2 Samuel 15:19-23

15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new ¹  king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. ²  15:20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men ³  with you. May genuine loyal love ⁴  protect ⁵  you!”

15:21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, ⁶  there I ⁷  will be as well!” 15:22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.” ⁸  So Ittai the Gittite went along, ⁹  accompanied by all his men and all the dependents ¹⁰  who were with him.

15:23 All the land was weeping loudly ¹¹  as all these people were leaving. ¹²  As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving ¹³  on the road that leads to the desert.

[15:19]  ¹ tn The word “new” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to make it clear that David refers to Absalom, not himself.

[15:19]  ² tn Heb “place.”

[15:20]  ³ tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.

[15:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[15:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “be with.”

[15:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “whether for death or for life.”

[15:21]  ⁷ tn Heb “your servant.”

[15:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “Come and cross over.”

[15:22]  ⁹ tn Heb “crossed over.”

[15:22]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “all the little ones.”

[15:23]  ¹¹ tn Heb “with a great voice.”

[15:23]  ¹² tn Heb “crossing over.”

[15:23]  ¹³ tn Heb “crossing near the face of.”