M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
41 After two full years Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed he was standing by the Nile River. 2 Suddenly, seven nice-looking, well-fed cows came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. 3 Seven other cows came up from the river behind them. These cows were sickly and skinny. They stood behind the first seven cows on the riverbank. 4 The cows that were sickly and skinny ate the seven nice-looking, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream. Seven good, healthy heads of grain were growing on a single stalk. 6 Seven other heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted behind them. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven full, healthy heads. Then Pharaoh woke up. It was only a dream.
8 In the morning he was so upset that he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could tell him what they meant.
9 Then the chief cupbearer[a] spoke to Pharaoh, “I remember a promise I failed to keep.[b] 10 Some time ago when Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he confined me and the chief baker to the captain of the guard’s prison. 11 We both had dreams the same night. Each dream had its own meaning. 12 A young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guard, was with us. We told him our dreams, and he told each of us what they meant. 13 What he told us happened: Pharaoh restored me to my position, but he hung the baker on a pole.”
14 Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and immediately he was brought from the prison. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came in front of Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can tell me what it means. I heard that when you are told a dream, you can say what it means.”
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “I can’t, but Elohim can give Pharaoh the answer that he needs.”
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile. 18 Suddenly, seven nice-looking, well-fed cows came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. 19 Seven other cows came up behind them. These cows were scrawny, very sick, and thin. I’ve never seen such sickly cows in all of Egypt! 20 The thin, sickly cows ate up the seven well-fed ones. 21 Even though they had eaten them, no one could tell they had eaten them. They looked just as sick as before. Then I woke up.
22 “In my second dream I saw seven good, full heads of grain growing on a single stalk. 23 Seven other heads of grain, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted behind them. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but no one could tell me what it meant.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh had the same dream twice. Elohim has told Pharaoh what he’s going to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. It’s all the same dream. 27 The seven thin, sickly cows that came up behind them are seven years. The seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are also seven years. Seven years of famine are coming.
28 “It’s just as I said to Pharaoh. Elohim has shown Pharaoh what he’s going to do. 29 Seven years are coming when there will be plenty of food in Egypt. 30 After them will come seven years of famine. People will forget that there was plenty of food in Egypt, and the famine will ruin the land. 31 People won’t remember that there once was plenty of food in the land, because the coming famine will be so severe. 32 The reason Pharaoh has had a recurring dream is because the matter has been definitely decided by Elohim, and he will do it very soon.
Joseph Advises Pharaoh
33 “Pharaoh should look for a wise and intelligent man and put him in charge of Egypt. 34 Make arrangements to appoint supervisors over the land to take a fifth of Egypt’s harvest during the seven good years. 35 Have them collect all the food during these good years and store up grain under Pharaoh’s control, to be kept for food in the cities. 36 This food will be a reserve supply for our country during the seven years of famine that will happen in Egypt. Then the land will not be ruined by the famine.”
37 Pharaoh and all his servants liked the idea. 38 So Pharaoh asked his servants, “Can we find anyone like this—a man who has Ruach Elohim in him?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because Elohim has let you know all this, there is no one as wise and intelligent as you. 40 You will be in charge of my palace, and all my people will do[c] what you say. I will be more important than you, only because I’m Pharaoh.”
41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I now put you in charge of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s finger. He had Joseph dressed in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in the chariot of the second-in-command. Men ran ahead of him and shouted, “Make way!”[d] Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of Egypt.
44 He also said to Joseph, “Even though I am Pharaoh, no one anywhere in Egypt will do anything without your permission.” 45 Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenathpaneah and gave him Asenath as his wife. She was the daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On. Joseph traveled around Egypt.
Joseph Serves Pharaoh
46 Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He left Pharaoh and traveled all around Egypt. 47 During the seven good years the land produced large harvests. 48 Joseph collected all the food grown in Egypt during those seven years and put this food in the cities. In each city he put the food from the fields around it. 49 Joseph stored up grain in huge quantities like the sand on the seashore. He had so much that he finally gave up keeping any records because he couldn’t measure it all.
50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh [He Helps Me Forget], because Elohim helped him forget all his troubles and all about his father’s family. 52 He named the second son Ephraim [Blessed Twice With Children], because Elohim gave him children in the land where he had suffered.
