GITTITES

git'-its (gittim, plural of gittiy): The inhabitants of Gath. They are mentioned along with the inhabitants of the other chief Philistine cities in Joshua 13:3. It would seem that numbers of them emigrated to Judah, for we find 600 of them acting as a bodyguard to David with Ittai at their head (2 Samuel 15:18 ff; 2 Samuel 18:2). Obed-edom, to whom David entrusted the ark when he was frustrated in bringing it into the city of David, was a Gittite (2 Samuel 6:11 f; 1 Chronicles 13:13). The Gittites seem to have been remarkable for their great stature (2 Samuel 21:19; 1 Chronicles 20:5 ff).

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.