M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:
Of the Korchim: Meshelemyahu the son of Kore, of the descendants of Asaf. 2 Meshelemyahu had sons: Z’kharyahu the firstborn, Y’dia‘el the second, Z’vadyahu the third, Yatni’el the fourth, 3 ‘Eilam the fifth, Y’hochanan the sixth and Ely’ho‘einai the seventh.
4 ‘Oved-Edom had sons: Sh’ma‘yah the firstborn, Y’hozavad the second son,
Yo’ach the third, Sakhar the fourth, N’tan’el the fifth, 5 ‘Ammi’el the sixth, Yissakhar the seventh, and Pe‘ultai the eighth; for God blessed him. 6 To his son Sh’ma‘yah were born sons who ruled over their father’s clan, because they were strong, brave men. 7 The sons of Sh’ma‘yah: ‘Otni, Refa’el and his brothers ‘Oved and Elzavad, valiant men; also Elihu and S’makhyahu. 8 These were all from the sons of ‘Oved-Edom, they and their sons and brothers, men of ability and strength for service, sixty-two from ‘Oved-Edom.
9 Meshelemyahu had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen. 10 Hosah, from the descendants of M’rari, had sons: Shimri the chief, for although he was not the firstborn, nevertheless his father made him the chief; 11 Hilkiyahu the second, T’valyahu the third and Z’kharyahu the fourth; all the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their chief men, had duties, just as their kinsmen did, serving in the house of Adonai. 13 Great or small, they cast lots according to their clans for every gate. 14 The lot for the east gate fell to Shelemyahu. Then they cast lots for his son Z’kharyahu, a sensible adviser, and he was allotted the north gate. 15 ‘Oved-Edom was allotted the south gate and his sons the storehouse. 16 Shupim and Hosah were allotted the west gate and the Shallekhet Gate at the highway that goes up, with corresponding guards. 17 For the east there were six L’vi’im, for the north four a day, for the south four a day, for the Storehouse two and two, 18 while for the courtyard to the west there were four at the highway and two at the courtyard itself. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers, consisting of descendants of the Korchim and descendants of M’rari.
20 Of the L’vi’im, Achiyah was responsible for the stores in the house of God and the stores of holy articles. 21 The sons of La‘dan, the descendants of the Gershuni belonging to La‘dan, the heads of clans belonging to La‘dan the Gershuni: Yechi’eli; 22 and the sons of Yechi’eli: Zetam and Yo’el his brother, over the stores in the house of Adonai. 23 Of the ‘Amrami, of the Yitz’hari, of the Hevroni, of the ‘Uzi’eli, 24 Sh’vu’el the descendant of Gershom, the son of Moshe, was in charge of the stores.
25 His kinsmen: from Eli‘ezer: Rechavyahu his son, Yesha‘yahu his son, Yoram his son, Zikhri his son and Shlomit his son. 26 This Shlomit and his kinsmen were in charge of all the stores of the dedicated things that David the king, the clan heads, the captains over thousands and hundreds and the commanders of the army had dedicated. 27 From the spoil won in wars they had dedicated these things to repair the house of Adonai. 28 Also included was all that Sh’mu’el the seer, Sha’ul the son of Kish, Avner the son of Ner and Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah had dedicated. In short, if anyone had dedicated anything, Shlomit and his brothers were in charge of it.
29 Of the Yitz’hari: K’nanyahu and his sons were assigned to be over Isra’el in regard to outside business as officers and judges. 30 Of the Hevroni: Hashavyah and his kinsmen, 1,700 valiant men, had the oversight of Isra’el west of the Yarden in regard to all the business of Adonai and the service of the king. 31 Yeriyah was chief of the Hevroni according to their generations by clans. In the fortieth year of David’s reign the Hevroni were sought out, and there were found among them strong, brave men at Ya‘zer in Gil‘ad. 32 King David appointed 2,700 of his kinsmen, valiant men and clan leaders, as overseers over the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of the M’nashi for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.
