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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
September 11 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Chronicles 20:1-21:1
Chapter 20
War against Eastern Enemies
1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,[a](a) came to fight against Jehoshaphat. 2 People came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom[b] has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar"(b) (that is, En-gedi). 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved(c) to seek the Lord . Then he proclaimed a fast(d) for all Judah, 4 who gathered to seek the Lord . They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.
Jehoshaphat's Prayer
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord 's temple before the new courtyard. 6 He said:
Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven,(e) and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations?(f) Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You. 7 Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel(g) and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham(h) Your friend? 8 They have lived in the land and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name and have said, 9 "If disaster comes on us—sword or judgment, pestilence or famine(i)—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your name is in this temple.(j) We will cry out to You because of our distress, and You will hear and deliver."
10 Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir.(k) You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.(l) 11 Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of Your possession that You gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will You not judge them?(m) For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.[c](n)
God's Answer
13 All Judah was standing before the Lord with their infants, their wives, and their children. 14 In the middle of the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on(o) Jahaziel (son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph's descendants), 15 and he said, "Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number,(p) for the battle is not yours, but God's.(q) 16 Tomorrow, go down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord .(r) He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged.(s) Tomorrow, go out to face them, for Yahweh is with you.'"(t)
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship Him.(u) 19 Then the Levites from the sons of the Kohathites and the Korahites(v) stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel shouting with a loud voice.
Victory and Plunder
20 In the morning they got up early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in Yahweh your God, and you will be established;(w) believe in His prophets, and you will succeed." 21 Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness.(x) When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:[d]
Give thanks to the
Lord
,
for His faithful love endures forever.(y)
22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush(z) against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and completely annihilated them.(aa) When they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy each other.(ab)
24 When Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the large army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; nobody had escaped. 25 Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to gather the plunder. They found among them[e] an abundance of goods on the bodies[f] and valuable items. So they stripped them until nobody could carry any more. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much. 26 They assembled in the Valley of Beracah[g] on the fourth day, for there they praised the Lord . Therefore, that place is still called the Valley of Beracah today.
27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem turned back with Jehoshaphat their leader, returning joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord enabled them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 So they came into Jerusalem to the Lord 's temple with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
29 The terror of God(ac) was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Then Jehoshaphat's kingdom was quiet, for his God gave him rest on every side.(ad)
Summary of Jehoshaphat's Reign
31 Jehoshaphat became king over Judah.(ae) He was 35 years old when he became king and reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of Asa his father; he did not turn away from it but did what was right in the Lord 's sight. 33 However, the high places were not taken away;(af) the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.(ag)
34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign from beginning to end are written in the Events of Jehu(ah) son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of Israel's Kings.(ai)
Jehoshaphat's Fleet of Ships
35 After this,(aj) Judah's King Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Israel's King Ahaziah, who was guilty of wrongdoing. 36 Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with him to make ships to go to Tarshish,(ak) and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you formed an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken up what you have made." So the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.
Chapter 21
Jehoram Becomes King Over Judah
1 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram[a] became king in his place.(a)
Psalms 78:56-72
Chapter 78
56 But they rebelliously tested the Most High God,
for they did not keep His decrees.(be)
57 They treacherously turned away like their fathers;
they became warped like a faulty bow.(bf)
58 They enraged Him with their high places
and provoked His jealousy with their carved images.(bg)
59 God heard and became furious;
He completely rejected Israel.(bh)
60 He abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh,
the tent where He resided among men.[j](bi)
61 He gave up His strength[k] to captivity
and His splendor to the hand of a foe.(bj)
62 He surrendered His people to the sword
because He was enraged with His heritage.(bk)
63 Fire consumed His chosen young men,
and His young women had no wedding songs.[l](bl)
64 His priests fell by the sword,
but the[m] widows could not lament.[n](bm)
65 Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep,
like a warrior from the effects of wine.(bn)
66 He beat back His foes;
He gave them lasting shame.(bo)
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph
and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68 He chose instead the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which He loved.(bp)
69 He built His sanctuary like the heights,[o]
like the earth that He established forever.(bq)
70 He chose David His servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;(br)
71 He brought him from tending ewes
to be shepherd over His people Jacob—
over Israel, His inheritance.(bs)
72 He shepherded them with a pure heart
and guided them with his skillful hands.(bt)
John 14:1-14
Chapter 14
The Way to the Father
1 "Your heart must not be troubled.(a) Believe[a] in God;(b) believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places;[b] if not, I would have told you. I am going away(c) to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back(d) and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.(e) 4 You know the way to where I am going." [c](f)
5 "Lord," Thomas(g) said, "we don't know where You're going. How can we know the way?"
6 Jesus told him, "I am(h) the way,(i) the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus Reveals the Father
7 "If you know Me, you will also know[d] My Father.(j) From now on you do know Him(k) and have seen Him."
8 "Lord," said Philip,(l) "show us the Father, and that's enough for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.(m) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?(n) The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own.(o) The Father who lives in Me does His works.(p) 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe[e] because of the works themselves. (q)
Praying in Jesus' Name
12 "I assure you: The one who believes in Me(r) will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these,(s) because I am going to the Father.(t) 13 Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified(u) in the Son.(v) 14 If you ask Me[f] anything in My name,(w) I will do it. [g](x)
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