M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
22 For three years there was no war between Aram and Isra’el. 2 Then, in the third year, Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah came down to the king of Isra’el. 3 The king of Isra’el said to his servants, “Are you aware that Ramot-Gil‘ad belongs to us; yet, we’re doing nothing to recover it from the king of Aram?” 4 He said to Y’hoshafat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramot-Gil‘ad?” Y’hoshafat answered the king of Isra’el, “I’m with you all the way; think of my troops and horses as yours.” 5 But Y’hoshafat said to the king of Isra’el, “First, we should seek the word of Adonai.”
6 So the king of Isra’el assembled the prophets, about 400 men. “Should I attack Ramot-Gil‘ad?” he asked them, “Or should I hold off?” They said, “Attack! Adonai will hand it over to the king.” 7 But Y’hoshafat said, “Besides these, isn’t there a prophet of Adonai here that we can consult?” 8 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “Yes, there is still one man through whom we can consult Adonai, Mikhay’hu the son of Yimlah; but I hate him, because he doesn’t prophesy good things for me, but bad!” Y’hoshafat replied, “The king shouldn’t say such a thing.”
9 Then the king of Isra’el called an officer and said, “Quickly! Bring Mikhay’hu the son of Yimlah.” 10 Now the king of Isra’el and Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their royal robes, on a threshing-floor at the entrance to the gate of Shomron; and all the prophets were there, prophesying in their presence. 11 Tzidkiyah the son of Kena‘anah had made himself some horns out of iron and said, “This is what Adonai says: ‘With these you will gore Aram until they are destroyed.’” 12 All the prophets prophesied the same thing: “Go up and attack Ramot-Gil‘ad. You will succeed, for Adonai will hand it over to the king.”
13 The messenger who had gone to call Mikhay’hu said to him, “Here, now, the prophets are unanimously predicting success for the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them — say something good.” 14 But Mikhay’hu answered, “As Adonai lives, whatever Adonai says to me is what I will say.”
15 When he reached the king, the king asked him, “Mikhay’hu, should we go up and attack Ramot-Gil‘ad; or should we hold off?” He answered, “Go up, you will succeed, Adonai will hand it over to the king.” 16 The king said to him, “How many times do I have to warn you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Adonai?” 17 Then he said, “I saw all Isra’el scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and Adonai said, ‘These men have no leader; let everyone go home in peace.’” 18 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy good things about me, but bad?”
19 Mikhay’hu continued: “Therefore hear the word of Adonai. I saw Adonai sitting on his throne with the whole army of heaven standing by him on his right and on his left. 20 Adonai asked, ‘Who will entice Ach’av to go up to his death at Ramot-Gil‘ad?’ One of them said, ‘Do it this way,’ and another, ‘Do it that way.’ 21 Then a spirit stepped up, stood in front of Adonai and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 Adonai asked, ‘How?’ and he answered, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Adonai said, ‘You will succeed in enticing him. Go, and do it.’ 23 So now Adonai has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; meanwhile, Adonai has ordained disaster for you.”
24 Then Tzidkiyah the son of Kena‘anah came up, slapped Mikhay’hu in the face and said, “And how did the Spirit of Adonai leave me to speak to you?” 25 Mikhay’hu said, “You’ll find out the day you go into an inside room, trying to hide.”
26 The king of Isra’el said, “Seize Mikhay’hu, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and Yo’ash the king’s son. 27 Say, ‘The king says to put this man in prison; and feed him only bread and water, and not much of that, until I return in peace.’” 28 Mikhay’hu said, “If you return in peace at all, Adonai has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Did you hear me, you peoples, all of you?”
