9 Bible Verses about Advice, Bad Human Advice
Most Relevant Verses
Moses asked them: Have you spared all the women? Look, these women caused the Israelites, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor. Thus the congregation of Jehovah experienced the plague.
Someone told David: Ahithophel is helping Absalom conspire against you! David said: Please Jehovah keep Ahithophel's plans from working! David reached the top of the Mount of Olives. He met Hushai the Archite at a place of worship. Hushai's robe was torn, and dust was on his head. David told him: You might slow me down if you come with me.read more.
Go back into the city and tell Absalom: Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you just as I served your father in the past. Hushai, if you do that you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans.
Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said: Give us your advice! What should we do? Ahithophel answered: Some of your father's wives were left here to take care of the palace. You should have sex with them. Then everyone will find out that you have publicly disgraced your father. This will make you and your followers even more powerful. They pitched a tent for Absalom on the palace roof. There in the sight of everyone Absalom went in and had intercourse with his father's concubines.read more.
Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God. David and Absalom followed it.
Later Ahithophel said to Absalom: Let me choose twelve thousand men. Tonight I will set out after David. I will attack him while he is tired and discouraged. He will be frightened! All his men will run away. I will kill only the king. Then I will bring back all his men to you. It will be like a bride returning to her husband. Kill one man and the rest of the people return safely.read more.
This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders.
After asking for advice, the king made two golden calves. He said: You have been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.
The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools. The wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh: I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings?
Understanding is a wellspring of life to the man who has it. But the instruction of fools is folly.
The people fall where there is no counsel. Yes, the people fall but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
