M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 9
Anointing of Jehu. 1 Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins and carry this flask of oil to Ramoth-gilead.[a] 2 When you arrive there, search for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, and separate him from his companions, bringing him to an inner chamber. 3 Take the flask of oil and pour it on his head, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you as king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee, do not wait around.”
4 So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 When he arrived, the commanders of the army were sitting around. He said, “I have a message for you, commander.” Jehu said, “For which of us?” He answered, “For you, commander.”
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. He poured the oil on his head and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you as king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7 You are to wipe out the house of Ahab, your master, and take vengeance for the blood of my servants, the prophets, and the blood of all of the servants of the Lord that Jezebel has shed. 8 The entire house of Ahab must perish. Everyone who pees against the wall in Israel who belongs to Ahab must be cut off, whether he be slave or free. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. 10 And as for Jezebel, the dogs will devour her on the Jezreel plot of ground. No one will bury her.’ ” Then he opened the door and fled.
11 When Jehu came outside to the servants of his lord, one of them said to him, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman[b] come to visit you?” He answered, “You know the man and the things he says.” 12 They said, “That is not true. Tell us now what he said.” Jehu said, “He said this to me, ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you as king over Israel.’ ”
13 Each of them quickly took his cloak and put it under him upon the stairs. They blew the trumpets and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”[c]
14 The Murder of Joram. So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, plotted against Joram.
Joram and all of Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, the king of Aram, 15 but Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received from the Arameans when he fought against Hazael, the king of Aram. Jehu said, “If this is what you want, then prevent anyone from leaving the city and going to Jezreel to report it.”
16 Jehu then got in his chariot and rode to Jezreel, for that was where Joram was staying. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had also gone down to visit Joram.
17 When the watchman upon the tower in Jezreel observed Jehu’s forces arriving, he said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Get a horseman and send him out to meet them. Let him say, ‘Do you come in peace?’ ” 18 The horseman went to meet them and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Do you come in peace?’ ” Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.” The watchman said, “The messenger has reached them, but he is not coming back.”
19 He sent out a second horseman who came to them and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Do you come in peace?’ ” Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”
20 The watchman reported, “He has reached them, but he is not coming back. The one who is driving is driving like Jehu, the son of Nimshi, for he is driving furiously.” 21 Joram said, “Prepare my chariot.”
When his chariot had been made ready, Joram, the king of Israel, and Ahaziah, the king of Judah, each drove out with his chariot against Jehu. They encountered him at the plot of Naboth, the Jezreelite. 22 When Joram saw that it was Jehu, he said, “Do you come in peace?” Jehu answered, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatries and witchcrafts of Jezebel, your mother, continue to multiply?”
23 Joram turned and fled, and he cried out to Ahaziah, “It is treachery, O Ahaziah!” 24 Jehu drew back his bow and struck Joram between his shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
25 [d]Jehu said to Bidkar, his captain, “Pick him up and throw him down in the plot that belonged to Naboth, the Jezreelite. Remem-ber how you and I were riding together behind Ahab, his father, when the Lord proclaimed this prophecy against him. 26 ‘As surely as yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons,’ says the Lord, ‘I will repay you upon this plot,’ says the Lord. Therefore, take him and throw him down upon this plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”
27 Death of Ahaziah. When Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw this, he fled on the road to Beth-haggan. Jehu followed after him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him on the way up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. He escaped to Megiddo, but he died there. 28 His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of Joram, the son of Ahab.
30 Death of Jezebel. Jehu then went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard, she painted her face and fixed her hair, and she leaned out the window. 31 When Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?”
32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down to him. 33 He said, “Throw her down!” They threw her down so that her blood sprinkled on the wall and on the horses as they trampled her down.
34 He went in and ate and drank and said, “Go now, and bury that accursed woman, for she is the daughter of a king.” 35 When they went out to bury her, all they found was her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 They went back and told him. He said, “This is the word of the Lord which he spoke through his servant, Elijah, the Tishbite, when he said, ‘The dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel on the plot in Jezreel. 37 Jezebel’s body will be like dung spread over the surface of the field on the plot in Jezreel so that no one will be able to say: This is Jezebel.’ ”
Chapter 6
Slaves.[a] 1 All those who are under the yoke of slavery must regard their masters as worthy of complete respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be brought into disrepute. 2 Those whose masters are believers must not despise them because they are brethren. On the contrary, they should serve them more, since those who receive the benefits of their services are believers and beloved brethren.