29 So the king of Isra’el and Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah went up to Ramot-Gil‘ad. 30 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you, put on your robes.” So the king of Isra’el disguised himself and went into battle. 31 Now the king of Aram had ordered the thirty-two chariot commanders, “Don’t attack anyone of either high or low rank, only the king of Isra’el.” 32 So when the chariot commanders saw Y’hoshafat they said, “This must be the king of Isra’el,” and turned to attack him. But Y’hoshafat gave a yell, 33 so that the chariot commanders saw that he wasn’t the king of Isra’el and stopped pursuing him. 34 However, one soldier shot an arrow at random and struck the king of Isra’el between his lower armor and his breastplate. So the king said to his chariot-driver, “Turn the reins, and take me out of the fighting; I’m collapsing from my wounds.” 35 But the fighting grew fiercer that day; and they propped the king upright in his chariot facing Aram until he died, in the evening, with the blood streaming from his wound onto the floor of the chariot. 36 Around sundown, a cry spread through the ranks: “Every man to his own town! Every man to his own land!” 37 So the king died and was brought to Shomron, and they buried the king in Shomron. 38 They washed the chariot at the Pool of Shomron where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up his blood, in keeping with the word Adonai had spoken.
39 Other activities of Ach’av’s reign, all his accomplishments, the ivory palace he built and all the cities he built are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el. 40 So Ach’av slept with his ancestors, and Achazyah his son became king in his place.
41 Y’hoshafat the son of Asa began his reign over Y’hudah in the fourth year of Ach’av king of Isra’el. 42 Y’hoshafat was thirty-five years old when he began to rule, and he ruled twenty-five years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was ‘Azuvah the daughter of Shilchi.
43 He lived in the manner of Asa his father and did not turn away from it, doing what was right from Adonai’s perspective; 44 (43b) although the high places were not taken away — the people still sacrificed and presented offerings on the high places.
45 (44) Y’hoshafat made peace with the king of Isra’el.
46 (45) Other activities of Y’hoshafat, all his power that he demonstrated and how he made war are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah.
47 (46) He rid the land of the male and female cult-prostitutes remaining from the time of his father Asa.
48 (47) There had previously been no king in Edom, but now a deputy was made king.
49 (48) Y’hoshafat built some large “Tarshish” ships to go to Ofir for gold, but they didn’t make the voyage, because they were wrecked at ‘Etzyon-Gever. 50 (49) Achazyah the son of Ach’av suggested to Y’hoshafat that his men should go to sea with Y’hoshafat’s men, but Y’hoshafat would not agree.
51 (50) So Y’hoshafat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David his ancestor, and Y’horam his son became king in his place.
52 (51) Achazyah the son of Ach’av began his reign over Isra’el in Shomron in the seventeenth year of Y’hoshafat king of Y’hudah, and he ruled two years over Isra’el. 53 (52) He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, living in the manner of his father, his mother and Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, by which he led Isra’el into sin. 54 (53) He also served Ba‘al and worshipped him; and he made Adonai the God of Isra’el angry, in keeping with everything his father had done.
5 But you have no need to have anything written to you, brothers, about the times and dates when this will happen; 2 because you yourselves well know that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Everything is so peaceful and secure,” then destruction will suddenly come upon them, the way labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there is no way they will escape.
4 But you, brothers, are not in the dark, so that the Day should take you by surprise like a thief; 5 for you are all people who belong to the light, who belong to the day. We don’t belong to the night or to darkness, 6 so let’s not be asleep, like the rest are; on the contrary, let us stay alert and sober. 7 People who sleep, sleep at night; and people who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us stay sober, putting on trust and love as a breastplate and the hope of being delivered as a helmet.[a] 9 For God has not intended that we should experience his fury, but that we should gain deliverance through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, 10 who died on our behalf so that whether we are alive or dead, we may live along with him. 11 Therefore, encourage each other, and build each other up — just as you are doing.
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are working hard among you, those who are guiding you in the Lord and confronting you in order to help you change. 13 Treat them with the highest regard and love because of the work they are doing. Live at peace among yourselves; 14 but we urge you, brothers, to confront those who are lazy, your aim being to help them change, to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Pray regularly. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.
19 Don’t quench the Spirit, 20 don’t despise inspired messages. 21 But do test everything — hold onto what is good, 22 but keep away from every form of evil.
