And, lo, Zadok also
The priest, as he is called, ( 2 Samuel 15:27 ) ;
and all the Levites [were] with him:
with Zadok, or with David, and indeed with both; but the former is rather meant here, being the immediate antecedent:
bearing the ark of the covenant of God:
these were the Kohathite Levites, whose business it was to bear the ark when carried from place to place, ( Numbers 3:31 ) ( 4:15 ) ( 7:9 ) ; called the ark of the covenant, because the law which was the covenant between God and the people, was put into it:
and they set down the ark of God:
from off their shoulders, on which they carried it:
and Abiathar went up;
who was the high priest, and whose business it was to attend the ark, and inquire before it, as occasion required; he went up very probably to the mount of Olives, later mentioned, ( 2 Samuel 15:30 ) :
until all the people had done passing out of the city;
for from the top of that mountain he could see the city of Jerusalem, and the people as they passed out of it, and observe when they were all come out, or however ceased coming, and so knew when it was a proper time to march forward.