The Meaning of 2 Samuel 15:21 Explained

2 Samuel 15:21

KJV: And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

YLT: And Ittai answereth the king and saith, 'Jehovah liveth, and my lord the king liveth, surely in the place where my lord the king is -- if for death, if for life, surely there is thy servant.'

Darby: And Ittai answered the king and said, As Jehovah liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

ASV: And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Jehovah 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Ittai  answered  the king,  and said,  [As] the LORD  liveth,  and [as] my lord  the king  liveth,  surely in what place  my lord  the king  shall be, whether in death  or life,  even there also will thy servant  be. 

What does 2 Samuel 15:21 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 15:13-23 - The Loyal Stranger
David was conscious of ill desert; hence his resolve to flee. How different his bearing now from that great hour when Goliath fell before him! Ah, conscience doth make cowards of us all! And yet there was a beautiful spirit of resignation welling up amid the salt waves of his bitter sorrow. When we are called to pass through dark hours, we cannot do better than repeat the words of this royal penitent: "Behold, here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him." What thoughtfulness of Ittai! What pathos in the king's words to Zadok! What humility as he climbed Olivet! What trust still in God to turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness! It is an impressive picture of the resignation of a broken and a contrite heart.
They were noble words that Ittai uttered! His name associates him with David's residence in Gath, among the Philistines. He was a stranger and an exile in Israel, but the king's friendship had made a home for him. In these days of our Lord's humiliation, let us address Him in the chivalrous and noble words of 2 Samuel 15:21. See John 12:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 15

1  Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel
7  By pretense of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron
10  He makes there a great conspiracy
13  David upon the news flees from Jerusalem
19  Ittai will leave him
24  Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark
30  David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping,
31  He curses Ahithophel's counsel
32  Hushai is sent back with instructions

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 15:21 mean?

And answered Ittai - the king and said [As] lives Yahweh and [as] lives my lord the king surely surely in whatever place in what shall be there whether in death or life even there also will be your servant
וַיַּ֧עַן אִתַּ֛י אֶת־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר חַי־ יְהוָ֗ה וְחֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֠י אִם־ בִּמְק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽהְיֶה־ שָּׁ֣ם ׀ אִם־ לְמָ֙וֶת֙ אִם־ לְחַיִּ֔ים כִּי־ שָׁ֖ם יִהְיֶ֥ה עַבְדֶּֽךָ

וַיַּ֧עַן  And  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
אִתַּ֛י  Ittai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִיתַי 
Sense: a Gittite commander from Gath in David’s army.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
חַי־  [As]  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְחֵי֙  and  [as]  lives 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
אֲדֹנִ֣י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
כִּ֠י  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִם־  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
בִּמְק֞וֹם  in  whatever  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  in  what 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִֽהְיֶה־  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אִם־  whether 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
לְמָ֙וֶת֙  in  death 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
לְחַיִּ֔ים  life 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
כִּי־  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שָׁ֖ם  there  also 
Parse: Adverb
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
יִהְיֶ֥ה  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עַבְדֶּֽךָ  your  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.