M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
New Stone Tablets
10 At that time the Lord said to me, “·Cut [Carve; Chisel] two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden Ark [Ex. 25:10]. 2 I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the first tablets, which you broke, and you will put the new tablets in the Ark [Ex. 34].”
3 So I made the Ark out of acacia wood, and I ·cut [carved; chiseled] out two stone tablets like the first ones. Then I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 4 The Lord wrote the same things on these tablets he had written before—the Ten ·Commandments [L Words; Ex. 20:2–27; 34] that he had told you on the mountain from the fire, on the day ·you were gathered [of the assembly] there. And the Lord gave them to me. 5 Then I turned and came down the mountain; I put the tablets in the Ark I had made, as the Lord had commanded, and they are still there.
6 (The ·people [L sons; children] of Israel went from ·the wells of the Jaakanites [or Beeroth-bene-jaakan] to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried [Num. 20:22–29]; his son Eleazar became priest in his place. 7 From Moserah they went to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah they went to Jotbathah [Num. 33:33], a place with ·streams [wadis] of water. 8 At that time the Lord ·chose [set apart] the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the ·Agreement [Treaty; Covenant; Ex. 25:10] with the Lord. They were to ·serve [minister to] the Lord and to bless the people in his name, which they still do today [Num. 6:22–27]. 9 That is why the Levites did not ·receive any land of their own [L have an allotment and inheritance along with their brothers]; instead, they ·received the Lord himself as their gift [L inherited the Lord himself], as the Lord your God ·told [promised] them.)
10 I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights just like the first time, and the Lord listened to me this time also. He did not want to destroy you. 11 The Lord said to me, “Go and lead the people so that they will go in and ·take [possess] the land I promised their ·ancestors [fathers; Gen. 12:1–3; 15:17–20].”
What the Lord Wants You to Do
12 Now, Israel, ·this is what [L what is it that…?] the Lord your God wants you to do: ·Respect [Fear] the Lord your God, and ·do what he has told you to do [L walk on all his ways/paths]. Love him. Serve the Lord your God with ·your whole being [L all your heart/mind and all your soul], 13 and obey the Lord’s commands and ·laws [statutes; ordinances; requirements] that I am giving you today for your own good.
14 The Lord owns the ·world [earth] and everything in it—the heavens, even the ·highest heavens [L heaven of heavens], are his. 15 But the Lord ·cared for [stuck to] and loved your ·ancestors [fathers], and he chose you, their ·descendants [L seed], over all the other nations, just as it is today. 16 ·Give yourselves completely to serving him [L Circumcise the foreskin of your heart], and do not be stubborn any longer. 17 The Lord your God is God of all gods and Lord of all lords. He is the great God, who is strong and ·wonderful [awesome]. He does not ·take sides [show favoritism/partiality], and he will not ·be talked into doing evil [take a bribe]. 18 He ·helps [grants justice to] orphans and widows, and he loves ·foreigners [resident aliens] and gives them food and clothes. 19 You also must love ·foreigners [resident aliens], because you were ·foreigners [resident aliens] in Egypt. 20 ·Respect [Fear] the Lord your God and serve him. ·Be loyal [Cling] to him and ·make your promises in [swear by] his name. 21 He is the one you should praise; he is your God, who has done great and ·wonderful [awesome] things for you, which you have seen with your own eyes. 22 There were only seventy of your ·ancestors [fathers] when they went down to Egypt [Gen. 46:26; Ex. 1:5], and now the Lord your God has made you as many as the stars in the sky [Gen. 15:5; 22:19].
God Will Pay Back His Enemies
94 The Lord is a God ·who punishes [of vengeance; Deut. 32:35; Is. 34:8; Ezek. 24:8; 25:14–17; Nah. 1:2; Rom. 12:19; 1 Thess. 4:6].
·God, show your greatness and punish [L God of vengeance, shine forth]!
2 Rise up, Judge of the earth,
and give the ·proud [arrogant] ·what they deserve [their due].
3 How long will the wicked be ·happy [joyful]?
How long, Lord?
