AA)there was a flow of honey; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath; therefore, (AB)he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and (AC)his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary. 29 Then Jonathan said, “(AD)My father has troubled the land. See now, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.”
31 They struck among the Philistines that day from (AE)Michmash to (AF)Aijalon. And the people were very weary. 32 (AG)The people [k]rushed greedily upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them (AH)with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are (AI)sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone to me today.” 34 Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So all the people that night brought each one his ox [l]with him and slaughtered it there. 35 And (AJ)Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good [m]to you.” So (AK)the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 Saul (AL)inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But (AM)He did not answer him on that day. 38 Saul said, “(AN)Draw near here, all you [n]chiefs of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. 39 For (AO)as the Lord lives, who delivers Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not one of all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good [o]to you.” 41 Therefore, Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “(AP)Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “(AQ)Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “(AR)I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!” 44 Saul said, “(AS)May God do [p]this to me and more also, for (AT)you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who has [q]brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, (AU)not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for (AV)he has worked with God this day.” So the people [r]rescued Jonathan and he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from [s]pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Constant Warfare
47 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, (AW)the sons of Ammon, Edom, (AX)the kings of Zobah, and (AY)the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he [t]inflicted punishment. 48 He acted valiantly and [u](AZ)defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of [v]those who plundered them.
49 Now (BA)the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn (BB)Merab and the name of the younger (BC)Michal. 50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And (BD)the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 (BE)Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he [w](BF)attached him to [x]his staff.
Dedicated Service
12 Therefore (A)I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to (B)present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, [a]acceptable to God, which is your [b]spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not (C)be conformed to (D)this [c]world, but be transformed by the (E)renewing of your mind, so that you may [d](F)prove what the will of God is, that which is good and [e]acceptable and perfect.
3 For through (G)the grace given to me I say to everyone among you (H)not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to (I)each a measure of faith. 4 For (J)just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, (K)who are many, are (L)one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that (M)differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if (N)prophecy, [f]according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if [g](O)service, in his serving; or he who (P)teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who (Q)exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with [h](R)liberality; (S)he who [i]leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with (T)cheerfulness.
9 Let (U)love be without hypocrisy. (V)Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be (W)devoted to one another in brotherly love; [j]give preference to one another (X)in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, (Y)fervent in spirit, (Z)serving the Lord; 12 (AA)rejoicing in hope, (AB)persevering in tribulation, (AC)devoted to prayer, 13 (AD)contributing to the needs of the [k]saints, [l](AE)practicing hospitality.
14 (AF)Bless those who persecute [m]you; bless and do not curse. 15 (AG)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 (AH)Be of the same mind toward one another; (AI)do not be haughty in mind, but [n]associate with the lowly. (AJ)Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 (AK)Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. [o](AL)Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, (AM)so far as it depends on you, (AN)be at peace with all men. 19 (AO)Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [p]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “(AP)Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “(AQ)But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Babylon Judged for Sins against Israel
51 Thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon
And against the inhabitants of [a]Leb-kamai
[b]The (A)spirit of a destroyer.
2 “I will dispatch [c]foreigners to Babylon that they may (B)winnow her
And may devastate her land;
For on every side they will be opposed to her
In the day of her calamity.
3 “[d]Let not [e]him who [f](C)bends his bow [g]bend it,
[h]Nor let him rise up in his (D)scale-armor;
So do not spare her young men;
Devote all her army to destruction.
4 “They will fall down [i]slain in the land of the Chaldeans,
And (E)pierced through in their streets.”
5 For (F)neither Israel nor Judah has been [j]forsaken
By his God, the Lord of hosts,
Although their land is (G)full of guilt
[k]Before the Holy One of Israel.
6 (H)Flee from the midst of Babylon,
And each of you save his life!
Do not be [l](I)destroyed in her [m]punishment,
For this is the (J)Lord’s time of vengeance;
He is going to (K)render recompense to her.
7 Babylon has been a golden (L)cup in the hand of the Lord,
Intoxicating all the earth.
The (M)nations have drunk of her wine;
Therefore the nations are (N)going mad.
8 Suddenly (O)Babylon has fallen and been broken;
(P)Wail over her!
(Q)Bring [n]balm for her pain;
Perhaps she may be healed.
9 We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed;
Forsake her and (R)let us each go to his own country,
For her judgment has (S)reached to heaven
And [o]towers up to the very skies.
