M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Josiah’s Covenant
23 (A)Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2 The king went up to the house of the Lord and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and (B)he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant (C)which was found in the house of the Lord. 3 (D)The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, (E)to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people [a]entered into the covenant.
Reforms under Josiah
4 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and (F)the priests of the second order and the [b]doorkeepers, (G)to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, for [c]Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and (H)he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5 He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the (I)host of heaven. 6 He brought out the Asherah from the house of the Lord outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and (J)ground it to dust, and (K)threw its dust on the graves of the [d]common people. 7 He also broke down the houses of the (L)male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the Lord, where (M)the women were weaving [e]hangings for the Asherah. 8 Then he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from (N)Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. 9 Nevertheless (O)the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 10 (P)He also defiled [f]Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, (Q)that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for (R)Molech. 11 He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the (S)sun, at the entrance of the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12 (T)The altars which were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and (U)the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, the king broke down; and he [g]smashed them there and (V)threw their dust into the brook Kidron. 13 The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of (W)the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for (X)Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for (Y)Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled. 14 (Z)He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and (AA)filled their places with human bones.
15 Furthermore, (AB)the altar that was at Bethel and the (AC)high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he [h](AD)demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16 Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent and took the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar and defiled it (AE)according to the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17 Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “(AF)It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” 18 He said, “Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones.” So they [i]left his bones undisturbed (AG)with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. 19 Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were (AH)in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking [j]the Lord; and he did to them [k]just as he had done in Bethel. 20 All the priests of the high places who were there (AI)he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.
Passover Reinstituted
21 Then the king commanded all the people saying, “(AJ)Celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God (AK)as it is written in this book of the covenant.” 22 (AL)Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah. 23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the Lord in Jerusalem.
24 Moreover, Josiah [l]removed (AM)the mediums and the spiritists and the (AN)teraphim and (AO)the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, (AP)that he might [m]confirm the words of the law which were written (AQ)in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord. 25 Before him there was no king (AR)like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.
26 However, the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, (AS)because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him. 27 The Lord said, “I will remove Judah also from My sight, (AT)as I have removed Israel. And (AU)I will cast off Jerusalem, this city which I have chosen, and the [n]temple of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’”
Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah
28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 29 (AV)In his days (AW)Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. And King Josiah went to meet him, and when Pharaoh Neco saw him he killed him at (AX)Megiddo. 30 (AY)His servants drove [o]his body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. (AZ)Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.
31 (BA)Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was (BB)Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, (BC)according to all that his fathers had done. 33 (BD)Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at (BE)Riblah in the land of (BF)Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
Jehoiakim Made King by Pharaoh
34 Pharaoh Neco made (BG)Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and (BH)changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and [p](BI)brought him to Egypt, and he died there. 35 So Jehoiakim (BJ)gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the [q]command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.
36 (BK)Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, (BL)according to all that his fathers had done.
The Perfect High Priest
5 For every high priest (A)taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in (B)things pertaining to God, in order to (C)offer both gifts and sacrifices (D)for sins; 2 [a](E)he can deal gently with the (F)ignorant and (G)misguided, since he himself also is [b](H)beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices (I)for sins, (J)as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And (K)no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even (L)as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ (M)did not glorify Himself so as to become a (N)high priest, but He who (O)said to Him,
“(P)You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”;
6 just as He says also in another passage,
7 [c]In the days of His flesh, [d](S)He offered up both prayers and supplications with (T)loud crying and tears to the One (U)able to save Him [e]from death, and He [f]was heard because of His (V)piety. 8 Although He was (W)a Son, He learned (X)obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made (Y)perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as (Z)a high priest according to (AA)the order of Melchizedek.
11 Concerning [g]him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though [h]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you (AB)the [i](AC)elementary principles of the (AD)oracles of God, and you have come to need (AE)milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an (AF)infant. 14 But solid food is for (AG)the mature, who because of practice have their senses (AH)trained to (AI)discern good and evil.
The Terrible Visitation
2 (A)Blow a trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
For the (B)day of the Lord is coming;
Surely it is near,
2 A day of (C)darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains,
So there is a (D)great and mighty people;
There has (E)never been anything like it,
Nor will there be again after it
To the years of many generations.
3 A (F)fire consumes before them
And behind them a flame burns.