53 The seven years when there was plenty of food in Egypt came to an end. 54 Then the seven years of famine began as Joseph had said they would. All the other countries were experiencing famine. Yet, there was food in Egypt. 55 When everyone in Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. But Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph! Do what he tells you!”
56 When the famine had spread all over the country, Joseph opened all the storehouses[e] and sold grain to the Egyptians. He did this because the famine was severe in Egypt. 57 The whole world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, since the famine was so severe all over the world.
The King Comes to Jerusalem(A)
11 When they came near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Yeshua sent two of his disciples ahead of him. 2 He said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it. 3 If anyone asks you what you are doing, say that the Lord needs it. That person will send it here at once.”
4 The disciples found the young donkey in the street. It was tied to the door of a house. As they were untying it, 5 some men standing there asked them, “Why are you untying that donkey?” 6 The disciples answered them as Yeshua had told them. So the men let them go.
7 They brought the donkey to Yeshua, put their coats on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many spread their coats on the road. Others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them on the road. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is our ancestor David’s kingdom that is coming!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Yeshua came into Jerusalem and went into the temple courtyard, where he looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the twelve apostles to Bethany.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree(B)
12 The next day, when they left Bethany, Yeshua became hungry. 13 In the distance he saw a fig tree with leaves. He went to see if he could find any figs on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” His disciples heard this.
Jesus Throws Out the Moneychangers(C)
15 When they came to Jerusalem, Yeshua went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. 16 He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard.
17 Then he taught them by saying, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.”
18 When the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings heard him, they looked for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because he amazed all the crowds with his teaching.
19 (Every evening Yeshua and his disciples would leave the city.)
The Fig Tree Dries Up(D)
20 While Yeshua and his disciples were walking early in the morning, they saw that the fig tree had dried up. 21 Peter remembered what Yeshua had said, so he said to Yeshua, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up.”
22 Yeshua said to them, “Have faith in God! 23 I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. 24 That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”[a]
Jesus’ Authority Challenged(E)
27 Yeshua and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple courtyard, the chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders came to him. 28 They asked him, “What gives you the right to do these things? Who told you that you could do this?”
29 Yeshua said to them, “I’ll ask you a question. Answer me, and then I’ll tell you why I have the right to do these things. 30 Did John’s right to baptize come from heaven or from humans? Answer me!”
31 They discussed this among themselves. They said, “If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘from humans,’ then what will happen?” They were afraid of the people. All the people thought of John as a true prophet. 33 So they answered Yeshua, “We don’t know.”
Yeshua told them, “Then I won’t tell you why I have the right to do these things.”
Job Speaks about the Futility of Human Existence
7 “Isn’t a mortal’s stay on earth difficult
like a hired hand’s daily work?
2 Like a slave, he longs for shade.
Like a hired hand, he eagerly looks for his pay.
3 Likewise, I have been given months that are of no use,
and I have inherited nights filled with misery.
4 When I lie down, I ask,
‘When will I get up?’
But the evening is long,
and I’m exhausted from tossing about until dawn.
5 My body is covered with maggots and scabs.
My skin is crusted over with sores; then they ooze.
6 My days go swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.
They are spent without hope.
7 Remember, my life is only a breath,
and never again will my eyes see anything good.
8 The eye that watches over me will no longer see me.
Your eye will look for me, but I’ll be gone.
9 As a cloud fades away and disappears,
so a person goes into the grave and doesn’t come back again.
10 He doesn’t come back home again,
and his household doesn’t recognize him anymore.
11 So I won’t keep my mouth shut,
but I will speak from the distress that is in my spirit
and complain about the bitterness in my soul.
Job Says to God: Leave Me Alone
12 “Am I the sea or a sea monster
that you have set a guard over me?
13 When I say,
‘My couch may give me comfort.
My bed may help me bear my pain,’
14 then you frighten me with dreams
and terrify me with visions.
15 My throat would rather be choked.
My body[a] would prefer death to these dreams.
16 I hate my life; I do not want to live forever.
Leave me alone because my days are so brief.
17 “What is a mortal that you should make so much of him,
that you should be concerned about him?