27 The people of Isra’el, registered according to their clan leaders, were drafted for army duty under captains of thousands and of hundreds, and officers serving the king, in divisions of 24,000 each, for month-long terms of duty covering all the months of the year.
2 Over the first division, for the first month, was Yashov‘am the son of Zavdi’el; there were 24,000 in his division. 3 He was from the descendants of Peretz and was in charge of all the army captains during the first month.
4 Over the division for the second month was Dodai the Achochi; Miklot was the chief officer of his division; there were 24,000 in his division.
5 The third army commander, for the third month, was B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada the chief cohen; there were 24,000 in his division. 6 This is the same B’nayah who was one of the thirty heroes and was over the thirty; his son ‘Ammizavad was in his division.
7 The fourth commander, for the fourth month, was ‘Asah’el the brother of Yo’av, with Z’vadyah his son after him; there were 24,000 in his division.
8 The fifth commander, for the fifth month, was Shamhut from Yizrach; there were 24,000 in his division.
9 The sixth commander, for the sixth month, was ‘Ira the son of ‘Ikesh from T’koa; there were 24,000 in his division.
10 The seventh commander, for the seventh month, was Heletz the P’loni, from the descendants of Efrayim; there were 24,000 in his division.
11 The eighth commander, for the eighth month, was Sibkhai the Hushati, from the Zarchi; there were 24,000 in his division.
12 The ninth commander, for the ninth month, was Avi‘ezer from ‘Anatot, from the Ben-Y’mini; there were 24,000 in his division.
13 The tenth commander, for the tenth month, was Mahrai, the N’tofati, from the Zarchi; there were 24,000 in his division.
14 The eleventh commander, for the eleventh month, was B’nayah from Pir‘aton, from the descendants of Efrayim; there were 24,000 in his division.
15 The twelfth commander, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the N’tofati, from ‘Otni’el; there were 24,000 in his division.
16 Over the the tribes of Isra’el:
leader of the Re’uveni: Eli‘ezer the son of Zikhri;
of the Shim‘oni: Sh’fatyah the son of Ma‘akhah;
17 of Levi: Hashavyah the son of K’mu’el;
of Aharon: Tzadok;
18 of Y’hudah: Elihu, one of David’s brothers;
of Yissakhar: ‘Omri the son of Mikha’el;
19 of Z’vulun: Yishma‘yahu the son of ‘Ovadyah;
of Naftali: Yerimot the son of ‘Azri’el;
20 of the descendants of Efrayim: Hoshea the son of ‘Azazyahu;
of the half-tribe of M’nasheh: Yo’el the son of P’dayah;
21 of the half-tribe of M’nasheh in Gil‘ad: Yiddo the son of Z’kharyahu;
of Binyamin: Ya‘asi’el the son of Avner;
22 of Dan: ‘Azar’el the son of Yerocham.
These were the commanders of the tribes of Isra’el.
23 But David did not include in the registration those twenty years old or less, because Adonai had said he would increase Isra’el’s numbers like the stars in the sky. 24 Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah began a census of these, but he did not finish, and wrath came upon Isra’el because of this; moreover the number was not entered into the Annals of King David.
25 In charge of the king’s supplies was ‘Azmavet the son of ‘Adi’el. In charge of the supplies in the countryside, the cities, the villages and the fortresses was Y’honatan the son of ‘Uziyahu. 26 In charge of farmers working the land was ‘Ezri the son of K’luv. 27 In charge of the vineyards was Shim‘i the Ramati, while Zavdi the Shifmi was responsible for the produce from the vineyards for the wine-cellars. 28 In charge of the olive and sycamore-fig trees in the Sh’felah was Ba‘al-Hanan from G’derah, while Yo’ash was put over the storehouses for olive oil. 29 In charge of the herds of livestock feeding in the Sharon was Shirtai from the Sharon, while Shafat the son of Adlai was put over herds in the valleys. 30 Ovil the Yishma‘eli was put over the camels, Yechd’yahu the Meronoti over the donkeys 31 and Yaziz the Hagri over the flocks [of sheep and goats]. All of these were responsible for King David’s property.
