Then 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.

2 SAMUEL 15:19KJV
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2 Samuel 15:19 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 15:19 mean?

2 Samuel 15:19 shows King David telling Ittai the Gittite not to follow him as he flees Jerusalem, but instead to return and stay with the new king, since Ittai is a foreigner and an exile. David is giving Ittai a way out, recognizing that Ittai does not owe him loyalty in this difficult moment.

In this verse, David is speaking to Ittai, a leader from Gath who had recently joined David’s group. The situation is tense: David is escaping from his son Absalom, who has taken over Jerusalem. David’s words highlight both Ittai’s outsider status and the hardship of exile, showing David’s concern for Ittai’s well-being and his fairness in not demanding loyalty from someone with no obligation.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 15:19

  • "stranger" (נָכְרִי, nokhri): This word means a foreigner or someone from outside Israel. David is acknowledging that Ittai is not an Israelite by birth, which makes his loyalty even more striking.
  • "exile" (גָּלָה, galah): This word refers to someone who has been driven out or banished from their homeland. David recognizes Ittai’s own experience of displacement, which adds depth to his offer for Ittai to stay behind.

Why 2 Samuel 15:19 matters

  • This verse clears up that David is not forcing loyalty or service from those who are not bound to him by nationality or long-standing ties, showing his respect for personal choice.
  • The mention of Ittai as both a "stranger" and "exile" highlights the diverse makeup of David’s followers and the hardships faced by those who align themselves with him.
  • This moment sets up Ittai’s later loyalty, which becomes even more meaningful when he chooses to stay with David despite having every reason to leave.

Where else these words appear

“Ittai” Hebrew H863 · used in 8 verses

  • 2 Samuel 15:21 And 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.
  • 2 Samuel 18:2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
  • 2 Samuel 18:12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

“Gittite” Hebrew H1663 · used in 10 verses

  • Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
  • 2 Samuel 15:18 And 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.
  • 2 Samuel 21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

“stranger” Hebrew H5237 · used in 45 verses

  • Genesis 31:15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
  • 1 Kings 11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
  • Proverbs 5:10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;