Etsah עֵצָה

Etsah (Hebrew עֵצָה, Strong's H6098) is a Hebrew feminine noun meaning “counsel”. It occurs 89 times in 85 verses of the Old Testament.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Hebrew (based on the abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Topics

• Counsel
• Guidance
• Purpose
• Sovereignty of God

Verses

Every verse with Etsah, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy 32:28
  For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.Israel is a nation devoid of counsel, with no understanding among them.

Judges

• Judges 20:7
  Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 15:31
  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.Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
• 2 Samuel 15:34
  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.But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
• 2 Samuel 16:20
  Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”
• 2 Samuel 16:23
  And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
• 2 Samuel 17:7
  And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”
• 2 Samuel 17:14
  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 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
• 2 Samuel 17:23
  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.When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

1 Kings

• 1 Kings 1:12
  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.Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
• 1 Kings 12:8
  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:But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
• 1 Kings 12:13
  And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;And the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders
• 1 Kings 12:14
  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.and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”

2 Kings

• 2 Kings 18:20
  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?You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?

1 Chronicles

• 1 Chronicles 12:19
  And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”)

2 Chronicles

• 2 Chronicles 10:8
  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.But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
• 2 Chronicles 10:13
  And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders
• 2 Chronicles 10:14
  And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
• 2 Chronicles 22:5
  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 Ramoth–gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.Ahaziah also followed their counsel and went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram;
• 2 Chronicles 25:16
  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.While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”

Ezra

• Ezra 4:5
  And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• Ezra 10:3
  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.So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.
• Ezra 10:8
  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.Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 4:15
  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.When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

Job

• Job 5:13
  He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
• Job 10:3
  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?Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?
• Job 12:13
  With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
• Job 18:7
  The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.His vigorous stride is shortened, and his own schemes trip him up.
• Job 21:16
  Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
• Job 22:18
  Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
• Job 29:21
  Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
• Job 38:2
  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?
• Job 42:3
  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.You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

Psalms

• Psalm 1:1
  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.Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
• Psalm 13:2
  How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?
• Psalm 14:6
  Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.
• Psalm 20:4
  Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
• Psalm 33:10
  The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
• Psalm 33:11
  The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
• Psalm 73:24
  Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory.
• Psalm 106:13
  They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:Yet they soon forgot His works and failed to wait for His counsel.
• Psalm 106:43
  Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity.
• Psalm 107:11
  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
• Psalm 119:24
  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors.

Proverbs

• Proverbs 1:25
  But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
• Proverbs 1:30
  They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
• Proverbs 8:14
  Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
• Proverbs 12:15
  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.
• Proverbs 19:20
  Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.
• Proverbs 19:21
  There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
• Proverbs 20:5
  Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
• Proverbs 20:18
  Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
• Proverbs 21:30
  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
• Proverbs 27:9
  Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.

Isaiah

• Isaiah 5:19
  That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”
• Isaiah 8:10
  Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
• Isaiah 11:2
  And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
• Isaiah 14:26
  This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.This is the plan devised for the whole earth, and this is the hand stretched out over all the nations.
• Isaiah 16:3
  Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.“Give us counsel; render a decision. Shelter us at noonday with shade as dark as night. Hide the refugees; do not betray the one who flees.
• Isaiah 19:3
  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.Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists.
• Isaiah 19:11
  Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?
• Isaiah 19:17
  And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined against it.The land of Judah will bring terror to Egypt; whenever Judah is mentioned, Egypt will tremble over what the LORD of Hosts has planned against it.
• Isaiah 25:1
  O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.O LORD, You are my God! I will exalt You; I will praise Your name. For You have worked wonders— plans formed long ago— in perfect faithfulness.
• Isaiah 28:29
  This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
• Isaiah 29:15
  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
• Isaiah 30:1
  Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.
• Isaiah 36:5
  I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?
• Isaiah 40:13
  Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
• Isaiah 44:26
  That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
• Isaiah 46:10
  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
• Isaiah 46:11
  Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
• Isaiah 47:13
  Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you— your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate.

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 18:18
  Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”
• Jeremiah 18:23
  Yet, Lord, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.But You, O LORD, know all their deadly plots against me. Do not wipe out their guilt or blot out their sin from Your sight. Let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.
• Jeremiah 19:7
  And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.
• Jeremiah 32:19
  Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:the One great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all the ways of the sons of men, to reward each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.
• Jeremiah 49:7
  Concerning Edom, thus saith the Lord of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?Concerning Edom, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?
• Jeremiah 49:20
  Therefore hear the counsel of the Lord, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them.
• Jeremiah 49:30
  Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the Lord; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you.Run! Escape quickly! Lie low, O residents of Hazor,” declares the LORD, “for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has drawn up a plan against you; he has devised a strategy against you.
• Jeremiah 50:45
  Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Babylon and the strategies He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them.

Ezekiel

• Ezekiel 7:26
  Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.Disaster upon disaster will come, and rumor after rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but instruction from the priests will perish, as will counsel from the elders.
• Ezekiel 11:2
  Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city.

Hosea

• Hosea 10:6
  It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

Micah

• Micah 4:12
  But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD or understand His plan, for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

Zechariah

• Zechariah 6:13
  Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).