M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Kings of Israel: Jehoahaz and Jehoash
13 In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel at Samaria, and he reigned for seventeen years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, (A)into which he misled Israel; he did not turn from them. 3 (B)So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He continually handed them over to (C)Hazael king of Aram, and to (D)Ben-hadad, the son of Hazael. 4 Then (E)Jehoahaz appeased the Lord, and the Lord listened to him; for (F)He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. 5 And the Lord gave Israel a [a](G)savior, so that they [b]escaped from under the hand of the Arameans; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as previously. 6 Nevertheless they did not abandon the sins of the house of Jeroboam, (H)into which he misled Israel; rather, they walked in [c]them; and (I)the [d]Asherah also remained standing in Samaria. 7 For he left to Jehoahaz no more of the [e]army than fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry, because the king of Aram had eliminated them and (J)made them like the dust at threshing. 8 Now as for the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 9 And Jehoahaz [f]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and his son Joash became king in his place.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, [g]Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for sixteen years. 11 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel; rather, he walked in [h]them. 12 (K)Now as for the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 13 So Joash [i]lay down with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Death of Elisha
14 When Elisha [j]became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over [k]him and said, “(L)My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he [l]took a bow and arrows. 16 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Lay your hand on the bow.” And he laid his hand on it, then Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, and the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will [m]defeat the Arameans at (M)Aphek until you have put an end to them.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and [n]stopped. 19 Then (N)the man of God became angry at him and said, “You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you put an end to it. But now you shall strike Aram (O)only three times.”
20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. Now (P)the marauding bands of the Moabites would invade the land [o]in the spring of the year. 21 And as they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band; and they threw the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the man [p]touched the bones of Elisha he (Q)revived and stood up on his feet.
22 Now (R)Hazael king of Aram had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the (S)Lord was gracious to them and (T)had compassion on them and turned to them because of (U)His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and He was unwilling to eliminate them or cast them away from His presence until now.
24 When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad became king in his place. 25 Then (V)Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz again took from the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken in war from the hand of his father Jehoahaz. (W)Three times Joash [q]defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.
Difficult Times Will Come
3 But realize this, that (A)in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be (B)lovers of self, (C)lovers of money, (D)boastful, (E)arrogant, (F)slanderers, (G)disobedient to parents, (H)ungrateful, (I)unholy, 3 (J)unloving, irreconcilable, (K)malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a](L)haters of good, 4 (M)treacherous, (N)reckless, (O)conceited, (P)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b](Q)godliness although they have (R)denied its power; (S)avoid such people as these. 6 For among them are those who [c](T)slip into households and captivate [d](U)weak women weighed down with sins, led on by (V)various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to (W)come to the [e]knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as (X)Jannes and Jambres (Y)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, (Z)men of depraved mind, [f]worthless in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their (AA)foolishness will be obvious to all, just (AB)as was that also of [g]Jannes and Jambres.
10 Now you (AC)followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, (AD)love, [h]perseverance, 11 (AE)persecutions, and (AF)sufferings, such as happened to me at (AG)Antioch, at (AH)Iconium, and at (AI)Lystra; what (AJ)persecutions I endured, and out of them all (AK)the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus (AL)will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and impostors (AM)will proceed from bad to worse, (AN)deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, (AO)continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that (AP)from childhood you have known (AQ)the sacred writings which are able to (AR)give you the wisdom that leads to (AS)salvation through faith which is in (AT)Christ Jesus. 16 (AU)All Scripture is [i]inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for [j]rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that (AV)the man or woman of God may be [k]fully capable, (AW)equipped for every good work.
The People’s Apostasy Rebuked
5 Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, you of the house of the king!
For the judgment applies to you,
Because you have been a (A)trap at Mizpah,
And a net spread out on Tabor.
2 And the (B)rebels have (C)gone deep in [a]depravity,
But I will discipline all of them.
3 I (D)know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;
Because now, Ephraim, you have been unfaithful,
Israel has defiled itself.
4 Their deeds will not allow them
To return to their God.
For a (E)spirit of [b]infidelity is within them,
And they (F)do not know the Lord.
5 Moreover, the (G)pride of Israel testifies against him,
And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their wrongdoing;
(H)Judah also has stumbled with them.
6 They will (I)go with their flocks and herds
To seek the Lord, but they will (J)not find Him;
He has (K)withdrawn from them.
7 They have (L)dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have given birth to [c](M)illegitimate children.
Now the (N)new moon will devour them with their [d]land.
8 (O)Blow the horn in (P)Gibeah,
And the trumpet in Ramah.
Sound an alarm at Beth-aven:
“(Q)Behind you, Benjamin!”
9 Ephraim will become a (R)desolation in the (S)day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I (T)make known what is trustworthy.
