M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Reuben’s Children
5 Reuben was Israel’s first son. Reuben should have received the special privileges of the oldest son. But he had physical relations with his father’s slave woman. So those special privileges were given to Joseph’s sons. (Joseph was a son of Israel.) In the family history Reuben’s name is not listed as the first son. 2 Judah became stronger than his brothers. And a leader came from his family. But Joseph’s family received the privileges that belonged to the oldest son. 3 Reuben was the first son born to Israel. Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
4 These were the children of Joel: Shemaiah was Joel’s son. Gog was Shemaiah’s son. Shimei was Gog’s son. 5 Micah was Shimei’s son. Reaiah was Micah’s son. Baal was Reaiah’s son. 6 Beerah was Baal’s son. Beerah was a leader of the tribe of Reuben. Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria captured Beerah and took him away.
7 Joel’s brothers and all his family groups are listed just as they are written in their family histories: Jeiel was the first, then Zechariah 8 and Bela. (Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was Shema’s son. Shema was Joel’s son.) They lived in the area of Aroer all the way to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 Bela’s people lived to the east. Their land went as far as the edge of the desert, which is beside the Euphrates River. They lived there because they had too many cattle for the land of Gilead.
10 When Saul was king, Bela’s people fought a war against the Hagrite people. And they defeated the Hagrites. Then Bela’s people lived in the tents that had belonged to the Hagrites. They lived in all the area east of Gilead.
Gad’s Children
11 The people from the tribe of Gad lived near the Reubenite people. The Gadites lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Salecah. 12 Joel was the main leader in Bashan. Shapham was the second leader. Then Janai and Shaphat were leaders.
13 The seven relatives in their families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber. 14 They were the descendants of Abihail. Abihail was Huri’s son. Huri was Jaroah’s son. Jaroah was Gilead’s son. Gilead was Michael’s son. Michael was Jeshishai’s son. Jeshishai was Jahdo’s son. Jahdo was the son of Buz. 15 Ahi was Abdiel’s son. Abdiel was Guni’s son. Ahi was the leader of their family.
16 The Gadite people lived in Gilead, Bashan and in the small towns around Bashan. They also lived on all the pasturelands in the Plain of Sharon all the way to the borders.
17 All these people’s names were written in the family history of Gad. This was done during the time Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.
Soldiers Skilled in War
18 There were 44,760 fighters from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. They were brave men who could use shields and swords. They could use their bows well. They were skilled in war. 19 They started a war against the Hagrites and the people of Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben and Gad prayed to God in the war. They asked God to help them. So he helped them because they trusted him. He allowed them to defeat the Hagrites. And they also defeated all those who were with the Hagrites. 21 They took the animals that belonged to the Hagrites. They took 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people. 22 Many Hagrites were killed. This is because God helped the people of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. Then they lived there until Babylon captured them and took them away.
The Eastern Half-Tribe of Manasseh
23 There were many people in the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. They lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Baal Hermon, Senir and Mount Hermon.
24 These were the family leaders: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were all strong, brave and famous men. And they were leaders in their families. 25 But they sinned against the God that their ancestors had worshiped. They began worshiping the gods of the people in that land. And those were the people God was destroying. 26 So the God of Israel made Pul king of Assyria want to go to war. Pul was also called Tiglath-Pileser. He captured the people of Reuben, Gad and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. And he took them away to Halah, Habor, Hara and near the Gozan River. And they have lived there from that time until this day.
Levi’s Children
6 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
2 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
3 Amram’s children were Aaron, Moses and Miriam.
Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. (Azariah was a priest in the Temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.) 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah. Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak.
15 Jehozadak was forced to leave his home when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into captivity. That was when Nebuchadnezzar captured them and took them away.
16 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
17 The names of Gershon’s sons were Libni and Shimei.
18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.
This is a list of the family groups of Levi. They are listed by the name of the father of each group.
20 Gershon’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Jehath. Jehath’s son was Zimmah. 21 Zimmah’s son was Joah. Joah’s son was Iddo. Iddo’s son was Zerah. And Zerah’s son was Jeatherai.
22 Kohath’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Korah. Korah’s son was Assir. 23 Assir’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph’s son was Assir. 24 Assir’s son was Tahath. Tahath’s son was Uriel. Uriel’s son was Uzziah, and Uzziah’s son was Shaul.
