19 Then the king said to (A)Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you go with us too? Return and stay with [a]your king, since you are a foreigner and an exile as well; return to your own place. 20 You came only yesterday, so should I make you wander with us today, while (B)I go wherever I go? Return and take your brothers back; (C)mercy and [b]truth be with you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, (D)wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there assuredly shall your servant be!” 22 Then David said to Ittai, “Go and cross over the brook Kidron.” So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the [c]little ones who were with him. 23 While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people were crossing over. The king was also crossing over (E)the brook Kidron, and all the people were crossing over toward (F)the way of the wilderness.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:19 Lit the king
  2. 2 Samuel 15:20 Or faithfulness
  3. 2 Samuel 15:22 I.e., children; here, families of the men

19 Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, “Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile. 20 You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.[a]

21 But Ittai said to the king, “I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”

22 David replied, “All right, come with us.” So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.

23 Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.

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Footnotes

  1. 15:20 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads and may unfailing love and faithfulness go with you.