²⁴ Now Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar [the priest] came up [and officiated] until all the people had finished passing from the city. ²⁵ Then the king told Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to [its rightful place in] the city [of Jerusalem, the capital]. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight, He will bring me back again and let me see both it and His dwelling place (habitation). ²⁶ But if He should say, ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me what seems good to Him.” ²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace [you and Abiathar], and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸ See, I am going to wait at the ^[a]fords [of the Jordan] in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar brought the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.