M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The People Who Returned from Babylonia and Settled in Jerusalem
9 Everyone in Israel was listed in the official family records that were included in the history of Israel's kings.
The people of Judah were taken to Babylonia as prisoners because they sinned against the Lord. 2 (A) And the first people to return to their towns included priests, Levites, temple workers, and other Israelites. 3 People from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh settled in Jerusalem.
4-6 There were 690 people from the Judah tribe who settled in Jerusalem. They were all descendants of Judah's three sons: Perez, Shelah, and Zerah. Their leaders were Uthai, Asaiah, and Jeuel. Uthai was the son of Ammihud and a descendant of Omri, Imri, Bani, and Perez. Asaiah was a descendant of Shelah; Jeuel was a descendant of Zerah.
7-9 There were also 956 family leaders from the Benjamin tribe who settled in Jerusalem. They included: Sallu son of Meshullam, grandson of Hodaviah, and great-grandson of Hassenuah; Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi and grandson of Michri; Meshullam son of Shephatiah, grandson of Reuel, and great-grandson of Ibnijah.
The Priests Who Settled in Jerusalem
10-12 Here is a list of priests who settled in Jerusalem: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jachin; Azariah, who was a temple official, and whose ancestors included Hilkiah, Meshullam, Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub; Adaiah son of Jeroham, whose ancestors included Pashhur and Malchijah; Maasai son of Adiel, whose ancestors included Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, and Immer.
13 There was a total of 1,760 priests, all of them family leaders in their clan and trained in the work at the temple.
The Levites Who Settled in Jerusalem
14-16 Here is a list of Levites who settled in Jerusalem: Shemaiah from the Merari clan, whose ancestors included Hasshub, Azrikam, and Hashabiah; Bakbakkar; Heresh; Galal; Mattaniah son of Mica, whose ancestors included Zichri and Asaph; Obadiah son of Shemaiah, whose ancestors included Galal and Jeduthun; Berechiah son of Asa and grandson of Elkanah, who had lived in the villages near the town of Netophah.
The Temple Guards Who Settled in Jerusalem
17 Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives were the guards at the temple gates. Shallum was the leader of this clan, 18 and for a long time they had been the guards at the King's Gate on the east side of the city. Before that, their ancestors guarded the entrance to the Levite camp.
19 Shallum son of Kore,[a] as well as the other men in the Korahite clan, guarded the entrance to the temple, just as their ancestors had guarded the entrance to the sacred tent. 20 Phinehas son of Eleazar had supervised their work because the Lord was with him.
21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was also one of the guards at the temple.
22 There was a total of 212 guards, all of them listed in the family records in their towns. Their ancestors had been chosen by King David and by Samuel the prophet to be responsible for this work, 23 and now they guarded the temple gates.
24 There was one full-time guard appointed to each of the four sides of the temple. 25 Their assistants lived in the villages outside the city, and every seven days a group of them would come into the city and take their turn at guard duty. 26 The four full-time guards were Levites, and they supervised the other guards and were responsible for the rooms in the temple and the supplies kept there. 27 They guarded the temple day and night and opened its doors every morning.
The Duties of the Levites
28 Some of the Levites were responsible for the equipment used in worship at the temple, and they had to count everything before and after it was used. 29 Others were responsible for the temple furnishings and its sacred objects, as well as the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices. 30 But only the priests could mix the spices. 31 Mattithiah, Shallum's oldest son, was a member of the Levite clan of Korah, and he was in charge of baking the bread used for offerings.[b] 32 The Levites from the Kohath clan were in charge of baking the sacred loaves of bread for each Sabbath.[c]
33 The Levite family leaders who were the musicians also lived at the temple. They had no other responsibilities, because they were on duty day and night.
34 All of these men were family leaders in the Levi tribe and were listed that way in their family records. They lived in Jerusalem.
King Saul's Family
(1 Chronicles 8.29-38)
35 Jeiel had settled the town of Gibeon, where he and his wife Maacah lived. 36 They had ten sons, who were born in the following order: Abdon, Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth 38 the father of Shimeam. Some of them went to live in Jerusalem near their relatives.
39 Ner was the father of Kish and the grandfather of King Saul.
Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.[d] 40-41 Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal,[e] the grandfather of Micah, and the great-grandfather of Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.[f] 42-44 The descendants of Ahaz included Jarah, Alemeth, Azmaveth, Zimri, Moza, Binea, Rephaiah, Eleasah, and Azel and his six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.
King Saul and His Sons Die
(1 Samuel 31.1-13)
10 The Philistines fought against Israel in a battle at Mount Gilboa. Israel's soldiers ran from the Philistines, and many of them were killed. 2 The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons and killed three of them: Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3 The fighting was fierce around Saul, and he was badly wounded by enemy arrows.
4 Saul told the soldier who carried his weapons, “Kill me with your sword! I don't want those godless Philistines to torture and make fun of me.”
But the soldier was afraid to kill him. Then Saul stuck himself in the stomach with his own sword and fell on the blade. 5 When the soldier realized that Saul was dead, he killed himself in the same way.
6 Saul, three of his sons, and all his male relatives were dead. 7 The Israelites who lived in Jezreel Valley[g] learned that their army had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead. They ran away too, and the Philistines moved into the towns the Israelites left behind.
