M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Solomon’s Officers
4 King Solomon ·ruled [was king] over all Israel. 2 These are the names of his ·leading officers [chief officials]:
Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, ·recorded what happened in the courts [were court secretaries];
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud ·recorded the history of the people [was recorder/royal historian];
4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army;
Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
5 Azariah son of Nathan was in charge of the district governors;
Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and ·adviser [L friend] to the king;
6 Ahishar was ·responsible for everything in the palace [manager of the household];
Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of ·the labor force [or forced labor].
7 Solomon placed twelve ·governors [deputies; administrators] over the districts of Israel, who gathered ·food from their districts [provisions] for the king and his ·family [household]. Each ·governor [deputy; administrator] was responsible for bringing food to the king one month of each year. 8 These are the names of the twelve ·governors [deputies; administrators]:
Ben-Hur was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of the ·mountain [hill] country of Ephraim.
9 Ben-Deker was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Bethhanan.
10 Ben-Hesed was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Arubboth, Socoh, and all the land of Hepher.
11 Ben-Abinadab was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Naphoth Dor. (He was married to Taphath, Solomon’s daughter.)
12 Baana son of Ahilud was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Taanach, Megiddo, and all of Beth Shan next to ·Zarethan. This was below Jezreel [Zarethan below Jezreel, and] from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah ·across from [and over to] Jokmeam.
13 Ben-Geber was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Ramoth in Gilead. (He was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of all the towns of Jair in Gilead. Jair was the son of Manasseh. Ben-Geber was also over the district of Argob in Bashan, which had sixty large, walled cities with bronze bars on their gates.)
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, Solomon’s daughter.)
16 Baana son of Hushai was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Asher and Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Issachar.
18 Shimei son of Ela was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Benjamin.
19 Geber son of Uri was ·governor [deputy; administrator] of Gilead. Gilead had been the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. ·But Geber was the only governor over this district [In addition, there was one governor/deputy/adminstrator over the land of Judah].
Solomon’s Kingdom(A)
20 There were as many people in Judah and Israel as grains of sand on the seashore [Gen. 22:17; 32:12]. The people ate, drank, and were ·happy [content; rejoicing]. 21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought Solomon ·the payments he demanded [tribute], and they ·were under his control [served him] all his life.
22 ·Solomon needed much food each day to feed himself and all the people who ate at his table: Solomon’s daily provisions were one hundred ninety-five bushels [L thirty cors] of fine flour, three hundred ninety bushels [L sixty cors] of ·grain [meal], 23 ten ·cows that were fed on good grain [fat oxen], twenty ·cows [oxen] that were raised in the fields, one hundred sheep, deer, gazelles, and roe deer, and ·fattened birds [choice poultry].
24 Solomon ·controlled [ruled; had dominion over] all the countries west of the ·Euphrates River [L River]—the land from Tiphsah to Gaza. And he had peace on all ·sides of his kingdom [his borders/frontiers]. 25 During Solomon’s life Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba [C the extreme north to the extreme south], also lived in ·peace [safety]; all of his people were able to sit under their own fig trees and grapevines.
26 Solomon had four[a] thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand ·horses [or horsemen; cavalry]. 27 Each month one of the ·district governors [deputies; administrators] ·gave King Solomon all the food he needed [provided for King Solomon]—enough for every person who ate at the king’s table. The ·governors [deputies; administrators] made sure ·he had everything he needed [that nothing was lacking]. 28 They also brought enough barley and straw for Solomon’s ·chariot [L swift steeds] and work horses; each person ·brought this grain to the right place [according to his duty/charge].
