¹² He also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.

⁵ Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall, erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first. He also reinforced the supporting terraces^[a] in the City of David and manufactured large numbers of weapons and shields.

¹⁴ Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and sling stones. ¹⁵ And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones^[a] from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.

²² And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

¹⁹ But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.