The people of Egypt will lose hope. I will keep them from doing what they plan to do. They will ask their gods for advice. They will turn to the spirits of dead people for help. They will go to people who get messages from those who have died. They will ask for advice from people who talk to the spirits of the dead.

埃及人的心神必在里面耗尽；我必败坏他们的谋略。他们必求问偶像和念咒的、交鬼的、行巫术的。

埃及人的心神在里面耗尽，我要破坏他们的计谋。他们必求问偶像和念咒的，求问招魂的与行巫术的人。

埃及人的心神在里面耗尽，我要破坏他们的计谋。他们必求问偶像和念咒的，求问招魂的与行巫术的人。

埃及人必灰心丧志，我必破坏他们的计谋。他们必求问偶像、巫师、灵媒和术士。

埃及人的意志必消沉，我要破坏他们的计谋；他们必求问偶像、念咒的、交鬼的和行巫术的。

埃及人必失魂落魄；我要使他们的计划混乱。他们必求问偶像、阴魂、招魂的和通灵的；

埃及人的心神必在裏面耗盡；我必敗壞他們的謀略。他們必求問偶像和念咒的、交鬼的、行巫術的。

埃及人的心神在裏面耗盡，我要破壞他們的計謀。他們必求問偶像和念咒的，求問招魂的與行巫術的人。

埃及人的心神在裏面耗盡，我要破壞他們的計謀。他們必求問偶像和念咒的，求問招魂的與行巫術的人。

埃及人必灰心喪志，我必破壞他們的計謀。他們必求問偶像、巫師、靈媒和術士。

埃及人的意志必消沉，我要破壞他們的計謀；他們必求問偶像、念咒的、交鬼的和行巫術的。

埃及人心裏都很狼狽徬徨；我必混亂他們的計謀；他們必求問神明和念念有詞的、交鬼的和行巫術的。

埃及人必失魂落魄；我要使他們的計劃混亂。他們必求問偶像、陰魂、招魂的和通靈的；

埃及人心志衰頹、其謀為我所敗、必詢於偶像、與持呪者、巫覡及術士、

伊及人必失慧於心、其謀為我所敗、必問於偶像、念咒者、交鬼者、占卜者、

The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.

and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers;

The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will confuse their plans. They will plead with their idols for wisdom and call on spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead.

Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it, and I will frustrate its plans. Then they will inquire of worthless idols, ghosts, mediums, and spiritists.

Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confuse their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead, And to mediums and spiritists.

The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers.

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

Egypt’s spirit will be disturbed within it, and I will frustrate its plans. Then they will seek idols, ghosts, spirits of the dead, and spiritists.

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.

The spirit of Egypt will fail within it. I will destroy its counsel. They will seek the idols, the charmers, those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards.

There are people who get messages from those who have died. But these people only whisper words that are barely heard. Suppose someone tells you to ask for advice from these people. Shouldn’t you ask for advice from your God instead? Why should you get advice from dead people to help those who are alive?

So the king sent for those who claimed to get knowledge by using magic. He also sent for those who practiced evil magic and those who studied the heavens. He wanted them to tell him what he had dreamed. They came in and stood in front of the king.

Saul died because he wasn’t faithful to the Lord. He didn’t obey the word of the Lord. He even asked for advice from a person who gets messages from people who have died.

Here is a prophecy against Egypt that the Lord gave me. The Lord is coming to Egypt. He’s riding on a cloud that moves very fast. The statues of the gods in Egypt tremble with fear because of him. The hearts of the people there melt with fear.

Why are your soldiers lying on the ground? They can’t stand, because I bring them down.

Will you be brave on the day I deal with you? Will you be strong at that time? I have spoken. I will do this. I am the Lord.

He stops the evil plans of those who are clever. The work of their hands doesn’t succeed.Some people think they are so wise. But God catches them in their own tricks. He sweeps away the evil plans of sinful people.

“ So keep on casting your magic spells. Keep on practicing your evil magic. You have been doing those things ever since you were a child. Perhaps they will help you. Maybe they will scare your enemies away.

