M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

David’s Family^(A)

3 These are David’s sons who were born in Hebron. The first was Amnon [2 Sam. 13], whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. The second son was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel. ² The third son was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur. The fourth son was Adonijah [1 Kin. 1:5–27], whose mother was Haggith. ³ The fifth son was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. The sixth son was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah. ⁴ These six sons of David were born to him in Hebron, where David ruled for seven and one-half years.

David ruled in Jerusalem thirty-three years. ⁵ These were his children who were born in Jerusalem: ·Shammua [or Shimea; 2 Sam. 5:14], Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon—the four children of David and ·Bathsheba [or Bathshua; 2 Sam. 12:24], Ammiel’s daughter. David’s other nine children were Ibhar, ·Elishua [or Elishama; ^Capparently not the same son as later in the list; 2 Sam. 5:16], ·Eliphelet [or Elpelet, 2 Sam. 5:16]; ^Capparently not the same son as at the end of this list], Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. ⁹ These were all of David’s sons, except for those born to his ·slave women [concubines; ^Csecondary wives]. Tamar was their sister.

The Kings of Judah

¹⁰ Solomon’s son was Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s son was Abijah. Abijah’s son was Asa. Asa’s son was Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Jehoshaphat’s son was ·Jehoram [or Joram; ^Ca variant of the same name]. ·Jehoram’s [or Joram’s] son was Ahaziah. Ahaziah’s son was Joash. ¹² Joash’s son was Amaziah. Amaziah’s son was Azariah. Azariah’s son was Jotham. ¹³ Jotham’s son was Ahaz. Ahaz’s son was Hezekiah. Hezekiah’s son was Manasseh. ¹⁴ Manasseh’s son was Amon, and Amon’s son was Josiah.

¹⁵ These were Josiah’s sons: His ·first son [firstborn] was Johanan, his second was Jehoiakim, his third was Zedekiah, and his fourth was Shallum.

¹⁶ Jehoiakim was ·followed [succeeded] by ·Jehoiachin [or Jeconiah], and he was ·followed by [succeeded by his son] Zedekiah.

David’s Descendants After the Babylonian Captivity

¹⁷ ·Jehoiachin [or Jeconiah] was taken as a prisoner [2 Chr. 36:10]. His sons were Shealtiel, ¹⁸ Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

¹⁹ Pedaiah’s sons were Zerubbabel and Shimei.

Zerubbabel’s sons were Meshullam and Hananiah, and their sister was Shelomith. ²⁰ Zerubbabel also had five other sons: Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed.

²¹ Hananiah’s descendants were Pelatiah and ·Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, Arnan, Obadiah, and Shecaniah [or his son Jeshaiah, and Jeshaiah’s son Rephaiah, and Rephaiah’s son Arnan, and Arnan’s son Obadiah, and Obadiah’s son Shecaniah].

²² Shecaniah’s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah’s sons were Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. There were six in all.

²³ Neariah had three sons: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam.

²⁴ Elioenai had seven sons: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.

Other Family Groups of Judah

4 Judah’s descendants were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

² Reaiah was Shobal’s son. Reaiah was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. They were the ·family groups [clans] of the Zorathite people.

Hur was the ·oldest son [^Lfirstborn] of Caleb and his wife Ephrathah. Hur was the ·leader [^Lfather] of Bethlehem. His three sons were Etam, Penuel, and Ezer. Etam’s sons were Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. They had a sister named Hazzelelponi. Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah.

⁵ Tekoa’s father was Ashhur. Ashhur had two wives named Helah and Naarah.

⁶ Naarah gave birth to Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.

⁷ Helah’s sons were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, ⁸ and Koz. Koz was the father of Anub, Hazzobebah, and the Aharhel ·family group [clan]. Aharhel was the son of Harum.

