M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Hoshea Reigns over Israel
17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, (A)Hoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned nine years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3 (B)Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up (C)against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; so the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.
5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land and went up to (D)Samaria and besieged it three years.
Israel Captive
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, (E)the king of Assyria captured Samaria and (F)carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and (G)settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of (H)Gozan, and (I)in the cities of the Medes.
Why Israel Fell
7 Now (J)this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, (K)who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, (L)and they had [a]feared other gods 8 and (M)walked in the [b]customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs (N)of the kings of Israel which they had [c]introduced. 9 The sons of Israel [d]did things secretly which were not right against the Lord their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from (O)watchtower to fortified city. 10 (P)They set for themselves sacred pillars and [e](Q)Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the Lord had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the Lord. 12 They served idols, (R)concerning which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13 Yet the (S)Lord warned Israel and Judah (T)through all His prophets and (U)every seer, saying, “(V)Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” 14 However, they did not listen, but (W)stiffened their neck [f]like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 (X)They rejected His statutes and (Y)His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And (Z)they followed vanity and (AA)became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the (AB)Lord had commanded them not to do like them. 16 They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even (AC)two calves, and (AD)made an [g]Asherah and (AE)worshiped all the host of heaven and (AF)served Baal. 17 Then (AG)they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and (AH)practiced divination and enchantments, and (AI)sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him. 18 So the Lord was very angry with Israel and (AJ)removed them from His [h]sight; (AK)none was left except the tribe of Judah.
19 Also (AL)Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but (AM)walked in the [i]customs [j]which Israel had [k]introduced. 20 The Lord rejected all the [l]descendants of Israel and afflicted them and (AN)gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them [m]out of His sight.
21 When (AO)He had torn Israel from the house of David, (AP)they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then (AQ)Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the Lord and made them [n]commit a great sin. 22 The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them 23 (AR)until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, (AS)as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. (AT)So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.
Cities of Israel Filled with Strangers
24 (AU)The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from [o](AV)Avva and from (AW)Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 At the beginning of their living there, they (AX)did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them which killed some of them. 26 So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have carried away into exile in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.”
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you carried away into [p]exile and let [q]him go and live there; and let him teach them the custom of the god of the land.” 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them (AY)in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30 (AZ)The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and (BA)the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to (BB)Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of (BC)Sepharvaim. 32 (BD)They also feared the Lord and [r](BE)appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.
34 To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the Lord, nor do they [s]follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, (BF)whom He named Israel; 35 with whom the Lord made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “(BG)You shall not fear other gods, nor (BH)bow down yourselves to them nor (BI)serve them nor sacrifice to them. 36 But the Lord, (BJ)who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with (BK)an outstretched arm, (BL)Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37 The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, (BM)you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38 The covenant that I have made with you, (BN)you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. 41 (BO)So while these nations feared the Lord, they also served their [t]idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
Godly Living
3 (A)Remind them (B)to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be (C)ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, (D)to be peaceable, (E)gentle, (F)showing every consideration for all men. 3 (G)For we also once were foolish ourselves, (H)disobedient, (I)deceived, (J)enslaved to (K)various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in (L)malice and (M)envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the (N)kindness of (O)God our Savior and His love for mankind (P)appeared, 5 (Q)He saved us, (R)not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but (S)according to His mercy, by the (T)washing of regeneration and (U)renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 (V)whom He poured out upon us (W)richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made (X)heirs [a]according to the hope of eternal life. 8 (Y)This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I (Z)want you to speak confidently, so that those who have (AA)believed God will be careful to (AB)engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 9 But (AC)avoid (AD)foolish controversies and (AE)genealogies and strife and (AF)disputes about the Law, for they are (AG)unprofitable and worthless. 10 (AH)Reject a (AI)factious man (AJ)after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a man is (AK)perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
Personal Concerns
12 When I send Artemas or (AL)Tychicus to you, (AM)make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to (AN)spend the winter there. 13 Diligently help Zenas the (AO)lawyer and (AP)Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. 14 (AQ)Our people must also learn to (AR)engage in good [b]deeds to meet (AS)pressing needs, so that they will not be (AT)unfruitful.