23 May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 24 The one calling you is faithful, and he will do it.
25 Brothers, keep praying for us.
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you in the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with you.
4 (4) “I, N’vukhadnetzar, was contentedly living at home, enjoying the luxury of my palace; 2 (5) but as I lay on my bed, I had a dream which frightened me, followed by fantasies and visions in my head which frightened me even more. 3 (6) So I ordered all the sages of Bavel to present themselves to me, so that they could tell me the interpretation of the dream. 4 (7) When the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream; but they couldn’t interpret it for me. 5 (8) Finally, however, Dani’el (renamed Belt’shatzar, after the name of my god), in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came before me; and I told him the dream: 6 (9) ‘Belt’shatzar, chief of the magicians! Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the meaning of the visions I saw in my dream. 7 (10) Here are the visions I had in my head as I lay on my bed: I looked, and there before me was a tree at the center of the earth; it was very tall. 8 (11) The tree grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen from anywhere on earth. 9 (12) Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant; it produced enough food for everyone. The wild animals enjoyed its shade, the birds in the air lived in its branches, and it gave food to every living creature. 10 (13) I looked in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and there appeared a holy watcher coming down from heaven. 11 (14) He cried out:
“‘“Cut down the tree, cut off its branches,
strip off its leaves, scatter its fruit!
Let the wild animals flee from its shelter!
Let the birds abandon its branches!
12 (15) But leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze,
in the lush grass of the countryside;
let him be drenched with dew from the sky
and share the lot of animals in the pasture;
13 (16) let his heart and mind cease to be human
and become those of an animal;
and let seven seasons pass over him.
14 (17) “‘“This order is issued by the watchers,
the sentence is announced by the holy ones,
so that all who live may know
that the Most High rules the human kingdom,
that he gives it to whomever he wishes
and can raise up over it the lowliest of mortals.”
15 (18) “‘This is the dream which I, King N’vukhadnetzar, saw. Now you, Belt’shatzar, tell me its interpretation. None of the sages of my kingdom can tell me the interpretation, but you can do it, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
16 (19) “Dani’el, whose name was Belt’shatzar, was in shock awhile, frightened by his thoughts. The king said, ‘Belt’shatzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation frighten you.’ Belt’shatzar answered, ‘My lord, if only the dream were about those who hate you, and the interpretation about your enemies! 17 (20) The tree you saw which grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen throughout the whole earth, 18 (21) that had beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, enough to feed everyone, under which the wild animals lived, and on whose branches the birds in the air built their nests — 19 (22) it’s you, your majesty! You have grown and become strong — your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your rule extends to the end of the earth.
20 (23) “‘Now the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven, who said,
“‘“Cut down the tree, and destroy it,
but leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze,
in the lush grass of the countryside;
let him be drenched with dew from the sky
and share the lot of the wild animals
until seven seasons pass over him.”
21 (24) “‘This is the interpretation, your majesty; and it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:
22 (25) “‘You will be driven from human society
to live with the wild animals.
You will be made to eat grass like an ox
and be drenched with dew from the sky,
as seven seasons pass over you;
until you learn that the Most High
rules in the human kingdom
and gives it to whomever he pleases.
23 (26) “‘But since it was ordered to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be kept for you until you have learned that Heaven rules everything. 24 (27) Therefore, your majesty, please take my advice: break with your sins by replacing them with acts of charity, and break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor; this may extend the time of your prosperity.’
25 (28) “All this happened to King N’vukhadnetzar. 26 (29) Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Bavel, 27 (30) the king said, ‘Bavel the great! I built it as a royal residence by my power and force to enhance the glory of my majesty!’ 28 (31) No sooner had the king spoken these words when a voice came down from heaven: ‘King N’vukhadnetzar! These words are for you:
‘“The kingdom has left you.
29 (32) You will be driven from human society
to live with the wild animals.
You will be made to eat grass like an ox
and be drenched with dew from the sky,
as seven seasons pass over you,
until you learn that the Most High
rules in the human kingdom
and gives it to whomever he pleases.’
