Formation Journal Reading Plan

7:1 Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.

7:2 The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.

7:3 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.

7:4 The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.

7:5 Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!

7:6 For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

7:7 But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

7:8 Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.

7:9 I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light. I will see his righteousness.

7:10 Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God? Then my enemy will see me and will cover her shame. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.

7:11 A day to build your walls—In that day, he will extend your boundary.

7:12 In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.

7:13 Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

7:14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest, in the midst of fertile pasture land, let them feed; in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

7:15 “As in the days of your coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.”

7:16 The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.

7:17 They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.

7:18 Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.

7:19 He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

7:20 You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

1:1 An oracle about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

1:2 Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges. Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath. Yahweh takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath against his enemies.

1:3 Yahweh is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. Yahweh has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

1:4 He rebukes the sea, and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan languishes, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languishes.

1:5 The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, yes, the world, and all who dwell in it.

1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the fierceness of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken apart by him.

1:7 Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.

1:8 But with an overflowing flood, he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

1:9 What do you plot against Yahweh? He will make a full end. Affliction won’t rise up the second time.

1:10 For entangled like thorns, and drunken as with their drink, they are consumed utterly like dry stubble.

1:11 There is one gone forth out of you, who devises evil against Yahweh, who counsels wickedness.

1:12 Thus says Yahweh: “Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so they will be cut down, and he shall pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

1:13 Now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds apart.”

1:14 Yahweh has commanded concerning you: “No more descendants will bear your name. Out of the house of your gods, will I cut off the engraved image and the molten image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

1:15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off.

22:17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.

22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

22:19 That your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach you today, even you.

22:20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

22:21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

22:22 Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

22:23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

22:24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man, and don’t associate with one who harbors anger:

22:25 lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.

22:26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

22:27 If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

22:28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.

22:29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.

10:1 I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

10:2 He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land.

10:3 He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.

10:4 When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”

10:5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky,

10:6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there will no longer be delay,

10:7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants, the prophets.

10:8 The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”

10:9 I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. He said to me, “Take it, and eat it up. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”

10:10 I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.

10:11 They told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”