13. An informant came to David with the report, “The Israelites have given their hearts to Absalom, and they are following him.”
14. At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: “Get up, let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave at once, or he will quickly overtake us, and then bring disaster upon us, and put the city to the sword.”
15. The king’s servants answered him, “Whatever our lord the king chooses to do, we are your servants.”
16. Then the king set out, accompanied by his entire household, except for ten concubines whom he left behind to care for the palace.
17. As the king left the city, with all his officers accompanying him, they halted opposite the ascent of the Mount of Olives, at a distance,
18. while the whole army marched past him. As all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had entered his service from that city, were passing in review before the king,
19. the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you, too, are an exile from your own country.
20. You came only yesterday, and today shall I have you wander off with us wherever I have to go? Return and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show you kindness and fidelity.”
21. But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, your servant shall be wherever my lord the king is, whether for death or for life.”
22. So the king said to Ittai, “Go, then, march on.” And Ittai the Gittite, with all his men and all the dependents that were with him, marched on.
23. The whole land wept aloud as the last of the soldiers went by, and the king crossed the Wadi Kidron with all the soldiers moving on ahead of him by way of the ascent of the Mount of Olives, toward the wilderness.
24. Zadok, too, and all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of God set down the ark of God until the whole army had finished marching out of the city; and Abiathar came up.
25. Then the king said to Zadok: “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and permit me to see it and its lodging place.
26. But if he should say, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ I am ready; let him do to me as he sees fit.”
27. The king also said to Zadok the priest: “Look, you and Abiathar return to the city in peace, and both your sons with you, your own son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son Jonathan.
28. Remember, I shall be waiting at the fords near the wilderness until a report from you comes to me.”