So the ark of the Lord compassed the city,.... Being bore by the priests, who carried it round the city; it may as well be rendered and interpreted as it is by Kimchi,
"he, i.e. Joshua, caused the ark of the Lord to compass the city;''
that is, he gave orders to the priests to take it up, and go round with it on the first day:
going about [it] once; on that day, and no more; keeping at such a distance, as to be out of the reach of stones or arrows cast from the walls of the city:
and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp; the night following; not only the priests that bare the ark, but those that blew with the trumpets, and all the armed men, and the people.