And Jehoshaphat waxed great. — Literally, And Jehoshaphat was going on and waxing great, i.e., became greater and greater. (Comp. 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; comp. Syriac here, birôthô). It only recurs at 2 Chronicles 27:4. It is an Aramaic term. (Comp. bîranyâthâ, which in the Targums means “palaces.”)
Cities of stores. — Comp. 2 Chronicles 8:4; 2 Chronicles 16:4; Exodus 1:11.