Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

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}

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

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

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

Who {is} he {that} saith, and it cometh to pass, {when} the Lord commandeth {it} not?

{There is} no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

And {one} told David, saying, Ahithophel {is} among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

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

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

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

{For the Son of man is} as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

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

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he {was} a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.