M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
7 The sons of Yissakhar were: Tola, Pu’ah, Yashuv and Shimron — four.
2 The sons of Tola were: ‘Uzi, Refayah, Yeri’el, Yachmai, Yivsam and Sh’mu’el. They were heads of their fathers’ clans, descended from Tola; they were strong, brave men in their generations. In the time of David they numbered 22,600.
3 The son of ‘Uzi was Yizrachyah, and the sons of Yizrachyah were: Mikha’el, ‘Ovadyah, Yo’el and Yishiyah — five, all of them leaders. 4 With them, by their generations, in their fathers’ clans, were army troops organized for war, 36,000 of them, because they had many women and children. 5 Their kinsmen among all the clans of Yissakhar, strong, brave men, numbered 87,000, listed in genealogical records.
6 [The sons of] Binyamin were: Bela, Bekher and Y’dia‘el — three.
7 The sons of Bela were: Etzbon, ‘Uzi, ‘Uzi’el, Yerimot and ‘Iri — five; they were leaders of fathers’ clans, strong, brave men. They numbered 22,034, listed in genealogical records.
8 The sons of Bekher were: Z’mirah, Yo’ash, Eli‘ezer, Elyo‘enai, ‘Omri, Yeremot, Aviyah, ‘Anatot and ‘Alemet; all these were sons of Bekher. 9 Listed in genealogical records by generations under leaders of fathers’ clans, who were strong, brave men, were 20,200.
10 The son of Y’dia‘el was Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan were: Ye‘ush, Binyamin, Ehud, Kena‘anah, Zeitan, Tarshish and Achishachar. 11 All these were descendants of Y’dia‘el, leaders of their fathers’ clans, who were brave, strong men; they numbered 17,200, all fit to fight with the army.
12 [More descendants of Binyamin:] Shupim, Hupim, the sons of ‘Ir.
Hushim, the son of another [of Isra’el’s sons, namely, Dan].
13 The sons of Naftali were: Yachtzi’el, Guni, Yetzer, Shalum, the sons of Bilhah.
14 The descendants of M’nasheh: his concubine the woman from Aram bore Makhir the father of Gil‘ad; Asri’el [Gil‘ad’s son] was descended from her. 15 Makhir’s wife was from the families of Hupim and Shupim, and his sister’s name was Ma‘akhah. M’nasheh’s second son was Tz’lof’chad, and Tz’lof’chad had daughters. 16 Ma‘akhah the wife of Makhir bore a son whom she named Peresh, the name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem. 17 The son of Ulam was B’dan. These were the descendants of Gil‘ad the son of Makhir the son of M’nasheh. 18 His sister Hammolekhet [the governor] bore Ish-Hod, Avi‘ezer and Machlah. 19 The sons of Sh’mida were Achyan, Sh’khem, Lik’chi and Ani‘am.
20 The descendants of Efrayim were: Shutelach, his son Bered, his son Tachat, his son El‘adah, his son Tachat, 21 his son Zavad and his son Shutelach; also ‘Ezer and El‘ad, whom the men of Gat born in the land killed when they came down to raid their cattle. 22 Efrayim their father mourned for a long time, and his kinsmen came to comfort him. 23 Then he had sexual relations with his wife, and she conceived and bore a son whom he called B’ri‘ah [in calamity], because his household had suffered a calamity. 24 His daughter was She’erah, who built upper and lower Beit-Horon and Uzen-She’erah. 25 Refach was his son, and Reshef, then his son Telach, his son Tachan 26 his son La‘dan, his son ‘Ammihud, his son Elishama, 27 his son Nun and his son Y’hoshua.
28 Their possessions and settlements were Beit-El with its towns; Na‘aran to the east; and to the west, Gezer with its towns; also Sh’khem with its towns, as far as ‘Ayah and its towns; 29 and, near the territory of the descendants of M’nasheh, Beit-Sh’an with its towns, Ta‘nakh with its towns, Megiddo with its towns and Dor with its towns. In these places lived the descendants of Yosef the son of Isra’el.
