One of the jobs of the Levitical priests is to lead the people in righteousness, to carry the Law and Presence of God on their shoulders where the people can see their example. This is true literally as in Joshua 3:6, and metaphorically as teachers, judges, and advisors to the people.

From verse 17, we can also derive that another one of the jobs of the Levitical priest is to stand firm in God's instructions despite mounting floods of persecution, public opinion, and other hard circumstances.