M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Becomes King
11 All Israel gathered to David at Hebron to say, “Look! We are your flesh and blood.[a] 2 Previously when Saul was king, you led Israel out to battle and back again. Besides, the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel and be leader over my people Israel.’”
3 All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them there in the presence of the Lord. They anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord from Samuel.
David Captures Jerusalem
4 David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites were living in that part of the land. 5 Those living in Jebus said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which became the City of David. 6 David had said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become the head and commander.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first and became the head. 7 David lived in the stronghold. That is why it is called the City of David. 8 He built up the city all around the stronghold, from the Millo[b] to the surrounding walls. Joab repaired the rest of the city.
9 David became greater and greater because the Lord of Armies was with him.
David’s Elite Warriors
10 These are the leaders of David’s elite warriors, who built up support for his kingdom throughout all Israel, in order to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.
11 This is the record of David’s elite warriors.
The Three
Jashobeam son of Hakmoni,[c] head of the Thirty,[d] wielded his spear against three hundred, who were killed at one time.
12 After him came Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite. He was in the group of three elite warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas Dammim, where there was a plot of land full of barley, when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. The people had been fleeing from the Philistines, 14 but they took their stand in the middle of that plot of land. They defended it and killed the Philistines. The Lord rescued them with a great victory.[e]
15 Three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the rock by the Cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 While David was in the stronghold, the garrison of Philistines was in Bethlehem. 17 David expressed this desire: “Who will give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem inside the gate?” 18 The Three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well[f] of Bethlehem inside the gate. They took it and brought it to David. However, David was not willing to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 19 He said, “I should be cursed by God if I did that. Shall I drink the blood of these men? They risked their lives to bring it to me.” He was not willing to drink it. The three elite warriors carried out these actions.
Other Heroes
20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred and killed them. His reputation equaled that of the Three.[g] 21 He was considered twice as great as the Group of Three. He became their commander. But he did not belong to the Group of Three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a courageous man from Kabze’el, did great things. He struck down two Lions of God[h] from Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern[i] on a snowy day. 23 He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian was holding a spear like a weaver’s beam. Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah son of Jehoiada accomplished these feats. His reputation equaled that of the Three. 25 Among the Thirty he was considered great, but he did not belong to the Three. David placed him over his bodyguards.
26 These were the elite warriors of the armies:[j]
Asahel, the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite,[k]
Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoan,
Abiezer from Anathoth,
29 Sibbekai[l] the Hushathite,
Ilai[m] the Ahohite,
30 Mahrai the Netophahite,
Heled son of Ba’anah the Netophahite,
31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin,
Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai[n] from the ravines of Ga’ash,
Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,
Eliahba the Sha’albonite,
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,[o]
Jonathan son of Shageh the Hararite,
35 Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,
Eliphal son of Ur,[p]
36 Hepher the Mekerathite,
Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite,
Na’arai son of Ezbai,
38 Joel, the brother of Nathan,[q]
Mibhar son of Hagri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite,
Zabad son of Ahlai,
42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites,
who had thirty men with him,
43 Hanan son of Ma’akah
and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite,
Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 Jediael son of Shimri,
and his brother Joha the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite
and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elna’am,
and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel and Obed and Ja’asiel the Mezobaite.
12 These are the men who came to David at Ziklag, when he was a fugitive from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who helped him wage war.
2 Among them were relatives of Saul from Benjamin, who were able to use bow and arrow and to sling stones right-handed or left-handed.
3 Their leader was Ahiezer along with Joash, sons of Shema’ah the Gibeathite,
Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth,
Berakah and Jehu the Anathothite,
4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a powerful warrior among the Thirty and over the Thirty,
Jeremiah and Jahaziel and Johanan and Jozabad the Gederathite,[r]
5 Eluzai and Jerimoth and Bealiah
and Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korathites,
7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some men from Gad defected and went to David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were powerful warriors, military men, skilled for war with shield and spear, with faces like lions and with speed like gazelles on the mountains.
9 Ezer the head, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Makbannai the eleventh.
14 These men from Gad were leaders of the army. The less capable were leaders for a hundred, the more capable for a thousand.[s] 15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month[t] when it was overflowing all its banks. They forced those living in the valleys to the east and the west to flee.
16 Men also came from Benjamin and Judah to David at the stronghold. 17 David went out to meet with them and said to them, “If you have come to me with peaceful intentions to help me, my heart will be one with yours. But if you come to betray me to my enemies, even though there is no violence in my hands, the God of our fathers will see and judge.”
18 A spirit[u] came upon[v] Amazai, head of the Thirty. He said, “We are yours, David, and we are with you, son of Jesse. Peace, peace to you, and peace to those helping you, for your God helps you.” David received them and made them leaders of the troops.
19 Men from Manasseh deserted to David when he came along with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. These men did not help the Philistines, because the serens[w] of the Philistines decided to send David away, because they thought, “He will desert to his master Saul with our heads.”
20 When he went to Ziklag, men from Manasseh deserted to David. They were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of groups of a thousand which belonged to Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the bands of raiders, because all of them were powerful warriors and commanders in the army.