⁹ There was a man named Jabez, who was more ·respected [honorable; honored; known] than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez [^Csounds like the word for “pain”] because she said, “I was in much pain when I gave birth to him.” ¹⁰ Jabez ·prayed [called/cried out] to the God of Israel, “·Please [Oh that/If only you would] ·do good things for me [bless me] and ·give me more land [enlarge/extend/expand my territory/border]. ·Stay [Keep your hand] with me, and ·don’t let anyone hurt me [keep me from harm/trouble]. ·Then […so that] I ·won’t have any [will be free from/not have to endure] pain.” And God ·did what Jabez had asked [granted/answered his request/prayer].

¹¹ Kelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir. Mehir was the father of Eshton. ¹² Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah. Tehinnah was the father of the people from the town of Nahash. These ·people were [are the men/descendants] from Recah.

¹³ The sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah.

Othniel’s sons were Hathath and Meonothai. ¹⁴ Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.

Seraiah was the father of Joab. Joab was the ·ancestor of the people from [father/founder of] ·Craftsmen’s Valley [^LGeharashim], named that because they were ·craftsmen [artisans].

¹⁵ Caleb was Jephunneh’s son. Caleb’s sons were Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah’s son was Kenaz.

¹⁶ Jehallelel’s sons were Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

Ezrah’s sons were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered married Bithiah, the daughter of the king of Egypt. The children of Mered and Bithiah were Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah. Ishbah was the father of Eshtemoa. Mered also had a wife from Judah, who gave birth to Jered, Heber, and Jekuthiel. Jered became the father of Gedor. Heber became the father of Soco. And Jekuthiel became the father of Zanoah.

¹⁹ Hodiah’s wife was Naham’s sister. The sons of Hodiah’s wife were Eshtemoa and the father of Keilah. Keilah was from the Garmite people, and Eshtemoa was from the Maacathite people.

²⁰ Shimon’s sons were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon.

Ishi’s sons were Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

Shelah was Judah’s son. Shelah’s sons were Er, Laadah, Jokim, the men from Cozeba, Joash, and Saraph. Er was the father of Lecah. Laadah was the father of Mareshah and the ·family groups [clans] of linen workers at Beth Ashbea. Joash and Saraph ·ruled [or married] in Moab ·and Jashubi [or but returned to] Lehem. ·The writings about this family are very old [This is from the ancient records/traditions]. ²³ These sons of Shelah were potters. They lived in Netaim and Gederah and worked for the king.

Simeon’s Children

²⁴ Simeon’s sons were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. ²⁵ Shaul’s son was Shallum. Shallum’s son was Mibsam. Mibsam’s son was Mishma.

²⁶ Mishma’s son was Hammuel. Hammuel’s son was Zaccur. Zaccur’s son was Shimei. ²⁷ Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so ·there were not as many people in their family group as there were in [^Ltheir clan did not grow large/multiply like the sons of] Judah.

²⁸ ·Shimei’s children [^LThey] lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, ²⁹ Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ³⁰ Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹ Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. They lived in these cities until ·David became king [David’s reign]. ³² The five villages near these cities were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token, and Ashan. ³³ There were also other villages as far away as ·Baalath [Baal]. ·This is where they lived [These were their settlements]. And they ·wrote the history of their family [kept genealogical records].

The men in this list were leaders of their ·family groups [clans]: Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (Joshibiah was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Asiel), Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and Ziza. (Ziza was the son of Shiphi, who was the son of Allon. Allon was the son of Jedaiah, who was the son of Shimri. And Shimri was the son of Shemaiah.)

·These families [^LTheir father’s houses] grew very large. ³⁹ They went ·outside [to the entrance/outskirts of] the city of Gedor to the east side of the valley to look for pasture for their flocks. ⁴⁰ They found ·rich [fertile] and ·good [lush] pasture, and the land was ·open country [broad] and ·peaceful [undisturbed; untroubled] and quiet. Ham’s descendants had lived there ·in the past [formerly].

⁴¹ These men ·who were [whose names are] listed came to Gedor while Hezekiah was king of Judah. They ·fought against [attacked] the Hamites, destroying their tents, and also ·against [attacked] the Meunites who lived there, and ·completely destroyed them [or put them under a curse of destruction]. So there are no Meunites there even today. Then these men ·began to live there [lived there in their place], because there was pasture for their flocks. ⁴² Ishi’s sons, Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, led five hundred of the Simeonites and attacked ·the people living in the mountains of Edom [^Lthe hill country of Seir; or Mount Seir]. ⁴³ They ·killed [destroyed; defeated] the few Amalekites who were still alive. From that time until now these Simeonites have lived in Edom.

