Then Absalomand allthe menof Israelsaid,"The counselof Hushaithe Architeis betterthanthe counselof Ahithophel."For the LORDhad ordainedto thwartthe goodcounselof Ahithophel,sothat the LORDmight bringcalamityon Absalom.
He said,"Your nameshall nolongerbe Jacob,but Israel;for you have strivenwith Godand with menand have prevailed."
Now someone toldDavid,saying,"Ahithophelis among the conspiratorswith Absalom."And Davidsaid,"O LORD,I pray,makethe counselof Ahithophelfoolishness."
"But ifyou returnto the city,and sayto Absalom,'I will be your servant,O king;as I have beenyour father'sservantin timepast,so I will nowbe your servant,'then you can thwartthe counselof Ahithophelfor me.
The adviceof Ahithophel,whichhe gavein thosedays,[was] as ifone inquiredof the wordof God;sowas allthe adviceof Ahithophel[regarded] by bothDavidand Absalom.
So the kingdid not listento the people,for it was a turn[of events] from Godthat the LORDmight establishHis word,whichHe spokethroughAhijahthe Shiloniteto Jeroboamthe sonof Nebat.
But he forsookthe counselof the elderswhichthey had givenhim, and consultedwith the youngmenwhogrewup with him and servedhim.
As he was talkingwith him, the king saidto him, "Have we appointedyou a royalcounselor?Stop!Whyshould you be struckdown?"Then the prophetstoppedand said,"I knowthat Godhas plannedto destroyyou, becauseyou have donethisand have not listenedto my counsel."
But Amaziahwould not listen,for it was from God,that He might deliverthem into the hand[of Joash] becausethey had soughtthe godsof Edom.
Whenour enemiesheardthat it was knownto us, and that Godhad frustratedtheir plan,then allof us returnedto the wall,eachoneto his work.
"He makes counselorswalkbarefootAnd makesfoolsof judges.
The nationshave sunkdownin the pitwhich they have made;In the netwhichthey hid,their own foothas been caught.
The LORDhas madeHimself known;He has executedjudgment.In the workof his own handsthe wickedis snared.HiggaionSelah.
"But, indeed,for thisreasonI have allowed you to remain,in orderto showyou My powerand in orderto proclaimMy namethrough allthe earth.
Manyplansare in a man'sheart,But the counselof the LORDwill stand.
Thereis nowisdomand nounderstandingAnd nocounselagainstthe LORD.
"Devisea plan,but it will be thwarted;Statea proposal,but it will not stand,For Godis with us."
Whois therewho speaksand it comesto pass,Unlessthe Lordhas commanded[it]?
"Thoughthey hideon the summitof Carmel,I will searchthem out and takethem from there;And thoughthey concealthemselves from My sighton the floorof the sea,From thereI will commandthe serpentand it will bitethem.
"And his masterpraisedthe unrighteousmanagerbecausehe had actedshrewdly;for the sonsof thisageare more shrewdin relationto their ownkindthanthe sonsof light.
For the wisdomof thisworldis foolishnessbeforeGod.For it is written,"[He is] THE ONE WHO CATCHESTHE WISEIN THEIR CRAFTINESS";
"But Sihonkingof Heshbonwas not willingfor us to passthrough his land; for the LORDyour Godhardenedhis spiritand madehis heartobstinate,in orderto deliverhim into your hand,as [he is] today.
For it was of the LORDto hardentheir hearts,to meetIsraelin battlein orderthat he might utterlydestroythem, that they might receivenomercy,but that he might destroythem, justas the LORDhad commandedMoses.
