In brief
Ittai the Gittite is a foreigner from the Philistine city of Gath who had recently joined King David with six hundred men. When David flees Jerusalem before Absalom's revolt, he invites Ittai to go back, but Ittai swears to stay with him, in life or in death. David then gives him command of a third of his army. He is remembered for a remarkable loyalty, all the more striking because it comes from a foreigner.
What does the name Ittai the Gittite mean?
The name Ittai is sometimes linked to a Hebrew root related to the idea of "with", but its meaning remains uncertain, especially since he is a foreigner from Gath. The Bible gives no explanation of the name. The title "the Gittite" simply indicates his city of origin.
The story of Ittai the Gittite
David flees Jerusalem
2 Samuel 15:13-18Absalom has won the hearts of Israel and has had himself proclaimed king in Hebron. David decides to leave Jerusalem in haste with his household. At the edge of the city his servants pass before him, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites and six hundred Gittites who came from Gath to follow him. Ittai is among them.
David offers him a way back
2 Samuel 15:19-20David tells Ittai that he is a foreigner who arrived only yesterday and should not wander with a king who himself does not know where he is going. He invites him to return to the new king with his brothers, and he blesses him, asking that the Lord show him steadfast love and faithfulness.
Ittai's oath
2 Samuel 15:21-22Ittai refuses. He swears by the Lord and by the life of the king that wherever his lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there his servant will be. David then lets him cross over, and Ittai passes with all his men and the little ones with him, while the whole land weeps at the king's departure.
Commander of a third of the army
2 Samuel 18:1-2Before the battle against Absalom's supporters, David organizes his troops. He places a third under Joab, a third under Abishai and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The foreigner who arrived just before the flight is now one of the three leaders to whom the king entrusts the lives of his people.
The order about Absalom
2 Samuel 18:5-8The king publicly gives an order to Joab, Abishai and Ittai: deal gently, for his sake, with the young man Absalom. The battle takes place in the forest of Ephraim, and David's servants win. The account does not report any further words or deeds of Ittai.
What Ittai the Gittite teaches us
- Faithfulness is revealed in days of crisis, when following costs something.
- God welcomes into the story of his people foreigners who attach themselves to his king with all their heart.
- Ittai's loyalty to David foreshadows the commitment of the disciple who follows Jesus, in life as in death.
- Whoever is faithful in trial may later receive great responsibilities.
Key verses
Ittai's oath is one of the finest declarations of loyalty in the Old Testament. It recalls the words of Ruth to Naomi and foreshadows the call to follow Christ without conditions.
David forces no one: he reminds Ittai that he is a foreigner, free to leave, and he blesses him. Ittai's faithfulness is therefore a free choice, not an obligation.
Ittai receives command of a third of the army, on the same level as Joab and Abishai. His faithfulness during the flight is rewarded with the king's trust.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Ittai follow David?
The text does not detail his motives, but his oath sums them up: he wants to be wherever his lord the king is, for death or for life (2 Samuel 15:21). He swears by the Lord, which shows that he became attached not only to David but also to the God of Israel.
Was Ittai a Philistine?
Yes, he is called Ittai the Gittite, from Gath, one of the great Philistine cities and the hometown of Goliath. David himself describes him as a foreigner and an exile from his own country (2 Samuel 15:19). He led men who had come from Gath to follow David.
Where can I find the story of Ittai in the Bible?
Ittai appears in 2 Samuel 15:18-22, during David's flight from Absalom, and again in 2 Samuel 18:2-5, where he commands a third of the army. A different Ittai appears in the list of David's mighty men in 2 Samuel 23.