M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
4 So, ·news about Samuel [or Samuel’s words] spread through all of Israel.
The Philistines Capture the Ark of the Agreement
At that time the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines [C a rival nation occupying the southwest coast of Israel]. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer [C somewhere near Aphek; means “stone of help”] and the Philistines [L camped] at Aphek [C on the plain of Sharon, northeast of Joppa]. 2 The Philistines ·went [deployed; drew up in battlelines] to meet the Israelites in battle. And ·as the battle spread [or when battle was joined], they defeated the Israelites, killing about four thousand soldiers on the battlefield. 3 When ·some Israelite soldiers [L the troops] went back to their camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord ·let the Philistines defeat us [or defeat/rout us before the Philistines]? Let’s bring the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty] ·with [or of] the Lord [C the Ark represented the presence of God; Ex. 25:10–22] here from Shiloh [1:3] and take it with us into battle. Then ·God [or it] will save us from the ·power [L hand] of our enemies.”
4 So the ·people [or troops] sent men to Shiloh [1:3]. They brought back the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty] ·with [or of] the Lord [4:3] ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of Hosts], who sits ·between [on] the ·gold creatures with wings [L cherubim; C powerful angelic creatures]. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Ark [L of the covenant of God].
5 When the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty] ·with [or of] the Lord came into the camp, all the Israelites ·gave a great shout of joy [shouted with a great shout] that made the ground shake. 6 When the Philistines heard Israel’s shout, they asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
Then the Philistines ·found out [realized; understood] that the Ark of the Lord had come into the Hebrew camp. 7 They were afraid and said, “·A god [or The gods; or God] has come into the Hebrew camp! ·We’re in trouble [L Woe to us; Disaster]! This has never happened before! 8 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] us! Who can ·save [rescue; deliver] us from these powerful gods? ·They are the ones [These are the gods] who ·struck [T smote] the Egyptians with ·all kinds of disasters [plagues] in the ·desert [wilderness; Ex. 7–12]. 9 Be brave, Philistines! Fight like men! In the past they were ·our [your] slaves. So fight like men, or ·we [you] will become their slaves.”
10 So the Philistines fought hard and defeated the Israelites, and every ·Israelite soldier ran away to his own home [man fled to his tent]. It was a great ·defeat [slaughter] for Israel, because thirty thousand Israelite [foot] soldiers ·were killed [L fell]. 11 The Ark of God was ·taken [captured] by the Philistines, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12 That same day a man ·from the tribe of [L of] Benjamin ran from the battle. He tore his clothes and put dust on his head [C to indicate mourning]. 13 When he arrived in Shiloh [1:3], Eli was by the side of the road. He was sitting there in a chair, watching [L eagerly; anxiously], because ·he was worried about [L his heart trembled/feared for] the Ark of God. When the Benjaminite entered Shiloh [1:3], he told ·the bad news [what had happened]. Then all the ·people in town [city; towns] cried loudly. 14 Eli heard the crying and asked, “What’s all this ·noise [commotion]?”
The Benjaminite ran to Eli and told him what had happened. 15 Eli was now ninety-eight years old, and ·he was blind [L his gaze was fixed, so he could not see] . 16 The Benjaminite told him, “I have come from the battle. I ·ran all the way here [escaped/fled from the battle line] today.”
Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”
17 The ·Benjaminite [L messenger] answered, “Israel ·ran away [fled] from the Philistines, and the ·Israelite army has lost many soldiers [people/troops have been slaughtered]. Your two sons are both dead, and the Philistines have ·taken [captured] the Ark of God.”
18 When he mentioned the Ark of God [4:3], Eli fell backward off his chair. He fell beside the gate, broke his neck, and died, because he was old and ·fat [heavy]. He had ·led [judged; been judge of] Israel for forty years.
