M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
A Donkey Rebukes Balaam
22 Then Bnei-Yisrael set out and camped in the plains of Moab alongside the Jordan across from Jericho.
Parashat Balak
2 When Balak son of Zippor, realized all that Bnei-Yisrael had done to the Amorites, 3 Moab became terrified because there were so many people. Moab was filled with dread because of Bnei-Yisrael. 4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “The multitude will lick up everything around us like the ox licks up the grass of the field.”
Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5 He sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor near the River[a] in his native land, saying to him, “Look now, a people has come out of Egypt. See now, they cover the surface of the earth and are settling beside me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, because they are too strong for me! Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them away from the country. I know that whoever you bless will be blessed and whoever you curse will be accursed!”
7 The elders of Moab and Midian left with divination fees in their hand. When they came to Balaam, they told him Balak’s words.
8 He said to them, “Spend the night here. I will give you an answer just as Adonai speaks to me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent word to me: 11 See, the people coming out of Egypt cover the surface of the land. Come now, curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them away!”
12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them! Do not curse them, for they are blessed!”
13 So Balaam got up in the morning and said to the officials of Balak, “Go back to your country, for Adonai has refused to let me go with you.”
14 So the Moabite officials got up, went back to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15 Balak again sent other dignitaries, more numerous and honored than these previous ones.
16 They also came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: Please let nothing keep you from coming to me! 17 I will richly reward you, and everything you tell me I will do! Just come now and curse this people for me!”
18 But Balaam answered Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot cross beyond the mouth of Adonai my God, to do anything small or great! 19 But now, you may spend the night here, too. Then I may find out anything else Adonai may say to me.”
20 God came to Balaam by night and said to him, “Since the men came to you to summon you, arise and go with them. However, only the word I tell you are you to do!”
21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the Moabite princes. 22 But the anger of God burned because he was going. The angel of Adonai stood in the road to oppose him—he was riding on his donkey and two of his servants were with him— 23 when the donkey saw the angel of Adonai standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. So Balaam beat the donkey to get her back onto the road.
24 Then the angel of Adonai stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of Adonai, she pressed against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam continued beating her.
26 The angel again moved. He stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, right or left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of Adonai, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam was very angry and beat the donkey with his staff.
28 Then Adonai opened the donkey’s mouth and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”[b]
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you’ve made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you now!”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey which you have ridden as always to this day? Have I ever been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then Adonai opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of Adonai standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. So he fell on his face.
32 The angel of Adonai said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I came as an adversary because your way before Me is a reckless one! 33 The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away from Me, by now I would have killed you indeed, but let her live!”
34 Balaam said to the angel of Adonai, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now, if this is displeasing in your eyes, I will go back home.”
35 The angel of Adonai said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s princes.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to greet him at the Moabite city on the border of the Arnon, the frontier of the territory. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really unable to reward you?”
38 “Look, I have come to you now!” Balaam said to Balak. “Can I just say anything? I must speak only the message which God puts into my mouth.” 39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and sent some to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam with him to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw part of the people.
My Rock and My Salvation
Psalm 62
1 For the music director, on Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
2 My soul, wait in stillness, only for God—
from Him comes my salvation.
3 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress—I will never be moved.
4 How long will all of you assault a man,
to crush him, like a leaning wall,
a fence to be torn down?
5 They only plot to topple him from his rank.
Delighting in falsehood, they bless with their mouth,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
6 My soul, wait in stillness, only for God—
for from Him comes my expectation.
7 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my strong tower—I will not be moved.
8 On God, my salvation and my glory is the rock of my strength.
My refuge is in God.
9 Trust in Him at all times, you people.
Pour out your heart in His presence.
God is our refuge. Selah
10 Sons of Adam are a vapor,
sons of man are an illusion.
In balanced scales they go up—
altogether they are less than a breath.
11 Do not trust in extortion,
and do not put vain hope in plunder.
Though these things increase riches,
do not set your heart on them.
12 Once God has spoken,
twice I have heard this:
might belongs to God.
