⁵ Rehoboam resided in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah.

² Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given to him and settled the people of Israel in them.

³ Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it. ⁴ He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage towns that he built in Hamath. ⁵ He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars,^{(A) 6} and Baalath, as well as all Solomon’s storage towns, and all the towns for his chariots, the towns for his cavalry, and whatever Solomon desired to build, in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

On that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest,^{(A) 9} and you saw that there were many breaches in the city of David, and you collected the waters of the lower pool.^{(B) 10} You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. ¹¹ You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it or have regard for him who planned it long ago.^(C)

⁴ Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers on the wooded hills.

⁶ He went out and made war against the Philistines and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; he built cities in the territory of Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines.^(A)

¹² Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah.

⁶ Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built up Geba and Mizpah.

⁶ He built fortified cities in Judah while the land was quiet. He had no war in those years, for the Lord gave him rest.^{(A) 7} He said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars; the land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.

²³ He dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities; he gave them abundant provisions and found many wives for them.