The Glory Is Gone
19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and was about to give birth. When she heard the news that the Ark of God had been taken and that Eli, her father-in-law, and Phinehas, her husband, were both dead, she ·began to give [went into labor/crouched down and gave] birth to her child. The child was born, but ·the mother had much trouble in giving birth [her labor pains overwhelmed her]. 20 As she was dying, the women who helped her said, “Don’t ·worry [be afraid]! You’ve given birth to a son!” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 She named the baby Ichabod [C meaning “No Glory”], saying, “Israel’s glory ·is gone [has departed].” She said this because the Ark of God had been ·taken [captured] and her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 She said, “Israel’s glory is ·gone [departed], because the Ark of God has been ·taken away [captured].”
The Example of Abraham
4 So what can we say that Abraham, ·the father of our people [L our forefather according to the flesh; Gen. 12—25], ·learned about faith [discovered in this regard; L has found]? 2 If Abraham was ·made right [justified; declared righteous] by ·the things he did [L the works of the law], he had a reason to ·brag [boast]. ·But this is not God’s view [or …but he could not boast before God], 3 because the Scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and ·God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God [L it was credited/counted to him for righteousness; Gen. 15:6].”
4 When people work, their ·pay [wage] is not ·given [credited; counted] as ·a gift [grace], but as something ·earned [due to them]. 5 ·But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him [L But for the one who does not work, but trusts in God], who ·makes even evil people right in his sight [justifies/makes righteous the ungodly]. Then God ·accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him [L credits/counts their faith for righteousness]. 6 David said the same thing. He said that people are ·truly blessed [happy; spiritually fulfilled] when God, ·without paying attention to their deeds [apart from works], ·makes people right with himself [L credits/counts righteousness to them].
7 “·Blessed [Happy; Spiritually fulfilled] are they
whose ·sins [lawless deeds] are forgiven,
whose ·wrongs [sins] are ·pardoned [covered; blotted out].
8 ·Blessed [Happy; Spiritually fulfilled] is the person
whom the Lord does not ·consider guilty [L count sin against; Ps. 32:1–2].”
9 Is this ·blessing [happiness; spiritual fulfillment] only for those who are circumcised or also for those who are not circumcised? We have already said that ·God accepted Abraham’s faith and that faith made him right with God [L faith was credited/counted to Abraham for righteousness; v. 3]. 10 So how did this happen? Did God accept Abraham before or after he was circumcised? It was not after, but before his circumcision. 11 Abraham ·was circumcised [L received the sign of circumcision; Gen. 17:9–14] ·to show that he was right with God [L as a seal/guarantee of the righteousness he had] through faith before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all those who believe but are not circumcised, so that ·they too may be accepted as being right with God [righteousness may be credited/counted to them also]. 12 And Abraham is also the father of those who have been circumcised and who ·live following [L walk in the footsteps of] the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
God Keeps His Promise
13 [L For] The promise Abraham and his ·descendants [seed] received that they would inherit the ·whole world [L world] ·did not come through [was not based on his obedience to] the law, but through ·being right with God by his faith [the righteousness that comes by faith]. 14 [L For] If people ·could receive what God promised [L are heirs] by following the law, then faith is worthless. And ·God’s promise to Abraham [L the promise] is ·worthless [nullified; canceled], 15 because the law can only bring God’s ·anger [wrath]. But if there is no law, there is ·nothing to disobey [no transgression/violation; C the law points out sin (5:13), but it cannot save from sin].
16 So people receive God’s promise by having faith. This happens so the promise can be ·a free gift [by grace]. Then all of Abraham’s ·children [descendants; offspring; L seed] can ·have [be guaranteed; be certain to have] that promise. It is not only for those who live under the law of Moses but for anyone who lives with faith like that of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As it is written in the Scriptures: “I ·am making [L have made] you a father of many nations [Gen. 17:5].” This is true ·before [in the presence of] God, the God Abraham believed, the God who gives life to the dead and who ·creates something out of nothing [L calls things that did not exist into existence].