25 Elkanah’s sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Zophai. Zophai’s son was Nahath. 27 Nahath’s son was Eliab. Eliab’s son was Jeroham. Jeroham’s son was Elkanah, and Elkanah’s son was Samuel.
28 Samuel’s sons were Joel, the first son, and Abijah, the second son.
29 Merari’s son was Mahli. Mahli’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Shimei. Shimei’s son was Uzzah. 30 Uzzah’s son was Shimea. Shimea’s son was Haggiah, and Haggiah’s son was Asaiah.
The Temple Musicians
31 David chose some men to be in charge of the music in the house of the Lord. They began their work after the Ark of the Covenant was put there. 32 They served by making music at the Holy Tent. (It is also called the Meeting Tent.) And they served until Solomon built the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They followed the rules for their work.
33 These are the musicians and their sons:
From Kohath’s family there was Heman the singer. Heman was Joel’s son. Joel was Samuel’s son. 34 Samuel was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Jeroham’s son. Jeroham was Eliel’s son. Eliel was Toah’s son. 35 Toah was Zuph’s son. Zuph was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Mahath’s son. Mahath was Amasai’s son. 36 Amasai was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Joel’s son. Joel was Azariah’s son. Azariah was Zephaniah’s son. 37 Zephaniah was Tahath’s son. Tahath was Assir’s son. Assir was Ebiasaph’s son. Ebiasaph was Korah’s son. 38 Korah was Izhar’s son. Izhar was Kohath’s son. Kohath was Levi’s son. Levi was Israel’s son.
39 There was Heman’s helper Asaph. Asaph’s group stood by Heman’s right side. Asaph was Berekiah’s son. Berekiah was Shimea’s son. 40 Shimea was Michael’s son. Michael was Baaseiah’s son. Baaseiah was Malkijah’s son. 41 Malkijah was Ethni’s son. Ethni was Zerah’s son. Zerah was Adaiah’s son. 42 Adaiah was Ethan’s son. Ethan was Zimmah’s son. Zimmah was Shimei’s son. 43 Shimei was Jahath’s son. Jahath was Gershon’s son. Gershon was Levi’s son.
44 Merari’s family were the helpers of Heman and Asaph. Merari’s family stood by Heman’s left side. In this group was Ethan son of Kishi. Kishi was Abdi’s son. Abdi was Malluch’s son. 45 Malluch was Hashabiah’s son. Hashabiah was Amaziah’s son. Amaziah was Hilkiah’s son. 46 Hilkiah was Amzi’s son. Amzi was Bani’s son. Bani was Shemer’s son. 47 Shemer was Mahli’s son. Mahli was Mushi’s son. Mushi was Merari’s son. Merari was Levi’s son.
48 The other Levites served by doing their own special work in the Holy Tent. It is the house of God. 49 Aaron and his descendants offered the sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering. They also burned the incense on the altar of incense. They offered the sacrifices that removed the Israelites’ sins so they could belong to God. They did all the work in the Most Holy Place. They followed all the laws that Moses, God’s servant, had commanded.
50 These were Aaron’s sons: Eleazar was Aaron’s son. Phinehas was Eleazar’s son. Abishua was Phinehas’ son. 51 Bukki was Abishua’s son. Uzzi was Bukki’s son. Zerahiah was Uzzi’s son. 52 Meraioth was Zerahiah’s son. Amariah was Meraioth’s son. Ahitub was Amariah’s son. 53 Zadok was Ahitub’s son. Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son.
Land for the Levites
54 These are the places where Aaron’s descendants lived. Aaron’s descendants from the Kohath family group were given this land to live in. They received the first share of the land that was given to the Levites.
55 They were given the city of Hebron in Judah and the pastures around it. 56 But the fields farther from the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. And the villages near Hebron were given to Caleb. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron. It was one of the cities of safety.[a] They also received the cities of Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Hilen, Debir, 59 Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh. They received all these cities and the pastures around them. 60 They also received cities from the tribe of Benjamin. They received Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, Anathoth and their pastures.
The Kohath family groups received a total of 13 cities.
