He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
How the ten tribes deserted the house of David we read in the foregoing chapter. They had formerly sat loose to that family (Sa2 20:1, Sa2 20:2), and now they quite threw it off, not considering how much it would weaken the common interest and take Israel down from that pitch of glory at which it had arrived in the last reign.
Commenting on 2 Chronicles 11:1-12
And the priests and the Levites, that were in all Israel,.... In the ten tribes, in the cities assigned to them therein: resorted to him out of all their coasts; as to their rightful sovereign, and chiefly for the sake of the service of the sanctuary at Jerusalem.
Store of victual - In these places he laid up stores of provisions, not only to enable them to endure a siege; but also that they might be able, from their situation, to supply desolate places.