18 ·Though there was no hope that Abraham would have children [or When all seemed hopeless; L Against hope…], Abraham believed God and continued hoping, and so he became the father of many nations [Gen. 17:5]. As God told him, “·Your descendants also will be too many to count [L So shall your seed/offspring be; Gen. 15:5].” 19 Abraham was almost a hundred years old, ·much past the age for having children [L his own body (as good as) dead], and ·Sarah could not have children [L Sarah’s womb was dead]. Abraham ·thought about all [considered; or acknowledged] this, but his faith in God did not become weak. 20 He never ·doubted or stopped believing [or wavered through unbelief] that God would keep his promise. He grew stronger in his faith and gave ·praise [glory] to God. 21 Abraham ·felt sure [was fully convinced] that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 So, “·God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God [L it was credited/counted to him for righteousness; Gen. 15:6].” 23 Those words (“·God accepted Abraham’s faith [L it was credited/counted to him]”) were written not only for Abraham 24 but also for us. ·God will accept us also [L …to whom it will be credited/counted] because we believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 Jesus was ·given to die [handed/delivered over; 8:32] ·for [because of] our ·sins [violations; transgressions], and he was raised from the dead ·to make us right with God [for our justification; or to confirm our justification].
42 While there, Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah [or Azariah; 43:2] son of Hoshaiah ·went to [approached] Jeremiah the prophet. All the army officers and all the people, from the least important to the greatest, went along, too. 2 They said to him, “Jeremiah, ·please listen to what we ask [L let our pleas for help/supplications fall before you]. Pray to the Lord your God for all ·the people left alive from the family of Judah [L this remnant]. At one time there were many of us, but ·you can see that [L as your eyes can see] there are few of us now. 3 So pray that the Lord your God will tell us ·where we should go [L the path on which we should go] and what we should do.”
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet answered, “I ·understand what you want me to do [L hear]. I will pray to the Lord your God ·as you have asked [L according to your works]. I will tell you ·everything he says [all his answers] and not ·hide [L keep back] anything from you.”
5 Then the people said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and ·loyal [faithful] witness against us if we don’t do everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. 6 ·It does not matter if we like the message or not [L Whether good or bad…]. We will ·obey [listen to] the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you. We will ·obey [listen to] what he says so good things will happen to us.”
7 Ten days later the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. 8 Then Jeremiah called for Johanan son of Kareah, the army officers with him, and all the other people, from the least important to the greatest. 9 Jeremiah said to them, “You sent me to ·ask the Lord for what you wanted [L make your supplications/fall before him]. This is what the God of Israel says: 10 ‘If you will stay in this land [C Judah], I will build you up and not tear you down. I will plant you and not ·pull [tear] you up [1:10], because I am ·sad [sorry] about the ·disaster [evil; trouble] I ·brought on [L did to] you. 11 Now you fear the king of Babylon, but don’t be afraid of him. Don’t be afraid of him,’ says the Lord, ‘because I am with you. I will save you and ·rescue [protect] you from his ·power [L hand]. 12 I will be ·kind [compassionate; merciful] to you, and he will also treat you with ·mercy [kindness; compassion] and ·let you stay [restore you] in your land.’
13 “But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land [C Judah],’ you will ·disobey [not listen to the voice of] the Lord your God. 14 Or you might say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt. There we will not see war, or hear the trumpets of ·war [battle], or ·be hungry [famine].’ 15 If you say that, listen to the message of the Lord, ·you who are left alive from [remnant of] Judah. This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: ‘If you ·make up your mind [are determined] to go and live in Egypt, these things will happen: 16 ·You are afraid of war, but it will find you [L The sword you fear will overtake you there,] in the land of Egypt. And ·you are worried about hunger, but it will follow you into [L the famine you dread will cling after you there in] Egypt, and you will die there. 17 Everyone who ·goes to live in [L sets their face to go to] Egypt will die ·in war [L by sword] or from ·hunger [famine] or ·terrible disease [plague; pestilence]. ·No one who goes to Egypt will live; no one will escape [L There will be no remnant or survivor from] the ·terrible things [harm; L evil] I will bring to them.’