10 The Lord has (T)brought [p]about our vindication;
Come and let us (U)recount in Zion
The work of the Lord our God!
11 (V)Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers!
The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes,
Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it;
For it is the (W)vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple.
12 (X)Lift up a [q]signal against the walls of Babylon;
Post a strong guard,
Station [r]sentries,
Place men in ambush!
For the Lord has both (Y)purposed and performed
What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 O you who (Z)dwell by many waters,
Abundant in (AA)treasures,
Your end has come,
The [s]measure of your [t](AB)end.
14 The (AC)Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself:
“Surely I will fill you with a [u]population like (AD)locusts,
And they will cry out with [v]shouts of victory over you.”
15 It is (AE)He who made the earth by His power,
Who established the world by His wisdom,
And by His understanding He (AF)stretched out the heavens.
16 When He utters His (AG)voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
And He causes the (AH)clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain
And brings forth the (AI)wind from His storehouses.
17 (AJ)All mankind is stupid, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his [w]idols,
For his molten images are (AK)deceitful,
And there is no breath in them.
18 They are (AL)worthless, a work of mockery;
In the time of their punishment they will perish.
19 The (AM)portion of Jacob is not like these;
For the [x]Maker of all is He,
And of the [y]tribe of His inheritance;
The (AN)Lord of hosts is His name.
20 He says, “You are My [z](AO)war-club, My weapon of war;
And with you I (AP)shatter nations,
And with you I destroy kingdoms.
21 “With you I (AQ)shatter the horse and his rider,
And with you I shatter the (AR)chariot and its rider,
22 And with you I shatter (AS)man and woman,
And with you I shatter old man and (AT)youth,
And with you I shatter young man and virgin,
23 And with you I shatter the shepherd and his flock,
And with you I shatter the farmer and his team,
And with you I shatter governors and prefects.
24 “But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of (AU)Chaldea for (AV)all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares the Lord.
25 “Behold, (AW)I am against you, (AX)O destroying mountain,
Who destroys the whole earth,” declares the Lord,
“And I will stretch out My hand against you,
And roll you down from the crags,
And I will make you a (AY)burnt out mountain.
26 “They will not take from you even a stone for a corner
Nor a stone for foundations,
But you will be (AZ)desolate forever,” declares the Lord.
27 (BA)Lift up a [aa]signal in the land,
Blow a trumpet among the nations!
Consecrate the nations against her,
Summon against her the (BB)kingdoms of (BC)Ararat, Minni and (BD)Ashkenaz;
Appoint a marshal against her,
Bring up the (BE)horses like bristly locusts.
28 Consecrate the nations against her,
The kings of the Medes,
[ab]Their governors and all [ac]their [ad]prefects,
And every land of [ae]their dominion.
29 So the (BF)land quakes and writhes,
For the purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand,
To make the land of Babylon
[af]A (BG)desolation without inhabitants.
30 The (BH)mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting,
They stay in the strongholds;
(BI)Their strength is [ag]exhausted,
They are becoming (BJ)like women;
Their dwelling places are set on fire,
The (BK)bars of her gates are broken.
31 One [ah](BL)courier runs to meet [ai]another,
And one [aj](BM)messenger to meet [ak]another,
To tell the king of Babylon
That his city has been captured from end to end;
32 The fords also have been seized,
And they have burned the marshes with fire,
And the men of war are terrified.
33 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
“The daughter of Babylon is like a (BN)threshing floor
At the time [al]it is stamped firm;
Yet in a little while the time of (BO)harvest will come for her.”
34 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has (BP)devoured me and crushed me,
He has set me down like an (BQ)empty vessel;
He has (BR)swallowed me like a monster,
He has filled his stomach with my delicacies;
He has washed me away.
35 “May the (BS)violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,”
The [am]inhabitant of Zion will say;
And, “May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,”
Jerusalem will say.
36 Therefore thus says the Lord,
“Behold, I am going to (BT)plead your case
And (BU)exact full vengeance for you;
And (BV)I will dry up her [an]sea
And make her fountain dry.
37 “(BW)Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals,
An (BX)object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.
38 “They will roar together like (BY)young lions,
They will growl like lions’ cubs.
39 “When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet
And (BZ)make them drunk, that they may become jubilant
And may (CA)sleep a perpetual sleep
And not wake up,” declares the Lord.