32 Y’honatan David’s uncle was an adviser, a man of understanding and a secretary. Yechi’el the son of Hachmoni took care of the king’s sons. 33 Achitofel was an adviser to the king. Hushai the Archi was the king’s confidant; 34 and after Achitofel were Y’hoyada the son of B’nayah and Evyatar. Yo’av was commander of the king’s army.
1 From: Shim‘on Kefa, a slave and emissary of Yeshua the Messiah
To: Those who, through the righteousness of our God and of our Deliverer Yeshua the Messiah, have been given the same kind of trust as ours:
2 May grace and shalom be yours in full measure, as you come to a full knowledge of God and Yeshua our Lord.
3 God’s power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowing the One who called us to his own glory and goodness. 4 By these he has given us valuable and superlatively great promises, so that through them you might come to share in God’s nature and escape the corruption which evil desires have brought into the world.
5 For this very reason, try your hardest to furnish your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with perseverance, perseverance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if you have these qualities in abundance, they keep you from being barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 9 Indeed, whoever lacks them is blind, so shortsighted that he forgets that his past sins have been washed away. 10 Therefore, brothers, try even harder to make your being called and chosen a certainty. For if you keep doing this, you will never stumble. 11 Thus you will be generously supplied with everything you need to enter the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah.
12 For this reason, I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you already have. 13 And I consider it right to keep stirring you up with reminders, as long as I am in the tent of this body. 14 I know that I will soon lay aside this tent of mine, as our Lord Yeshua the Messiah has made clear to me. 15 And I will do my best to see that after my exodus, you will be able to remember these things at all times.
16 For when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, we did not rely on cunningly contrived myths. On the contrary, we saw his majesty with our own eyes. 17 For we were there when he received honor and glory from God the Father; and the voice came to him from the grandeur of the Sh’khinah, saying, “This is my son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him!” 18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 Yes, we have the prophetic Word made very certain. You will do well to pay attention to it as to a light shining in a dark, murky place, until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all, understand this: no prophecy of Scripture is to be interpreted by an individual on his own; 21 for never has a prophecy come as a result of human willing — on the contrary, people moved by the Ruach HaKodesh spoke a message from God.
4 But in the acharit-hayamim it will come about
that the mountain of Adonai’s house
will be established as the most important mountain.
It will be regarded more highly than the other hills,
and peoples will stream there.
2 Many Gentiles will go and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Adonai,
to the house of the God of Ya‘akov!
He will teach us about his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah,
the word of Adonai from Yerushalayim.
3 He will judge between many peoples
and arbitrate for many nations far away.
Then they will hammer their swords into plow-blades
and their spears into pruning-knives;
nations will not raise swords at each other,
and they will no longer learn war.
4 Instead, each person will sit under his vine
and fig tree, with no one to upset him,
for the mouth of Adonai-Tzva’ot
has spoken.
5 For all the peoples will walk,
each in the name of its god;
but we will walk in the name of Adonai
our God forever and ever.
6 “When that day comes,” says Adonai,
“I will assemble the lame
and gather those who were dispersed,
along with those I afflicted.
7 I will make the lame a remnant
and those who were driven off a strong nation.”
Adonai will rule them on Mount Tziyon
from that time forth and forever.
8 You, tower of the flock,
hill of the daughter of Tziyon,
to you your former sovereignty will return,
the royal power of the daughter of Yerushalayim.
9 Why are you now crying out?
Don’t you have a king?
Has your counselor been destroyed,
that you are seized with pain like a woman in labor?
10 Be in pain! Work to give birth
like a woman in labor, daughter of Tziyon!
For now you will go out of the city
and live in the wilds till you reach Bavel.
