2 Samuel 15:31

31 And it was told David, "Ahith'ophel is among the conspirators with Ab'salom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahith'ophel into foolishness."

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 Abi'athar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they remained there.
30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered; and all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.
31 And it was told David, "Ahith'ophel is among the conspirators with Ab'salom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahith'ophel into foolishness."
32 When David came to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent and earth upon his head.
33 David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.