8 The next day the Philistines came back to the battlefield to carry away the weapons of the dead Israelite soldiers. When they found the bodies of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, 9 they took Saul's weapons, pulled off his armor, and cut off his head. Then they sent messengers everywhere in Philistia to spread the news among their people and to thank the idols of their gods. 10 They put Saul's armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of their god Dagon.
11 When the people who lived in Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 some brave men went to get his body and the bodies of his three sons. The men brought the bodies back to Jabesh, where they buried them under an oak tree. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.
13 (B) Saul died because he was unfaithful and disobeyed the Lord. He even asked advice from a woman who talked to spirits of the dead, 14 instead of asking the Lord. So the Lord had Saul killed and gave his kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.
A Large Crowd of Witnesses
12 (A) Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. 2 (B) We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side[a] of God's throne! 3 So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up.
4 None of you have yet been hurt[b] in your battle against sin. 5 (C) But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God's children,
“When the Lord punishes you,
don't make light of it,
and when he corrects you,
don't be discouraged.
6 The Lord corrects the people
he loves
and disciplines those
he calls his own.”
7 Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? 8 God corrects all his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him. 9 Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?
10 Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. 11 It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
12 (D) Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking 13 (E) and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be healed, instead of getting worse.
Warning against Turning from God
14 Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord. 15 (F) Make sure no one misses out on God's wonderful kindness. Don't let anyone become bitter and cause trouble for the rest of you. 16 (G) Watch out for immoral and ungodly people like Esau, who sold his future blessing[c] for only one meal. 17 (H) You know how he later wanted it back. But there was nothing he could do to change things, even though he begged his father and cried.
18 (I) You have not come to a place like Mount Sinai[d] that can be seen and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm 19 or trumpet sound. The people of Israel heard a voice speak. But they begged it to stop, 20 (J) because they could not obey its commands. They were even told to kill any animal that touched the mountain. 21 The sight was so frightening that Moses said he shook with fear.
22 You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. 23 Here you will find all of God's dearest children,[e] whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. 24 (K) And Jesus is here! He is the one who makes God's new agreement with us, and his sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel.[f]
25 (L) Make sure you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape, when they refused to obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai. Do you think you can possibly escape, if you refuse to obey the one who speaks to you from heaven? 26 (M) When God spoke the first time, his voice shook only the earth. This time he has promised to shake the earth once again, and heaven too.
27 The words “once again” mean that these created things will someday be shaken and removed. Then what cannot be shaken will last. 28 We should be grateful we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect. 29 (N) Our God is like a destructive fire!
Israel Will Be Punished
6 Do you rulers in Jerusalem
and in the city of Samaria
feel safe and at ease?
Everyone bows down to you,
and you think you are better
than any other nation.
But you are in for trouble!
2 Look what happened
to the cities of Calneh,
powerful Hamath,
and Gath[a] in Philistia.
Are you greater than any
of those kingdoms?
3 You are cruel, and you forget
the coming day of judgment.
4 You rich people lounge around
on beds with ivory posts,
while dining on the meat
of your lambs and calves.
5 You sing foolish songs
to the music of harps,
and you make up new tunes,
just as David used to do.
6 You drink all the wine you want
and wear expensive perfume,
but you don't care about
the ruin of your nation.[b]
7 So you will be the first
to be dragged off as captives;
your good times will end.
8 The Lord God All-Powerful
has sworn by his own name:
“You descendants of Jacob
make me angry by your pride,
and I hate your fortresses.
And so I will surrender your city
and possessions
to your enemies.”
9 If only ten of you survive
by hiding in a house
you will still die.
10 As you carry out a corpse
to prepare it for burial,[c]
your relative in the house
will ask, “Are there others?”
You will answer, “No!”
Then your relative will reply,
“Be quiet! Don't dare mention
the name of the Lord.”[d]
11 At the Lord's command,
houses great and small
will be smashed to pieces.
12 Horses can't gallop on rocks;
oceans[e] can't be plowed.
But you have turned justice
and fairness
into bitter poison.
13 You celebrate the defeat
of Lo-Debar and Karnaim,[f]
and you boast by saying,
“We did it on our own.”
14 But the Lord God All-Powerful
will send a nation to attack
you people of Israel.
They will capture Lebo-Hamath
in the north,
Arabah Creek[g] in the south,
and everything in between.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 (A) Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary's Song of Praise
46 (B) Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47 and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48 God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52 (C) God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54 God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55 (D) The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When Elizabeth's son was born, 58 her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.
59 (E) Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands.[a] They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”
61 The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.” 62 So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.
65 All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66 Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises the Lord
67 The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
68 Praise the Lord,
the God of Israel!
He has come
to save his people.
69 Our God has given us
a mighty Savior[b]
from the family
of David his servant.
70 Long ago the Lord promised
by the words
of his holy prophets
71 to save us from our enemies
and from everyone
who hates us.
72 God said he would be kind
to our people and keep
his sacred promise.
73 He told our ancestor Abraham
74 that he would rescue us
from our enemies.
Then we could serve him
without fear,
75 by being holy and good
as long as we live.
76 (F) You, my son, will be called
the prophet of God Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to get everything ready
for him.
77 You will tell his people
that they can be saved
when their sins
are forgiven.
78 God's love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky.[c]
79 (G) On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.
80 As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.
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