Discovery Box2 Samuel 15:13-20 
Context15:13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” 1 15:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, 2 “Come on! 3 Let’s escape! 4 Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring 5 disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.” 6 15:15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.” 7
15:16 So the king and all the members of his royal court 8 set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines 9 to attend to the palace. 15:17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing 10 at a spot 11 some distance away. 15:18 All his servants were leaving with him, 12 along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites – some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with 13 the king.
15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new 14 king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. 15 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 16 with you. May genuine loyal love 17 protect 18 you!”
1 tn Heb “the heart of the men of Israel is with Absalom.”
2 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
3 tn Heb “Arise!”
4 tn Heb “let’s flee.”
5 tn Heb “thrust.”
6 tn Heb “and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
7 tn Heb “according to all that my lord the king will choose, behold your servants!”
8 tn Heb “and all his house.”
9 tn Heb “women, concubines.”
10 tn Heb “and they stood.”
11 tn Heb “house.”
12 tn Heb “crossing over near his hand.”
13 tn Heb “crossing over near the face of.”
14 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.
15 tn Heb “place.”
16 tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.
17 tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.
18 tn Heb “be with.”
