M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. Blow them when you want the community to gather together. And blow them when you want the camps to start out. 3 When both trumpets are blown, the whole community must gather in front of you. They must come to the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 Suppose only one trumpet is blown. Then the leaders must gather in front of you. They are the heads of the tribes of Israel. 5 When a trumpet blast is blown, the tribes camped on the east side must start out. 6 When the second blast is blown, the camps on the south side must start out. The blast will tell them when to start. 7 Blow the trumpets to gather the people together. But do not use the same kind of blast.
8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. That is a law for you and your children after you for all time to come. 9 Suppose you go into battle in your own land. And suppose it is against an enemy who is treating you badly. Then blow a blast on the trumpets. If you do, I will remember you. I will save you from your enemies. I am the Lord your God. 10 You must also blow the trumpets when you are happy. Blow them at your appointed feasts. Blow them at your New Moon feasts. Blow them when you sacrifice your burnt offerings. Blow them when you sacrifice your friendship offerings. They will remind me of you. I am the Lord your God.”
The Israelites Leave the Sinai Desert
11 It was the 20th day of the second month of the second year. On that day the cloud began to move. It went up from above the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. 12 Then the Israelites started out from the Desert of Sinai. They traveled from place to place. They kept going until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. 13 The first time they started out, the Lord commanded Moses to tell them to do it. And they did it.
14 The groups of the camp of Judah went first. They marched out under their flag. Nahshon was their commander. He was the son of Amminadab. 15 Nethanel was over the group of the tribe of Issachar. Nethanel was the son of Zuar. 16 Eliab was over the group of the tribe of Zebulun. Eliab was the son of Helon. 17 The holy tent was taken down. The men of Gershon and Merari started out. They carried the tent.
18 The groups of the camp of Reuben went next. They marched out under their flag. Elizur was their commander. He was the son of Shedeur. 19 Shelumiel was over the group of the tribe of Simeon. Shelumiel was the son of Zurishaddai. 20 Eliasaph was over the group of the tribe of Gad. Eliasaph was the son of Deuel. 21 The men of Kohath started out. They carried the holy things. The holy tent had to be set up before they arrived.
22 The groups of the camp of Ephraim went next. They marched out under their flag. Elishama was their commander. He was the son of Ammihud. 23 Gamaliel was over the group of the tribe of Manasseh. Gamaliel was the son of Pedahzur. 24 Abidan was over the group of the tribe of Benjamin. Abidan was the son of Gideoni.
25 Finally, the groups of the camp of Dan started out. They marched out under their flag. They followed behind all the other groups and guarded them. Ahiezer was their commander. He was the son of Ammishaddai. 26 Pagiel was over the group of the tribe of Asher. Pagiel was the son of Okran. 27 Ahira was over the group of the tribe of Naphtali. Ahira was the son of Enan. 28 As the groups of Israel started out, that was the order they marched in.
29 Moses spoke to Hobab, the son of Reuel. Reuel was Moses’ father-in-law. Reuel was from Midian. Moses said to Hobab, “We’re starting out for the place the Lord promised to us. He said to us, ‘I will give it to you.’ So come with us. We’ll treat you well. The Lord has promised to give good things to Israel.”
30 Hobab answered, “No. I can’t go. I’m going back to my own land. I’m returning to my own people.”
31 But Moses said, “Please don’t leave us. You know where we should camp in the desert. You can be our guide. 32 So come with us. The Lord will give us good things. We’ll share them with you.”
33 So they started out from the mountain of the Lord. They traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went in front of them during those three days. It went ahead of them to find a place for them to rest. 34 They started out from the camp by day. And the cloud of the Lord was above them.
35 When the ark started out, Moses said,
“Lord, rise up!
Let your enemies be scattered.
Let them run away from you.”
36 When the ark stopped, Moses said,
“Lord, return.
Return to the many thousands of people in Israel.”
For the director of music. A song of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.
46 God is our place of safety. He gives us strength.
He is always there to help us in times of trouble.
2 The earth may fall apart.
The mountains may fall into the middle of the sea.
But we will not be afraid.
3 The waters of the sea may roar and foam.
The mountains may shake when the waters rise.
But we will not be afraid.
4 God’s blessings are like a river. They fill the city of God with joy.
That city is the holy place where the Most High God lives.
5 Because God is there, the city will not fall.
God will help it at the beginning of the day.
6 Nations are in disorder. Kingdoms fall.
God speaks, and the people of the earth melt in fear.
7 The Lord who rules over all is with us.
The God of Jacob is like a fort to us.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done.
See the places he has destroyed on the earth.
