דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ט, פסוק ה׳

Establishing a stable justice system and enforcing the law across a kingdom stands as a central pillar of royal leadership. The appointment of judges serves first and foremost to evaluate and resolve everyday disputes between individuals [מלבי״ם].

The immediate drive to set up this system arose directly from studying the Torah. The king had recently learned that his actions were pleasing to God because he had cleared the land of idolatrous trees. While reading, he noticed that the prohibition against planting these idolatrous trees appears immediately next to the commandment to appoint judges and officers. Seeing these two laws side by side motivated him to act quickly and establish the courts without delay [רש״י].

When deploying these judges, the king specifically stationed them in the fortified cities. This decision stems from two complementary reasons. On an administrative level, these walled cities functioned as regional capitals, making them the natural centers for maintaining public order [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Beyond simple administration, the choice addressed the specific character of the people living there. Residents of fortified cities often feel highly protected and self-confident, which creates a greater risk that they might refuse to accept legal rulings. To counter this, the king deliberately placed strong, forceful judges in these locations who could compel obedience to the law. In contrast, people living in unfortified towns generally feel more vulnerable and are less likely to rebel, allowing for the appointment of less forceful judges in those areas [רש״י].

Ultimately, this legal network was set up in a highly thorough and comprehensive manner, ensuring that a functioning court existed in every single city throughout the land [ביאור שטיינזלץ].