The land is (G)like the garden of Eden before them
But a (H)desolate wilderness behind them,
And nothing at all escapes them.
4 Their (I)appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like war horses, so they run.
5 [a]With a (J)noise as of chariots
They leap on the tops of the mountains,
Like the [b]crackling of a (K)flame of fire consuming the stubble,
Like a mighty people arranged for battle.
6 Before them the people are in (L)anguish;
All (M)faces [c]turn pale.
7 They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like soldiers;
And they each (N)march [d]in line,
Nor do they deviate from their paths.
8 They do not crowd each other,
They march everyone in his path;
When they [e]burst through the [f]defenses,
They do not break ranks.
9 They rush on the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into the (O)houses,
They (P)enter through the windows like a thief.
10 Before them the earth (Q)quakes,
The heavens tremble,
The (R)sun and the moon grow dark
And the stars lose their brightness.
11 The Lord (S)utters His voice before (T)His army;
Surely His camp is very great,
For (U)strong is he who carries out His word.
The (V)day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome,
And (W)who can endure it?
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“(X)Return to Me with all your heart,
And with (Y)fasting, weeping and mourning;
13 And (Z)rend your heart and not (AA)your garments.”
Now return to the Lord your God,
For He is (AB)gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And (AC)relenting of evil.
14 Who knows (AD)whether He will not turn and relent
And leave a (AE)blessing behind Him,
Even (AF)a grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?
15 (AG)Blow a trumpet in Zion,
(AH)Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
16 Gather the people, (AI)sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and the nursing infants.
Let the (AJ)bridegroom come out of his room
And the bride out of her bridal chamber.
17 Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers,
Weep (AK)between the porch and the altar,
And let them say, “(AL)Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not make Your inheritance a (AM)reproach,
A byword among the nations.
Why should they among the peoples say,
‘(AN)Where is their God?’”
Deliverance Promised
18 Then the Lord [g]will be (AO)zealous for His land
And [h]will have (AP)pity on His people.
19 The Lord [i]will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I am going to (AQ)send you grain, new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied in full with [j]them;
And I will (AR)never again make you a reproach among the nations.
20 “But I will remove the (AS)northern army far from you,
And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land,
And its vanguard into the (AT)eastern sea,
And its rear guard into the (AU)western sea.
And its (AV)stench will arise and its foul smell will come up,
For it has done great things.”
21 (AW)Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad,
For the Lord has done (AX)great things.
22 Do not fear, beasts of the field,
For the (AY)pastures of the wilderness have turned green,
For the tree has borne its fruit,
The fig tree and the vine have yielded [k]in full.
23 So rejoice, O (AZ)sons of Zion,
And (BA)be glad in the Lord your God;
For He has (BB)given you [l]the early rain for your vindication.
And He has poured down for you the rain,
The [m]early and [n](BC)latter rain [o]as before.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain,
And the vats will (BD)overflow with the new wine and oil.
25 “Then I will make up to you for the years
That the swarming (BE)locust has eaten,
The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
26 “You will have plenty to (BF)eat and be satisfied
And (BG)praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has (BH)dealt wondrously with you;
Then My people will (BI)never be put to shame.
27 “Thus you will (BJ)know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the Lord your God,
And there is (BK)no other;
And My people will never be (BL)put to shame.
The Promise of the Spirit
28 “[p](BM)It will come about after this
That I will (BN)pour out My Spirit on all [q](BO)mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29 “Even on the (BP)male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
The Day of the Lord
30 “I will (BQ)display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire and columns of smoke.
31 “The (BR)sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood
Before the (BS)great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
32 “And it will come about that (BT)whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Will be delivered;
For (BU)on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
There will be those who (BV)escape,
As the Lord has said,
Even among the (BW)survivors whom the Lord calls.
Prayer for Help in Trouble.
[a]Maskil of David, when he was [b]in the cave. A Prayer.
142 I (A)cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I (B)make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
2 I (C)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (D)trouble before Him.
3 When (E)my spirit [c]was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (F)hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see;
For there is (G)no one who regards me;
[d]There is no (H)escape for me;
(I)No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are (J)my refuge,
My (K)portion in the (L)land of the living.
6 “(M)Give heed to my cry,
For I am (N)brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too (O)strong for me.
7 “(P)Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will (Q)deal bountifully with me.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.