9 He makes wars stop from one end of the earth to the other.
He breaks every bow. He snaps every spear.
He burns every shield with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be honored among the nations.
I will be honored in the earth.”
11 The Lord who rules over all is with us.
The God of Jacob is like a fort to us.
For the director of music. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
47 Clap your hands, all you nations.
Shout to God with cries of joy.
2 Do this because the Lord Most High is wonderful.
He is the great King over the whole earth.
3 He brought nations under our control.
He made them fall under us.
4 He chose our land for us.
The people of Jacob are proud of their land,
and God loves them.
5 God went up to his throne while his people were shouting with joy.
The Lord went up while trumpets were playing.
6 Sing praises to God. Sing praises.
Sing praises to our King. Sing praises.
7 God is the King of the whole earth.
Sing a psalm of praise to him.
8 God rules over the nations.
He is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations come together.
They are now part of the people of the God of Abraham.
The kings of the earth belong to God.
He is greatly honored.
8 “I wish you were like a brother to me.
I wish my mother’s breasts had nursed you.
Then if I found you outside,
I could kiss you.
No one would look down on me.
2 I’d bring you to my mother’s house.
She taught me everything I know.
I’d give you spiced wine to drink.
It’s the juice of my pomegranates.
3 Your left arm is under my head.
Your right arm is around me.
4 Women of Jerusalem, make me a promise.
Don’t stir up love.
Don’t wake it up until it’s ready.”
The other women say
5 “Who is this woman coming up from the desert?
She’s leaning on the one who loves her.”
The woman says to the king
“Under the apple tree I woke you up.
That’s where your mother became pregnant with you.
She went into labor, and you were born there.
6 Hold me close to your heart where your royal seal is worn.
Keep me as close to yourself as the bracelet on your arm.
My love for you is so strong it won’t let you go.
Love is as powerful as death.
Love’s jealousy is as strong as the grave.
Love is like a blazing fire.
Love burns like a mighty flame.
7 No amount of water can put it out.
Rivers can’t sweep it away.
Suppose someone offers
all their wealth to buy love.
That won’t even come close to being enough.”
The woman’s brothers say
8 “We have a little sister.
Her breasts are still small.
What should we do for our sister
when she gets engaged?
9 If she were a wall,
we’d build silver towers on her.
If she were a door,
we’d cover her with cedar boards.”
The woman says to the king
10 “I am a wall.
My breasts are like well-built towers.
So in your eyes I’ve become
like someone who makes you happy.
11 Solomon, you had a vineyard in Baal Hamon.
You rented your vineyard to others.
They had to pay 25 pounds
of silver for its fruit.
12 But I can give my own vineyard to anyone I want to.
So I give my 25 pounds of silver to you, Solomon.
Give 5 pounds to those who take care of its fruit.”
The king says
13 “My love, you live in the gardens.
My friends listen for your voice.
But let me hear it now.”
The woman says
14 “Come away with me, my love.
Be like an antelope
or like a young deer
on mountains that are full of spices.”
The High Priest of a New Covenant
8 Here is the main point of what we are saying. We have a high priest like that. He sat down at the right hand of the throne of the King, the Majesty in heaven. 2 He serves in the sacred tent. The Lord set up the true holy tent. A mere human being did not set it up.
3 Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. So this priest also had to have something to offer. 4 What if he were on earth? Then he would not be a priest. There are already priests who offer the gifts required by the law. 5 They serve at a sacred tent. But it is only a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. That’s why God warned Moses when he was about to build the holy tent. God said, “Be sure to make everything just like the pattern I showed you on the mountain.” (Exodus 25:40) 6 But Jesus has been given a greater work to do for God. He is the go-between for the new covenant. This covenant is better than the old one. The new covenant is based on better promises.
7 Suppose nothing had been wrong with that first covenant. Then no one would have looked for another covenant. 8 But God found fault with the people. He said,
“The days are coming, announces the Lord.
I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel.
I will also make it with the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their people of long ago.
That was when I took them by the hand.
I led them out of Egypt.
My new covenant will be different because they didn’t remain faithful to my old covenant.
So I turned away from them,
announces the Lord.
10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds.
I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God.
And they will be my people.
11 People will not teach their neighbor anymore.
They will not say to one another, ‘Know the Lord.’
That’s because everyone will know me.
From the least important to the most important,
all of them will know me.
12 I will forgive their evil ways.
I will not remember their sins anymore.” (Jeremiah 31:31–34)
13 God called this covenant “new.” So he has done away with the first one. And what is out of date and has been done away with will soon disappear.
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