And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite {is} better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. {appointed: Heb. commanded}

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled {his} ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. {followed: Heb. done} {put his...: Heb. gave charge concerning his house}

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up {his} heel against me. {mine...: Heb. the man of my peace} {lifted...: Heb. magnified}

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but {is} earthly, sensual, devilish. {sensual: or, natural}

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform {their} enterprise. {their enterprise: or, any thing}

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, {even} from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Where {is} the wise? where {is} the scribe? where {is} the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Surely the princes of Zoan {are} fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I {am} the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, {was} as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so {was} all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. {oracle: Heb. word}

With him {is} strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver {are} his.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

How do ye say, We {are} wise, and the law of the LORD {is} with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he {it}; the pen of the scribes {is} in vain. {in vain made...: or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood}

[A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.] LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many {are} they that rise up against me.

They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. {fail: Heb. be emptied} {destroy: Heb. swallow up}

For {it was} not an enemy {that} reproached me; then I could have borne {it}: neither {was it} he that hated me {that} did magnify {himself} against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

We took sweet counsel together, {and} walked unto the house of God in company. {We...: Heb. Who sweetened counsel}

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. {bringeth: Heb. maketh frustrate}

Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God {is} with us.

That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise {men} backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; {lest} they exalt themselves. Selah. {lest...: or, let them not be exalted}

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, {even} from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, {That} which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.

Surely men of low degree {are} vanity, {and} men of high degree {are} a lie: to be laid in the balance, they {are} altogether {lighter} than vanity. {altogether: or, alike}

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite {is} better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. {appointed: Heb. commanded}

Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. {Destroy...: or, Make them guilty} {by...: or, from their counsels}

Where {is} the wise? where {is} the scribe? where {is} the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled {his} ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. {followed: Heb. done} {put his...: Heb. gave charge concerning his house}

And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. {with...: or, for the tongue}

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. {ungodly: or, unmerciful} {the deceitful...: Heb. a man of deceit and iniquity}

Destroy, O Lord, {and} divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

For my love they are my adversaries: but I {give myself unto} prayer.

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. {fail: Heb. be emptied} {destroy: Heb. swallow up}

Behold, {is it} not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? {for...: or, in vain?}

And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but {is} earthly, sensual, devilish. {sensual: or, natural}

A sword {is} upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword {is} upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed. {liars: or, chief stays: Heb. bars}

For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt {them}.

The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.