So I commanded that all the wise men in Babylon be brought to me. I wanted them to tell me what my dream meant.Those who try to figure things out by using magic came. So did those who study the heavens. I told all of them what I had dreamed. But they couldn’t tell me what it meant.

David had been told,“ Ahithophel, along with Absalom, is one of the people making secret plans against you.” So David prayed,“ Lord, make Ahithophel’s advice look foolish.”

They were unsteady like people who have become drunk. They didn’t know what to do.

The Lord who rules over all has planned it. Who can stop him? He has reached out his powerful hand. Who can keep him from using it?

He breaks the proud spirit of rulers. The kings of the earth have respect for him.

I will not find fault with my people forever. I will not always be angry with them. If I were, I would cause their spirits to grow weak. The people I created would faint away.

The king sent for those who try to figure things out by using magic. He also sent for those who study the heavens. All of them were wise men in Babylon. Then the king spoke to them. He said,“ I want one of you to read this writing. I want you to tell me what it means. Whoever does this will be dressed in purple clothes. A gold chain will be put around his neck. And he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

“ Some prophets are not really prophets at all. I show that their signs are fake. I make those who practice evil magic look foolish. I destroy the learning of those who think they are wise. Their knowledge does not make any sense at all.

The people of Dibon go up to their temple to worship. They go to their high places to weep. The people of Moab cry over the cities of Nebo and Medeba. All their heads are shaved. All their beards have been cut off.

Absalom and all the men of Israel agreed. They said,“ The advice of Hushai, the Arkite, is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” The Lord had decided that Ahithophel’s good advice would fail. The Lord wanted to bring horrible trouble on Absalom.

The officials of the city of Zoan are very foolish. Pharaoh’s wise men give advice that doesn’t make any sense. How can they dare to say to Pharaoh,“ We’re among the wise men”? How can they say to him,“ We’re like the advisers to the kings of long ago”?Pharaoh, where are your wise men now? Let them tell you what the Lord who rules over all has planned against Egypt.The officials of Zoan have become foolish. The leaders of Memphis have been lied to. The most important leaders in Egypt have led its people astray.

They will ask you,‘ Why are you groaning?’ Then you will say,‘ Because of the news that is coming. The hearts of all the people will melt away in fear. Their hands will not be able to help them. Their spirits will grow weak. And they will be so afraid they’ll wet themselves.’ The news is coming! You can be sure those things will happen,” announces the Lord and King.

No wisdom, wise saying or plan can succeed against the Lord.

The next morning Nabal wasn’t drunk anymore. Then his wife told him everything. When she did, his heart grew weak. He became like a stone.

Ahithophel saw that his advice wasn’t being followed. So he put a saddle on his donkey. He started out for his house in his hometown. When he arrived, he made everything ready for his death. He made out his will. Then he killed himself. And so he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

While the prophet was still speaking, the king spoke to him. He said,“ Did I ask you for advice? Stop! If you don’t, you will be struck down.” So the prophet stopped. But then he said,“ I know that God has decided to destroy you. That’s because you have worshiped other gods. You haven’t listened to my advice.”Amaziah, the king of Judah, spoke to his advisers. Then he sent a message to Jehoash, the king of Israel. Jehoash was the son of Jehoahaz. Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu. Amaziah dared Jehoash,“ Come on! Let us face each other in battle!”But Jehoash, the king of Israel, answered Amaziah, the king of Judah. Jehoash said,“ A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. The thorn bush said,‘ Give your daughter to be married to my son.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It crushed the thorn bush by walking on it.You brag that you have won the battle over Edom. You are very proud. But stay home! Why ask for trouble? Why bring yourself crashing down? Why bring Judah down with you?”But Amaziah wouldn’t listen. That’s because God had planned to hand Judah over to Jehoash. After all, they had asked the gods of Edom for advice.

The wisdom of this world is foolish in God’s eyes. It is written,“ God catches wise people in their own evil plans.”( Job 5:13)It is also written,“ The Lord knows that the thoughts of wise people don’t amount to anything.”( Psalm 94:11)