22 Every day men kept coming to David to help him, until the army became great, like an army of God. 23 The following are the numbers of the troops equipped for war who came to David in Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of the Lord:
24 from the descendants of Judah, bearing shields and spears, 6,800 equipped for war,
25 from the descendants of Simeon, powerful warriors, 7,100 equipped for war,
26 from the descendants of Levi, 4,600, 27 and[x] Jehoiada the tribal ruler for Aaron, who had with him 3,700; 28 also Zadok, a powerful young warrior, and from the house of his father 22 commanders,
29 from the descendants of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, 3,000 (until then the majority of them had been keeping their connection with the house of Saul),
30 from the descendants of Ephraim, 20,800 powerful warriors, men who had earned a name for themselves in the house of their fathers,
31 from the half tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 who were designated by name to come and make David king,
32 from the descendants of Issachar, men who understood the times and what Israel should do, 200 leaders and all their relatives under their command,
33 from Zebulun, 50,000 men qualified to serve in the army, ready to line up for battle with all kinds of weapons for battle and with undivided allegiance,
34 from Naphtali, 1,000 commanders and with them 37,000 men with shields and spears,
35 from the Danites, 28,600 men ready to line up for battle,
36 from Asher, 40,000 men qualified to serve in the army, ready to line up for battle,
37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, with all the weapons of an army ready for battle, 120,000 men.
38 All these soldiers, organized for battle, totally committed, came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel also was totally committed to make David king. 39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, because their fellow citizens[y] had prepared provisions for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali were bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, including provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, olive oil, oxen, and sheep in abundance, because there was joy in Israel.
Live to Please God
13 Continue to show brotherly love. 2 Do not fail to show love to strangers, for by doing this some have welcomed angels without realizing it. 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated, as if you yourselves were also suffering bodily.
4 Marriage is to be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed is to be kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers. 5 Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have. For God has said:
I will never leave you,
and I will never forsake you.[a]
6 So then we say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?[b]
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Carefully consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. For it is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which are of no help to those who make them a way of life.
10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the high priest brings the blood of the animals sacrificed for sins into the Most Holy Place, and then their bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 Jesus suffered outside the gate for this reason: to sanctify people by his own blood. 13 So then let us go to him, outside of the camp, bearing his disgrace. 14 For we do not have a permanent city here, but we are looking for the city that is coming. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us constantly offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as men who will give an account. Obey them, so that they may do this with joy and not with groaning,[c] for that would be of no benefit to you.
18 Pray for us, because we are sure that we have a good conscience, and because in everything we want to conduct ourselves in an honorable way. 19 I urge you to do this even more, so that I may be restored to you quickly.
Conclusion
20 Now may the God of peace—who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, in connection with his blood, which established the eternal testament[d]— 21 may he equip you with every good thing[e] to do his will, as he works in us[f] what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
22 Now I urge you, brothers, to bear with this word of encouragement, for I have written you only a brief letter. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives very soon, he and I will see you.
24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all. Amen.[g]
The First Vision: The Locusts
7 This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw that he was forming a locust swarm at the time when the late crops[a] were beginning to sprout—the crops that were planted after the cuttings of hay for the king.
2 When the swarm had finished consuming the vegetation of the land, I said, “Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? Look, he is so small!”
3 The Lord changed his decree about this. “It will not happen,” said the Lord.
The Second Vision: The Fire
4 This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw the Lord God calling for a trial by fire, which devoured the great deep and started to consume the land.
5 I said, “Lord God, please stop! How can Jacob stand? Look, he is so small!”
6 The Lord changed his decree about this. “This will not happen,” said the Lord God.
The Third Vision: The Plumb Line
7 This is what he showed me: I saw the Lord standing by a wall that had been constructed with a plumb line. He had a plumb line in his hand.
8 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?”
I said, “A plumb line.”
Then the Lord said:
Look, I am about to set up a plumb line next to my people Israel.
I will no longer overlook their sin.
9 The high places of Isaac will be desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined.
I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Amos and Amaziah
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel:[b]
Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to endure all of his words. 11 This is what Amos says: “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go into exile away from its own soil.”
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “You seer, get out of here! Flee to the land of Judah. You may eat food and prophesy there. 13 But you must never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the sanctuary of the king and the national temple.”
14 Then Amos responded to Amaziah:
I was not a prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet. Rather, I was a sheep breeder and I took care of sycamore fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending flocks, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
16 But now, hear the word of the Lord, you who are saying, “Do not prophesy against Israel” and “Do not preach[c] against the house of Isaac.”
17 This is what the Lord says: “Your wife will be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be parceled out with a measuring line, and as for you, you will die upon unclean soil. And Israel will certainly go into exile far away from its own soil.”
Jesus Is Born
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 And everyone went to register, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, his wife,[a] who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
6 And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: 11 Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ[b] the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.”[c]
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The Presentation in the Temple
21 After eight days passed, when the child was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn[d] male will be called holy to the Lord.”)[e] 24 And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[f]
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 28 Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said,
29 Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to
your word,
30 because my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared before the face of all people,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your
people Israel.
33 Joseph[g] and the child’s[h] mother were amazed at the things that were spoken about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Listen carefully, this child is appointed for the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 Anna, a prophetess, was there. She was a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old. She had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage,[i] 37 and then she was a widow of eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple complex, since she was worshipping with fasting and prayers night and day. 38 Standing nearby at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord. She kept speaking about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.[j]
39 When they had accomplished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town, Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong.[k] He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple Courts
41 Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Festival. 43 When the days had ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it. 44 Since they thought he was in their group, they went a day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? See, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”
49 He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be taking care of my Father’s business?” 50 They did not understand what he was telling them.
51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was always obedient to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.