The judicial reform itself — 'he set judges in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city' (וישם שפטים בכל ערי יהודה הבצורות עיר ועיר). The dual designation of cities (fortified administrative centers) suggests the integration of civil defense with judicial function. The judges (שפטים) were not necessarily professional lawyers but wise elders and officials who embodied the covenant tradition. This echoes the Mosaic system described in Deuteronomy 16:18-20, where judges in every town apply the law impartially. The Chronicler emphasizes this as monarchical implementation of Mosaic principle — the king as guarantor of covenantal justice throughout his domain.

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