Reference: Ittai
Easton
near; timely; or, with the Lord. (1.) A Benjamite, one of David's thirty heroes (2Sa 23:29).
(2.) A native of Gath, a Philistine, who had apparently the command of the six hundred heroes who formed David's band during his wanderings (2Sa 15:19-22; comp. 1Sa 23:13; 27:2; 30:9-10). He is afterwards with David at Mahanaim, holding in the army equal rank with Joab and Abishai (2Sa 18:2,5,12). He then passes from view.
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Then David and his men, about six hundred of them, went out of Keilah, and got away wherever they were able to go. And Saul, hearing that David had got away from Keilah, did not go there.
So David and the six hundred men who were with him went over to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
So David went, and his six hundred men went with him, and they came to the stream Besor. And David, with four hundred men, went on: but two hundred of them were overcome with weariness, and not able to go across the stream.
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you coming with us? go back and keep with the king: for you are a man of another country, you are far from the land of your birth. It was only yesterday you came to us; why then am I to make you go up and down with us? for I have to go where I may; go back then, and take your countrymen with you, and may the Lord's mercy and good faith be with you. read more. And Ittai the Gittite in answer said, By the living Lord, and by the life of my lord the king, in whatever place my lord the king may be, for life or death, there will your servant be. And David said to Ittai, Go forward, then. And Ittai the Gittite went on, with all his men and all the little ones he had with him.
And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you.
And the king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Because of me, be gentle to the young man Absalom. And this order about Absalom was given in the hearing of all the people.
And the man said to Joab, Even if you gave me a thousand bits of silver, I would not put out my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king gave orders to you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care that the young man Absalom is not touched.
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Fausets
1. "The Gittite" of the Philistine Gath. Last in the host that defiled past David, while standing beneath the olive tree below Jerusalem (2Sa 15:18, Septuagint) on the morning of his flight from Absalom, were 600 Gathites who had emigrated with him to Gath (1Sa 27:2-3,8; 30:9-10), and returned thence. Possibly vacancies in the body had been filled up with men of Gath, who had joined him with Ittai their countryman. This accounts for the command being given to a Gittite, Ittai, which would be strange if he had no tie of connection with the 600 veterans of the body guard (1Sa 30:2, where Ittai appears in command of a third of the army). The reading gibowrim (heroes) for Gittim, "Gittites," is therefore needless.
David with characteristic generosity said to Ittai: "Wherefore goest thou also with me? return to thy place, and abide with the king (not that David recognizes Absalom as king, but he means 'with whoever shall prove king,' with the king de facto; whether he be rightful king you as a recent settler here are not called on to decide), for thou art a stranger (not an Israelite) and also an exile (not yet having a fixed fatherland) ... Seeing I go whither I may (not yet knowing where it shall be: 1Sa 23:13) ... return and take back thy brethren," implying that Ittai as a Philistine general brought with him a body of his fellow countrymen. Ittai with unflinching loyalty, which David's misfortunes could not shake, replied: "As the Lord liveth ... surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant ("slave"; Hebrew) be."
So David desired him to pass forward over the Kedron, and Ittai the Gittite, and all his men, and all the little ones with him (for he and his men brought their whole families: 1Sa 27:3; 30:3,6), passed on. His resolution foreshadows the like resolution, though not so faithfully kept, of the disciples of the Son of David almost on the same spot (Mt 26:30,35). At the battle of Mahunaim Ittai had equal rank with Joab and Abishai (2Sa 18:2,5,12). Ittai typifies the gospel truth that from the Gentile world some of the most devoted heroes of the cross should join the Son of David, and so share in His triumphs (Mr 10:29-30; Mt 8:11-12).
2. Ittai or Ithai, of the heroes of David's body guard; from the Benjamite Gibeah, son of Ribai (2Sa 23:29; 1Ch 11:31).
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Then David and his men, about six hundred of them, went out of Keilah, and got away wherever they were able to go. And Saul, hearing that David had got away from Keilah, did not go there.
So David and the six hundred men who were with him went over to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David and his men were living with Achish at Gath; every man had his family with him, and David had his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, who had been the wife of Nabal.
And David and his men were living with Achish at Gath; every man had his family with him, and David had his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, who had been the wife of Nabal.
And David and his men went up and made attacks on the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for these were the people who were living in the land from Telam on the way to Shur, as far as Egypt.
And had made the women and all who were there, small and great, prisoners: they had not put any of them to death, but had taken them all away. And when David and his men came to the town, they saw that it had been burned down, and their wives and their sons and daughters had been made prisoners.
And David was greatly troubled; for the people were talking of stoning him, because their hearts were bitter, every man sorrowing for his sons and his daughters: but David made himself strong in the Lord his God.