61 The rest of the Kohath family group was given 10 cities. These cities were from the family groups of the western half-tribe of Manasseh. The cities were chosen by throwing lots.
62 The Gershon family group received 13 cities. They were from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the part of Manasseh living in Bashan.
63 The Merari family group received 12 cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. Those cities were chosen by throwing lots.
64 So the Israelites gave these cities and their pastures to the Levites. 65 The cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin were chosen by throwing lots. They are the cities named above.
66 Some of the Kohath family groups received cities and pastures from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They received Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim. It was one of the cities of safety. They also received the cities of Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon. They received the cities and the pastures around them.
70 The rest of the people in the Kohath family group received cities from the western half-tribe of Manasseh. They received the cities of Aner and Bileam and their pastures.
71 From the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Golan in Bashan, Ashtaroth and the pastures around them.
72-73 From the tribe of Issachar, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth, Anem and their pastures.
74-75 From the tribe of Asher, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Mashal, Abdon, Hukok, Rehob and their pastures.
76 From the tribe of Naphtali, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, Kiriathaim and their pastures.
77 The rest of the Levites, the people from the Merari family, also received towns and pastures. They received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor from the tribe of Zebulun. They also received the pastures around those cities.
78-79 From the tribe of Reuben, the Merari family received towns and pastures. They received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, Kedemoth, Mephaath and their pastures. (The tribe of Reuben lived east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.)
80-81 From the tribe of Gad, the Merari family received towns and pastures. They received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, Jazer and their pastures.
10 The law is only an unclear picture of the good things coming in the future. It is not a perfect picture of the real things. The people under the law offered the same sacrifices every year. These sacrifices can never make perfect those who come near to worship God. 2 If the law could make them perfect, the sacrifices would have already stopped. The worshipers would be made clean, and they would no longer feel guilty for their sins. 3 These sacrifices remind them of their sins every year, 4 because it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 So when Christ came into the world, he said:
“You do not want sacrifices and offerings.
But you have prepared a body for me.
6 You do not ask for burnt offerings
and offerings to take away sins.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come.
It is written about me in the book.
My God, I have come to do what you want.’” Psalm 40:6-8
8 In this Scripture he first said, “You do not want sacrifices and offerings. You do not ask for burnt offerings and offerings to take away sins.” (These are all sacrifices that the law commands.) 9 Then he said, “Here I am. I have come to do what you want.” So God ends the first system of sacrifices so that he can set up the new system. 10 Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do. And because of this, we are made holy through the sacrifice of his body. Christ made this sacrifice only once, and for all time.
11 Every day the priests stand and do their religious service. Again and again they offer the same sacrifices. But those sacrifices can never take away sins. 12 But Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, and it is good forever. Then he sat down at the right side of God. 13 And now Christ waits there for his enemies to be put under his power. 14 With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also tells us about this. First he says:
16 “In the future I will make this agreement[a]
with the people of Israel, says the Lord.
I will put my teachings in their hearts.
And I will write them on their minds.” Jeremiah 31:33
17 Then he says:
“Their sins and the evil things they do—
I will not remember anymore.” Jeremiah 31:34
18 And when these have been forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice for sins.
Continue to Trust God
19 So, brothers, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. We can do this without fear because of the blood of Jesus’ death. 20 We can enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way. It leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. 21 And we have a great priest over God’s house. 22 So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith. We have been cleansed and made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed. We can trust God to do what he promised.
24 Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds. 25 You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing. But you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the Day[b] coming.
26 If we decide to go on sinning after we have learned the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins. 27 There is nothing but fear in waiting for the judgment and the angry fire that will destroy all those who live against God. 28 Any person who refused to obey the law of Moses was found guilty from the proof given by two or three witnesses. He was put to death without mercy. 29 So what do you think should be done to a person who does not respect the Son of God? He looks at the blood of the agreement, the blood that made him holy, as no different from other men’s blood. He insults the Spirit of God’s grace. Surely he should have a much worse punishment. 30 We know that God said, “I will punish those who do wrong. I will repay them.”[c] And he also said, “The Lord will judge his people.”[d] 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Remember those days in the past when you first learned the truth. You had a hard struggle with many sufferings, but you continued strong. 33 Sometimes you were hurt and persecuted before crowds of people. And sometimes you shared with those who were being treated that way. 34 You helped the prisoners. And you even had joy when all that you owned was taken from you. You were joyful because you knew that you had something better and more lasting.