4 They ·are full of [L bubble forth, speaking] ·proud [insolent] words;
those who do evil ·brag about what they have done [L talk a lot].
5 Lord, they crush your people
and ·make your children suffer [L afflict your inheritance].
6 They kill widows and ·foreigners [sojourners; wanderers]
and murder orphans [Ex. 22:21–24].
7 They say, “The Lord doesn’t see;
the God of Jacob [C another name for Israel] doesn’t ·notice [understand].”
8 You ·stupid [senseless; dull witted] ones among the people, ·pay attention [L understand].
You fools, when will you ·understand [get insight]?
9 Can’t the ·creator [L planter] of ears hear?
Can’t the ·maker [former; shaper] of eyes see?
10 Won’t the one who ·corrects [instructs; disciplines] nations ·punish [reprimand; reprove] you?
Doesn’t the teacher of people know everything?
11 The Lord knows ·what people think [L the thoughts of humans].
He knows their thoughts are ·just a puff of wind [a bubble/vapor/meaningless/futile; Eccl. 1:2].
12 Lord, those you ·correct [instruct; discipline] are ·happy [blessed];
you teach them from your ·law [instruction; teaching].
13 You give them ·rest [peace; quiet] from ·times [L days] of ·trouble [harm; evil]
until a pit is dug for the wicked [Prov. 26:7; Eccl. 10:8].
14 The Lord won’t ·leave [abandon; cast off] his people
nor ·give up [abandon; forsake] his ·children [L inheritance].
15 Judgment will again be ·fair [just; righteous],
and all who are ·honest [L upright/virtuous of heart] will follow it.
16 Who will ·help me fight [L rise up with me] against the wicked?
Who will stand with me against those who do evil?
17 If the Lord had not helped me,
I would have ·died in a minute [L quickly dwelled in silence].
18 I said, “·I am about to fall [L My feet totter],”
but, Lord, your ·love [loyalty] ·kept me safe [steadied/supported me].
19 ·I was very worried [L In my many disquieting thoughts in my insides],
but you comforted me and ·made me happy [cheered me up].
20 ·Crooked leaders [L Ruinous thrones] cannot be your ·friends [allies].
They use the ·law [statute; ordinance; requirement] to cause ·suffering [distress].
21 They ·join forces [band together] against ·people who do right [righteous people]
and ·sentence [condemn] to death the innocent.
22 But the Lord is my ·defender [stronghold; fortress];
my God is the rock [28:1; 42:9; 62:2; Deut. 32:4] of my ·protection [refuge].
23 God will pay them back for their ·sins [guilt; iniquity]
and will destroy them for their evil.
The Lord our God will destroy them.
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
38 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he ·almost died [was about to die]. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ·Make arrangements [L Set your house in order], because you are going to die. You will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Lord, please remember that I have always ·obeyed [L walked before] you. I have ·given myself completely to you [served you wholeheartedly] and have done ·what you said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord].” Then Hezekiah ·cried loudly [wept bitterly].
4 Then the Lord spoke his word to Isaiah: 5 “Go to Hezekiah and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ·ancestor [father] David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. So I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will ·save [rescue] you and this city from [L the hand of] the king of Assyria; I will defend this city.
7 “‘The Lord will do what he ·says [promises]. This is the sign from the Lord to show you: 8 The sun has made a shadow go down the stairway of Ahaz, but I will make it go back ten steps.’” So the shadow made by the sun went back up the ten steps it had gone down.
9 After Hezekiah king of Judah got well, he wrote this ·song [or poem; L writing]:
10 I said, “I am in the ·middle [prime] of my life.
Do I have to go through the gates of ·death [or the grave; L Sheol]?
Will I have the rest of my life ·taken away [deprived; robbed] from me?”
11 I said, “I will not see ·the Lord [the Lord, the Lord; L Yah, Yah; 26:4]
in the land of the living again.
I will not again see ·the people [a human being]
who live on the earth.
12 Like a shepherd’s tent,
my home has been pulled down and taken from me.
I am like the cloth a weaver rolls up and cuts from the loom.
·In one day [L From day to night] you brought me to this end.
13 ·All night I cried loudly [or I waited patiently till morning].