So David went, and his six hundred men went with him, and they came to the stream Besor. And David, with four hundred men, went on: but two hundred of them were overcome with weariness, and not able to go across the stream.
And all the people went on by his side; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the men of Ittai of Gath, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, went on before the king.
And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you.
And the king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Because of me, be gentle to the young man Absalom. And this order about Absalom was given in the hearing of all the people.
And the man said to Joab, Even if you gave me a thousand bits of silver, I would not put out my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king gave orders to you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care that the young man Absalom is not touched.
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
And I say to you that numbers will come from the east and the west, and will take their seats with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: But the sons of the kingdom will be put out into the dark, and there will be weeping and cries of pain.
And after a song of praise to God, they went out to the Mountain of Olives.
Peter says to him, Even if I am put to death with you, I will not be false to you. So said all the disciples.
Jesus said, Truly I say to you, There is no man who has given up house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, because of me and the good news, Who will not get a hundred times as much now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land--though with great troubles; and, in the world to come, eternal life.
Hastings
1. A Gittite leader who, with a following of six hundred Philistines, attached himself to David at the outbreak of Absalom's rebellion. In spite of being urged by David to return to his home, he determined to follow the king in his misfortune, affirming his faithfulness in the beautiful words: 'As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be' (2Sa 15:21). He therefore remained in the service of David, and soon rose to a position of great trust, being placed in command of a third part of the people (2Sa 18:2). 2. A Benjamite, son of Ribai, who was one of David's mighty men (2Sa 23:29; 1Ch 11:31 [in the latter Ithai]).
W. O. E. Oesterley.
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And Ittai the Gittite in answer said, By the living Lord, and by the life of my lord the king, in whatever place my lord the king may be, for life or death, there will your servant be.
And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you.
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Morish
It'tai
1. A Philistine of Gath, head of a portion of David's guard. He was faithful to David at the revolt of Absalom, returned with the king, and had a command in his army. 5/19/type/bbe'>2Sa 15:19-22; 18:2,5,12. He illustrates how Gentiles will be associated with the remnant of Israel, both in the sufferings and reign of their Messiah, and serve Him in a future day.
2. Son of Ribai a Benjamite, and one of David's mighty men. 2Sa 23:29. Called ITHAI in 1Ch 11:31.
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Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you coming with us? go back and keep with the king: for you are a man of another country, you are far from the land of your birth. It was only yesterday you came to us; why then am I to make you go up and down with us? for I have to go where I may; go back then, and take your countrymen with you, and may the Lord's mercy and good faith be with you. read more. And Ittai the Gittite in answer said, By the living Lord, and by the life of my lord the king, in whatever place my lord the king may be, for life or death, there will your servant be. And David said to Ittai, Go forward, then. And Ittai the Gittite went on, with all his men and all the little ones he had with him.
And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you.
And the king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Because of me, be gentle to the young man Absalom. And this order about Absalom was given in the hearing of all the people.
And the man said to Joab, Even if you gave me a thousand bits of silver, I would not put out my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king gave orders to you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care that the young man Absalom is not touched.
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Ithai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Smith
It'ta-i
(with the Lord).
1. "Ittai the Gittite," i.e. the native of Gath, a Philistine in the army of King David. He appears only during the revolution of Absalom. (B.C. 1023.) We first discern him on the morning of David's flight. The king urges him to return.
Comp. 1Sam 23:13; 27:2; 30:9,10,19,20 But ittai is firm; he is the king's slave, and wherever his master goes he will go. Accordingly he is allowed by David to proceed. When the army was numbered and organized by David at Mahanaim, Ittai again appears, now in command of a third part of the force.
2. Son of Ribai, from Gibeah of Benjamin; one of the thirty heroes of David's guard.
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Then David and his men, about six hundred of them, went out of Keilah, and got away wherever they were able to go. And Saul, hearing that David had got away from Keilah, did not go there.
So David and the six hundred men who were with him went over to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
So David went, and his six hundred men went with him, and they came to the stream Besor. And David, with four hundred men, went on: but two hundred of them were overcome with weariness, and not able to go across the stream.
There was no loss of anything, small or great, sons or daughters or goods or anything which they had taken away: David got it all back. And they took all the flocks and herds, and driving them in front of him, said, These are David's.
And all the people went on by his side; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the men of Ittai of Gath, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, went on before the king. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you coming with us? go back and keep with the king: for you are a man of another country, you are far from the land of your birth.
And David sent the people out, a third of them under the orders of Joab, and a third under the orders of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, And I myself will certainly go out with you.
And the king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Because of me, be gentle to the young man Absalom. And this order about Absalom was given in the hearing of all the people.
And the man said to Joab, Even if you gave me a thousand bits of silver, I would not put out my hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king gave orders to you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care that the young man Absalom is not touched.
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,