Solomon’s Wisdom
29 God gave Solomon great wisdom ·so he could understand many things [L and great discernment/understanding]. His [L breadth/width of] ·wisdom [mind; heart] was ·as hard to measure as [or as vast as; L like] the grains of sand on the seashore. 30 His wisdom was greater than any wisdom of the East, or any wisdom in Egypt. 31 He was wiser than ·anyone on earth [L all mankind]. He was even wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite [C see Ps. 89 title], as well as Heman [C see Ps. 88 title], Calcol, and Darda—the three sons of Mahol. King Solomon became famous in all the surrounding ·countries [nations]. 32 During his life he spoke three thousand ·wise sayings [proverbs] and also wrote one thousand five songs. 33 He taught about many kinds of plants—everything from the great cedar trees of Lebanon to the ·weeds [hyssop] that grow out of the walls. He also taught about animals, birds, ·crawling things [reptiles], and fish. 34 People from all nations came to listen to King Solomon’s wisdom. The kings of all nations sent them to him, ·because they had heard of [or to listen to] Solomon’s wisdom.
Preparing to Build the Temple(B)
5 Hiram, the king of Tyre, had always been David’s friend. When Hiram heard that Solomon had been ·made [L anointed] king in ·David’s [L his father’s] place, he sent his ·messengers [ambassadors; servants] to Solomon. 2 Solomon sent this message back to King Hiram: 3 “You ·remember [L know] my father David had to fight many wars with ·the countries around [enemies surrounding] him, so he was never able to build a ·temple for worshiping [L house for the name of] the Lord his God. David was waiting until the Lord ·allowed him to defeat all his enemies [L put them under the soles of his feet]. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me ·peace [rest] on all sides of my country. I have no enemies now, and no ·danger threatens my people [adversity; calamity; misfortune].
5 “The Lord ·promised [L told] my father David, ‘I will ·make your son king after you [L put your son on the throne in your place], and he will build ·a temple for worshiping me [L the house/temple for my name].’ Now, I plan to build ·that temple for worshiping [L a house for the name of] the Lord my God. 6 So ·send your men [command them] to cut down cedar trees for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay them whatever wages you decide. We don’t have anyone who can cut down ·trees [timber] as well as the people of Sidon.”
7 When Hiram heard what Solomon asked, he ·was very happy [rejoiced greatly]. He said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great ·nation [people]!” 8 Then Hiram sent back this message to Solomon: “I ·received [heard] the message you sent, and I will ·give you [supply] all the cedar and ·pine trees [cypress; juniper] you ·want [need]. 9 My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. There I will ·tie them together [L make them into rafts] and ·float them along the shore [go by sea] to the place you choose. Then I will separate the logs there, and you can take them away. ·In return it is my wish that you give [And you shall meet my needs/desire by providing] food to ·all those who live with me [L my household].” 10 So Hiram gave Solomon as much cedar and ·pine [cypress; juniper] as he wanted. 11 And Solomon gave Hiram about ·one hundred twenty-five thousand bushels [L twenty thousand cors] of wheat each year ·to feed the people who lived with him [L for his household]. Solomon also gave him ·about one hundred fifteen thousand gallons [L twenty cors] of pure olive oil every year.
12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; these two kings made a ·treaty between themselves [covenant; alliance].
13 King Solomon ·forced [conscripted] thirty thousand men of Israel to help in this work. 14 He sent ·a group [shifts; relays] of ten thousand men each month to Lebanon. Each group worked in Lebanon one month, then went home for two months. A man named Adoniram was in ·charge [charge of the forced labor/or this labor force]. 15 Solomon ·forced [had] eighty thousand men to work in the hill country, cutting stone, and he had seventy thousand ·men to carry the stones [common laborers]. 16 There were also thirty-three hundred ·men who directed the workers [foremen; overseers]. 17 King Solomon commanded them to cut large blocks of ·fine [costly; high-quality] stone to ·be used for the foundation of the Temple [lay the foundation of the house with dressed/cut stone]. 18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders and the ·men from Byblos [L Gebalites; C Gebal was a Phoenician city the Greeks called Byblos] carved the stones and prepared the stones and the ·logs [timber] for building the ·Temple [L house].
