The priests will carry the Box of the Agreement. [9] Tell the priests this, ‘Walk to the shore of the Jordan River and stop just before you step into the water.’”
Then these Levites gathered their brothers together and made themselves ready for holy service in the temple. {\cf2\super [342]} They obeyed the king’s command that came from the Lord. They went into the Lord’s temple to clean it.
Then Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice {\cf2\super [355]} the burnt offering {\cf2\super [356]} on the altar. {\cf2\super [357]} When the burnt offering began, singing to the Lord began also. The trumpets were blown and the instruments of David king of Israel played.
King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to give praise to the Lord. They sang songs that David and Asaph the seer {\cf2\super [359]} had written. They praised God and became happy. They all bowed and worshiped God.
Then I commanded the Levites to make themselves pure. After they did that, they were to go and guard the gates. This was done to make sure the Sabbath {\cf2\super [91]} day was kept a holy day.
Joiada was the son of Eliashib the high priest. One of Joiada’s sons was a son-in-law of Sanballat from Horon. I forced that man to leave this place. I forced him to run away.
The ground at that place became dry, and the priests carried the Box of the Agreement [13] of the Lord to the middle of the river and stopped. The priests waited there while all the people of Israel walked across the Jordan River on dry land.
The leaders gave orders to the people. They said, “You will see the priests and Levites [5] carrying the Box of the Agreement [6] of the Lord your God. At that time, you must follow them.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great man for all the people of Israel to see. Then the people will know that I am with you the same as I was with Moses.