Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 17:12

"And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store." — 2 Chronicles 17:12 (ASV)

And Jehoshaphat grew increasingly great.—Literally, And Jehoshaphat was continually growing greater, i.e., became greater and greater. (Compare to 1 Chronicles 11:9.)

Exceedingly.—‘Ad lĕmà’lah. This phrase occurs again in 2 Chronicles 16:12; 2 Chronicles 26:8, and nowhere else in the Old Testament. (See on 1 Chronicles 14:2.)

And he built.—Like his predecessors—Solomon, Rehoboam, Asa—he displayed his wealth and power in great public works. The records of the Assyrian and Babylonian sovereigns are largely taken up with similar accounts of temple and palace building.

Castles.—Biranîyôth, a derivative from birah (1 Chronicles 29:1; 1 Chronicles 29:19; compare to the Syriac here, birôthô). It only recurs at 2 Chronicles 27:4. It is an Aramaic term. (Compare to bîranyâthâ, which in the Targums means “palaces.”)

Cities of stores.—Compare to 2 Chronicles 8:4; 2 Chronicles 16:4; Exodus 1:11.