M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 11

David Is Made King. ^1 (A)Then all Israel gathered around David in Hebron, and they said: “Look! We are your bone and your flesh. ² In days past, when Saul was still the king, it was you who led Israel in all its battles. And now the Lord, your God, has said to you: You shall shepherd my people Israel; you shall be ruler over my people Israel.”^{(B) 3} Then all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and at Hebron David made a covenant with them in the presence of the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, in accordance with the word of the Lord given through Samuel.^(C)

Jerusalem Captured. ⁴ Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the inhabitants of the land were called Jebusites.^{(D) 5} The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not enter here.” David nevertheless captured the fortress of Zion, which is the City of David. ⁶ David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be made chief and captain.” Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the first to attack; and so he became chief.^{(E) 7} David took up residence in the fortress, which therefore was called the City of David. ⁸ He built up the city on all sides, from the Millo all the way around, while Joab restored the rest of the city.^{(F) 9} David became ever more powerful, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

David’s Warriors. ^10 (G)These were David’s chief warriors who, together with all Israel, supported him in his reign in order to make him king, according to the Lord’s word concerning Israel.

¹¹ Here is the list of David’s warriors:

Ishbaal, the son of Hachamoni, chief of the Three.^[a] He brandished his spear over three hundred, whom he had slain in a single encounter.

¹² Next to him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the Three warriors.^{(H) 13} He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had massed for battle. There was a plot of land full of barley. The people were fleeing before the Philistines,^{(I) 14} but he took his stand in the middle of the plot, kept it safe, and cut down the Philistines. Thus the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the Thirty chiefs went down to the rock, to David, who was in the cave of Adullam while the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.^{(J) 16} David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David had a strong craving, and said, “If only someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁸ Thereupon the Three broke through the encampment of the Philistines, drew water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out^[b] to the Lord, ¹⁹ saying, “God forbid that I should do such a thing! Could I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” So he refused to drink it. Such deeds as these the Three warriors performed.

^20 (K)Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the chief of the Thirty;^[c] he brandished his spear over three hundred, whom he had slain. He made a name beside the Three,^{(L) 21} but was twice as famous as any of the Thirty, becoming their leader. However, he did not attain to the Three.

²² Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a valiant man of mighty deeds, from Kabzeel, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. Also, he went down and killed the lion in the cistern on a snowy day. ²³ He likewise slew the Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. The Egyptian carried a spear that was like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah came against him with a staff; he wrested the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with that spear. ²⁴ Such deeds as these Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, performed, and he made a name beside the Three warriors, ²⁵ but was more famous than any of the Thirty. However, he did not attain to the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.^(M)

²⁶ Also these warriors: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;^{(N) 27} Shammoth, from En-harod; Helez, from Beth-pelet; ²⁸ Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa; Abiezer, from Anathoth; ²⁹ Sibbecai, from Husha; Ilai, from Ahoh;^{(O) 30} Maharai, from Netophah; Heled, son of Baanah, from Netophah;^{(P) 31} Ithai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah of Benjamin; Benaiah, from Pirathon;^{(Q) 32} Hurai, from Nahale-gaash; Abiel, from Beth-arabah; ³³ Azmaveth, from Bahurim; Eliahba, from Shaalbon; ³⁴ Jashen the Gunite; Jonathan, son of Shagee the Hararite; ³⁵ Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite; Elipheleth, son of ³⁶ Ahasbai, from Beth-maacah; Ahijah, from Gilo; ³⁷ Hezro, from Carmel; Naarai, the son of Ezbai; ³⁸ Joel, brother of Nathan, from Rehob, the Gadite; ³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai, from Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab, son of Zeruiah; ⁴⁰ Ira, from Jattir; Gareb, from Jattir; ⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite; Zabad, son of Ahlai, ⁴² and, in addition to the Thirty, Adina, son of Shiza, the Reubenite, chief of the tribe of Reuben; ⁴³ Hanan, son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite; ⁴⁴ Uzzia, the Ashterathite; Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer; ⁴⁵ Jediael, son of Shimri, and Joha, his brother, the Tizite; ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam; Ithmah, from Moab; ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobian.

Chapter 12

David’s Early Followers. ¹ The following men came to David in Ziklag while he was still under banishment from Saul, son of Kish; they, too, were among the warriors who helped him in his battles.^{(R) 2} They were archers who could use either the right or the left hand, both in slinging stones and in shooting arrows with the bow. They were some of Saul’s kinsmen, from Benjamin. ³ Ahiezer was their chief, along with Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu, from Anathoth;^{(S) 4} Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a warrior among the Thirty, and over the Thirty; ⁵ Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad from Gederah; ⁶ Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; ⁷ Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites; ⁸ Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham, from Gedor.

⁹ Some of the Gadites also went over to David when he was at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were valiant warriors, experienced soldiers equipped with shield and spear, fearsome as lions, swift as gazelles on the mountains.^{(T) 10} Ezer was their chief, Obadiah was second, Eliab third, ¹¹ Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, ¹² Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, ¹³ Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth, ¹⁴ Jeremiah tenth, and Machbannai eleventh. ¹⁵ These Gadites were army commanders, the lesser over hundreds and the greater over thousands. ¹⁶ It was they who crossed over the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing both its banks, and chased away all who were in the valleys to the east and to the west.

¹⁷ Some Benjaminites and Judahites also came to David at the stronghold. ¹⁸ David went out to meet them and addressed them in these words: “If you come peacefully, to help me, I am of a mind to have you join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors see and punish you.”

¹⁹ Then a spirit clothed Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he answered David:

So David received them and placed them among the leaders of his troops.