13 Also Yours, O Lord, is lovingkindness.
For You reward a man for his work.[a]
You Are My God
Psalm 63
1 A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
2 O God, You are my God,
earnestly I seek You.
My soul thirsts for You.
My flesh longs for You
in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.
3 So, I looked for You in the Sanctuary,
to see Your power and Your glory.
4 Since Your lovingkindness is better than life,
my lips will praise You.
5 So I will bless You as long as I live.
In Your name I lift up my hands.[b]
6 My soul is satisfied as with fat and oil,
so my mouth praises You with joyful lips.
7 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You through the night watches.
8 For You have been my help,
and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
9 My soul clings to You—
Your right hand upholds me.
10 But those who seek my soul to destroy it
will go down to the depths of the earth.
11 They will be gutted by the sword,
and become a prey for jackals.
12 But the king will rejoice in God.
All who swear by Him will boast,
when the mouth speaking lies is shut.
The Branch From David
11 Then a shoot will come forth out of the stem of Jesse,
and a branch will bear fruit out of His roots.[a]
2 The Ruach of Adonai will rest upon Him,
the Spirit of wisdom and insight,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge
and of the fear of Adonai.[b]
3 His delight will be in the fear of Adonai.
He will not judge by what His eyes see,
nor decide by what His ears hear.
4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
and decide with fairness for the poor of the land.
He will strike the land with the rod of His mouth,[c]
and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
5 Also righteousness will be the belt around His loins,
and faithfulness the belt around His waist.
Messianic Age of Shalom
6 The wolf will dwell with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the kid,
the calf and the young lion and the yearling together,
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow and the bear will graze,
their young ones lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like an ox.
8 A nursing child will play by a cobra’s hole,
and a weaned child will put his hand into a viper’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Adonai,
as the waters cover the sea.
Second Return from Diaspora
10 It will also come about in that day
that the root of Jesse will stand
as a banner for the peoples.[d]
The nations will seek for Him,
and His resting place will be glorious.[e]
11 It will also come about in that day that my Lord will again redeem—a second time with His hand—the remnant of His people who remain[f]
from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 He will lift up a banner for the nations,
and assemble the dispersed of Israel,
and gather the scattered of Judah
from the four corners of the earth.[g]
13 Ephraim’s envy will end,
those hostile to Judah will be cut off.
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
and Judah will not harass Ephraim.
14 They will swoop down on the Philistine slope to the west.
Together they will plunder the children of the east—
laying their hand on Edom and Moab,
the children of Ammon obeying them.
15 Then Adonai will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea.
He will wave His hand over the River with His scorching wind,
and will strike it into seven streams,
and let men walk over in sandals.
16 So there will be a highway for the remnant of His people
who remain, from Assyria,
as there was for Israel in the day
they came up out of the land of Egypt.
Wells of Salvation
12 In that day you will say:
“I will give You thanks, Adonai,
for though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away,
and You comfort me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation!
I will trust and will not be afraid.
For the Lord Adonai is my strength
and my song.
He also has become my salvation.”[h]
3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
4 In that day you will say:
“Give thanks to Adonai.
Proclaim His Name!
Declare His works to the peoples,
so they remember His exalted Name.
5 Sing to Adonai, for He has done gloriously.
Let this be known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, inhabitant of Zion!
For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
Rotten Riches
5 Come now, you rich, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your clothes have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the workers who mowed your fields—which you kept back by fraud—are crying out against you. And the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. [a] 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts for a day of slaughter. [b] 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous person[c]—he does not resist you.
Be Patient for His Coming
7 So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it until it receives the early and late rain. [d] 8 You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge is standing at the doors. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 Behold, we consider blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job,[e] and you have seen the outcome of Adonai—that Adonai is full of compassion and mercy.[f]
12 But above all, my dear brothers and sisters, do not swear—either by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath. But let your “yes” be “yes,” and your “no,” be “no”—so that you may not fall under judgment.
Praying for the Sick
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.[g] Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of Messiah’s community, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 So confess your offenses to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain. And it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. [h] 18 He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
19 My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that the one who turns a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.[i]
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.