2 Samuel 15:21
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.
Cross-references
In Ruth 1:16, Ruth's declaration 'Where you go I will go' parallels Ittai's promise to follow David wherever he goes – both show radical loyalty.
In Ruth 1:17, Ruth vows to die where Naomi dies, matching Ittai's 'whether for death or life' – both pledge solidarity unto death.
In 2 Kings 2:2, Elisha responds to Elijah's test with the identical oath of unwavering loyalty, mirroring Ittai's commitment to David.
In 2 Kings 2:4, Elisha again repeats the oath 'As the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you,' matching Ittai's pledge.
In 2 Kings 2:6, Elisha gives the same oath for the third time, affirming his resolve – a direct parallel to Ittai's vow.
In 2 Kings 4:30, the Shunammite woman uses the same oath to refuse leaving Elisha, echoing Ittai's determination to stay with David.
In Matthew 8:19, a scribe echoes Ittai's promise to follow wherever the king goes, but Jesus tests the cost of discipleship.
In John 6:66-69, Peter's unwavering loyalty to Jesus parallels Ittai's refusal to abandon David during exile.
In Acts 21:13, Paul's readiness to die for Jesus mirrors Ittai's willingness to die for David.
In 2 Corinthians 7:3, Paul's bond to live and die with the Corinthians mirrors Ittai's pledge to share life and death with David.
In 1 Chronicles 12:18, Amasai declares allegiance to David with a similar pledge of total loyalty.
In Matthew 8:20, Jesus warns that following him means homelessness, contrasting with Ittai's unconditional pledge to David.
In 1 Samuel 20:3, David uses the same 'as the Lord lives and as you live' oath to express his mortal danger, while Ittai uses it to pledge loyalty.
In 1 Samuel 25:26, Abigail uses the same oath formula to acknowledge God's restraint of David, a different context from Ittai's loyalty vow.
Proverbs 17:17 says a friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity – Ittai exemplifies this loyal friendship in David's adversity.
Proverbs 18:24 speaks of a friend who sticks closer than a brother – Ittai's commitment to David in exile embodies that kind of stickiness.