Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 14:7

"For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God; we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered." — 2 Chronicles 14:7 (ASV)

Therefore. — And.

These cities. — The “fenced cities” of the last verse. Their names are unknown. Geba and Mizpah were fortified by Asa, but that was after the war with Baasha, which began in the twenty-sixth year of Asa (1 Kings 15:33); see 2 Chronicles 16:6. A general system of defence, like that of Rehoboam, who fortified as many as fifteen cities, seems to be indicated.

Walls. — A wall.

Gates (doors) and bars. — 1 Samuel 23:7 and 2 Chronicles 8:5 (referenced above), where “bars” is, as usual, singular, bariach. Here it is plural.

While the land is yet before us. — It is open to us, free from hostile occupation. The phrase is apparently borrowed from Genesis 13:9. (Is yet, ‘odennû, masculine pronoun, instead of feminine; probably a clerical error). Omit while, and put a stop at bars. “The land is still before us, for we have sought the Lord,” appears to be the connection of thought.

So they built and prospered — that is, they built prosperously, without hindrance.