And he had much business in the cities of Judah,.... Partly in fortifying them, and partly in reforming the inhabitants of them:and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem; or by or near unto it, so the particle is rendered, Jos 5:13, they encamped in places adjacent to it; for such a number of men as follows, even 1,160,000, could never be contained in Jerusalem, but must be disposed of in the territories of it; nor did they wait on the king together; but in course, see 2Ch 17:19, by which it appears there is no need to suppose any mistake of the transcriber, in any or all of the following sums, as has been suggested .
See Maitland's History of London, B. 3. ch. 2. p.