²⁰ Men from Manasseh also deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to battle against Saul. However, he did not help the Philistines, for their lords took counsel and sent him home, saying, “At the cost of our heads he will desert to his master Saul.” ²¹ As he was returning to Ziklag, therefore, these deserted to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands of Manasseh.^{[d] 22} They helped David by taking charge of his troops, for they were all warriors and became commanders of his army. ²³ And from day to day men kept coming to David’s help until there was a vast encampment, like God’s own encampment.

The Assembly at Hebron. ²⁴ This is the muster of the detachments of armed troops that came to David at Hebron to bring Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had ordained. ^25 [e]Judahites bearing shields and spears: six thousand eight hundred armed troops. ²⁶ Of the Simeonites, warriors fit for battle: seven thousand one hundred. ²⁷ Of the Levites: four thousand six hundred, ²⁸ along with Jehoiada, leader of the line of Aaron, with another three thousand seven hundred, ²⁹ and Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two princes of his father’s house. ³⁰ Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul: three thousand—until this time, most of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. ³¹ Of the Ephraimites: twenty thousand eight hundred warriors, men renowned in their ancestral houses. ³² Of the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand, designated by name to come and make David king. ³³ Of the Issacharites, their chiefs who were endowed with an understanding of the times and who knew what Israel had to do: two hundred chiefs, together with all their kinsmen under their command. ³⁴ From Zebulun, men fit for military service, set in battle array with every kind of weapon for war: fifty thousand men rallying with a single purpose. ³⁵ From Naphtali: one thousand captains, and with them, armed with shield and lance, thirty-seven thousand men. ³⁶ Of the Danites, set in battle array: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. ³⁷ From Asher, fit for military service and set in battle array: forty thousand. ³⁸ From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, men equipped with every kind of weapon of war: one hundred and twenty thousand.

³⁹ All these soldiers, drawn up in battle order, came to Hebron with the resolute intention of making David king over all Israel. The rest of Israel was likewise of one mind to make David king. ⁴⁰ They remained with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them. ⁴¹ Moreover, their neighbors from as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—provisions in great quantity of meal, pressed figs, raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. For there was rejoicing in Israel.

VI. Final Exhortation, Blessing, Greetings

Chapter 13

^1 [a]Let mutual love continue. ² Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.^{(A) 3} Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body.^{(B) 4} Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.^{(C) 5} Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.”^{(D) 6} Thus we may say with confidence:

⁷ Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.^(F)

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.^[b] It is good to have our hearts strengthened by grace and not by foods, which do not benefit those who live by them.^{(G) 10} We have an altar^[c] from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ The bodies of the animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.^{(H) 12} Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood.^{(I) 13} Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that he bore. ¹⁴ For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come.^{(J) 15} Through him [then] let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.^{(K) 16} Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.^(L)

^17 [d]Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are confident that we have a clear conscience, wishing to act rightly in every respect. ¹⁹ I especially ask for your prayers that I may be restored to you very soon.

^20 [e]May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord,^{(M) 21} furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will. May he carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever [and ever]. Amen.

²² Brothers, I ask you to bear with this message of encouragement, for I have written to you rather briefly. ²³ I must let you know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes soon, I shall see you together with him.^{(N) 24} Greetings to all your leaders and to all the holy ones. Those from Italy send you greetings. ²⁵ Grace be with all of you.^(O)

V. Symbolic Visions

Chapter 7

First Vision: The Locust Swarm

¹ This is what the Lord God showed me: He was forming a locust swarm when the late growth began to come up (the late growth after the king’s mowing^[a]). ² When they had finished eating the grass in the land, I said:

³ The Lord relented concerning this. “This shall not be,” said the Lord God.

Second Vision: The Rain of Fire

⁴ This is what the Lord God showed me: He was summoning a rain of fire. It had devoured the great abyss and was consuming the fields. ⁵ Then I said:

⁶ The Lord relented concerning this. “This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.

Third Vision: The Plummet

^7 (A)This is what the Lord God showed me: He was standing, plummet in hand, by a wall built with a plummet.^{[b] 8} The Lord God asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I answered, “A plummet.” Then the Lord said:

Biographical Interlude: Amos and Amaziah

¹⁰ Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you within the house of Israel; the country cannot endure all his words. ¹¹ For this is what Amos says:

¹² To Amos, Amaziah said: “Off with you, seer, flee to the land of Judah and there earn your bread by prophesying! ¹³ But never again prophesy in Bethel;^(B) for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” ¹⁴ Amos answered Amaziah, “I am not a prophet,^[c] nor do I belong to a company of prophets. I am a herdsman and a dresser of sycamores,^{(C) 15} but the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’^{(D) 16} Now hear the word of the Lord:

Chapter 2

The Birth of Jesus. ^1 [a]In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus^[b] that the whole world should be enrolled. ² This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,^{(A) 5} to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.^{(B) 6} While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn son.^[c] She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.^(C)

^8 [d]Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. ⁹ The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.^{(D) 10} The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ^11 [e](E)For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

The Visit of the Shepherds. ¹⁵ When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus. ²¹ When eight days were completed for his circumcision,^[g] he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.^(G)

The Presentation in the Temple. ^22 [h]When the days were completed for their purification^[i] according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,^{(H) 23} just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,”^{(I) 24} and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel,^[j] and the holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. ²⁷ He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, ²⁸ he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

³³ The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; ³⁴ and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted^{(L) 35} (and you yourself a sword will pierce)^[k] so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶ There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. ³⁸ And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.^(M)

The Return to Nazareth. ³⁹ When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.^{(N) 40} The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.^(O)

The Boy Jesus in the Temple.^{[l] 41} Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,^{(P) 42} and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. ⁴³ After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. ⁴⁴ Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵ but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, ⁴⁷ and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” ⁴⁹ And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”^{[m] 50} But they did not understand what he said to them. ⁵¹ He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.^{(Q) 52} And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man.^(R)