There you will be rescued;
there Adonai will redeem you
from the power of your enemies.
11 Now many nations have gathered against you;
they say, “Let her be defiled,
let’s gloat over Tziyon.”
12 But they don’t know the thoughts of Adonai,
they don’t understand his plan;
for he has gathered them like sheaves
on the threshing-floor.
13 Get up! Start threshing, daughter of Tziyon!
“For I will make your horns like iron
and your hoofs like bronze.”
You will crush many peoples
and devote their plunder to Adonai,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
14 (5:1) Now gather yourself in troops,
you who are accustomed to being in troops;
they have laid siege to us.
They are striking the judge of Isra’el
on the cheek with a stick.
13 Just then, some people came to tell Yeshua about the men from the Galil whom Pilate had slaughtered even while they were slaughtering animals for sacrifice. 2 His answer to them was, “Do you think that just because they died so horribly, these folks from the Galil were worse sinners than all the others from the Galil? 3 No, I tell you. Rather, unless you turn to God from your sins, you will all die as they did!
4 “Or what about those eighteen people who died when the tower at Shiloach fell on them? Do you think they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Yerushalayim? 5 No, I tell you. Rather, unless you turn from your sins, you will all die similarly.”
6 Then Yeshua gave this illustration: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit but didn’t find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘Here, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for three years now without finding any. Cut it down — why let it go on using up the soil?’ 8 But he answered, ‘Sir, leave it alone one more year. I’ll dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; if not, you will have it cut down then.’”
10 Yeshua was teaching in one of the synagogues on Shabbat. 11 A woman came up who had a spirit which had crippled her for eighteen years; she was bent double and unable to stand erect at all. 12 On seeing her, Yeshua called her and said to her, “Lady, you have been set free from your weakness!” 13 He put his hands on her, and at once she stood upright and began to glorify God.
14 But the president of the synagogue, indignant that Yeshua had healed on Shabbat, spoke up and said to the congregation, “There are six days in the week for working; so come during those days to be healed, not on Shabbat!” 15 However, the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Each one of you on Shabbat — don’t you unloose your ox or your donkey from the stall and lead him off to drink? 16 This woman is a daughter of Avraham, and the Adversary kept her tied up for eighteen years! Shouldn’t she be freed from this bondage on Shabbat?” 17 By these words, Yeshua put to shame the people who opposed him; but the rest of the crowd were happy about all the wonderful things that were taking place through him.
18 So he went on to say, “What is the Kingdom of God like? With what will we compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his own garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds flying about nested in its branches.”
20 Again he said, “With what will I compare the Kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with a bushel of flour, then waited until the whole batch of dough rose.”
22 Yeshua continued traveling through town after town and village after village, teaching and making his way toward Yerushalayim. 23 Someone asked him, “Are only a few people being saved?” 24 He answered, “Struggle to get in through the narrow door, because — I’m telling you! — many will be demanding to get in and won’t be able to, 25 once the owner of the house has gotten up and shut the door. You will stand outside, knocking at the door and saying, ‘Lord! Open up for us!’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from!’ 26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you! you taught in our streets!’ 27 and he will tell you, ‘I don’t know where you’re from. Get away from me, all you workers of wickedness!’ 28 You will cry and grind your teeth when you see Avraham, Yitz’chak, Ya‘akov and all the prophets inside the Kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside. 29 Moreover, people will come from the east, the west, the north and the south to sit at table in the Kingdom of God. 30 And notice that some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
31 Just at that moment, some P’rushim came up and said to Yeshua, “Get out and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you!” 32 He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Pay attention: today and tomorrow I am driving out demons and healing people, and on the third day I reach my goal.’ 33 Nevertheless, I must keep travelling today, tomorrow and the next day; because it is unthinkable that a prophet should die anywhere but in Yerushalayim.
34 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 35 Look! God is abandoning your house to you! I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai!’”[a]
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.