10 The leaders of Judah have become like those who (U)displace a boundary marker;
On them I will (V)pour out My anger (W)like water.
11 Ephraim is (X)oppressed, broken by judgment,
(Y)Because he was determined to follow [e]man’s command.
12 Therefore I am like a (Z)moth to Ephraim,
And like rottenness to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his [f]sore,
Ephraim then went to (AA)Assyria
And sent word to [g](AB)King Jareb.
But he is (AC)unable to heal you,
Or to cure you of your [h]sore.
14 For I will be (AD)like a lion to Ephraim
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
(AE)I, yes I, will tear to pieces and go away,
I will carry away, and there will be (AF)no one to rescue.
15 I will go away and return to My place
Until they [i](AG)acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;
In their distress they will (AH)search for Me.
The Response to God’s Rebuke
6 “(AI)Come, let’s return to the Lord.
For (AJ)He has torn us, but (AK)He will heal us;
He has [j]wounded us, but He will (AL)bandage us.
2 He will (AM)revive us after two days;
He will (AN)raise us up on the third day,
That we may live before Him.
3 So let’s (AO)learn, let’s press on to know the Lord.
His (AP)appearance is as sure as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the (AQ)rain,
As the spring rain waters the earth.”
4 What shall I do with you, (AR)Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, Judah?
For your loyalty is like a (AS)morning cloud,
And like the dew which goes away early.
5 Therefore I have (AT)cut them in pieces by the prophets;
I have slain them by the (AU)words of My mouth;
And the judgments on you are like the light that [k]shines.
6 For (AV)I [l]desire loyalty (AW)rather than sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
7 But (AX)like [m]Adam they have (AY)violated the covenant;
There they have (AZ)dealt treacherously with Me.
8 (BA)Gilead is a city of wrongdoers,
Tracked with (BB)bloody footprints.
9 And as a (BC)band of robbers lie in wait for a person,
So a band of priests (BD)murder on the way to Shechem;
Certainly they have committed an act of (BE)infamy.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a (BF)horrible thing;
Ephraim’s (BG)infidelity is there, Israel has defiled itself.
11 Also, Judah, there is a (BH)harvest appointed for you,
When I (BI)restore the fortunes of My people.
Qoph
145 I cried out (A)with all my heart; answer me, Lord!
I will (B)comply with Your statutes.
146 I cried to You; (C)save me
And I shall keep Your testimonies.
147 I [a](D)rise before dawn and cry for help;
I [b]wait for Your words.
148 My eyes anticipate the (E)night watches,
So that I may (F)meditate on Your [c]word.
149 Hear my voice (G)according to Your faithfulness;
(H)Revive me, Lord, according to Your judgments.
150 Those who follow after wickedness approach;
They are far from Your Law.
151 You are (I)near, Lord,
And all Your commandments are (J)truth.
152 From long ago I have (K)known from Your testimonies
That You have founded them (L)forever.
Resh
153 (M)Look at my (N)affliction and rescue me,
For I have not (O)forgotten Your Law.
154 (P)Plead my cause and (Q)redeem me;
Revive me according to Your [d]word.
155 Salvation is (R)far from the wicked,
For they (S)do not seek Your statutes.
156 [e](T)Great are Your mercies, Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
157 Many are my (U)persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not (V)turn aside from Your testimonies.
158 I see the (W)treacherous and (X)loathe them,
Because they do not keep Your word.
159 Consider how I (Y)love Your precepts;
(Z)Revive me, Lord, according to Your faithfulness.
160 The (AA)sum of Your word is (AB)truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments (AC)is everlasting.
Shin
161 (AD)Rulers persecute me without cause,
But my heart (AE)stands in awe of Your words.
162 I (AF)rejoice at Your [f]word,
Like one who (AG)finds great plunder.
163 I (AH)hate and loathe falsehood,
But I (AI)love Your Law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You
Because of Your (AJ)righteous judgments.
165 Those who love Your Law have (AK)great peace,
And [g](AL)nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I (AM)hope for Your salvation, Lord,
And do Your commandments.
167 My (AN)soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I (AO)love them exceedingly.
168 I (AP)keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my (AQ)ways are before You.
Tav
169 Let my (AR)cry [h]come before You, Lord;
(AS)Give me understanding (AT)according to Your word.
170 Let my (AU)pleading come before You;
(AV)Save me according to Your [i]word.
171 Let my (AW)lips pour out praise,
For You (AX)teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my (AY)tongue sing about Your [j]word,
For all Your (AZ)commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your (BA)hand be [k]ready to help me,
For I have (BB)chosen Your precepts.
174 I (BC)long for Your salvation, Lord,
And Your Law is my (BD)delight.
175 Let my (BE)soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have (BF)wandered about like a lost sheep; search for Your servant,
For I do (BG)not forget Your commandments.
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