18 What is he that you should inspect him every morning
and examine him every moment?
19 Why don’t you stop looking at me
long enough to let me swallow my spit?[b]
20 If I sin, what can I possibly do to you
since you insist on spying on people?
Why do you make me your target?
I’ve become a burden even to myself.
21 Why don’t you forgive my disobedience
and take away my sin?
Soon I’ll lie down in the dust.
Then you will search for me, but I’ll be gone!”
God’s Continuing Love for Jewish People
11 So I ask, “Has God rejected his people Israel?” That’s unthinkable! Consider this. I’m an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he knew long ago. Don’t you know what Elijah says in the Scripture passage when he complains to God about Israel? He says, 3 “Lord, they’ve killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.” 4 But what was God’s reply? God said, “I’ve kept 7,000 people for myself who have not knelt to worship Baal.” 5 So, as there were then, there are now a few left that God has chosen by his kindness.[a] 6 If they were chosen by God’s kindness, they weren’t chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God’s kindness wouldn’t be kindness.
7 So what does all this mean? It means that Israel has never achieved what it has been striving for. However, those whom God has chosen have achieved it. The minds of the rest of Israel were closed, 8 as Scripture says,
“To this day God has given them a spirit of deep sleep.
Their eyes don’t see,
and their ears don’t hear!”
9 And David says,
“Let the table set for them become a trap and a net,
a snare and a punishment for them.
10 Let their vision become clouded so that they cannot see.
Let them carry back-breaking burdens forever.”
11 So I ask, “Has Israel stumbled so badly that it can’t get up again?” That’s unthinkable! By Israel’s failure, salvation has come to people who are not Jewish to make the Jewish people jealous. 12 The fall of the Jewish people made the world spiritually rich. Their failure made people who are not Jewish spiritually rich. So the inclusion of Jewish people will make the world even richer.
13 Now, I speak to you who are not Jewish. As long as I am an apostle sent to people who are not Jewish, I bring honor to my ministry. 14 Perhaps I can make my people jealous and save some of them. 15 If Israel’s rejection means that the world has been brought back to God, what does Israel’s acceptance mean? It means that Israel has come back to life.
16 If the first handful of dough is holy, the whole batch of dough is holy. If the root is holy, the branches are holy. 17 But some of the olive branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive branch, have been grafted in their place. You get your nourishment from the roots of the olive tree. 18 So don’t brag about being better than the other branches. If you brag, remember that you don’t support the root, the root supports you. 19 “Well,” you say, “Branches were cut off so that I could be grafted onto the tree.” 20 That’s right! They were broken off because they didn’t believe, but you remain on the tree because you do believe. Don’t feel arrogant, but be afraid. 21 If God didn’t spare the natural branches, he won’t spare you, either. 22 Look at how kind and how severe God can be. He is severe to those who fell, but kind to you if you continue to hold on to his kindness. Otherwise, you, too, will be cut off from the tree.
23 If Jewish people do not continue in their unbelief, they will be grafted onto the tree again, because God is able to do that. 24 In spite of the fact that you have been cut from a wild olive tree, you have been grafted onto a cultivated one. So wouldn’t it be easier for these natural branches to be grafted onto the olive tree they belong to?
25 Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery so that you won’t become arrogant. The minds of some Israelites have become closed until all of God’s non-Jewish people are included. 26 In this way Israel as a whole will be saved, as Scripture says,
“The Savior will come from Zion.
He will remove godlessness from Jacob.
27 My promise[b] to them will be fulfilled
when I take away their sins.”
28 The Good News made the Jewish people enemies because of you. But by God’s choice they are loved because of their ancestors. 29 God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone. 30 In the past, you disobeyed God. But now God has been merciful to you because of the disobedience of the Jewish people. 31 In the same way, the Jewish people have also disobeyed so that God may be merciful to them as he was to you. 32 God has placed all people into the prison of their own disobedience so that he could be merciful to all people.
33 God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep
that it is impossible to explain his decisions
or to understand his ways.
34 “Who knows how the Lord thinks?
Who can become his adviser?”
35 Who gave the Lord something
which the Lord must pay back?
36 Everything is from him and by him and for him.
Glory belongs to him forever! Amen!
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.