The LORDnullifiesthe counselof the nations;He frustratesthe plansof the peoples.
So the LORDscatteredthem abroad from thereoverthe faceof the wholeearth;and they stoppedbuildingthe city.
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.
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.
The manof Godsent[word] to the kingof Israelsaying,"Bewarethat you do not passthisplace,for the Arameansare comingdownthere."
But we prayedto our God,and becauseof them we setup a guardagainstthem dayand night.
"Do not grant,O LORD,the desiresof the wicked;Do not promotehis [evil] device,[that] they [not] be exalted.Selah.
Thoughthey intendedevilagainstYou [And] deviseda plot,They will not succeed.
The nationshave sunkdownin the pitwhich they have made;In the netwhichthey hid,their own foothas been caught.
Thereis nowisdomand nounderstandingAnd nocounselagainstthe LORD.
"Then the spiritof the Egyptianswill be demoralizedwithinthem; And I will confoundtheir strategy,So that they will resortto idolsand ghostsof the deadAnd to mediumsand spiritists.
Shoutfor joy,O heavens,for the LORDhas done[it]! Shoutjoyfully,you lowerpartsof the earth;Breakforthinto a shoutof joy,you mountains,O forest,and everytreein it; For the LORDhas redeemedJacobAnd in IsraelHe showsforth His glory.
Causing the omensof boastersto fail,Makingfoolsout of diviners,Causing wisemento drawbackAnd turningtheir knowledgeinto foolishness,
"I will makevoidthe counselof Judahand Jerusalemin thisplace,and I will cause them to fallby the swordbeforetheir enemiesand by the handof those who seektheir life;and I will giveover their carcassesas foodfor the birdsof the skyand the beastsof the earth.
"What comesinto your mindwill not comeabout, whenyou say:'We will be like the nations,like the tribesof the lands,servingwoodand stone.'
ThoughEdomsays,"We have been beatendown,but we will returnand buildup the ruins";thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"They may build,but I will teardown;and [men] will callthem the wickedterritory,and the peopletoward whomthe LORDis indignantforever."
