2 Samuel 15:19-29

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gitti, "You too? Why are you going with us? Go back, and stay with your king, since you are both a foreigner and in exile from your own place.

20 You arrived only yesterday; should I ask you to wander around with us? There's no telling where I may go. Return, and take your kinsmen back with you. Grace and truth be with you."

21 But Ittai answered the king, "As ADONAI lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there too."

22 "Go, move along," said David to Ittai; and Ittai the Gitti moved on, accompanied by all his men and the little ones with him.

23 The whole country wept and wailed as all the people left. When the king crossed Vadi Kidron, all the people crossed, too, heading toward the desert road.

24 Tzadok also came, accompanied by all the L'vi'im bearing the ark for the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, but Evyatar went up until all the people had finished leaving the city.

25 The king said to Tzadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in ADONAI's sight, he will bring me back and show me both it and the place where it is kept.

26 But if he says, 'I am displeased with you,' then - here I am; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."

27 The king then said to Tzadok the cohen, "Do you see? Return to the city in peace, your two sons with you - Achima'atz your own son and Y'honatan the son of Evyatar.

28 I will wait on the desert plains until a message with new information comes from you."

29 So Tzadok and Evyatar carried the ark of God back to Yerushalayim and stayed there.

2 Samuel 15:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 15

This chapter relates how that Absalom by various artful methods stole away the hearts of the people of Israel, 2Sa 15:1-6; that pretending a vow he had made, he got leave of the king to go to Hebron to perform it, 2Sa 15:7-9; where he formed a considerable conspiracy, 2Sa 15:10-12; of which David having information, thought it advisable to depart from Jerusalem, both for his own safety, and the good of the city, which he did with his family, and guards, and much people, 2Sa 15:13-18; though he would have persuaded Ittai the Gittite to have returned, but could not prevail upon him, 2Sa 15:19-23; however, he sent back the priests and the Levites with the ark, lest any harm should come to that, 2Sa 15:24-29; and as he and the people went up the mount of Olives weeping, it was told him that Ahithophel was among the conspirators, on which he put up a prayer that his counsel might be infatuated, 2Sa 15:30,31; and Hushai the Archite coming to him at that juncture, he sent him back to Jerusalem to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, and to send him word by the priests what he should hear there from time to time, 2Sa 15:32-37.