Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 26:10

"And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain: [and he had] husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved husbandry." — 2 Chronicles 26:10 (ASV)

In the desert.—Or, grazing country, that is, the “wilderness of Judah,” on the west of the Dead Sea. The towers were for the protection of the royal herds against the predatory Bedouin. (Compare to Micah 4:8: And thou, O tower of the flock.)

Digged many wells.—Hewed out many cisterns; to supply his herds with water.

For he had much cattle.—Namely, there, in the wilderness of Judah. But perhaps we should render thus: For he had much cattle; and in the lowland and in the plain he had husbandmen; and vinedressers in the mountains and in the glebe land. So Syriac.

Both in the low country.—And in the lowland of Judah; the Shephelah, between the hills and the Mediterranean.

And in the plains.—Plain (mîshôr). “The Plain,” par excellence, appears to mean the high level east of the Dead Sea and Jordan (Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8). This was the territory of Reuben, which Uzziah probably recovered from Moab and Ammon (2 Chronicles 26:8). (Compare to Isaiah 16:1, from which it appears that the kings of Judah at this epoch claimed sovereignty over the country on the eastern side of the Jordan.)

And in Carmel.—Or, the fruitful field, the glebe land (Isaiah 29:17; Isaiah 32:15).

With the whole verse compare the account of David’s agricultural and pastoral wealth (1 Chronicles 27:25–31).

He loved husbandry.—A lover of land was he, that is, of the soil. (Compare to the expression, “man of the land,” that is, husbandman, Genesis 9:20.)