1. And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself and took with him into a covenant relationship the commanders of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zicri.
2. And they went around in Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3. And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the son of the king shall reign as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.
4. This is the thing that you must do: one third of you priests and Levites coming off duty on the Sabbath shall be gatekeepers at the entrances,
5. and one third at the house of the king, and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courtyards of the house of Yahweh.
6. Let no one enter into the house of Yahweh except the priests and the ministering Levites. They themselves may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the requirements of Yahweh.
7. And the Levites shall surround the king all around, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever comes into the house shall be put to death. You shall be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8. And the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And they each took his men who were coming off duty on the Sabbath with the ones going out to duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the working groups.
9. And Jehoiada the priest gave the spears and small shields that had belonged to King David that were in the house of God to the commanders of hundreds.