Ittai

About Ittai

Ittai the Gittite was a commander of six hundred men who remained loyal to King David during the rebellion of his son Absalom (2Sa.15.19-22). Ittai was from Gath, a Philistine city, and had only recently come to join David's forces (2Sa.15.20).

When David was fleeing from Jerusalem due to Absalom's rebellion, he urged Ittai to return to the city with his blessing, as he was a foreigner and exile (2Sa.15.19-20). However, Ittai pledged his unwavering loyalty to David, vowing to follow him whether it meant life or death (2Sa.15.21). Moved by Ittai's devotion, David allowed him and his men to accompany him (2Sa.15.22).

During the battle against Absalom's forces, David appointed Ittai as one of the three commanders of his army, alongside Joab and Abishai (2Sa.18.2). David specifically ordered these commanders to deal gently with Absalom for his sake (2Sa.18.5). After Absalom's death, Ittai was among those who heard David's lament for his son (2Sa.18.12).

Ittai's loyalty to David, despite being a foreigner and newcomer, showcases the king's ability to inspire devotion among his followers. It also highlights the importance of faithfulness and commitment in the face of adversity, as demonstrated by Ittai's willingness to stand by David during a time of crisis.

Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.