40 “I will bring them down like [ao]lambs (CB)to the slaughter,
Like rams together with male goats.
41 “How [ap](CC)Sheshak has been captured,
And (CD)the praise of the whole earth been seized!
How Babylon has become an object of horror among the nations!
42 “The [aq](CE)sea has come up over Babylon;
She has been engulfed with its tumultuous waves.
43 “Her cities have become an (CF)object of horror,
A parched land and a desert,
A land in which (CG)no man lives
And through which no son of man passes.
44 “(CH)I will punish Bel in Babylon,
And I will make what he has swallowed (CI)come out of his mouth;
And the nations will no longer (CJ)stream to him.
Even the (CK)wall of Babylon has fallen down!
45 “(CL)Come forth from her midst, My people,
And each of you (CM)save yourselves
From the fierce anger of the Lord.
46 “Now (CN)so that your heart does not grow faint,
And you are not afraid at the (CO)report that will be heard in the land—
For the report will come [ar]one year,
And after that [as]another report in [at]another year,
And violence will be in the land
With (CP)ruler against ruler—
47 Therefore behold, days are coming
When I will punish the (CQ)idols of Babylon;
And her whole land will be (CR)put to shame
And all her slain will fall in her midst.
48 “Then (CS)heaven and earth and all that is in them
Will shout for joy over Babylon,
For (CT)the destroyers will come to her from the north,”
Declares the Lord.
49 (CU)Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel,
As also for Babylon (CV)the slain of all the earth have fallen.
50 You (CW)who have escaped the sword,
Depart! Do not stay!
(CX)Remember the Lord from afar,
And let Jerusalem [au]come to your mind.
51 (CY)We are ashamed because we have heard reproach;
Disgrace has covered our faces,
For (CZ)aliens have entered
The holy places of the Lord’s house.
52 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When I will punish her (DA)idols,
And the mortally wounded will groan throughout her land.
53 “Though Babylon should (DB)ascend to the heavens,
And though she should fortify [av]her lofty stronghold,
From (DC)Me destroyers will come to her,” declares the Lord.
54 The (DD)sound of an outcry from Babylon,
And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
55 For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon,
And He will make her loud [aw]noise vanish from her.
And their (DE)waves will roar like many waters;
The tumult of their voices [ax]sounds forth.
56 For the (DF)destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon,
And her mighty men will be captured,
Their (DG)bows are shattered;
For the Lord is a God of (DH)recompense,
He will fully repay.
57 “I will (DI)make her princes and her wise men drunk,
Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men,
That they may sleep a (DJ)perpetual sleep and not wake up,”
(DK)Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
58 Thus says the Lord of hosts,
“The broad (DL)wall of Babylon will be completely razed
And her high (DM)gates will be set on fire;
So the peoples will (DN)toil for nothing,
And the nations become (DO)exhausted only for fire.”
59 The [ay]message which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of (DP)Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with (DQ)Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. (Now Seraiah was quartermaster.) 60 So Jeremiah (DR)wrote in a single [az]scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon. 61 Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words aloud, 62 and say, ‘You, O Lord, have [ba]promised concerning this place to (DS)cut it off, so that there will be (DT)nothing dwelling in it, [bb]whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’ 63 And as soon as you finish reading this [bc]scroll, you will tie a stone to it and (DU)throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, 64 and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and (DV)not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become (DW)exhausted.’” (DX)Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.
A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. A Psalm of David.
30 I will (A)extol You, O Lord, for You have (B)lifted me up,
And have not let my (C)enemies rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God,
I (D)cried to You for help, and You (E)healed me.
3 O Lord, You have (F)brought up my soul from [a]Sheol;
You have kept me alive, [b]that I would not (G)go down to the pit.
4 (H)Sing praise to the Lord, you (I)His godly ones,
And (J)give thanks to His holy [c](K)name.
5 For (L)His anger is but for a moment,
His (M)favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may (N)last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
6 Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will (O)never be moved.”
7 O Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You (P)hid Your face, I was dismayed.
8 To You, O Lord, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood, if I (Q)go down to the pit?
Will the (R)dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?
10 “(S)Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me;
O Lord, be my (T)helper.”
11 You have turned for me (U)my mourning into dancing;
You have (V)loosed my sackcloth and girded me with (W)gladness,
12 That my [d](X)soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will (Y)give thanks to You forever.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.