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.
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.
2 tn Heb “place.”
3 tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.
4 tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.
5 tn Heb “be with.”
6 tn Heb “whether for death or for life.”
7 tn Heb “your servant.”
8 tn Heb “Come and cross over.”
9 tn Heb “crossed over.”
10 tn Heb “all the little ones.”