15 (AU)All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us (AV)in the faith.
(AW)Grace be with you all.
Retribution for Israel’s Sin
10 Israel is a [a]luxuriant (A)vine;
He produces fruit for himself.
The more his fruit,
The more altars he (B)made;
The [b]richer his land,
The better [c]he made the sacred (C)pillars.
2 Their heart is [d](D)faithless;
Now they must bear their (E)guilt.
[e]The Lord will (F)break down their altars
And destroy their sacred pillars.
3 Surely now they will say, “We have (G)no king,
For we do not revere the Lord.
As for the king, what can he do for us?”
4 They speak mere words,
[f]With (H)worthless oaths they make covenants;
And (I)judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will fear
For the [g](J)calf of (K)Beth-aven.
Indeed, its people will mourn for it,
And its (L)idolatrous priests [h]will cry out over it,
Over its (M)glory, since it has departed from it.
6 The thing itself will be carried to (N)Assyria
As tribute to [i](O)King Jareb;
Ephraim will [j]be (P)seized with shame
And Israel will be ashamed of its (Q)own counsel.
7 Samaria will be (R)cut off with her king
Like a stick on the surface of the water.
8 Also the (S)high places of Aven, the (T)sin of Israel, will be destroyed;
(U)Thorn and thistle will grow on their altars;
Then they will (V)say to the mountains,
“Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”
9 From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;
There they stand!
Will not the battle against the sons of iniquity overtake them in Gibeah?
10 When it is My (W)desire, I will [k](X)chastise them;
And (Y)the peoples will be gathered against them
When they are bound for their double guilt.
11 Ephraim is a trained (Z)heifer that loves to thresh,
But I will (AA)come over her fair neck with a yoke;
I will harness Ephraim,
Judah will plow, Jacob will harrow for himself.
12 (AB)Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with [l]kindness;
(AC)Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to (AD)seek the Lord
Until He (AE)comes to [m](AF)rain righteousness on you.
13 You have (AG)plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of (AH)lies.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your (AI)numerous warriors,
14 Therefore a tumult will arise among your people,
And all your (AJ)fortresses will be destroyed,
As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
When (AK)mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
15 Thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off.
Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion’s Enemies.
A Song of Ascents.
129 “[a]Many times they have [b](A)persecuted me from my (B)youth up,”
(C)Let Israel now say,
2 “[c]Many times they have [d]persecuted me from my youth up;
Yet they have (D)not prevailed against me.
3 “The plowers plowed upon my back;
They lengthened their furrows.”
4 The Lord (E)is righteous;
He has cut in two the (F)cords of the wicked.
5 May all who (G)hate Zion
Be (H)put to shame and turned backward;
6 Let them be like (I)grass upon the housetops,
Which withers before it [e]grows up;
7 With which the reaper does not fill his [f]hand,
Or the binder of sheaves his (J)bosom;
8 Nor do those who pass by say,
“The (K)blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord.”
Hope in the Lord’s Forgiving Love.
A Song of Ascents.
130 Out of the (L)depths I have cried to You, O Lord.
2 Lord, (M)hear my voice!
Let (N)Your ears be attentive
To the (O)voice of my supplications.
3 If You, [g]Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could (P)stand?
4 But there is (Q)forgiveness with You,
That You may be (R)feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my (S)soul does wait,
And [h](T)in His word do I hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen (U)for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, (V)hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is (W)lovingkindness,
And with Him is (X)abundant redemption.
8 And He will (Y)redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
Childlike Trust in the Lord.
A Song of Ascents, of David.
131 O Lord, my heart is not (Z)proud, nor my eyes [i](AA)haughty;
Nor do I [j]involve myself in (AB)great matters,
Or in things (AC)too [k]difficult for me.
2 Surely I have (AD)composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned (AE)child rests [l]against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child [m]within me.
3 O Israel, (AF)hope in the Lord
(AG)From this time forth and forever.
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