M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Last Words
23 These are the last words of David:
“Here is the declaration by David, son of Jesse—
the declaration by the man whom El raised up,[a]
whom the Elohim of Jacob anointed,
the singer of Israel’s psalms:
2 “The Ruach Yahweh spoke through me.
His words were on my tongue.
3 The Elohim of Israel spoke to them.
The rock of Israel told me,
‘The one who rules humans with justice rules with the fear of Elohim.
4 He is like the morning light as the sun rises,
like a morning without clouds,
like the brightness after a rainstorm.
The rain makes the grass grow from the earth.’
5 “Truly, El considers my house to be that way,
because he has made a lasting promise[b] to me,
with every detail arranged and assured.
He promised everything that helps me,
everything that pleases me.
Truly, he makes these things happen.
6 “Worthless people are like thorns.
All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand.
7 A person who touches them uses iron tools
or the shaft of a spear.
Fire[c] will burn them up completely wherever they are.”
David’s Three Fighting Men(A)
8 These are the names of David’s fighting men: Josheb Basshebeth from Tahkemon’s family was leader of the three. He used a spear[d] to kill 800 men on one occasion.
9 Next in rank to him was Eleazar, another one of the three fighting men. He was the son of Dodo and grandson of Aho. Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim[e] when the Philistines gathered there for battle. When the soldiers from Israel retreated, 10 he attacked and killed Philistines until his hand got tired and stuck to his sword. So Yahweh won an impressive victory that day. The army returned to Eleazar, but they only returned to strip the dead.
11 Next in rank to him was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of ripe lentils. When the troops fled from the Philistines, 12 he stood in the middle of the field and defended it by killing Philistines. So Yahweh won an impressive victory.
13 At harvest time three of the thirty leading men came to David at the cave of Adullam when a troop from the Philistine army was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 14 While David was in the fortified camp, Philistine troops were at Bethlehem. 15 When David became thirsty, he said, “I wish I could have a drink of water from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem.” 16 So the three fighting men burst into the Philistine camp and drew water from the well. They brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as an offering to Yahweh and said, 17 “It’s unthinkable that I would do this, Yahweh. This is the blood of men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it.
These are the things which the three fighting men did.
David’s Thirty Fighting Men(B)
18 Joab’s brother Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, was the leader of the thirty. He used his spear to kill 300 men. He was as famous as the three 19 and was honored more than they were. So he became their captain, but he didn’t become a member of the three.
20 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was from Kabzeel and was a brave man who did many things. He killed two distinguished soldiers from Moab. He also went into a pit and killed a lion on the day it snowed. 21 And he killed a handsome Egyptian. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand. Benaiah went to him with a club, grabbed the spear from him, and killed him with it. 22 These are the things that Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, did. He was as famous as the three fighting men. 23 He was honored more than the thirty, but he was not a member of the three. David put him in charge of his bodyguards.
24 One of the thirty was Joab’s brother Asahel. The thirty leading men were
Elhanan (son of Dodo) from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah from Harod,
Elika from Harod,
26 Helez the Paltite,
Ira (son of Ikkesh) from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai (son of Hushai),
28 Zalmon (descendant of Ahohi),
Maharai from Netophah,
29 Heleb (son of Baanah) from Netophah,
Ittai (son of Ribai) from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30 Benaiah from Pirathon,
Hiddai from the Gaash ravines,
31 Abi Albon from Beth Arabah,
Azmaveth from Bahurim,
32 Elihba from Shaalbon,
Bene Jashen,
33 Jonathan (son of Shammah the Hararite),
Ahiam (son of Sharar the Hararite),
34 Eliphelet (son of Ahasbai and grandson of a man from Maacah),
Eliam (son of Ahithophel) from Gilo,
35 Hezrai from Carmel,
Paarai from Arabah,
36 Igal (son of Nathan) from Zobah,
Bani from the tribe of Gad,
37 Zelek from Ammon,
Naharai from Beeroth, armorbearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab,
38 Ira (descendant of Ithra),
Gareb (descendant of Ithra),
39 Uriah the Hittite—
37 in all.
God Approves of Those Who Believe
3 You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Wasn’t Christ Yeshua’s crucifixion clearly described to you? 2 I want to learn only one thing from you. Did you receive the Spirit by your own efforts to follow the laws in the Scriptures or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way? 4 Did you suffer so much for nothing? I doubt that it was for nothing! 5 Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you through your own efforts or through believing what you heard?
6 Abraham serves as an example. He believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God. 7 You must understand that people who have faith are Abraham’s descendants. 8 Scripture saw ahead of time that God would give his approval to non-Jewish people who have faith. So Scripture announced the Good News to Abraham ahead of time when it said, “Through you all the people of the world will be blessed.” 9 So people who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.” 11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” 12 These laws have nothing to do with faith, but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because he obeys them.”
13 Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that the laws in Moses’ Teachings bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.” 14 Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Yeshua Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The Relationship between Law and Promise
15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person’s will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: The laws given to Moses 430 years after God had already put his promise to Abraham into effect didn’t cancel the promise to Abraham. 18 If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.
19 What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came.[a] It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator. 20 A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own.
21 Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them. 22 But Scripture states that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Yeshua Christ could be given to those who believe.
