2 Samuel 15 20

2 Samuel 15:20 kjv

Whereas 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.

2 Samuel 15:20 nkjv

In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you."

2 Samuel 15:20 niv

You 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."

2 Samuel 15:20 esv

You 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."

2 Samuel 15:20 nlt

You 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. "

2 Samuel 15 verses

2 Samuel 15 20 Meaning

As King David fled Jerusalem due to Absalom’s rebellion, he encountered Ittai the Gittite, a relatively new follower who had brought his men from Gath. David expressed his deep concern for Ittai's welfare, acknowledging the immediate and severe hardship of his own impending exile and aimless wandering. David implored Ittai to return to his place and people, freeing him from the dangerous and uncertain path ahead. Despite the grave circumstances, David blessed Ittai, invoking the enduring covenant qualities of God's steadfast love and faithfulness to accompany him.

2 Samuel 15 20 Context

This verse is situated during a pivotal and traumatic period in David’s reign: Absalom’s rebellion. Having received news that Absalom had effectively seized Jerusalem and was gathering strength, King David chose to flee the capital to prevent bloodshed and a direct confrontation within the city. He led his household and all his loyal retainers out through the Kidron Valley towards the wilderness. As the king was organizing his loyal followers for exile, he specifically addresses Ittai, a foreign mercenary captain from Gath who, with his six hundred men, had recently joined David. David's words here highlight the unexpected loyalty of an outsider at a moment when his own kingdom was fractured by internal betrayal.

Word Analysis

• "Yesterday" (תְּמוֹל, t'mol): Refers to the immediate past, emphasizing Ittai's very recent arrival and allegiance to David's cause. This highlights the speed with which Ittai faced severe hardship.
• "you came" (בָּאתָ, ba'ta): Indicates Ittai's act of joining David's service. The directness underscores Ittai's proactive decision to align himself with the king.
• "today" (הַיּוֹם, hayom): Points to the present, critical moment of crisis and flight. It emphasizes the immediacy of the perilous situation.
• "shall I make you wander" (וַהֲלַכְתִּיךָ, vahalachtika, from הָלַךְ, halak 'to go'; here causative 'make to go'): Signifies not just traveling, but being forced into a nomadic, unstable, and uncertain existence, akin to exile or being a fugitive. It carries a sense of distress and homelessness.
• "with us" (עִמָּנוּ, imanu): Denotes sharing a common, difficult fate with David and his loyalists.
• "since I go wherever I may go" (כִּי־אֲנִי הֹלֵךְ עַל־אֲשֶׁר אֵלֵךְ, ki-ani holekh al-asher elekh): A statement of profound vulnerability and uncertainty. David acknowledges his lack of a fixed destination or stable future, expressing his own absolute reliance on an unknown path determined by circumstances or divine will.
• "Return" (שׁוּב, shuv): A command to turn back, emphasizing a return to a more stable situation in Jerusalem, away from David’s distress. It suggests a possibility of peace for Ittai.
• "and take your brothers with you" (וְהָשֵׁב אֶת־אַחֶיךָ עִמָּךְ, v'hashev et-acheykha immakh): David’s concern extends to Ittai's entire contingent, underscoring his responsibility for their welfare.
• "May mercy" (חֶסֶד, chesed): This foundational Hebrew term means steadfast love, loyal devotion, covenant faithfulness, or loving-kindness. It's an essential attribute of God and reflects faithful relationships.
• "and truth" (אֱמֶת, emet): Signifies faithfulness, reliability, stability, and integrity. Often paired with chesed, it denotes God’s consistent and reliable character.
• "be with you" (יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, yihyeh immakh): A blessing or prayer for divine favor, presence, and protection to accompany Ittai.
• "Yesterday you came, and today shall I make you wander with us, since I go wherever I may go?": This segment powerfully contrasts Ittai’s fresh allegiance with David’s bleak and uncertain present. David, despite his authority, prioritizes Ittai’s wellbeing over his own immediate need for military support, reflecting deep moral character.
• "Return and take your brothers with you.": This reveals David's selfless pastoral heart. He instructs Ittai not just to leave, but to gather his own people and lead them to a place of greater safety and stability.
• "May mercy and truth be with you.": This is a profound theological blessing, invoking the core attributes of God Himself. David prays that God's unwavering covenant loyalty and dependable faithfulness will be with Ittai, recognizing and honoring his noble and surprising loyalty. It is a spiritual endowment of divine favor upon a loyal individual.

2 Samuel 15 20 Commentary

2 Samuel 15:20 offers a powerful glimpse into King David's character amidst severe personal and national crisis, contrasting with the betrayal he faced from his own son and people. David's words to Ittai the Gittite, a Philistine foreigner, reveal his profound concern and selfless leadership. He understands the gravity of his fugitive state, expressed by his "wherever I may go," a phrase signifying utter uncertainty and reliance on God's undisclosed path. Unwilling to subject Ittai, a recent ally, to such immediate hardship, David graciously encourages him to retreat to safety with his kinsmen. This act underscores David’s mercy and concern for others, even at his own disadvantage.

Most significantly, David pronounces the rich blessing of "mercy (chesed) and truth (emet)" upon Ittai. These two Hebrew terms together describe the very nature of God’s covenantal faithfulness—His loyal, enduring love and His unchanging reliability. By invoking this blessing, David not only acknowledges Ittai's integrity and unexpected loyalty as a Gittite (from an enemy city, Gath), but he also prays for God's protection, provision, and favor to be with this devoted follower. This encounter is a powerful testament to the fact that genuine loyalty, faith, and adherence to God’s path can be found in unexpected places, transcending conventional ethnic or political boundaries, mirroring God's impartial and inclusive love. It foreshadows the wider embrace of those from all nations into God’s family through Christ.

Bonus Section

• Ittai as an Outsider/Insider: The narrative emphasizes Ittai's foreign status ("Gittite"). In a culture where identity was often tied to Israelite lineage, Ittai, a non-Israelite, demonstrates a loyalty that surpasses many of David's native-born subjects, including Absalom. This provides a theological hint at the future inclusion of Gentiles into God's plan and challenges the narrow understanding of belonging to God's people based solely on ethnicity. It highlights that true faithfulness is a matter of the heart, irrespective of origin.
• David's Self-perception in Crisis: David's statement "wherever I may go" reflects not just uncertainty, but also a deep level of humility and trust in divine providence, even if the path ahead is unknown and difficult. It underscores his kingship under God's ultimate sovereignty.
• The Theological Weight of "Chesed and Emet": This divine pairing is more than a casual blessing; it invokes God's very character. To ask that chesed and emet be with someone is to ask for God’s unwavering covenant love and His steadfast faithfulness to accompany them, protecting, providing, and guiding. It implies a recognition that Ittai’s loyalty stems from a noble spirit that warrants such a profound divine blessing.