Git'tite (Heb. Gitti', גַּתַּי; Sept. Γεθαῖος), an inhabitant or native properly of the Philistine city GATH (Jos 13:3). Obed-Edom, in whose house the ark was for a time placed (2Sa 6:10), and who afterwards served in Jerusalem (1Ch 16:38), although a Levite (1Ch 26:4), is called a Gittite (2Sa 6:10), possibly because he had been with David when at Gath, but much more probably from his being a native of GATH-RIMMON, which was a city of that family of the Levites to which he belonged (Jos 21:24). There seems to be no reason for extending this interpretation to Ittai (2Sa 15:19), seeing that David expressly calls him "a stranger" (foreigner), and, what is more "an exile." He was at the head of 600 men, who were also Gittites, for they are called (ver. 20) his "brethren." They appear to have formed a foreign troop of experienced warriors, chiefly from Gath, in the pay and service of David, which they had perhaps entered in the first instance for the sake of sharing in the booty obtainable in his wars. SEE CHERETHITE.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More