2 Samuel 15:23

²¹ But 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.

Everyone 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.

²⁴ Zadok 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 sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city.

²⁵ Then 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.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Everyone 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.
KJV: And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
WEB: All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.
ASV: And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
DARBY: And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over; the king also himself passed over the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness.
BLB: And all the country wept in a loud voice, and all the people passed over, and the king [himself] also passed over the Kidron Valley, and all the people passed over, by the face of the way of the wilderness,

ÅB: Og hele landet gråt høyt, da alt folket dro fram, og kongen gikk over bekken Kidron, og alt folket gikk og over og tok veien bortimot ørkenen.
OTB: Hele landet gråt høyt mens alle folkene passerte forbi. Og kongen krysset bekken Kidron, og alle folkene passerte over mot veien til ørkenen.
B1930: Og hele landet gråt høit, da alt folket drog frem, og kongen gikk over bekken Kidron, og alt folket gikk og over og tok veien bortimot ørkenen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 16:2
“Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
Read in context
1 Kings 2:37
On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
Read in context
John 18:1
After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden.
Read in context
Matthew 3:3
This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
Read in context
2 Chronicles 29:16
So the priests went inside the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and they brought out to the courtyard all the unclean things that they found in the temple of the LORD. Then the Levites took these things and carried them out to the Kidron Valley.
Read in context
1 Kings 15:13
He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
Read in context
Luke 1:80
And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
Read in context
Matthew 3:1
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
Read in context