David Flees Jerusalem

(Psalm 3:1–8)

13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

14 And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”

15 The king’s servants replied, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.”

16 Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.

17 So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house, 18 and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.

19 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. 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.[fn]”

21 But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!”

22 “March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.

24 Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices [fn] until the people had passed out of the city.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again. 26 But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer?[fn] Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.[fn] 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.