'Counsel' in the Bible

Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

In the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim (Lights) and the Thummim (Perfections) [to be used for determining God’s will in a matter]. They shall be over Aaron’s heart whenever he goes before the Lord, and Aaron shall always carry the judgment (verdict, judicial decisions) of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord.

and, now, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee concerning that which this people doth to thy people, in the latter end of the days.'

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

And it hath come to pass, every one who seeth hath said, 'There hath not been -- yea, there hath not been seen like this, from the day of the coming up of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt till this day; set your heart upon it, take counsel, and speak.'

Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.

(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)

(In former time in Israel, when a man went to ask counsel of God, he said, Come and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was in former time called a Seer.)

And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.

And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

Now Ahithophel's advice that he provided at that time was being compared to one who inquired of God, so highly regarded was Ahithophel's counsel by both David and Absalom.

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?”

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it;

and by not seeking counsel from the LORD, who therefore put him to death and turned the kingdom over to Jesse's son David.

And of Manasseh there have fallen unto David in his coming with the Philistines against Israel to battle -- and they helped them not, for by counsel the princes of the Philistines sent him away, saying, 'With our heads he doth fall unto his master Saul.' --

Moreover the bronze altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of Yahweh: and Solomon and the assembly were seeking counsel there.

And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”

And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

and speaketh unto them according to the counsel of the lads, saying, 'My father made your yoke heavy, and I -- I add unto it; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- with scorpions.'

And he taketh counsel with the people, and appointeth singers to Jehovah, and those giving praise to the honour of holiness, in the going out before the armed men, and saying, 'Give ye thanks to Jehovah, for to the age is His kindness.'

He followed the example of Ahab's dynasty because his mother gave him evil counsel.

He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent word to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”

For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.

and are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, Some of thine iniquity.

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

Does a wise man answer with empty counselor fill himself with the hot east wind?

Of the secret counsel of God dost thou hear? And withdrawest thou unto thee wisdom?

The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

Abominate me do all the men of my counsel, And those I have loved, Have been turned against me.

Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

What counsel you provide to the fool! What insight you provide so abundantly!

As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.

The secret counsel of the Lordis for those who fear Him,and He reveals His covenant to them.

For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

I will instruct you and show you the way to go;with My eye on you, I will give counsel.

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

God is very terrible, In the secret counsel of His holy ones, And fearful over all surrounding Him.

They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the counsel of the elders.

Thy testimonies also are my delight, The men of my counsel!

To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel.

A wise man will hear and increase in learning,And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.

He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,