And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

And he set judges of the land in all the fenced cities of Juda, in every place.

And he establisheth judges in the land, in all the fenced cities of Judah, for every city,

And he put judges through all the land, in every walled town of Judah,

And he appointed judges of the land, in all the fortified cities of Judah, in each place.

What exact change Jehoshaphat made in the judicial system of Judah Deuteronomy 16:18; 1-Chronicles 23:4, it is impossible to determine. Probably he found corruption widely spread 2-Chronicles 19:7, and the magistrates in some places tainted with the prevailing idolatry. He therefore made a fresh appointment of judges throughout the whole country; concentrating judicial authority in the hands of a few, or creating superior courts in the chief towns ("fenced cities"), with a right of appeal to such courts from the village judge.

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,.... Inferior judges in lesser courts of judicature than that at Jerusalem, and that in every city, that judgment and justice might be executed everywhere; such were appointed by David, but had been neglected, and now restored, see 1-Chronicles 26:29.

HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO THE JUDGES. (2-Chronicles 19:5-7)
he set judges in the land--There had been judicial courts established at an early period. But Jehoshaphat was the first king who modified these institutions according to the circumstances of the now fragmentary kingdom of Judah. He fixed local courts in each of the fortified cities, these being the provincial capitals of every district (see on Deuteronomy 16:18).