20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go yI know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

21 But Ittai answered the king and said, z“As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

22 So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the awilderness.

24 There was bZadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the cark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and dAbiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He ewill bring me back and show me both it and fHis dwelling place. 26 But if He says thus: ‘I have no gdelight in you,’ here I am, hlet Him do to me as seems good to Him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a iseer? 7Return to the city in peace, and jyour two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, kI will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he lhad his head covered and went mbarefoot. And all the people who were with him ncovered their heads and went up, oweeping as they went up. 31 Then someone told David, saying, p“Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, qturn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the rArchite coming to meet him swith his robe torn and dust on his head.