M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

11 Then all Isra’el gathered themselves to David in Hevron and said, “Here, we are your own flesh and bone. ² In the past, even when Sha’ul was king, it was you who led Isra’el’s military campaigns; and Adonai your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Isra’el, and you will be chief over my people Isra’el.’” ³ So all the leaders of Isra’el came to the king in Hevron; and David made a covenant with them in Hevron in the presence of Adonai. Then they anointed David king over Isra’el, as Adonai had said through Sh’mu’el.

⁴ David and all Isra’el went to Yerushalayim, also known as Y’vus; and the Y’vusi, the inhabitants of that region, were there. ⁵ The inhabitants of Y’vus taunted David by saying, “You won’t get in here!” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Tziyon, also known now as the City of David. ⁶ David said, “Whoever attacks the Y’vusi first will be commander-in-chief.” Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah attacked first and was made commander.

⁷ David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the City of David. ⁸ David built up the city around it, starting at the Millo [earth rampart] and going on around; while Yo’av repaired the rest of the city. ⁹ David grew greater and greater, because Adonai-Tzva’ot was with him.

¹⁰ These are David’s chief warriors, who, under his rulership, joined forces with him and with all Isra’el to make him king, as Adonai had said concerning Isra’el; ¹¹ here is the list of David’s warrior-heroes:

Yashov‘am son of a Hakhmoni, the chief officer; he is the one who raised his spear against 300 men and killed them in a single encounter.

¹² After him was El‘azar the son of Dodo the Achochi, one of the three warriors. ¹³ He was with David at Pas-Damim, where the P’lishtim had assembled for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley; and when the people fled from the P’lishtim, ¹⁴ they stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, killing the P’lishtim; and Adonai saved them with a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock and came to David during harvest season at the cave of ‘Adulam when the army of the P’lishtim had set up camp in the Refa’im Valley. ¹⁶ At that time David was in the fortress, and the garrison of the P’lishtim was in Beit-Lechem. ¹⁷ David had a craving and said, “I wish someone could give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem!” ¹⁸ The three broke through the army of the P’lishtim, drew water from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem, took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; instead, he poured it out to Adonai ¹⁹ and said, “My God forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of these men who went and put their lives in jeopardy? They risked their lives to bring it!” — and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did.

²⁰ Avishai the brother of Yo’av was chief of these three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them; thus he had a reputation even among the three. ²¹ Of the three in the second rank he had the most honor and was therefore made their leader; however, he did not achieve the status of the first three.

²² B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, the son of a valiant man of Kavtze’el, was a man of many exploits. He struck down two lion-hearted men of Mo’av. One day when it was snowing, he went down into a pit and killed a lion. ²³ Here is how he killed an Egyptian, a man who was very tall, seven-and-a-half feet: the Egyptian had a spear in his hand the size of a weaver’s beam; he went down to him with only a stick, seized the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These are things that B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada did that earned him a name among the three warrior-heroes. ²⁵ He had more honor than the thirty, but he did not achieve the status of the first three. David put him in command of his personal guard.

²⁶ There were also these warrior-heroes:

12 Following are the men who joined David at Ziklag while he was still being kept away from Sha’ul the son of Kish; they were among the warriors who helped him fight his battles. ² They were archers who could use either hand to sling stones or shoot arrows from a bow; they were Sha’ul’s kinsmen from Binyamin. ³ Their leader was Achi‘ezer, then Yo’ash, the sons of Sh’ma‘ah the Giv‘ati, Y’zi’el, Pelet, the sons of ‘Azmavet, B’rakhah, Yehu from ‘Anatot, ⁴ Yishma‘yah the Giv‘oni, one of the strongest of the thirty and commander of the thirty, ^5 (4b) Yirmeyah, Yachzi’el, Yochanan, Yozavad from G’derah, ^6 (5) El‘uzai, Yerimot, B‘alyah, Sh’maryah, Sh’fatyah the Harufi, ^7 (6) Elkanah, Yishiyahu, ‘Azar’el, Yo‘ezer, Yashov‘am the Korchi, ^8 (7) and Yo‘elah and Z’vadyah the sons of Yerocham from G’dor.

^9 (8) From the Gadi a number of strong, brave, trained fighting men defected to David at the fortress in the desert. They could handle shield and spear, they were as fierce as lions, and they were as fast as deer on the hills: ^10 (9) ‘Ezer was the leader, ‘Ovadyah was second, Eli’av third, ^11 (10) Mishmanah fourth, Yirmeyah fifth, ^12 (11) ‘Atai sixth, Eli’el seventh, ^13 (12) Yochanan eighth, Elzavad ninth, ^14 (13) Yirmeyah tenth, and Makhbanai eleventh. ^15 (14) These descendants of Gad were army commanders; the least of them was worth a hundred, and the greatest worth a thousand. ^16 (15) These are the men who crossed the Yarden during the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks, and drove out all those who lived in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.