30 (33) “Within the hour the word was fulfilled. N’vukhadnetzar was driven from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
31 (34) “When this period was over, I, N’vukhadnetzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven, and my understanding came back to me. I blessed the Most High, I praised and gave honor to him who lives forever.
“‘For his rulership is everlasting,
his kingdom endures through all generations.
32 (35) All who live on earth are counted as nothing.
He does what he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those living on earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or ask him, “What are you doing?”’
33 (36) “It was at that moment that my understanding came back to me; and for the sake of the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor also came back to me. My advisers and lords sought me out, I was re-established in my kingdom, and to my previous greatness even more was added. 34 (37) So now I, N’vukhadnetzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven:
“‘For all his works are truth,
and his ways are just;
and he can humble those who walk in pride.’”
108 (0) A song. A psalm of David:
2 (1) My heart is steadfast, God.
I will sing and make music with my glory.
3 (2) Awake, lute and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
4 (3) I will thank you, Adonai, among the peoples;
I will make music to you among the nations.
5 (4) For your grace is great, above heaven,
and your truth, all the way to the skies.
6 (5) Be exalted, God, above heaven!
May your glory be over all the earth,
7 (6) in order that those you love can be rescued;
so save with your right hand, and answer me!
8 (7) God in his holiness spoke,
and I took joy [in his promise]:
“I will divide Sh’khem
and determine the shares in the Sukkot Valley.
9 (8) Gil‘ad is mine and M’nasheh mine,
Efrayim my helmet, Y’hudah my scepter.
10 (9) Mo’av is my washpot; on Edom I throw my shoe;
Over P’leshet I shout in triumph.”
11 (10) Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
12 (11) God, have you rejected us?
You don’t go out with our armies, God.
13 (12) Help us against our enemy,
for human help is worthless.
14 (13) With God’s help we will fight valiantly,
for he will trample our enemies.
109 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
(1) God, whom I praise, don’t remain silent!
2 For wicked and deceitful men
have opened their mouths against me,
spoken against me with lying tongues,
3 surrounded me with hateful words,
and attacked me without cause.
4 In return for my love they became my accusers,
even though I prayed for them.
5 They repay me evil for good
and hatred for my love.
6 [They say,] “Appoint a wicked man over him,
may an accuser stand at his right.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
may even his plea be counted a sin.
8 May his days be few,
may someone else take his position.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars,
foraging for food from their ruined homes.
11 May creditors seize all he owns
and strangers make off with his earnings.
12 May no one treat him kindly,
and may no one take pity on his orphaned children.
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be erased within a generation.
14 May the wrongs of his ancestors be remembered by Adonai,
and may the sin of his mother not be erased;
15 may they always be before Adonai,
so he can cut off all memory of them from the earth.
16 For he did not remember to show kindness
but hounded the downtrodden, the poor
and the brokenhearted to death.
17 He loved cursing; may it recoil on him!
He didn’t like blessing; may it stay far from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing
as routinely as with his coat;
May it enter inside him as easily as water,
as easily as oil into his bones.
19 May it cling to him like the coat he wears,
like the belt he wraps around himself.”
20 This is what my adversaries want Adonai to do,
those who speak evil against me.
21 But you, God, Adonai,
treat me as your name demands;
rescue me, because your grace is good.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart within me is wounded.
23 Like a lengthening evening shadow, I am gone;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from lack of food,
my flesh wastes away for lack of nourishment.
25 I have become the object of their taunts;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, Adonai, my God!
Save me, in keeping with your grace;
27 so that they will know that this comes from your hand,
that you, Adonai, have done it.
28 Let them go on cursing;
but you, bless!
When they attack, let them be put to shame;
but let your servant rejoice.
29 Let my adversaries be clothed with confusion,
let them wear their own shame like a robe.
30 I will eagerly thank Adonai with my mouth,
I will praise him right there in the crowd,
31 because he stands alongside a needy person
to defend him from unjust accusers.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.