¹² He also put large shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

⁵ Hezekiah^[a] strengthened himself and built up the entire wall that was broken down and raised towers on it,^[b] and outside it he built another wall; he also strengthened the Millo in the city of David and made weapons and shields in abundance.^(A)

¹⁴ Uzziah provided for all the army the shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging. ¹⁵ In Jerusalem he set up machines, invented by skilled workers, on the towers and the corners for shooting arrows and large stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he became strong.

²² But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had raped his sister Tamar.^(A)

¹⁹ But Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.^(A)