18 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: ‘I ·showed [poured out] my anger against the people of Jerusalem. In the same way I will ·show [pour out] my anger against you when you go to Egypt. Other nations will speak evil of you. People will be ·shocked [horrified] by what will happen to you. You will become a curse word, and people will ·insult [ridicule] you. And you will never see this place [C Judah] again.’
19 “·You who are left alive in [Remnant of] Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ Be sure you ·understand [know] this; I warn you today 20 that you ·are making a mistake that will cause your deaths [made a fatal mistake; L have erred with your life]. You sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us. Tell us everything the Lord our God says, and we will do it.’ 21 So today I have ·told [proclaimed to] you, but you have not ·obeyed [listened to the voice of] the Lord your God in all that he sent me to tell you. 22 So now be sure you ·understand [know] this: You want to go to live in Egypt, but you will die there by ·war [L sword], ·hunger [famine], or ·terrible diseases [plague; pestilence].”
A Song of Victory
For the director of music. By the Lord’s servant, David. David sang this song to the Lord ·when [L on the day] the Lord had ·saved [rescued; T delivered] him from Saul and all his other enemies [C the occasion is unknown; 2 Sam. 22 parallels this psalm]. He said:
18 I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my ·protection [L fortress], my ·Savior [rescuer; T deliverer].
My God is my rock.
·I can run to him for safety [L …in whom I find protection/take refuge].
He is my shield and ·my saving strength [L the horn of my salvation; C symbolizing strength based on an animal lifting its head triumphantly], my ·defender [stronghold].
3 I ·will call to [call upon] the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I ·will be [or am] saved from my enemies.
4 The ·ropes [cords] of death ·came around [swirled about; encompassed] me;
the ·deadly rivers [floods/torrents of destruction] overwhelmed me.
5 The ·ropes [cords] of death ·wrapped around [entangled; coiled around] me.
The ·traps [snares] of death ·were before [confronted; lay ahead of] me.
6 In my ·trouble [distress; anguish] I ·called [cried out] to the Lord.
I ·cried out [called] to my God for help.
From his ·Temple [sanctuary] he heard my voice;
my ·call for help [cry] reached his ears.
7 The earth ·trembled [reeled; quaked] and ·shook [rocked].
The foundations of the mountains began to ·shake [shudder].
They ·trembled [reeled; quaked] because the Lord was angry.
8 Smoke ·came out of his nose [poured/rose from his nostrils],
and ·burning [devouring] fire came out of his mouth.
Burning coals ·went before [blazed/flamed out from] him.
9 He ·tore open [parted] the ·sky [heavens] and came down
with ·dark clouds [storm clouds; thick darkness] under his feet.
10 He rode a ·creature with wings [L cherub; C a mighty spiritual being/angel; Ezek. 1] and flew.
·He raced […soaring] on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his ·shelter [canopy; shroud] around him,
surrounded by ·fog [thick rain] and clouds.
12 Out of the brightness ·of his presence [before him] came clouds
with hail and ·lightning [L fiery coals].
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the ·Most High raised his voice [voice of the Most High resounded],
and there was hail and ·lightning [L fiery coals].
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies.
His many bolts of lightning ·confused them with fear [routed them].
15 ·Lord, you spoke strongly [L At your rebuke, O Lord…].
·The wind blew from your nose [L …at the blast of breath from your nostrils…].
Then the ·valleys [floor; channels] of the sea ·appeared [were exposed],
and the foundations of the earth were ·seen [laid bare].
16 The Lord reached down from ·above [heaven; on high] and ·took [rescued] me;
he ·pulled me from the deep water [drew me out of mighty waters].
17 He ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me, because they were too strong for me.
18 They ·attacked [confronted] me ·at my time of trouble [L in the day of my distress/calamity/disaster],
but the Lord ·supported me [was my stay].
19 He took me to a ·safe [spacious; open; L broad] place.
Because he delights in me, he ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me.
20 The Lord ·spared [rewarded] me ·because I did what was right [L according to my righteousness].
Because ·I have not done evil [of my innocence; L of the cleanness of my hands], he has ·rewarded [restored] me.
21 I have ·followed [obeyed; kept; L guarded] the ways of the Lord;
I have not done evil by turning away from my God.