30 The children of Asher were: Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, B’ri‘ah and their sister Serach. 31 The sons of B’ri‘ah were: Hever and Malki’el, who fathered Birzayit. 32 Hever fathered Yaflet, Shomer, Hotam and their sister Shua. 33 The sons of Yaflet were: Pasakh, Bimhal and ‘Ashvat; these were the sons of Yaflet. 34 The sons of Shemer were: Achi, Rohgah, Hubah and Aram. 35 The sons of his brother Helem were: Zofach, Yimnah, Shelesh and ‘Amal. 36 The sons of Zofach were: Suach, Harnefer, Shu‘al, Beri, Yimrah, 37 Betzer, Hod, Shama, Shilshah, Yitran and Be’era. 38 The sons of Yeter were: Y’funeh, Pispah and Ara. 39 The sons of ‘Ula were: Arach, Hani’el and Ritzya. 40 All these were descendants of Asher, leaders of their fathers’ clans, elite, strong, brave men, the most important of the princes. Those fit for battle service, listed in genealogies, numbered 26,000 men.
8 Binyamin fathered Bela his firstborn son; his second, Ashbel; his third, Achrach; 2 his fourth, Nochah; and his fifth, Rafa. 3 Bela had sons: Adar, Gera, Avihud, 4 Avishua, Na‘aman, Achoach, 5 Gera, Sh’fufan and Huram. 6 These are the sons of Ehud, the heads of fathers’ clans among the inhabitants of Geva (they were carried away captive to Manachat; 7 those who carried them off were Na‘aman, Achiyah and Gera): he fathered ‘Uzah and Achichud. 8 Shacharayim fathered children on the plains of Mo’av; after sending away his wives Hushim and Ba‘ara, 9 it was through his wife Hodesh that he fathered: Yovav, Tzivya, Mesha, Malkam, 10 Ye‘utz, Sokhya and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of clans. 11 Through Hushim he fathered Avituv and Elpa‘al. 12 The sons of Elpa‘al: ‘Ever, Mish‘am, Shemed — he built Ono and Lod with its towns — 13 and B’ri‘ah and Shema — they were heads of fathers’ clans among the inhabitants of Ayalon, who drove away the people living in Gat.
14 Achyo, Shashak, Yeremot, 15 Z’vadyah, ‘Arad, ‘Eder, 16 Mikha’el, Yishpah and Yocha were the sons of B’ri‘ah. 17 Z’vadyah, Meshulam, Hizki, Hever, 18 Yishm’rai, Yizli’ah and Yovav were the sons of Elpa‘al. 19 Yakim, Zikhri, Zavdi, 20 Eli‘einai, Tziltai, Eli’el, 21 ‘Adayah, B’rayah and Shimrat were the sons of Shim‘i. 22 Yishpan, ‘Eved, Eli’el, 23 ‘Avdon, Zikhri, Hanan, 24 Hananyah, ‘Eilam, ‘Anatotyah, 25 Yifdeyah and P’nu’el were the sons of Shashak. 26 Shamsh’rai, Sh’charyah, ‘Atalyah, 27 Ya‘areshyah, Eliyah and Zikhri were the sons of Yerocham. 28 These were leaders of fathers’ houses through all their generations, leading men who lived in Yerushalayim.
29 In Giv‘on lived the father of Giv‘on, whose wife’s name was Ma‘akhah; 30 and his firstborn son ‘Avdon, Tzur, Kish, Ba‘al, Nadav, 31 G’dor, Achyo and Zekher. 32 Miklot fathered Shim’ah. In contrast with some of their kinsmen, they and their families lived in Yerushalayim.
33 Ner fathered Kish; Kish fathered Sha’ul; and Sha’ul fathered Y’honatan, Malkishua, Avinadav and Eshba‘al. 34 The son of Y’honatan was M’riv-Ba‘al, and M’riv-Ba‘al fathered Mikhah. 35 The sons of Mikhah: Piton, Melekh, Ta’rea and Achaz. 36 Achaz fathered Y’ho‘adah; Y’ho‘adah fathered ‘Alemet, ‘Azmavet and Zimri; Zimri fathered Motza; 37 and Motza fathered Bin‘a. His son was Rafah, his son was El‘asah and his son was Atzel. 38 Atzel had six sons, whose names were: ‘Azrikam, Bokhru, Yishma‘el, Sh‘aryah, ‘Ovadyah and Hanan; all these were sons of Atzel. 39 The sons of his brother ‘Eshek: Ulam his firstborn, Ye‘ush the second and Elifelet the third. 40 The sons of Ulam were strong, brave men, archers; they had many children and grandchildren, a hundred and fifty. All these were descendants of Binyamin.
11 Trusting[a] is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see. 2 It was for this that Scripture attested the merit of the people of old.
3 By trusting, we understand that the universe was created through a spoken word of God, so that what is seen did not come into being out of existing phenomena.
4 By trusting, Hevel offered a greater sacrifice than Kayin; because of this, he was attested as righteous, with God giving him this testimony on the ground of his gifts. Through having trusted, he still continues to speak, even though he is dead.
