⁴ In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites^(A) and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. ⁵ He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath^(B)—a third of you guarding the royal palace,^{(C) 6} a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— ⁷ and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.

⁸ The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered.^(A) Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.^(B)