2 Samuel 15:21-29

21But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!”

22“March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.

24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices1 until all the people had passed out of the city.

25Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again. 26But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer?2 Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.3 28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.