¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice^(A) of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.”^(B) For the Lord had determined to frustrate^(C) the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster^(D) on Absalom.^(E)

³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’^(A) then you can help me by frustrating^(B) Ahithophel’s advice.

⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world^(A) are more shrewd^(B) in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.^(C)

³¹ Now David had been told, “Ahithophel^(A) is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(A) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[a];^(B)

¹⁹ For it is written:

²⁰ Where is the wise person?^(B) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?^(C) Has not God made foolish^(D) the wisdom of the world?

²³ Now in those days the advice^(A) Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David^(B) and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.