23 We were kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed.
24 Before Christ came, Moses’ laws served as our guardian. Christ came so that we could receive God’s approval by faith. 25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the control of a guardian. 26 You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Yeshua. 27 Clearly, all of you who were baptized in Christ’s name have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same in Christ Yeshua. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs, as God promised.
Nebuchadnezzar Will Conquer Egypt
30 Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, prophesy. Say, ‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says:
Cry for that day!
3 The day is near. The day of Yahweh is near.
It will be a gloomy day, a time of trouble for the nations.
4 There will be war in Egypt and anguish in Ethiopia.
Many Egyptians will fall dead.
People will take away Egypt’s wealth,
and its foundations will be torn down.
5 Sudan, Put, Lud, all the Arabs, the Libyans,
and people from the promised land will die in battle.
6 “‘This is what Yahweh says:
All Egypt’s allies will die.
Egypt’s strength will disappear.
People will die in war from Migdol to Syene,
declares Adonay Yahweh.
7 “‘Egypt will become the most desolate country in the world, and Egypt’s cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than other cities. 8 Then they will know that I am Yahweh, because I will set fire to Egypt and all her defenders will be killed. 9 On that day I will send messengers in ships to terrify those who live in safety in Sudan. The people of Sudan will be in anguish when Egypt is in trouble. That day is coming!
10 “‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says: I will use King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to bring an end to Egypt. 11 He and his troops, the most ruthless troops among the nations, will be brought to destroy the land. They will draw their swords to attack Egypt and fill the land with dead bodies. 12 I will dry up the Nile River and sell the land to wicked people. I will have foreigners destroy the land and everything in it. I, Yahweh, have spoken.
13 “‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says: I will destroy the statues and put an end to the idols in Memphis. A prince will never rise again in Egypt. I will spread fear throughout Egypt. 14 I will destroy Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and bring punishment on Thebes. 15 I will pour out my fury on Sin, Egypt’s fortress, and I will kill many people in Thebes. 16 I will set fire to Egypt. Sin will be in much pain. Thebes will be broken into pieces, and Memphis will be in trouble every day. 17 The young men from Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and people from these cities will go into exile. 18 At Tahpanhes the day will turn dark when I break Egypt’s power. Egypt’s strong army will be defeated. Clouds will cover Egypt, and people from its villages will go into exile. 19 Then they will know that I am Yahweh, because I will bring punishment on Egypt.’”
20 On the seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year, Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His arm isn’t bandaged, so it can’t heal and be strong enough to hold a sword.
22 “This is what Adonay Yahweh says: I’m against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the healthy one and the broken one. I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. 24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh’s arms. Pharaoh will groan like a person who is dying. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, because I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will strike Egypt with it. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”
38 But he is compassionate.
He forgave their sin.
He did not destroy them.
He restrained his anger many times.
He did not display all of his fury.
39 He remembered that they were only flesh and blood,
a breeze that blows and does not return.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness!
How often they caused him grief in the desert!
41 Again and again they tested Elohim,
and they pushed Qedosh Yisrael to the limit.
42 They did not remember his power—
the day he freed them from their oppressor,
43 when he performed his miraculous signs in Egypt,
his wonders in the fields of Zoan.
44 He turned their rivers into blood
so that they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent a swarm of flies that bit them
and frogs that ruined them.
46 He gave their crops to grasshoppers
and their produce to locusts.
47 He killed their vines with hail
and their fig trees with frost.
48 He let the hail strike their cattle
and bolts of lightning strike their livestock.
49 He sent his burning anger, rage, fury, and hostility against them.
He sent an army of destroying angels.
50 He cleared a path for his anger.
He did not spare them.
He let the plague take their lives.
51 He slaughtered every firstborn in Egypt,
the ones born in the tents of Ham when their fathers were young.
52 But he led his own people out like sheep
and guided them like a flock through the wilderness.
53 He led them safely.
They had no fear while the sea covered their enemies.
54 He brought them into his holy land,
to this mountain that his power had won.
55 He forced nations out of their way
and gave them the land of the nations as their inheritance.
He settled the tribes of Israel in their own tents.
56 They tested Elohim Elyon and rebelled against him.
They did not obey his written instructions.
57 They were disloyal and treacherous like their ancestors.
They were like arrows shot from a defective bow.
58 They made him angry because of their illegal worship sites.
They made him furious because they worshiped idols.
59 When Elohim heard, he became furious.
He completely rejected Israel.
60 He abandoned his dwelling place in Shiloh,
the tent where he had lived among humans.
61 He allowed his power to be taken captive
and handed his glory over to an oppressor.
62 He let swords kill his people.
He was furious with those who belonged to him.
63 Fire consumed his best young men,
so his virgins heard no wedding songs.
64 His priests were cut down with swords.
The widows of his priests could not even weep for them.
65 Then Adonay woke up like one who had been sleeping,
like a warrior sobering up from too much wine.
66 He struck his enemies from behind
and disgraced them forever.
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph.
He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which he loved.
69 He built his holy place to be like the high heavens,
like the earth which he made to last for a long time.
70 He chose his servant David.
He took him from the sheep pens.
71 He brought him from tending the ewes that had lambs
so that David could be the shepherd of the people of Jacob,
of Israel, the people who belonged to Yahweh.
72 With unselfish devotion David became their shepherd.
With skill he guided them.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.