2 Samuel 15:31

31 When David was told that Ahithophel had joined Absalom's rebellion, he prayed, "Please, Lord, turn Ahithophel's advice into nonsense!"

2 Samuel 15:31 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:31

And [one] told David
That came either from Hebron or from Jerusalem:

Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom;
Absalom sent for him, and it seems he came to him, and continued with him, see ( 2 Samuel 15:12 ) ;

and David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel
into foolishness;
either suffer him to give foolish counsel, or confound the schemes projected by him, and let them not be carried into execution; for God can, and sometimes does, disappoint crafty counsellors, that they cannot perform what they devise, but they are taken in their own craftiness, and their counsel is carried headlong, ( Job 5:12 Job 5:13 ) ; this prayer was answered, ( 2 Samuel 17:14 2 Samuel 17:23 ) .

2 Samuel 15:31 In-Context

29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the Covenant Box back into Jerusalem and stayed there.

30 David went on up the Mount of Olives crying; he was barefoot and had his head covered as a sign of grief. All who followed him covered their heads and cried also.

31 When David was told that Ahithophel had joined Absalom's rebellion, he prayed, "Please, Lord, turn Ahithophel's advice into nonsense!"

32 When David reached the top of the hill, where there was a place of worship, his trusted friend Hushai the Archite met him with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head.

33 David said to him, "You will be of no help to me if you come with me,

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] was told; [Hebrew] told.