And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen,.... Both for war; for though it was a time of peace, he provided against the worst, lest an enemy should come upon him suddenly, and when unprepared:
and he had one thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; of the latter 1 Kings 4:26
whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem; some of the horsemen were quartered in the cities where the chariots were placed, and some of them in Jerusalem, to be near the king's person, and to be a guard to him on occasion. Josephus f says, half of them were in Jerusalem about the king, and the rest were dispersed through the king's villages.
f Antiqu l. 8. c. 2. sect. 4.