And now, I am about to go<n id="1" /> back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, &#8220;Invade<n id="1" /> at such and such<n id="2" /> a place.&#8221;

The lot for the east gate went to Shelemiah.<n id="1" /> They then cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise adviser, and the lot for the north gate went to him.

<p class="bodytext">Jonathan, David&#8217;s uncle, was a wise adviser and scribe;<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">Jehiel son of Hacmoni cared for<n id="2" /> the king&#8217;s sons.p>

He met<n id="1" /> with the people and appointed musicians to play before the <sc>Lordsc> and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: &#8220;Give thanks to the <sc>Lordsc>, for his loyal love endures.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

He did evil in the sight of<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> like Ahab&#8217;s dynasty because, after his father&#8217;s death, they<n id="2" /> gave him advice that led to his destruction.

<p class="bodytext">After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers,<n id="1" /> he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, &#8220;Come, face me on the battlefield.&#8221;<n id="2" />

They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time<n id="1" /> of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius<n id="2" /> of Persia.<n id="3" />p>

and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God &#8211; items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed.

You have also established prophets to announce<n id="1" /> in Jerusalem<n id="2" /> on your behalf, &#8216;We have a king in Judah!&#8217; Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let&#8217;s talk about this.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,p> <p class="poetry">wise advisers as in earlier days.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then you will be called, &#8216;The Just City,p> <p class="poetry">Faithful Town.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<n id="1" /><p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies makes this solemn vow:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Be sure of this:p> <p class="poetry">Just as I have intended, so it will be;p> <p class="poetry">just as I have planned, it will happen.p>

<p class="poetry">But where, oh where, are your wise men?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Let them tell you, let them find outp> <p class="poetry">what the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies has planned for Egypt.p>

<p class="poetry">A deceiver&#8217;s methods are evil;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he dreams up evil plans<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">to ruin the poor with lies,p> <p class="poetry">even when the needy are in the right.<n id="3" />p>

Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, &#8220;If I answer you, you will certainly kill me.<n id="1" /> If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.&#8221;

The <sc>Lordsc><n id="1" /> said to me, &#8220;Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city.

<p class="poetry">Jerusalem, why are you<n id="1" /> now shouting so loudly?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Has your king disappeared?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Has your wise leader<n id="4" /> been destroyed?p> <p class="poetry">Is this why<n id="5" /> pain grips<n id="6" /> you as if you were a woman in labor?p>

While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David&#8217;s adviser,<n id="1" /> to come from his city, Giloh.<n id="2" /> The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.p>

<p class="bodytext">In those days Ahithophel&#8217;s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation.<n id="1" /> Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.<n id="2" />p>

My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba &#8211; in number like the sand by the sea! &#8211; be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.