2 Samuel 15:25
ESV
Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place.
NIV
Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.
NASB
And the king said to Zadok, 'Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation.
CSB
Then the king instructed Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place.
NLT
Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. 'If the Lord sees fit,' David said, 'he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.
KJV
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
NKJV
Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.
What does 2 Samuel 15:25 mean?
When the Israelites came into the Promised Land, God told them to erect the tabernacle at Shiloh and keep the ark of the covenant there (Joshua 18:1). The priest Eli's sons took the ark into battle where the Philistines stole it (1 Samuel 4:10–11). King Saul also took it into battle (1 Samuel 14:18). The Bible never says what God thought about this one way or the other, and it never says that David took it into battle.If David had thought this was a good idea, he would have seen this as a perfect time to bring the ark. His son, Absalom, has manipulated enough of Israel that David's kingship and life are in danger. David gathered servants and a military escort for an escape from Jerusalem as Absalom and his men approach. The priests Abiathar and Zadok want to come with him, with the ark and the Levites (2 Samuel 15:13–24). We're not told why, but it seems they want to make sure God is on David's side.
David stops them. He understands God doesn't need the ark to be physically near to save David from anything. The Lord's presence rests on the ark, but God's power is not limited by the ark's location. The Lord will save David if he finds favor in the Lord. God's power can easily bring him back to see the ark and God's dwelling place on earth if that's what God wants to do.
Further, if God isn't pleased with him, David accepts his fate (2 Samuel 15:26). He had a hand in creating this mess. He didn't punish his son Amnon after Amnon raped his sister Tamar. He neither punished nor forgave Absalom when Absalom avenged his sister and murdered Amnon (2 Samuel 13). Even more, he betrayed his friend and warrior Uriah by sleeping with his wife and murdering him. The entire situation is God's judgment on David (2 Samuel 12:10–11).
David has absolute confidence in God's power as well as a willingness to submit to God's plan, whether it benefits David or not. He will not try to force God's favor by taking the ark.
Also, by staying in the city, the priests and their sons can make excellent spies.