The Old Agreement

9 The first ·agreement [covenant; contract; ^Cgiven to Israel through Moses; 8:7, 13] had ·rules [regulations; requirements] for worship and a ·place on earth for worship [^Learthly sanctuary/holy place]. ² The ·Holy Tent [^TTabernacle; Ex. 25:8–9; 26:1] was ·set up [constructed; prepared] for this. The first area in the Tent was called the Holy Place. In it were the lampstand [Ex. 25:31–39] and the table [Ex. 25:23–30] with the ·bread that was made holy for God [consecrated bread; bread of presentation/offering; Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–8]. ³ Behind the second curtain was a ·room [section; ^Ltent] called the ·Most Holy Place [^THoly of Holies; Ex. 26:31–34]. ⁴ In it was a golden altar for burning incense [Lev. 16:12–13] and the ·Ark [box; chest] ·that held the old agreement [^Lof the covenant/contract; Ex. 25:10; 26:33], covered [^Lcompletely; on all sides] with gold. Inside this Ark was a golden jar of manna [Ex. 16:33–34], Aaron’s rod that once grew leaves [Num. 17:1–11], and the stone tablets of the ·old agreement [covenant; contract; Ex. 25:16; 40:20; Deut. 10:2]. ⁵ Above the Ark were the ·creatures that showed God’s glory [or glorious cherubim; Ex. 25:18–22; ^Cangelic beings representing God’s presence and glory; Gen. 3:24; Ezek. 9:3; 10:1–22], ·whose wings reached over [^Lovershadowing] the ·lid [mercy seat; atonement cover; Lev. 16:2]. But we cannot ·tell everything about [discuss in detail] these things now.

⁶ When everything was made ready in this way, the priests went into the ·first room [outer room; ^Lfirst tent] ·every day [regularly] to ·worship [serve; minister; perform their priestly duties; Num. 28:3]. ⁷ But only the high priest could go into the ·second room [inner room; ^Lsecond one], and he did that only once a year [Ex. 30:10; Lev. 16:15, 34]. He could never enter the inner room without taking blood [^Cfrom the sacrificial animal] with him, which he offered to God for himself and for sins the people did ·without knowing they did them [unintentionally; in ignorance]. ⁸ The Holy Spirit uses this to show that the way into the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; ^Lholy things; ^THoly of Holies] ·was not open [or had not yet been revealed] while the ·system of the old Holy Tent [or outer room of the Tabernacle; ^Lfirst tent/Tabernacle] was still ·being used [in place; standing]. ⁹ This is an ·example [illustration; symbol] for the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices offered cannot make the conscience of the worshiper ·perfect [clear; pure]. ¹⁰ These gifts and sacrifices were only about food and drink and special [ceremonial; ritual] washings. They were ·rules for the body [or external regulations], ·to be followed [in force; applying] until the time of God’s ·new way [reformation; new order].

The New Agreement

¹¹ But when Christ came as the high priest of the good things ·we now have^[a] [^Lthat have come], he entered the greater and more perfect ·tent [^Ttabernacle]. It is not made ·by humans [^Lwith hands] and does not belong to this ·world [creation; created order]. ¹² Christ entered the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; ^Lholy things; ^THoly of Holies] ·only once—and for all time [^Lonce for all; 7:27; 10:10]. ·He did not take with him [^L…not by means of] the blood of goats and calves. ·His sacrifice was [^L…but by means of] his own blood, and by it he ·set us free from sin forever [^Lobtained/secured eternal redemption/liberation]. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls [Lev. 16:14–16] and the ashes of a ·cow [young cow; heifer; Num. 19:2, 17–18] are sprinkled on the people who are [^Critually] unclean, and this ·makes their bodies clean again [restores their body to ritual purity]. ¹⁴ How much more is done by the blood of Christ. He offered himself through the eternal ·Spirit [or spirit; ^Cmost likely the Holy Spirit, though possibly Christ’s own eternal spirit, or as a “spiritual” and eternal sacrifice] as a ·perfect [unblemished] sacrifice to God. His blood [^Csignifying his sacrificial death] will make our consciences ·pure [cleansed] from ·useless acts [or acts that lead to death; ^Ldead works; 6:1] so we may ·serve [worship; offer priestly service for] the living God.