5 By trusting, Hanokh was taken away from this life without seeing death — “He was not to be found, because God took him away” — for he has been attested as having been, prior to being taken away, well pleasing to God.[b] 6 And without trusting, it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches him must trust that he does exist and that he becomes a Rewarder to those who seek him out.
7 By trusting, Noach, after receiving divine warning about things as yet unseen, was filled with holy fear and built an ark to save his household. Through this trusting, he put the world under condemnation and received the righteousness that comes from trusting.
8 By trusting, Avraham obeyed, after being called to go out[c] to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. 9 By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, who were to receive what was promised along with him. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God.
11 By trusting, he received potency to father a child, even when he was past the age for it, as was Sarah herself; because he regarded the One who had made the promise as trustworthy. 12 Therefore this one man, who was virtually dead, fathered descendants
as numerous as the stars in the sky,
and as countless as the grains of the sand on the seashore.[d]
13 All these people kept on trusting until they died, without receiving what had been promised. They had only seen it and welcomed it from a distance, while acknowledging that they were aliens and temporary residents on the earth.[e] 14 For people who speak this way make it clear that they are looking for a fatherland. 15 Now if they were to keep recalling the one they left, they would have an opportunity to return; 16 but as it is, they aspire to a better fatherland, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By trusting, Avraham, when he was put to the test, offered up Yitz’chak as a sacrifice. Yes, he offered up his only son, he who had received the promises, 18 to whom it had been said, “What is called your ‘seed’ will be in Yitz’chak.”[f] 19 For he had concluded that God could even raise people from the dead! And, figuratively speaking, he did so receive him.
20 By trusting, Yitz’chak in his blessings over Ya‘akov and Esav made reference to events yet to come.
21 By trusting, Ya‘akov, when he was dying, blessed each of Yosef’s sons, leaning on his walking-stick as he bowed in prayer.[g]
22 By trusting, Yosef, near the end of his life, remembered about the Exodus of the people of Isra’el and gave instructions about what to do with his bones.
23 By trusting, the parents of Moshe hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child,[h] and they weren’t afraid of the king’s decree.
24 By trusting, Moshe, after he had grown up,[i] refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose being mistreated along with God’s people rather than enjoying the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He had come to regard abuse suffered on behalf of the Messiah as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes fixed on the reward.
27 By trusting, he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered as one who sees the unseen.
28 By trusting, he obeyed the requirements for the Pesach, including the smearing of the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Isra’el.
29 By trusting, they walked through the Red Sea as through dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the sea swallowed them up.
30 By trusting, the walls of Yericho fell down — after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 By trusting, Rachav the prostitute welcomed the spies and therefore did not die along with those who were disobedient.
32 What more should I say? There isn’t time to tell about Gid‘on, Barak, Shimshon, Yiftach, David, Sh’mu’el and the prophets; 33 who, through trusting, conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, received what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,[j] 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, had their weakness turned to strength, grew mighty in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead resurrected; other people were stretched on the rack and beaten to death, refusing to be ransomed, so that they would gain a better resurrection. 36 Others underwent the trials of being mocked and whipped, then chained and imprisoned. 37 They were stoned, sawed in two, murdered by the sword; they went about clothed in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, mistreated, 38 wandering about in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground! The world was not worthy of them!
39 All of these had their merit attested because of their trusting. Nevertheless, they did not receive what had been promised, 40 because God had planned something better that would involve us, so that only with us would they be brought to the goal.
5 Hear this word that I take up against you
in lament, house of Isra’el:
2 The virgin of Isra’el has fallen;
she will not rise again.
She lies abandoned on her own soil
with no one to lift her up.
3 For thus says Adonai Elohim:
“The city from which a thousand marched
will be left with a hundred,
and the one from which a hundred marched
will be left with ten
from the house of Isra’el.”
4 For here is what Adonai says
to the house of Isra’el:
“If you seek me, you will survive;
5 but don’t seek Beit-El, or enter Gilgal
or pass on into Be’er-Sheva;
for Gilgal will certainly go into exile,
and Beit-El will come to nothing.”
6 If you seek Adonai, you will survive.
Otherwise, he will break out against
the house of Yosef like fire,
devouring Beit-El,
with no one to quench the flames.
7 You who turn justice to bitter wormwood
and throw righteousness to the ground!
8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
who brings deathlike shadows over the morning,
who darkens the day into night,
who calls for the water in the sea
and with it floods the earth —
Adonai is his name —
9 he flashes destruction on the strong,
so that destruction overcomes the fortress.
