²⁸ All Israel brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments.

¹² They solemnly agreed^[a] to seek the Lord God of their ancestors^[b] with their whole heart and being. ¹³ Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old,^[c] male or female. ¹⁴ They swore their allegiance to the Lord, shouting their approval loudly and sounding trumpets and horns.^[d]

¹¹ With antiphonal response they sang,^[a] praising and glorifying the Lord:

All the people gave a loud^[b] shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. ¹² Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders^[c]—older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established^[d]—were weeping loudly,^[e] and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. ¹³ People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly^[f] that the sound was heard a long way off.