35 So do not lose the courage that you had in the past. It has a great reward. 36 You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised. 37 For in a very short time,
“The One who is coming will come.
He will not be late.
38 The person who is right with me
will have life because of his faith.
But if he turns back with fear,
I will not be pleased with him.” Habakkuk 2:3-4
39 But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.
Israel Will Not Return
4 Listen to this message, you rich women on the Mountain of Samaria.
You take things from the poor
and crush people who are in need.
You tell your husbands,
“Bring us money so we can drink!”
2 The Lord God has promised this:
“It is certain that I am a holy God.
So it is certain that the time will come
when some of you will be taken away by hooks.
The rest of you will be taken away with fishhooks.
3 You will go straight out of the city
through holes in the walls.
And you will be thrown on the garbage dump,” says the Lord.
4 “Go to the city of Bethel and sin.
Go to Gilgal and sin even more.
Offer your sacrifices every morning.
Bring one-tenth of your crops on the third day.
5 Offer bread made with yeast as a sacrifice to show your thanks.
And brag about the offerings you bring to show thanks to the Lord.
Brag about these things, Israelites.
This is what you love to do,” says the Lord God.
6 “I did not give you any food to eat.
There was not enough food in any of your towns.
But you did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
7 “I held back the rain from you
three months before harvest time.
Then I let it rain on one city
but not on another.
Rain fell on one field,
but another field got none and dried up.
8 People weak from thirst went from town to town for water.
But they could not get enough water to drink.
But you still did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
9 “I made your crops die from disease and mildew.
I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards.
Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees.
But you still did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
10 “I sent disasters against you,
as I did to Egypt.
I killed your young men with swords.
I also killed your horses.
I made you smell the stink from all the dead bodies.
But you still did not come back to me,” says the Lord.
11 “I destroyed some of you
as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick pulled from a fire.
But you still have not come back to me,” says the Lord.
12 “So this is what I will do to you, Israel.
And because I will do this to you,
get ready to meet your God, Israel.”
13 He is the one who makes the mountains.
He creates the wind.
He makes his thoughts known to man.
He changes the dawn into darkness.
He walks over the mountains of the earth.
His name is the Lord God of heaven’s armies.
The World Should Praise the Lord
148 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens.
Praise him high above the earth.
2 Praise him, all you angels.
Praise him, all you armies of heaven.
3 Praise him, sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, highest heavens
and you waters above the sky.
5 Let them praise the Lord
because they were created by his command.
6 He set them in place forever and ever.
He made a law that will never end.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth.
Praise him, you large sea animals and all the oceans.
8 Praise him, lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
and stormy winds that obey him.
9 Praise him, mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedar trees.
10 Praise him, you wild animals and all cattle,
small crawling animals and birds.
11 Praise him, you kings of the earth and all nations,
princes and all rulers of the earth.
12 Praise him, you young men and women,
old people and children.
13 Praise the Lord.
He alone is great.
He is greater than heaven and earth.
14 God has given his people a king.
He should be praised by all who belong to him.
He should be praised by the Israelites, the people closest to his heart.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the God of Israel
149 Praise the Lord!
Sing a new song to the Lord.
Sing his praise in the meeting of his people.
2 Let the Israelites be happy because of God, their Maker.
Let the people of Jerusalem rejoice because of their King.
3 They should praise him with dancing.
They should praise him with tambourines and harps.
4 The Lord is pleased with his people.
He saves those who are not proud.
5 Let those who worship him rejoice in his glory.
Let them sing for joy even in bed!
6 Let them shout his praise
with their two-edged swords in their hands.
7 They will punish the nations.
They will defeat the people.
8 They will put those kings in chains
and those important men in iron bands.
9 They will punish them as God has written.
God is honored by all who worship him.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord with Music
150 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his Temple.
Praise him in his mighty heaven.
2 Praise him for his strength.
Praise him for his greatness.
3 Praise him with trumpet blasts.
Praise him with harps and lyres.
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing.
Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
5 Praise him with loud cymbals.
Praise him with crashing cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.