2 Samuel 15 · Verse 31

2 Samuel 15:31

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.
2 Samuel 15:31, King James Version

2 Samuel 15:31 in other translations

BSBNow someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
WEBSomeone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
ASVAnd one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
YLTand David declared, saying, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom;' and David saith, ‘Make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.'
DARBYAnd one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
BBEAnd word came to David, saying, Ahithophel is among those who are joined to Absalom. And David said, O Lord, let the wisdom of Ahithophel be made foolish.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does 2 Samuel 15:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
31. David said, Turn, O Lord, ... the counsel of Ahithophel--this senator being the mainstay of the conspiracy.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness - Ahithophel was a wise man, and well versed in state affairs; and God alone could confound his devices.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 15:31-37
David prays not against Ahithophel's person, but against his counsel. He prayed this, in firm belief that God has all hearts in his hand, and tongues also. But we must second our prayers with endeavours, and David did so, else we tempt God. But we do not find wisdom and simplicity so united in any mere man, that we can perceive nothing which needs forgiveness. Yet, when the Son of David was treated with all possible treachery and cruelty, his wisdom, meekness, candour, and patience, were perfect. Him let us follow, cleave to, and serve, in life and in death.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 15:31 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְדָוִד֙ve.da.Vidand DavidH1732
הִגִּ֣ידhi.Gidsomeone toldH5046
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
אֲחִיתֹ֥פֶל'a.chi.To.felAhithophelH302
בַּקֹּשְׁרִ֖יםba.ko.she.Rim[is] among the conspiratorsH7194
עִם\־'im-withH5973
אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם'av.sha.LomAbsalomH53
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
דָּוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732
סַכֶּל\־sa.kel-make foolishH5528
נָ֛אna'pleaseH4994
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֲצַ֥ת'a.Tzat[the] counsel ofH6098
אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל'a.chi.To.felAhithophelH302
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehO YahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 15:31

  • 2 Samuel 17:14

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 17:23

    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.

  • Psalms 41:9

    Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

  • James 3:15

    This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

  • Job 5:12

    He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:20

    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?

  • 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

    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. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

  • Isaiah 19:11-25

    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? Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. …

  • Job 12:16-20

    With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. …

  • 2 Samuel 15:12

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 16:23

    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.

  • Psalms 3:1

    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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ahithophel.
12; Ps 3:1; 41:9; 55:12,14; Mt 26:14,15; Joh 13:18
O Lord.
Ps 55:15; 109:3
turn the counsel.
16:23; 17:14,23; Job 5:12; 12:16-20; Isa 19:3,11-25; Jer 8:8,9
1Co 1:20; 3:18-20; Jas 3:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 15:30

    And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

  • 2 Samuel 15:31

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 15:32

    And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:

Read all of 2 Samuel 15

2 Samuel 15:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dieron aviso á David, diciendo: Achitophel está entre los que conspiraron con Absalom. Entonces dijo David: Entontece ahora, oh Jehová, el consejo de Achitophel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et on rapporta à David, en disant: Akhitophel est parmi les conjurés avec Absalom. Et David dit: Éternel! je te prie, rends vain le conseil d’Akhitophel.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und man berichtete David und sprach: Ahitophel ist unter den Verschworenen mit Absalom. Da sprach David: Betöre doch den Rat Ahitophels, Jehova!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Nuntiatum est autem David quod et Achitophel esset in conjuratione cum Absalom: dixitque David: Infatua, quæso, Domine, consilium Achitophel.