We Now Have Life
2 In the past you were ·spiritually dead [L dead] ·because of [or in] your sins and ·the things you did against God [transgressions]. 2 Yes, in the past you ·lived [walked] ·the way the world lives [L according to the course/ways/age of this world], following the ruler [C Satan] of the ·evil powers that are above the earth [L dominion/authority of the air; C probably demonic forces]. That same spirit is now working in ·those who refuse to obey God [L the children/sons of disobedience]. 3 In the past all of us lived ·like [or among] them, ·trying to please [or giving in to the cravings of] our ·sinful selves [sinful nature; flesh] and doing all the things our ·bodies [flesh] and minds wanted. We ·should have suffered God’s anger because we were sinful by nature [L were by nature children/sons of wrath]. ·We were the same as all other people [L …just like the rest; C of mankind].
4 But ·God’s mercy is great [L God is rich in mercy], and he loved us very much. 5 Though we were spiritually dead because of ·the things we did against God [our transgressions], he ·gave us new life [brought us to life] with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace. 6 And he raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the ·heavens [heavenly places/realms]. He did this for those in Christ Jesus 7 so that ·for all future time [L in the ages to come] he could show the ·very great [exceeding; overwhelming] riches of his grace by being kind to us in Christ Jesus. 8 ·I mean that [or For; Because] you have been saved by grace through ·believing [faith]. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 It was not the result of ·your own efforts [works], so ·you cannot [no one can] ·brag about it [boast]. 10 ·God has made us what we are [L For we are his handiwork/workmanship/work of art]. In Christ Jesus, God ·made [created] us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.
One in Christ
11 [L Therefore] Remember that you ·were born as Gentiles [are Gentiles in the flesh], the ones called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “circumcised.” (·Their circumcision is only something they themselves do on their bodies […L performed in the flesh by hands].) 12 Remember that ·in the past [at that time/season] you were without ·Christ [the Messiah]. You were ·not citizens [L excluded from the citizenship] of Israel, and you ·had no part in [L were aliens/strangers to] the ·agreements with the promise that God made to his people [L covenants of promise; C the Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1–3), Mosaic (Ex. 19—24), and Davidic (2 Sam. 7) covenants.] You had no hope, and you did not know God. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away from God are brought near through the blood of ·Christ’s death [L Christ; C blood symbolizing his sacrificial death]. 14 Christ himself is our peace. He made ·both Jews and Gentiles one people [L both one], and broke down the wall of ·hate [hostility; enmity] that divided them [C the wall beyond which Gentiles could not pass in the Jerusalem temple, or the law of Moses that distinguished Jew from Gentile (see v. 15)] ·by giving his own body [L in his flesh; C this phrase may go with the following sentence]. 15 He did this by ·ending [setting aside; nullifying] the law of commands and rules ·by giving his own body [L in his flesh; C this phrase may go with the previous sentence]. His purpose was to make the two groups of people become one new ·people [humanity; person; man] in him and in this way make peace. 16 It was also Christ’s purpose to ·end [L put to death; kill] the ·hatred [hostility; enmity] between the two groups, to make them into one body, and to ·bring them back [reconcile them] to God. ·Christ did all this with his death on the cross [L …through the cross]. 17 Christ came and ·preached [proclaimed the Good News of] peace [Is. 52:7] to you who were ·far away from God [L far away/off], and to those who were ·near to God [L near; Is. 57:19]. 18 ·Yes, it is [For; or So that] through Christ we all have ·the right to come [free access] to the Father ·in [by] one Spirit.
19 Now you Gentiles are not foreigners or strangers any longer, but are citizens together with ·God’s holy people [T the saints]. You belong to God’s ·family [household]. 20 ·You are like a building that was built […having been built] on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus himself is the ·most important stone [cornerstone; or capstone; Is. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11] in that building, 21 and that whole building is joined together in Christ. He makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Christ you, too, are being ·built together with the Jews [L built together] into a place where God lives through the Spirit.
