The brook Kidron - This was an inconsiderable brook, and only furnished with water in winter, and in the rains. See John 18:1.

And all the country wept with a loud voice,.... The people that came out of the country villages round about, upon the report of the king's leaving Jerusalem, because of his son's conspiracy against him; these wept when they saw him in the circumstances in which he was, obliged to fly from a rebellious son:

and all the people passed over; the people that were with David passed over Kidron, and so the Cherethites, and Pelethites:

the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron; this explains what place it was they passed over, which is not before mentioned, but is particularly named in the account of the king's passing over it; over which same brook the Messiah, his antitype, passed a little before his sufferings and death; of which brook; see Gill on John 18:1. It is often by Josephus (m) called a valley, sometimes a brook, it having little water, except in winter; Mr. Maundrell (n) says, it ran along the bottom of the valley of Jehoshaphat, a brook in the wintertime; but without the least drop of water in it all the time, says he, we were in Jerusalem; and so Reland (o), that in summertime it ceases to be a river, and has the name of a valley; and Le Bruyn says (p), it is at present dried up; it runs along the valley of Jehoshaphat, and is not above three paces broad; it has no other but rain water, which flows from the adjacent hills:

and all the people passed over to the way of the wilderness; which lay between Jerusalem and Jericho.

(m) Antiqu. l. 8. c. 1. sect. 5. & l. 9. c. 7. sect. 3. De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 3. c. 4. sect. 2. c. 6. sect. 1.((n) Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 102. (o) Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 1. p. 294, 351. (p) Voyage to the Levant, ch. 48. p. 188.

And all the country wept with a loud voice, and {o} 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.

(o) That is, the four hundred men.

15:23 Kidron - Or, Cedron, which was near Jerusalem. The very same brook that Christ passed over when he entered upon his sufferings, John 18:1. Wilderness - Which was between Jerusalem and Jericho.

Kidron: Gr. Cedron

23. the brook Kidron-a winter torrent that flows through the valley between the city and the eastern side of the Mount of Olives.

15:13-23 David determined to quit Jerusalem. He took this resolve, as a penitent submitting to the rod. Before unrighteous Absalom he could justify himself, and stand out; but before the righteous God he must condemn himself, and yield to his judgments. Thus he accepts the punishment of his sin. And good men, when they themselves suffer, are anxious that others should not be led to suffer with them. He compelled none; those whose hearts were with Absalom, to Absalom let them go, and so shall their doom be. Thus Christ enlists none but willing followers. David cannot bear to think that Ittai, a stranger and an exile, a proselyte and a new convert, who ought to be encouraged and made easy, should meet with hard usage. But such value has Ittai for David's wisdom and goodness, that he will not leave him. He is a friend indeed, who loves at all times, and will adhere to us in adversity. Let us cleave to the Son of David, with full purpose of heart, and neither life nor death shall separate us from his love.