M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Offering Sacrifices
17 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel. Tell them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded. 3 If ·an Israelite [L a person from the house of Israel] ·kills [slaughters] an ox, a lamb, or a goat either inside the camp or outside it, 4 when he should have brought the animal to the entrance of the Meeting Tent as a ·gift [offering] to the Lord in front of the Lord’s ·Holy Tent [sanctuary], he is guilty of ·killing [L shedding blood]. He has ·killed [L shed blood], and he must be cut off from the people. 5 This rule is so ·people [L the sons/T children of Israel] will bring their sacrifices, which they have been sacrificing in the open fields, to the Lord. They must bring those animals to the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent; they must bring them to the priest and offer them as ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [3:1]. 6 Then the priest will ·sprinkle [dash] the blood from those animals on the Lord’s altar near the entrance of the Meeting Tent. And he will ·burn [L turn into smoke] the fat from those animals on the altar [3:17], as a smell pleasing to the Lord. 7 They must not offer any more sacrifices to their goat idols [C goat images representing demons; 2 Chr. 11:15; Is. 13:21; 34:14], which they have chased like prostitutes [C spiritual infidelity is often likened to marital infidelity; Hos. 1:2]. These ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] will continue for people ·from now on [L throughout their generations].’
8 “Tell the people this: ‘If ·any citizen [L anyone from the house] of Israel or ·foreigner living with you [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien] offers a burnt offering [1:1–17] or sacrifice, 9 that person must take his sacrifice to the entrance of the Meeting Tent to offer it to the Lord. If he does not do this, he must be cut off from the people.
10 “‘I will be against ·any citizen [L anyone from the house] of Israel or ·foreigner living with you [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien] who eats blood [3:17]. I will cut off that person from the people. 11 This is because the life of the body is in the blood, and I have given you rules for pouring that blood on the altar ·to remove your sins so you will belong to the Lord [to make atonement]. It is the blood that ·removes the sins [makes atonement], because it is life. 12 So I tell the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel this: “None of you may eat blood, and no ·foreigner living among you [resident alien] may eat blood.”
13 “‘If any ·citizen [L of the sons/T children] of Israel or ·foreigner living among you [resident alien] ·catches [hunts] a wild animal or bird that can be eaten, that person must pour the blood on the ground and cover it with dirt. 14 If blood is still in the ·meat [flesh], the animal’s life is still in it. So I give this command to the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel: “Don’t eat ·meat [flesh] that still has blood in it, because the animal’s life is in its blood. Anyone who eats blood must be cut off [3:17].”
15 “‘If a person, either a ·citizen [native] or a ·foreigner [resident alien], eats an animal that died by itself or was killed by another animal, he must wash his clothes and bathe in water. He will be unclean [C in a ritual sense] until evening; then he will be clean. 16 If he does not wash his clothes and bathe his body, he will ·be guilty of sin [carry their guilt].’”
A Prayer for the King
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
20 May the Lord answer you in ·times [L the day] of ·trouble [distress].
May the name of the God of Jacob ·protect [defend; provide refuge for] you [Num. 6:24].
2 May he send you help from ·his Temple [L the sanctuary]
and support you from Mount Zion [C location of the Temple].
3 May he remember all your ·offerings [gifts; tributes; grain offerings; Lev. 2]
and ·accept [look with favor on] all your ·sacrifices [L whole burnt offerings; Lev. 1]. ·
4 May he give you ·what you want [L all your heart]
and ·make all your plans succeed [L fulfill all your plans],
5 and we will shout for joy when you ·succeed [are victorious; C as in battle],
and we will raise a ·flag [banner] in the name of our God.
May the Lord ·give you [fulfill] all that you ask for.
6 Now I know the Lord ·helps [saves; gives victory to] his ·appointed king [anointed].
He answers him from his holy heaven
and ·saves him [gives him victory] with his strong right hand.
7 Some ·trust in [boast in; rely on] chariots, others in horses,
but we ·trust [boast in; rely on] the name of the Lord our God [Is. 2:7].
8 They ·are overwhelmed and defeated [collapse and fall],
but we ·march forward and win [L rise and stand erect].
9 Lord, ·save [give victory to] the king!
Answer us when we call for help.
Thanksgiving for the King
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
21 Lord, the king rejoices because of your strength;
he is so happy when you ·save him [give him victory/help]!
2 You gave the king ·what he wanted [L the desire of his heart]
and did not ·refuse [withhold] ·what he asked for [L the request of his lips]. ·
3 You put ·good things [rich blessings] before him
and placed a gold crown on his head.
4 He asked you for life,
and you gave it to him,
·so his years go on and on [L length of days forever and ever].
5 He has great glory because you gave him ·victories [help];
you gave him ·honor [splendor] and ·praise [majesty].
6 You ·always [forever] gave him blessings;
you made him glad because ·you were with him [L of the joy of your presence].
7 The king truly ·trusts [has confidence in] the Lord.
Because God Most High always ·loves [is loyal toward] him,
he will not be ·overwhelmed [moved].
8 Your hand ·is against [L will find out] all your enemies;
·those who hate you will feel your power [L your right hand will find out those who hate you].
9 When ·you [L the Lord] appear,
you will burn them as in a furnace.
In your anger you will swallow them up,
and fire will burn them up.
10 You will destroy their ·families [offspring] from the earth;
their ·children [L seed] will not live.
11 They made evil plans against you,
but ·their traps [L the schemes they devise] won’t ·work [succeed].
12 You will make them turn their backs
when you aim your arrows at ·them [L their faces].
13 Be ·supreme [exalted], Lord, in your power.
We sing and praise your ·greatness [strength].
Wise Words of King Lemuel
31 These are the words of King Lemuel [C an otherwise unknown wise man], the message his mother taught him:
2 “·My son, I gave birth to you.
