Your old fears of foreign tax collectors and spies will be only a memory.

The people reply, "Who would have believed what we now report? Who could have seen the LORD's hand in this?

The scripture says, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the scholars."

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

Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God; both David and Absalom followed it.

Absalom and all the Israelites said, "Hushai's advice is better than Ahithophel's." The LORD had decided that Ahithophel's good advice would not be followed, so that disaster would come on Absalom.

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and went back to his hometown. After putting his affairs in order, he hanged himself. He was buried in the family grave.

He takes away the wisdom of rulers and makes leaders act like fools.

He silences those who are trusted, and takes the wisdom of old people away.

He makes their leaders foolish and lets them wander confused and lost;

I make fools of fortunetellers and frustrate the predictions of astrologers. The words of the wise I refute and show that their wisdom is foolishness.

They say they are wise, but they are fools;