SOME of the foreigners in David army were men like Zelek the Ammonite, Uriah the Hittite, and Ithmah the Moabite. a (1 Chron. 11:​39, 41, 46) “The Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites” were also part of David army. (2 Sam. 15:18) It look like the Cherethites and the Pelethites were close relatives to the Philistines. (Ezek. 25:16) The Gittites came from the Philistine city call Gath.—Josh. 13:​2, 3; 1 Sam. 6:​17, 18.

Why David allow foreigners to be in his army? Because he was sure that they were loyal to him and more important, they were loyal to Jehovah. For example, one Bible dictionary talk about the Cherethites and the Pelethites. It say: “They remain loyal to David when he was going through serious problems the time he was King.” How? When “all the men of Israel” left King David to follow “one troublemaker name Sheba,” the Cherethites and the Pelethites remain loyal to David and help to stop Sheba from going against David. (2 Sam. 20:​1, 2, 7) Another time, King David son, Adonijah try to make himself king instead of Solomon. But the Cherethites and the Pelethites remain loyal to David. And they help to make Solomon king because he was the one who Jehovah choose to be the next king.—1 Ki. 1:​24-27, 38, 39.

Another foreigner who really remain loyal to David was Ittai the Gittite. Ittai and his 600 fighters supported King David when David son, Absalom try to overthrow the king and make the Israelites to go against him. From the beginning, David tell Ittai that because he foreigner, Ittai must not fight for him. But Ittai say: “As surely as Jehovah is living and as surely as my lord the king is living, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there your servant will be!”—2 Sam. 15:​6, 18-21.

Even though the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites were foreigners, they saw Jehovah to be the true God and David to be the one Jehovah choose. David was really grateful to be having loyal men like this on his side!