¹² Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah

²⁷ Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor,^(A) and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. ²⁸ He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. ²⁹ He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.^(B)

⁵ Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall^(A) and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces^[a](B) of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons^(C) and shields.

⁴ He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab^(A)

18 Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor,^(B) and he allied^(C) himself with Ahab^(D) by marriage.

⁶ He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest.^(A)

⁷ “Let us build up these towns,” he said to Judah, “and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought him and he has given us rest^(B) on every side.” So they built and prospered.

² Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram^[a] had given him, and settled Israelites in them. ³ Solomon then went to Hamath Zobah and captured it. ⁴ He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath.^{(A) 5} He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon^(B) and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars, ⁶ as well as Baalath^(C) and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses^[b]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

⁶ He went to war against the Philistines^(A) and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod.^(B) He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs^(C) who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites.^{(D) 8} The Ammonites^(E) brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

⁹ Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate,^(F) at the Valley Gate^(G) and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

⁵ Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: ⁶ Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, ⁷ Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam, ⁸ Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, ⁹ Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, ¹⁰ Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities^(A) in Judah and Benjamin. ¹¹ He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. ¹² He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.