2 Samuel 15:19
New International Version
The 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.

New Living Translation
Then 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.

English Standard Version
Then 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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.

New American Standard Bible
Then 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.

NASB 1995
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place.

NASB 1977
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place.

Amplified Bible
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you go with us, too? Go back and stay with the king [of your own country], for you are a foreigner and an exile as well; return to your own place.

Christian Standard Bible
The 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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “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.

American Standard Version
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile; return to thine own place.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The King said to Ati the Gittite: “Why do you go also with us? Stay behind from the King, because you are a foreigner, also you were surely brought forth from your country

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return, and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and thou has come forth as a sojourner out of thy place.

Contemporary English Version
David spoke to Ittai and said, "You're a foreigner from the town of Gath. You don't have to leave with us. Go back and join the new king!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said to Ethai the Gethite: Why comest thou with us? return and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and art come out of thy own place.

English Revised Version
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile; return to thine own place.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king asked Ittai from Gath, "Why should you go with us? Go back, and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.

Good News Translation
and the king said to Ittai, their leader, "Why are you going with us? Go back and stay with the new king. You are a foreigner, a refugee away from your own country.

International Standard Version
Then the king suggested to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you have to go with us? Return and stay with the new king, since you're a foreigner and exile. Stay where you want to stay.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite: 'Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile from thine own place.

Literal Standard Version
And the king says to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you go—you also—with us? Return and abide with the king, for you [are] a stranger, and also an exile, you—to your place.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.

New American Bible
the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you, too, are an exile from your own country.

NET Bible
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also coming with us? Go back, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile from your home.

New Heart English Bible
then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Why goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king; for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.

World English Bible
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner and also an exile. Return to your own place.

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith unto Ittai the Gittite, 'Why dost thou go -- thou also -- with us? turn back -- and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger, and also an exile thou -- to thy place.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Flees Jerusalem
18and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath. 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. 20In fact, you arrived only yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I do not know where I am going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness.”…

Cross References
2 Samuel 18:2
He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, "I will surely march out with you as well."

2 Samuel 15:20
In fact, you arrived only yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I do not know where I am going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness."


Treasury of Scripture

Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Why go you also with us? return to your place, and abide with the king: for you are a stranger, and also an exile.

Ittai

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.

Ruth 1:11-13
And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? …

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Abide Absalom Besides Country Dwellest Exile Far Foreigner Gittite Goest Ittai It'tai Stranger Wherefore
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Abide Absalom Besides Country Dwellest Exile Far Foreigner Gittite Goest Ittai It'tai Stranger Wherefore
2 Samuel 15
1. Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel.
7. By pretense of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron
10. He makes there a great conspiracy
13. David upon the news flees from Jerusalem
19. Ittai will leave him
24. Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark
30. David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping,
31. He curses Ahithophel's counsel
32. Hushai is sent back with instructions














(19) Ittai the Gittite.--The patronymic must here be understood literally, since David calls him "a stranger and also an exile;" he had but comparatively recently (2Samuel 15:20) attached himself to David's service, bringing with him his family and others of his countrymen. From the fact that David afterwards entrusted him with the command of a third of his forces, it is clear that he must have been an experienced general. It cannot be shown positively that he was a proselyte, although this is probable.

In the latter part of this verse the English has unnecessarily changed the order of the words. Read, "Return and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger and an exile at thy place," viz., at Jerusalem. David neither means to recognise Absalom as king, nor yet to speak of him ironically; he only means to tell Ittai that, as a foreigner, he need not concern himself in such a question, but is quite justified in serving the king de facto, whoever he may be. Ittai's answer may be compared with Ruth's (Ruth 1:16-17).

Verse 19. - Ittai the Gittite. Ittai was not one of the six hundred, though there was an Ittai among them, a Benjamite. He was a citizen of Gath, who had lately come ("yesterday," see ver. 20), with all his household of slaves and dependents, his clan, Hebrew, his taf - translated in ver. 22 his "little ones." He had evidently been a person of importance in his own country, whence he had been driven, perhaps by political troubles, and was now, therefore, an exile and a foreigner (Authorized Version, "stranger") at Jerusalem. As David made him joint commander of his army with Joab and Abishai (2 Samuel 18:2), he must also have been a general of recognized military skill. As he was thus not personally interested in the government of Israel, and, in fact, had only lately come thither, David recommends him to return... and abide with the king, that is, with the de facto king, Absalom. But so great was the fascination which David exercised upon those around him, that this foreigner boldly threw in his lot with him, and accompanied him in his flight. Return to thy place. This is a very daring transposition, as the Hebrew is, Return and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile art thou to thy place. The Revised Version gives the same sense as the Authorized, though it shows more respect to the grammar. But the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, by "his own place" understand Gath, either taking the words as meaning "an exile as to thy own place," or having a different reading. The Hebrew then proceeds, Yesterday was thy coming, and shall 1 today make thee wander to go with us, seeing I go whither I go? that is, I go I know not whither. Return thou, and take back thy brethren - in mercy and truth. This gives a very good sense, but the Septuagint and Vulgate have a different reading: "Take back thy brethren with thee, and the Lord chew thee mercy and truth." The Syriac gives the genera] sense of the Hebrew, rendering, "Take back thy brethren well."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the king
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Ittai
אִתַּ֣י (’it·tay)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 863: Ithai -- perhaps 'companionable', an Israelite, also a Philistine

the Gittite,
הַגִּתִּ֔י (hag·git·tî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1663: Gittite -- an inhabitant of Gath

“Why
לָ֧מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

should you
אַתָּ֖ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

also
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

go
תֵלֵ֛ךְ (ṯê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

with us?
אִתָּ֑נוּ (’it·tā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

Go back
שׁ֣וּב (šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

and stay
וְשֵׁ֤ב (wə·šêḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

with
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the new king,
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

since
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you are
אַ֔תָּה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

both a foreigner
נָכְרִ֣י (nā·ḵə·rî)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5237: Foreign, alien

and
וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

an exile
גֹּלֶ֥ה (gō·leh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

from your homeland.
לִמְקוֹמֶֽךָ׃ (lim·qō·w·me·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition


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OT History: 2 Samuel 15:19 Then said the king to Ittai (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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