2 Samuel 15:13-30

The Flight of David

v. 13. And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. Before David had been aware of any dissatisfaction, while he was attending to the affairs of his kingdom in calm security, the damage had been done.

v. 14. And David, seized with a sudden terror at this unexpected development, said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, thrust upon them suddenly the threatened misfortune, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. Not knowing how strong Absalom's army was at that time nor how vigorous the spirit of the insurrection had grown, David's move was intended to avert a storming of the city with its attendant bloodshed.

v. 15. And the king's servants said unto the king, exhibiting a splendid faithfulness in the midst of the general defection, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. They assured him of their unwavering loyalty.

v. 16. And the king went forth, and all his household after him, as his attendants and followers. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, a part of his harem, to keep the house, to guard the palace.

v. 17. And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off, he stopped for some time at Beth-merhak, possibly a fort which guarded the passage of the Kidron, in order to gather all the faithful followers about him.

v. 18. And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites, 2 Samuel 8:18, and all the Gittites, the men who had been with David in the wilderness and had followed him from Gath on, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. These companions of his wilderness wanderings were the old guard, the heroes of David, who were ready now as ever to defend their master with their lives.

v. 19. Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, a Philistine who had joined his forces, Wherefore goest thou also with us? Return to thy place, and abide with the king, to him who would occupy that position; for thou art a stranger and also an exile, wherefore it would not be advisable for him to take sides at this time.

v. 20. Whereas thou camest but yesterday, having cast his fortunes with David but recently, 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. Since the lot of David would at best be most uncertain in the near future, he did not want Ittai to share this uncertainty, which partook of the nature of a banishment, but commended him to the grace and faithfulness of God.

v. 21. And Ittai answered the king and said, with a solemn oath. 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. He thus expressed his unconditional devotion and fidelity to him unto death.

v. 22. And David, accepting this splendid vow of loyalty, said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, for he had a company of his own, and all the little ones that were with him, the members of his family.

v. 23. And all the country, the inhabitants of the countryside east of Jerusalem, along the line of march, wept with a loud voice, lamenting over the misfortune of their king; and all the people, those in the company of the king, passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, the valley between Jerusalem and Mount Olivet, whose course is filled with water only during the winter or rainy season; and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness, the northern part of the wilderness of Judah, between Jerusalem and Jericho.

v. 24. And lo, Zadok also and all the Levites were with him, bearing the Ark of the Covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, in order to give the people that were still coming time to join the procession. And Abiathar went up, on the road which led over Mount Olivet toward the east, until all the people had done passing out of the city. Abiathar was the high priest, and Zadok was the chief officer in charge of the ark.

v. 25. And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city, to its place in the sanctuary. If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me again, and show me both it and His habitation;

v. 26. but if He thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him. David thus resigned himself to the Lord for evil or for good, for favor or for disfavor; for he saw in these events the hand of the Lord, as the Prophet Nathan had foretold.

v. 27. The king said also unto Zadok, the priest, Art got thou a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz, thy son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. David bade Zadok, as the second high priest and as a prophet of the Lord, to return to his place in the sanctuary, where he could, moreover, watch events as they transpired.

v. 28. See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, near the fords of Jordan, until there come word from you to certify me; he should observe the trend of events, and report to David.

v. 29. Zadok, therefore, and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they tarried there, remaining to see what the outcome would be.

v. 30. And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, the road which led up past its summit, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, as the symbol of a sorrowful mind wholly withdrawn from the outer world, and he went barefoot, as a sign of great grief and humiliation; and all the people that was with him, following his example, covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. In giving way to a superior force and taking the suffering sent by the Lord upon him, David prepared the way for the salvation of the people. He appears here as a type of Christ, who also entered upon His great suffering by passing over the brook Kidron.