2 Samuel 15:19-23

The fidelity of Ittai

19. Ittai the Gittite A distinguished Philistine who had quite recently (2 Samuel 15:20) migrated from his home with his family and followers (2 Samuel 15:22) to enter David's service. From the fact that he shared the command of the army with Joab and Abishai (ch. 2 Samuel 18:2) it is clear that he must have been an experienced general.

return to thy place His new home in Jerusalem. This is the right rendering of the Hebrew text as it stands: but the order of the words is unusual, and both Sept. and Vulg. support a different reading: Return and dwell with the king; for thou art a stranger and also an exile from thy place.

with the king David's meaning is that Ittai need not involve himself in the revolutions of a foreign country, but might take service under Absalom or any other reigning king without breach of faith.

an exile We can only conjecture that Ittai had been compelled to leave his country in consequence of some revolution. If we may suppose this to have been the case, it gives additional delicacy to David's thought fulness in wishing to spare him the repetition of hardships he had but lately experienced.