^17 (16) From the descendants of Binyamin and Y’hudah a number came to David at the fortress. ^18 (17) When David went out to meet them, he said, “If you are coming to me in peace to help me, my heart will be bonded to yours. But if you are coming to betray me to my enemies, then, since I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our fathers see it and judge.” ^19 (18) Then the Spirit covered ‘Amasai the chief commander, and he said:

David welcomed them and made them senior officers.

^20 (19) From M’nasheh some defected to David when he was about to go with the P’lishtim to fight against Sha’ul; but they ended up not helping them; because the rulers of the P’lishtim, after consultation, sent David away, saying, “He will defect to his master Sha’ul at the cost of our heads.” ^21 (20) As he was on his way to Ziklag, those who defected to him from M’nasheh included ‘Adnach, Yozavad, Y’dia‘el, Mikha’el, Yozavad, Elihu and Tziltai, commanders of thousands from M’nasheh. ^22 (21) They helped David against the raiding band, for they were all strong, brave men who were commanders in the army.

^23 (22) Indeed, reinforcements to assist David reached him daily, until there was a great army, like the army of God. ^24 (23) Following are the numbers of those who came armed for war to David in Hevron, in order to transfer to him the kingdom of Sha’ul, according to what Adonai had said.

^25 (24) The descendants of Y’hudah bearing shields and spears numbered 6,800, armed for war.

^26 (25) Of the descendants of Shim‘on, strong, brave men for war, there were 7,100.

^27 (26) Of the descendants of Levi, there were 4,600. ^28 (27) Y’hoyada was the leader of the house of Aharon, and with him were 3,700; ^29 (28) also Tzadok, a young man, strong and brave, with twenty-two commanders from his father’s family.

^30 (29) Of the descendants of Binyamin the kinsmen of Sha’ul, there were 3,000; for up until then, the majority of them had remained loyal to the house of Sha’ul.

^31 (30) Of the descendants of Efrayim, there were 20,800 strong, brave men, well known in their fathers’ families.

^32 (31) Of the half-tribe of M’nasheh, 18,000 were designated by name to come and make David king.

^33 (32) Of the descendants of Yissakhar, men who understood the times and knew what Isra’el ought to do, there were 200 leaders, and all their kinsmen were under their command.

^34 (33) Of Z’vulun, 50,000 men were fit for military service, experienced in war and able to use all kinds of weapons; they were brave, and none was doubleminded.

^35 (34) Of Naftali, there were 1,000 officers, and with them 37,000 troops having shields and spears.

^36 (35) Of Dan, 28,600 were experienced in war.

^37 (36) Of Asher, 40,000 men were fit for military service and experienced in war.

^38 (37) On the other side of the Yarden, from the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M’nasheh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for battle.

^39 (38) All these soldiers who were experienced in war came to Hevron wholeheartedly to make David king over all Isra’el, and all the rest from Isra’el were single-hearted in wanting to make David king. ^40 (39) They remained there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had prepared for them. ^41 (40) Moreover, those who were near them — and even those as far as Yissakhar, Z’vulun and Naftali — brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen: baked goods, fig cakes, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, and oxen and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Isra’el.

13 Let brotherly friendship continue; ² but don’t forget to be friendly to outsiders; for in so doing, some people, without knowing it, have entertained angels. ³ Remember those in prison and being mistreated, as if you were in prison with them and undergoing their torture yourselves.

⁴ Marriage is honorable in every respect; and, in particular, sex within marriage is pure. But God will indeed punish fornicators and adulterers.

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, “I will never fail you or abandon you.”^{[a] 6} Therefore, we say with confidence,

⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke God’s message to you. Reflect on the results of their way of life, and imitate their trust — ⁸ Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.

⁹ Do not be carried away by various strange teachings; for what is good is for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods. People who have made these the focus of their lives have not benefited thereby.

¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve in the Tent are not permitted to eat. ¹¹ For the cohen hagadol brings the blood of animals into the Holiest Place as a sin offering, but their bodies are burned outside the camp.^{[c] 12} So too Yeshua suffered death outside the gate, in order to make the people holy through his own blood. ¹³ Therefore, let us go out to him who is outside the camp and share his disgrace. ¹⁴ For we have no permanent city here; on the contrary, we seek the one to come. ¹⁵ Through him, therefore, let us offer God a sacrifice of praise continually.^[d] For this is the natural product of lips that acknowledge his name.

¹⁶ But don’t forget doing good and sharing with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your lives, as people who will have to render an account. So make it a task of joy for them, not one of groaning; for that is of no advantage to you.

¹⁸ Keep praying for us, for we are certain that we have a clear conscience and want to conduct ourselves properly in everything we do. ¹⁹ And all the more I beg you to do this, so that I may be restored to you that much sooner.

²⁰ The God of shalom brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Yeshua, by the blood of an eternal covenant. ²¹ May that God equip you with every good thing you need to do his will; and may he do in us whatever pleases him, through Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

²² Now I urge you, brothers, to bear with my message of exhortation; for I have written you only briefly.

²³ Know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon enough, I will bring him with me when I come to see you.

²⁴ Greet all your leaders and all God’s people. The people from Italy send greetings to you.

²⁵ Grace be with you all.

