2 Samuel 15:14-28
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 15
14So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, 'Arise and let’s flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go quickly, or he will hurry and overtake us, and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.' 15Then the king’s servants said to the king, 'Behold, your servants will do whatever my lord the king chooses.' 16So the king left, and all his household with him; but the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house. 17The king left, and all the people with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed by before the king.
19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'Why should you go with us too? Return and stay with your king, since you are a foreigner and an exile as well; return to your own place.
20You came only yesterday, so should I make you wander with us today, while I go wherever I go? Return and take your brothers back; mercy and truth be with you.'
21But Ittai answered the king and said, 'As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there assuredly shall your servant be!'
22Then David said to Ittai, 'Go and cross over the brook Kidron.' So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
23While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people were crossing over. The king was also crossing over the brook Kidron, and all the people were crossing over toward the way of the wilderness.
24Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.
25And 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.
26But if He says this: ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.'
27The king also said to Zadok the priest, 'Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28See, I am going to wait at the river crossing places of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.'
King James Version
Chapter 15
14And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. 15And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. 16And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. 17And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off. 18And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. 19Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. 20Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. 21And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. 22And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. 23And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
24And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
25And 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:
26But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
27The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
Christian Standard Bible
15The king's servants said to the king, "Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants."
16Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
17So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house
18while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath-- six hundred men who came with him from there--marched past the king.
19The king said to Ittai of Gath, "Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you're both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.
20Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness."
22"March on," David replied to Ittai. So Ittai of Gath marched past with all his men and the dependents who were with him.
23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching out of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the wilderness.
24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had finished marching past.
25Then 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.
26However, if he should say, 'I do not delight in you,' then here I am--he can do with me whatever pleases him."
New Living Translation
16So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.
17The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house
18to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.
19Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, 'Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile.
20You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness. '
English Standard Version
Chapter 15
14Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” 16So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.
18And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home.
20You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.”
21But Ittai answered the king, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”
22And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
23And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.
24And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city.
25Then 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.
26But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”
27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
New International Version
16The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.
17So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.
18All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.
20You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness.'
