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 Ch2 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 (q). (q) See Maitland's History of London, B. 3. ch. 2. p. 543.