¹⁵ For this reason Christ ·brings a new agreement from God to his people [^Lis the mediator of a new covenant/contract]. Those who are called by God can now receive the eternal ·blessings [inheritance] he has promised. They can have those things because Christ died to ·set them free [redeem them] from the ·sins [transgressions; violations] committed under the first agreement [covenant; contract].

¹⁶ When there is a ·will [last will and testament; ^Cthe same Greek word translated “agreement” in v. 15; the author develops his illustration from the various meanings of the word], it must be proven that the one who wrote that ·will [last will and testament] is dead. ¹⁷ [^LFor; Because] A ·will [last will and testament] ·means nothing [carries no force] while the person is alive; it can ·be used [take effect] only after the person dies. ¹⁸ This is why even the first ·agreement [covenant; contract; ^Cthe same Greek word as “will” in vv. 16–17] could not ·begin [be inaugurated/put into effect] without blood [^Cthe death of a sacrificial animal]. ¹⁹ First, Moses told all the people every command in the law. Next he took the blood of calves^[b] and mixed it with water. Then he used ·red [scarlet] wool and a branch of the hyssop plant to sprinkle it on the book of the law and on all the people. ²⁰ He said, “This is the blood ·that begins [that seals/confirms; ^Lof] the ·Agreement [Covenant; Contract] that God commanded you to ·obey [keep; Ex. 24:8].” ²¹ In the same way, Moses sprinkled the blood on the ·Holy Tent [^TTabernacle] and over all the ·things [vessels; utensils] used in worship. ²² The law says that almost everything must be ·made clean [purified; cleansed] by blood, and sins cannot be forgiven without ·blood to show death [the shedding of blood; ^Csignifying death to pay the penalty of sin].

Christ’s Death Takes Away Sins

²³ So the ·copies [symbols; models; prototypes] of the real things in heaven had to be ·made clean [purified; cleansed] by animal sacrifices. But the real things in heaven need much better sacrifices. ²⁴ [^LFor] Christ did not go into ·the Most Holy Place [a sanctuary; ^Lholy things] made by ·humans [^Lhands], which is only a ·copy [model; or prefiguration] of the real one. He went into heaven itself and ·is there [appears] now ·before [in the presence of] God ·to help us [for us; on our behalf]. ²⁵ The high priest enters the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; ^Lholy things; ^THoly of Holies] once every year with blood that is not his own. But Christ did not offer himself many times. ²⁶ ·Then [Otherwise; In such a case,] he would have had to suffer many times ·since the world was made [from the foundation/creation of the world]. But Christ ·came [appeared] ·only once and for all time [once for all; 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:10] at the ·end [culmination; climax] of ·the present age [time; ^Lthe ages] to ·take away all [nullify; abolish] sin by sacrificing himself. ²⁷ Just as ·everyone [^Lpeople] ·must [is/are destined/appointed to] die once and ·then be judged [^Tafter this the judgment], ²⁸ so Christ was offered as a sacrifice one time to ·take away [bear] the sins of many people [Is. 53:12]. And he will ·come [appear] a second time, not to offer himself for sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Warning to Israel

3 Listen to this word that the Lord has spoken against you, ·people [^Lsons; ^Tchildren] of Israel, against the whole family he brought out of Egypt.

¹² This is what the Lord says:

¹³ “Listen and ·be witnesses [testify] against the family of Jacob [^CIsrael],” says the Lord God, the God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts].

Praise God Who Helps the Weak

Praise God Who Helps His People