Bible Word Study
אִתַּי
ʼIttay · Ittai or Ithai, the name of a Gittite and of an Israelite
אִתַּי
Ittai or Ithai, the name of a Gittite and of an Israelite
Definition
אִתַּי (Ittay) is a proper name meaning 'with me' or 'near,' derived from the preposition אֵת (et). In the Old Testament, it refers to two distinct individuals. The most prominent is Ittai the Gittite, a Philistine exile from Gath who demonstrates extraordinary loyalty to King David during Absalom's rebellion, refusing to abandon him (2 Samuel 15:19-22). The other is Ittai the son of Ribai, one of David's mighty warriors listed in 2 Samuel 23:29 and 1 Chronicles 11:31.
Biblical Usage
The name appears eight times, exclusively in the historical books of Samuel and Chronicles. It is used primarily in the narrative of David's flight from Absalom (2 Samuel 15-18), where Ittai the Gittite's loyalty is a central theme. The final two occurrences simply list Ittai the son of Ribai among David's warriors. The name is always used as a proper noun identifying these specific men.
Etymology
The name comes from the Hebrew preposition אֵת (et, H854), meaning 'with.' The form אִתַּי is a personal name meaning 'with me' or 'near,' indicating companionship or proximity. It is a theophoric name, implicitly expressing God's presence ('[God is] with me'), similar in concept to names like Immanuel.
Semantic Range
Ittai the Gittite's story is a powerful narrative about covenant loyalty (ḥesed) that transcends national and ethnic boundaries. As a foreigner, his unwavering commitment to David, even at great personal risk, serves as a model of faithful discipleship and mirrors God's own steadfast love. His declaration, 'As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be' (2 Samuel 15:21), highlights a theology of presence and sacrificial commitment. Ittai's identity as a 'Gittite' (from Gath, a Philistine city) is culturally significant. His prominent role as a commander under David (2 Samuel 18:2) demonstrates the integration of foreigners into Israel's military and social structures during David's reign. His oath of loyalty reflects ancient Near Eastern covenant patterns, where a vassal pledges his life to his lord. אֵת (et, H854) — The preposition meaning 'with,' which is the root of the name Ittai. עִם (im, H5973) — Another common preposition for 'with,' but not directly related to the name's formation.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]