22 I ·remember [follow; L have before me] all his ·laws [regulations]
and have not ·broken [abandoned; L turned aside from] his ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
23 I am ·innocent [blameless] before him;
I have kept myself from ·doing evil [sin; guilt; iniquity].
24 The Lord ·rewarded [repaid] me ·because I did what was right [L according to my righteousness],
·because I did what the Lord said was right [L according to my cleanness/purity in his sight].
25 Lord, you ·are [show yourself] ·loyal [faithful; kind] to those who are ·loyal [faithful; kind],
and you are good to those who are good.
26 You ·are [show yourself] ·pure [sincere] to those who are ·pure [sincere],
but you ·are [show yourself] ·against [hostile/shrewd/cunning/perverse to] those who are ·bad [perverse; devious; crooked].
27 You ·save [rescue; T deliver] the ·humble [afflicted],
but you ·bring down [watch and humiliate] ·those who are proud [the haughty].
28 Lord, you give light to my lamp.
My God ·brightens the darkness around me [lights up/illuminates my darkness].
29 With your help I can ·attack [crush] an army.
With God’s help I can ·jump over [scale] a wall.
30 The ·ways [way; path] of God are ·without fault [blameless; perfect].
The Lord’s ·words [promises] are ·pure [tested; flawless; proven true].
He is a shield to those who ·trust [seek protection/take refuge in] him.
31 Who is God? Only the Lord.
Who is the Rock? Only our God.
32 God ·is my protection [is my strong fortress; or girds me with strength].
He makes my way ·free from fault [perfect; secure; a wide path].
33 He makes ·me [L my feet] like a deer that does not stumble [C sure-footed];
he ·helps me stand [sets me] on the ·steep mountains [heights].
34 He trains my hands for battle
so my arms can bend a bronze bow.
35 You ·protect me with your saving shield [L have given me the shield of your salvation/victory].
You support me with your right hand.
·You have stooped to make [Your help makes] me great.
36 You ·give me a better way to live [broaden my path; L widen my steps beneath me],
so ·I live as you want me to [my feet do not slip; L my ankles do not weaken].
37 I ·chased [pursued] my enemies and ·caught [exterminated] them.
I did not ·quit [turn back] until they were ·destroyed [annihilated; consumed].
38 I ·crushed them [shattered them; struck them down] so they couldn’t ·rise [get] up again.
They fell beneath my feet.
39 You ·gave me [L armed/girded me with] strength ·in [for] battle.
You ·made my enemies bow [humbled/subdued my enemies] ·before me [or under my feet].
40 You made my enemies ·turn back [turn their backs; retreat],
and I destroyed ·those who hated me [my foes].
41 They ·called for help [looked around],
but no one came to ·save [rescue; T deliver] them.
They ·called [looked] to the Lord,
but he did not answer them.
42 I ·beat my enemies into pieces [ground/pulverized them], like dust in the wind.
I poured them out like ·mud [mire] in the streets.
43 You ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me when the people ·attacked me [quarreled; fought].
You made me the ·leader [ruler; head] of nations.
People I never knew serve me.
44 As soon as they hear ·me [or of me], they obey me.
Foreigners ·obey [cower/cringe before] me.
45 They all ·become afraid [lose heart/their courage]
and ·tremble in [come trembling from] their ·hiding places [fortresses; strongholds].
46 The Lord lives!
May my Rock be ·praised [blessed].
Praise the God ·who saves me […of my salvation]!
47 God gives me ·victory [revenge; vengeance] over my enemies
and brings ·people [nations] under ·my rule [me].
48 He ·saves [rescues; T delivers] me from my enemies.
You ·set me over those who hate me [exalt/lift me above my enemies].
You ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from violent people.
49 So I will ·praise [extol] you, Lord, among the nations.
I will sing praises to your name.
50 The Lord ·gives great victories [is a tower of salvation] to his king.
He ·is loyal [shows kindness/faithful love] to his ·appointed king [anointed],
to David and his descendants forever.
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