Like a lion, he ·crushed [breaks] all my bones.
·In one day [L From day to night] you brought me to this end.
14 I ·cried [twitter; chatter] like a ·bird [L swallow or a crane]
and moaned like a dove.
My eyes ·became tired as I looked [grew weary from looking] to the ·heavens [heights].
Lord, I ·have troubles [am oppressed]. ·Please help me [Be my security].”
15 What can I say?
·The Lord told me what would happen and then made it happen [L He spoke to me and he did it].
I will ·be humble [wander about; shuffle along; walk slowly] all my ·life [years]
because of ·these troubles in [the bitterness of] my soul.
16 Lord, because of ·you [L these things], people live.
Because of ·you [L them], my spirit also lives;
you ·made me well [restored me] and let me live.
17 It was for my own ·good [welfare; peace; C Hebrew shalom]
that I had such ·troubles [anguish; bitterness].
Because you love me very much,
you ·did not let me die [delivered my soul from the pit of destruction/corruption]
but threw my sins
·far away [L behind your back].
18 ·People in the place of the dead [or For the grave; L For Sheol] cannot ·praise [thank] you;
·those who have died [L death] cannot ·sing praises [praise] to you;
those who ·die [L go down to the pit] ·don’t trust you
to help them [L cannot hope for your faithfulness].
19 ·The people who are alive [L The living, the living] are the ones who ·praise [thank] you.
They praise you as I praise you today.
A father should tell his children
·that you provide help [L about your faithfulness].
20 The Lord ·saved me [or will save; or is ready to save],
so we will play songs on stringed instruments
in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord
all the days of our lives.
21 Then Isaiah said, “·Make a paste from [or Take a cake of] figs and put it on Hezekiah’s boil. Then he will get well.” 22 Hezekiah ·then [or had] asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign? What will show that I will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord?”
The Seventh Seal
8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal [C the final and climactic seal; 5:1], there was silence in heaven for about half an hour [C a dramatic pause induced by awe]. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God and to whom were given seven trumpets [C trumpets often announce God’s appearance, accompanied by judgment and victory; Josh. 6].
3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden ·pan for incense [censer; incense burner]. He was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all ·God’s holy people [T the saints; Ps. 141:2]. The angel put this offering on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke from the incense went up from the angel’s hand ·to [in the presence of] God with the prayers of ·God’s people [T the saints]. 5 Then the angel filled the ·incense pan [censer; incense burner] with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there ·were thunder and loud noises [was rumbling thunder], flashes of lightning, and an earthquake [4:5].
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them [8:2].
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were ·poured [thrown; hurled] down on the earth [C similar to the seventh plague against Egypt; Ex. 9:13–35; Joel 2:30–31]. And a third of the earth [L was burned up], and a third of the trees [L was burned up], and all the green grass were burned up.
The Seven Angels and Trumpets
8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and something that looked like a ·big [great] mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea [C perhaps referring to a volcano or a flaming meteorite; Jer. 51:25]. And a third of the sea became blood [C echoes the first plague against Egypt; Ex. 7:14–21], 9 a third of the living ·things [creatures] in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a ·large [great] star, burning like a torch, fell from ·the sky [or heaven; C perhaps a meteorite]. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 [L And] The name of the star is Wormwood [C a plant with a greenish, bitter oil; a symbol of bitter sorrow; Prov. 5:4; Jer. 9:15; 23:15]. And a third of all the water became ·bitter [L wormwood; C again an allusion to the first Egyptian plague], and many people died from ·drinking the water [L the water] that ·was [became; was made] bitter.
12 Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck. So a third of them became dark, and a third of the day was ·without light [kept from shining], and also the night [C echoing the ninth Egyptian plague; Ex. 10:21–23].
13 While I watched, I heard an ·eagle [or vulture] that was flying ·high in the air [L in mid-heaven] cry out in a loud voice, “·Trouble! Trouble! Trouble [ L Woe! Woe! Woe; C reminiscent of OT funeral laments, signifying their doom; Nah. 3:1] for those who live on the earth because of the remaining ·sounds [blasts] of the trumpets that the other three angels are about to blow!”
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