The adviceof Ahithophel,whichhe gavein thosedays,[was] as ifone inquiredof the wordof God;sowas allthe adviceof Ahithophel[regarded] by bothDavidand Absalom.
And Absalomsentfor Ahithophelthe Gilonite,David'scounselor,from his cityGiloh,while he was offeringthe sacrifices.And the conspiracywas strong,for the peopleincreasedcontinuallywith Absalom.
Now someone toldDavid,saying,"Ahithophelis among the conspiratorswith Absalom."And Davidsaid,"O LORD,I pray,makethe counselof Ahithophelfoolishness."
Furthermore, Ahithophelsaidto Absalom,"Pleaselet me choose12000menthat I may ariseand pursueDavidtonight.
Then Absalomand allthe menof Israelsaid,"The counselof Hushaithe Architeis betterthanthe counselof Ahithophel."For the LORDhad ordainedto thwartthe goodcounselof Ahithophel,sothat the LORDmight bringcalamityon Absalom.
Now whenAhithophelsawthat his counselwas not followed,he saddled[his] donkeyand aroseand wentto his home,to his city,and sethis housein order,and strangledhimself; thus he diedand was buriedin the graveof his father.
"And to manHe said,'Behold,the fearof the Lord,that is wisdom;And to departfrom evilis understanding.'"
"He frustratesthe plottingof the shrewd,So that their handscannotattainsuccess.
The lawof the LORDis perfect,restoringthe soul;The testimonyof the LORDis sure,makingwisethe simple.
Hearthe voiceof my supplicationswhen I cryto You for help,When I liftup my handstowardYour holysanctuary.
Deadfliesmake a perfumer'soilstink,so a littlefoolishnessis weightierthanwisdom[and] honor.
"For My peopleare foolish,They knowMe not; They are stupidchildrenAnd havenounderstanding.They are shrewdto doevil,But to dogoodthey do not know."
"The wisemenare putto shame,They are dismayedand caught;Behold,they have rejectedthe wordof the LORD,And whatkind of wisdomdo they have?
"Moreover, he shall standbeforeEleazarthe priest,who shall inquirefor him by the judgmentof the Urimbeforethe LORD.At his commandthey shall goout and at his commandthey shall comein, [both] he and the sonsof Israelwith him, even allthe congregation."
At that timeJesussaid,"I praiseYou, Father,Lordof heavenand earth,that You have hiddenthese thingsfrom [the] wiseand intelligentand have revealedthem to infants.
"And his masterpraisedthe unrighteousmanagerbecausehe had actedshrewdly;for the sonsof thisageare more shrewdin relationto their ownkindthanthe sonsof light.
Professingto be wise,they became fools,
Whoeverspeaks,[is to do so] as onewho is speakingthe utterancesof God;whoeverserves[is to do] [so] as onewho is servingby the strengthwhichGodsupplies;sothat in all thingsGodmay be glorifiedthroughJesusChrist,to whombelongsthe gloryand dominionforeverand ever.Amen.
Davidinquiredof the LORD,saying,"Shall I pursuethisband?Shall I overtakethem?" And He saidto him, "Pursue,for you will surelyovertakethem, and you will surelyrescue[all]."