7 Here is what Adonai Elohim showed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts as the late crop was starting to come up, the late crop after the hay had been cut to pay the king’s tribute. ² While they were finishing up eating all the vegetation in the land, I said,

³ So Adonai changed his mind about this. “It won’t happen,” Adonai said.

⁴ Next Adonai Elohim showed me this: Adonai Elohim was summoning a blazing fire to consume the great abyss, and it would have devoured the land too. ⁵ But I said,

⁶ Adonai changed his mind about it. “This too won’t happen,” said Adonai Elohim.

⁷ Then he showed me this: Adonai was standing by a wall made with a plumbline, and he had a plumbline in his hand. ⁸ Adonai asked me, “‘Amos, what do you see?” I answered, “A plumbline.” Then Adonai said,

¹⁰ Then Amatzyah the priest of Beit-El sent this message to Yarov‘am king of Isra’el, “‘Amos is conspiring against you there among the people of Isra’el, and the land can’t bear all that he’s saying. ¹¹ For ‘Amos says: ‘Yarov‘am will die by the sword, and Isra’el will be led away from their land into exile.’” ¹² Amatzyah also said to ‘Amos, “Go away, seer! Go back to the land of Y’hudah! Earn your living there; and prophesy there; ¹³ but don’t prophesy any more at Beit-El; for this is the king’s sanctuary, a royal temple.”

¹⁴ ‘Amos gave this answer to Amatzyah: “I am not trained as a prophet, and I’m not one of the guild prophets — I own sheep and grow figs. ¹⁵ But Adonai took me away from following the flock, and Adonai said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Isra’el.’ ¹⁶ So now, hear what Adonai says: ‘You say, “Don’t prophesy against Isra’el, don’t lecture the people of Yitz’chak.”’ ¹⁷ Therefore Adonai says this:

2 Around this time, Emperor Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken throughout the Empire. ² This registration, the first of its kind, took place when Quirinius was governing in Syria. ³ Everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ So Yosef, because he was a descendant of David, went up from the town of Natzeret in the Galil to the town of David, called Beit-Lechem, in Y’hudah, ⁵ to be registered, with Miryam, to whom he was engaged, and who was pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to give birth; ⁷ and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in cloth and laid him down in a feeding trough, because there was no space for them in the living-quarters.

⁸ In the countryside nearby were some shepherds spending the night in the fields, guarding their flocks, ⁹ when an angel of Adonai appeared to them, and the Sh’khinah of Adonai shone around them. They were terrified; ¹⁰ but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am here announcing to you Good News that will bring great joy to all the people. ¹¹ This very day, in the town of David, there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.” ¹³ Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God:

¹⁵ No sooner had the angels left them and gone back into heaven than the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go over to Beit-Lechem and see this thing that has happened, that Adonai has told us about.” ¹⁶ Hurrying off, they came and found Miryam and Yosef, and the baby lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷ Upon seeing this, they made known what they had been told about this child; ¹⁸ and all who heard were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ Miryam treasured all these things and kept mulling them over in her heart. ²⁰ Meanwhile, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen; it had been just as they had been told.

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time for his b’rit-milah, he was given the name Yeshua, which is what the angel had called him before his conception.

²² When the time came for their purification according to the Torah of Moshe, they took him up to Yerushalayim to present him to Adonai ²³ (as it is written in the Torah of Adonai, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to Adonai”^[a]) ²⁴ and also to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons,^[b] as required by the Torah of Adonai.

²⁵ There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai. ²⁷ Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, ²⁸ Shim‘on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said,

³³ Yeshua’s father and mother were marvelling at the things Shim‘on was saying about him. ³⁴ Shim‘on blessed them and said to the child’s mother, Miryam,

³⁶ There was also a prophet named Hannah Bat-P’nu’el, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman — she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage ³⁷ and had remained a widow ever since; now she was eighty-four. She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ She came by at that moment and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was waiting for Yerushalayim to be liberated.

³⁹ When Yosef and Miryam had finished doing everything required by the Torah of Adonai, they returned to the Galil, to their town Natzeret.

⁴⁰ The child grew and became strong and filled with wisdom — God’s favor was upon him.

⁴¹ Every year Yeshua’s parents went to Yerushalayim for the festival of Pesach. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up for the festival, as custom required. ⁴³ But after the festival was over, when his parents returned, Yeshua remained in Yerushalayim. They didn’t realize this; ⁴⁴ supposing that he was somewhere in the caravan, they spent a whole day on the road before they began searching for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ Failing to find him, they returned to Yerushalayim to look for him. ⁴⁶ On the third day they found him — he was sitting in the Temple court among the rabbis, not only listening to them but questioning what they said; ⁴⁷ and everyone who heard him was astonished at his insight and his responses. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were shocked; and his mother said to him, “Son! Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried looking for you!” ⁴⁹ He said to them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be concerning myself with my Father’s affairs?” ⁵⁰ But they didn’t understand what he meant.

⁵¹ So he went with them to Natzeret and was obedient to them. But his mother stored up all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Yeshua grew both in wisdom and in stature, gaining favor both with other people and with God.