Final Charge[b]
False Teaching about Wealth. These are the things you should teach and recommend. 3 Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the wholesome instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the godly teaching 4 is a conceited person who understands nothing and who has an unhealthy enthusiasm to engage in arguments and to dispute the meaning of words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, 5 and unending disputes among people whose minds are corrupted and who are deprived of truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain.
6 Godliness produces great gain, but only to those who are content. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, let us be content with these.
9 However, those who want riches fall into temptations and are trapped into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds.[c]
11 Fight the Good Fight. But as for you, man of God,[d] you must shun all this. Rather, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, fortitude, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your noble confession[e] of faith in the presence of many witnesses.
13 In the sight of God, who gave life to all things, and before Jesus Christ, who himself made that noble confession of faith in his testimony before Pontius Pilate, I charge you 14 to obey the commands of God without fault or failure until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will make manifest at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only ruler of all, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 16 He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has seen him or is able to do so. To him be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
17 Right Use of Riches.[f] Instruct those who are rich in this world’s goods that they should not be proud, nor should they trust in the uncertainty of riches but rather in God who richly provides us with everything we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to do good and to be rich in good works, to be generous in giving and ready to share. 19 In this way, they will acquire the treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they will be able to grasp the life that is true life.
Conclusion[g]
20 Admonition to Timothy. My brother Timothy, guard carefully what has been entrusted to you.[h] Avoid the profane chatter and the contradictions of what is wrongly considered to be knowledge. 21 By professing it some people have strayed far from the faith.
Farewell. Grace be with all of you.[i]
Prologue
The Word of the Lord
Chapter 1
1 This is the word of the Lord[a] that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam, son of Joash, king of Israel.
The Marriage of Hosea Is a Symbol[b]
The Harlot and Her Children[c]
2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea:
“Go forth and take a harlot for a wife,
and father children of harlotry,
for the people have devoted themselves to adultery
and turned away from the Lord.”
3 Therefore, Hosea went forth and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 Then the Lord said to him:
“Name the boy Jezreel,
for in a short time
I will punish the house of Jehu
for the blood shed at Jezreel,
and I will bring an end to the kingdom
of the house of Israel.
5 On that day I will demolish the bow of Israel
in the Valley of Jezreel.”
6 When Gomer conceived again and bore him a daughter, the Lord said to him:
“Give her the name Lo-ruhama,
for I no longer have compassion for the house of Israel,
nor do I wish to forgive them.
7 However, I do have pity on the house of Judah,
and I will save them by the Lord, their God.
But I will not deliver them by war,
nor by sword or bow,
nor by horses or horsemen.”[d]
8 After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhama, she conceived and bore him a son. 9 Then the Lord said:
“Give him the name Lo-ammi,
for you are not my people,
and I am not your God.”
73 [a]Your hands have created and formed me;[b]
grant me understanding so that I may learn your precepts.
74 Those who fear you will rejoice when they see me
because I place my hope in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your judgments are righteous
and in your fidelity you have humbled me.
76 May your kindness[c] bring consolation to me
as you have promised your servant.
77 Grant me your compassion so that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant[d] who oppress me without cause be put to shame;
I will meditate on your commands.
79 May those turn to me who fear you,
those who understand your statutes.
80 May my heart[e] be without blame toward your decrees
so that I may not be put to shame.
Kaph
81 [f]My soul[g] pines for your salvation without ceasing;
I place my hope in your word.
82 My eyes fail,[h] looking for your word,
and I cry out, “When will you comfort me?”
83 I am shriveled like a smoke-filled wineskin,[i]
but I do not forget your decrees.
84 How long must your servant wait?[j]
When will you pass judgment on my persecutors?
85 The arrogant[k] dig pits to entrap me,
which is not in keeping with your law.
86 All of your precepts are true;
come to my aid, for I am persecuted unjustly.
87 My enemies almost took away my life,
but I have not forsaken your commands.
88 In your kindness[l] spare my life,
and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.
Lamedh
89 [m]Your word, O Lord, is everlasting;
it is firmly fixed in the heavens.[n]
90 Your faithfulness lasts through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 By your judgments all creatures continue to exist,
for they are all your servants.
92 [o]If your law had not been my delight,
I would have already perished in my misery.
93 Never will I forget your commands,
for through them you have given me life.
94 I am yours; save me,
for I seek your commandments.
95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I continue to ponder your decrees.
96 I have seen that every perfection is limited,
but your precept is unlimited.[p]
Mem
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