10 They hate anyone promoting justice
at the city gate,
they detest anyone who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and extort from them levies of grain;
although you have built houses of cut stone,
you will not live in them;
and though you have planted pleasant vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know how numerous are your crimes
and how outrageous your sins —
bullying the innocent, extorting ransoms
pushing the poor aside at the gate.
13 At times like these a prudent person stays silent,
for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, so that you will survive.
Then Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot will be with you,
as you say he is.
15 Hate evil, love good, and uphold justice at the gate.
Maybe Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot
will take pity on the survivors of Yosef.
16 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot, Adonai:
“In all public squares there will be lamentation,
in all the streets they will cry, ‘Oh, no!’
They will summon farmers to mourn
and professional mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing in every vineyard,
for I will pass through among you,” says Adonai.
18 Woe to you who want the Day of Adonai!
Why do you want it, this Day of Adonai?
It is darkness, not light;
19 as if someone were to run from a lion,
just to be met by a bear;
as if he entered a house, put his hand on the wall,
just to be bitten by a snake.
20 Won’t the Day of Adonai be darkness, not light,
completely dark, with no brightness at all?
21 “I hate, I utterly loathe your festivals;
I take no pleasure in your solemn assemblies.
22 If you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
nor will I consider the peace offerings
of your stall-fed cattle.
23 Spare me the noise of your songs!
I don’t want to hear the strumming of your lutes!
24 Instead, let justice well up like water,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
in the desert forty years, house of Isra’el?
26 No, but now you will bear Sikkut as your king
and Kiyun, your images,
the star of your god, which you made for yourselves;
27 as I exile you beyond Dammesek,”
says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot —
that is his name.
1 Dear Theophilos:
Concerning the matters that have taken place among us, many people have undertaken to draw up accounts 2 based on what was handed down to us by those who from the start were eyewitnesses and proclaimers of the message. 3 Therefore, Your Excellency, since I have carefully investigated all these things from the beginning, it seemed good to me that I too should write you an accurate and ordered narrative, 4 so that you might know how well-founded are the things about which you have been taught.
5 In the days of Herod, King of Y’hudah, there was a cohen named Z’kharyah who belonged to the Aviyah division. His wife was a descendant of Aharon, and her name was Elisheva. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the mitzvot and ordinances of Adonai blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elisheva was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 One time, when Z’kharyah was fulfilling his duties as cohen during his division’s period of service before God, 9 he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the cohanim) to enter the Temple and burn incense. 10 All the people were outside, praying, at the time of the incense burning, 11 when there appeared to him an angel of Adonai standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Z’kharyah was startled and terrified at the sight. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Z’kharyah; because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yochanan. 14 He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many people will rejoice when he is born, 15 for he will be great in the sight of Adonai. He is never to drink wine or other liquor, and he will be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the people of Isra’el to Adonai their God. 17 He will go out ahead of Adonai in the spirit and power of Eliyahu to turn the hearts of fathers to their children[a] and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a people prepared.”
18 Z’kharyah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man; my wife too is well on in years.” 19 “I am Gavri’el,” the angel answered him, “and I stand in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, to give you this good news. 20 Now, because you didn’t believe what I said, which will be fulfilled when the time comes, you will be silent, unable to speak until the day these things take place.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Z’kharyah; they were surprised at his taking so long in the Temple. 22 But when he came out unable to talk to them, they realized that he had seen a vision in the Temple; speechless, he communicated to them with signs.
23 When his period of his Temple service was over, he returned home. 24 Following this, Elisheva his wife conceived, and she remained five months in seclusion, saying, 25 “Adonai has done this for me; he has shown me favor at this time, so as to remove my public disgrace.”
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gavri’el was sent by God to a city in the Galil called Natzeret, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Yosef, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Miryam. 28 Approaching her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored lady! Adonai is with you!” 29 She was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favor with God. 31 Look! You will become pregnant, you will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua. 32 He will be great, he will be called Son of Ha‘Elyon. Adonai, God, will give him the throne of his forefather David; 33 and he will rule the House of Ya‘akov forever — there will be no end to his Kingdom.” 34 “How can this be,” asked Miryam of the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered her,
“The Ruach HaKodesh will come over you,
the power of Ha‘Elyon will cover you.
Therefore the holy child born to you
will be called the Son of God.
36 “You have a relative, Elisheva, who is an old woman; and everyone says she is barren. But she has conceived a son and is six months pregnant! 37 For with God, nothing is impossible.” 38 Miryam said, “I am the servant of Adonai; may it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.