You are the son I prayed for
[L What, my son?
What, son of my womb?
What, son of my vow?].
3 Don’t waste your strength on women
or your ·time [ways] on those who ·ruin [wipe out; destroy] kings.
4 “Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel,
and rulers should not ·desire [crave] ·beer [T strong drink; C alcoholic beverage made from grain; 20:1; 23:19–21, 29–35].
5 If they drink, they might forget the ·law [decrees]
and ·keep the needy from getting their rights [violate the rights of the needy].
6 Give ·beer [T strong drink; v. 4] to people who are ·dying [perishing]
and wine to those ·who are sad [who have bitter hearts].
7 Let them drink and forget their ·need [poverty]
and remember their ·misery [or hard work] no more [Eccl. 2:24–26; 3:12–14, 22; 5:18–20; 8:15; 9:7–10].
8 “·Speak up [L Open your mouth] for those who cannot speak for themselves;
defend the rights of ·all those who have nothing [vulnerable/fragile people].
9 ·Speak up [L Open your mouth] and judge ·fairly [with righteousness],
and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Good Wife
10 ·It is hard to [L Who can…?] find a ·good [noble; virtuous] wife [Ruth 3:11],
because she is worth more than ·rubies [or pearls].
11 Her husband ·trusts her completely [entrusts his heart to her].
With her, he ·has everything he needs [L lacks no plunder; C a military image].
12 She ·does [brings] him good and not ·harm [trouble; evil]
·for as long as she lives [L all the days of her life].
13 She ·looks for [goes out to find] wool and flax
and likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a ·trader’s [merchant] ship,
bringing food from far away.
15 She gets up while it is still ·dark [night]
and ·prepares food for [L gives prey to] her family
and ·feeds [L a portion to] her servant girls.
16 She ·inspects [surveys] a field and ·buys it [takes it over].
With ·money she earned [L the fruits of her hands], she plants a vineyard.
17 ·She does her work with energy [L Her loins are girded with strength],
and her arms are strong.
18 She knows that ·what she makes is good [or her trading is successful].
Her lamp ·burns late into the [L she does not extinguish at] night.
19 She ·makes thread with her hands [L sends her hands to the distaff]
and ·weaves her own cloth [L her palms hold the spindle tightly].
20 She ·welcomes [L stretches her palm to] the poor
and ·helps [L sends her hands to] the needy.
21 She ·does not worry about [is not afraid for] her family when it snows,
because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothes are made of linen [C from Egypt] and ·other expensive material [L purple].
23 Her husband is known at the city ·meetings [L gates; C the place where city leaders meet],
where he ·makes decisions as one of [L sits with] the ·leaders [L elders] of the land.
24 She makes ·linen clothes [garments] and sells them
and ·provides [supplies] ·belts [sashes] to the merchants.
25 ·She is strong and is respected by the people [L Strength and dignity/honor are her clothing].
She ·looks forward to the future with joy [L laughs at the future; C she is not anxious].
26 She ·speaks wise words [L opens her mouth with wisdom]
and ·teaches others to be kind [L loving instruction is on her tongue].
27 She ·watches over her family [L is a lookout point for the doings of her household]
and ·never wastes her time [L does not eat the bread/food of laziness].
28 Her children ·speak well of [L rise up and bless] her.
Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “·There are many fine women [L Many daughters act nobly],
but you ·are better than [surpass] all of them.”
30 Charm ·can fool you [is deceptive], and beauty ·can trick you [is meaningless; or fleeting],
but a woman who ·respects [fears] the Lord [1:7] should be praised.
31 Give her the ·reward she has earned [L fruit of her hands];
she should be praised in ·public [the gates; 31:23] for what she has done.
Some Rules for Men and Women
2 First of all, then, I ·tell [urge; exhort] you to ·pray for all people, asking God for what they need and being thankful to him [L make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people]. 2 Pray for ·rulers [kings] and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives ·full of worship and respect for God [L in all godliness and dignity/reverence]. 3 This is good, and it ·pleases [is acceptable to] God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to know the truth. 5 [L For] There is one God and one ·mediator [intermediary] ·so that human beings can reach God [L between God and human beings], Christ Jesus, who is himself human. 6 He gave himself as a ·payment to free [ransom for] all people, ·proof that came [or revealing God’s purpose; L the testimony/witness] at ·the right [the appointed; God’s own] time. 7 That is why I was ·chosen [appointed] to ·tell the Good News [be a herald/preacher] and to be an apostle. (I am telling the truth; I am not lying.) I was ·chosen [appointed] ·to teach the Gentiles to believe and to know the truth [or as a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles].
8 So, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up ·their hands in a holy manner [their hands in reverence; L holy hands], without anger and ·arguments [quarreling; disputing].
9 ·Also [Similarly; Likewise], women should wear ·proper [modest; respectable] clothes that show ·respect [modesty] and ·self-control [good sense], not using ·braided hair [elaborate hairstyles] or gold or pearls or expensive clothes. 10 Instead, they should do good deeds, which is ·right [proper] for women who ·say they worship God [profess reverence for God].
11 Let a woman learn ·by listening quietly [in silence] and ·being ready to cooperate in everything [L in full/all submission]. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or to ·have [assume; exercise] authority over ·a man [or her husband], but to ·listen quietly [be quiet], 13 because Adam was formed first and then Eve [Gen. 2:8, 18, 22]. 14 And Adam was not ·tricked [deceived; led astray], but the woman was ·tricked [deceived; led astray] and became a ·sinner [transgressor; Gen. 3:1–6]. 15 But she will be saved through ·having children [or motherhood; C less likely, a reference to the birth of Christ] if she continues in faith, love, and holiness, with ·self-control [propriety; good sense].
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