Prophecy Against Edom
35 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], look toward ·Edom [L Mount Seir] and prophesy against it. 3 Say to it: ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am against you, ·Edom [L Mount Seir]. I will stretch out my hand against you and make you an ·empty desert [desolate waste]. 4 I will destroy your cities, and you will become ·empty [desolate]. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
5 “‘You have ·always been an enemy of [shown perpetual/ancient hatred toward the sons of] Israel. You ·let them be defeated in war [L gave them over to the hand of the sword] ·when they were in trouble [at the time of their disaster/calamity] at the time of their final punishment [Obad. 13]. 6 So the Lord God says, as surely as I live, I will ·let you be murdered [bring you bloodshed]. ·Murder [Bloodshed] will chase you. Since you did not hate ·murdering people [bloodshed; L blood], ·murder [bloodshed; L blood] will chase you. 7 I will make ·Edom [L Mount Seir] an ·empty ruin [desolate waste] and ·destroy [cut off] everyone who goes in or comes out of it. 8 I will fill its mountains with those who are killed. Those killed ·in war [L by the sword] will fall on your hills, in your valleys, and in all your ravines. 9 I will make you a ·ruin forever [perpetual/eternal desolation]; no one will live in your cities. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
10 “‘You said, “These two nations, Israel and Judah, and these two lands will be ours. We will take them for our ·own [possession].” But the Lord was there. 11 So this is what the Lord God says: As surely as I live, I will treat you just as you treated them. You were angry and ·jealous [envious] because you hated them. So I will ·show the Israelites who I am [make myself known to them] when I ·punish [judge] you. 12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all your insults against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They ·have been ruined [are desolate/laid waste]. They have been given to us to ·eat [devour].” 13 You have ·not stopped your proud talk [L exalted yourself against me and multiplied words] against me. I have heard you. 14 This is what the Lord God says: All the earth will ·be happy [rejoice] when I make you an ·empty ruin [desolation]. 15 You ·were happy [rejoiced] when the ·land [L inheritance of the house] of Israel was ·ruined [desolated], but I will do the same thing to you. Mount Seir and all Edom, you will become an ·empty ruin [desolation]. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’
A Prayer for the Nation
For the director of music. A psalm of the sons of Korah [C descendants of Kohath, son of Levi, who served as temple musicians; 1 Chr. 6:22].
85 Lord, you ·have been kind to [delight in] your land;
you ·brought back [restored the fortunes of; C perhaps at the end of the exile] the people of Jacob [C another name for Israel].
2 You forgave the guilt of the people
and covered all their sins. ·
3 You ·stopped [drew back from] all your anger;
you turned back from your ·strong [burning] anger.
4 God our Savior, ·bring us back again [restore us again].
Stop being angry with us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you ·stay angry [draw out your anger against us] from now on?
6 Won’t you give us life again?
Your people would rejoice in you.
7 Lord, show us your ·love [loyalty],
and ·save us [L give to us your salvation/victory].
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says.
He has ·ordered [spoken; promised] ·peace [prosperity] for ·those who worship him [L his people, his saints/loyal ones].
Don’t let them go back to foolishness.
9 ·God will soon save those who respect him [L His salvation/victory is near to those who fear him; Prov. 1:7],
and his glory will ·be seen [L dwell] in our land.
10 ·Love [Loyalty] and ·truth [faithfulness] ·belong to God’s people [L meet];
·goodness [righteousness] and ·peace [prosperity] ·will be theirs [L kiss].
11 ·On earth people will be loyal to God [Faithfulness sprouts/blooms from the earth/land],
and ·God’s goodness [righteousness] will ·shine [look] down from heaven.
12 The Lord will give his ·goodness [or good gifts],
and the land will give its crops.
13 ·Goodness [Righteousness] will go before ·God [L him]
and prepare the way for ·him [L his steps].
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