דברי הימים ב, פרק כ״ו, פסוק י׳

A ruler's economic strength is often rooted in his ability to cultivate the land and protect its resources. To secure his vast wealth, the king initiated widespread agricultural and building projects across the country, aiming to ensure abundant food supplies and prevent starvation [מלבי"ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because he kept massive flocks and herds grazing in the desert, he constructed tall towers that served as fortresses, protecting his valuable property from roaming robbers [מלבי"ם]. Sustaining such enormous numbers of livestock required a reliable water supply, so he ordered the excavation of numerous cisterns. This involved strenuous, exhausting labor to carve directly through solid stone and rock [מצודת דוד]. His animals were not confined to the harsh desert, as their grazing territories expanded outward into the lower valleys and flat plains [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].

Alongside this booming livestock industry, the king heavily invested in working the soil. He employed farmhands dedicated to plowing the earth [רש"י, מצודת ציון], as well as specialized workers to tend to the vineyards [מצודת ציון]. These agricultural efforts spanned across the mountains and reached into the most fertile, rich hills that were perfectly suited for growing crops [מצודת ציון].

The driving force behind this massive wave of development was the king's deep love for the soil. The primary approach among commentators is that this was a positive trait; the king genuinely enjoyed farming and possessed a strong desire to advance agriculture throughout his kingdom [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, a more critical perspective views this passion as a serious flaw. According to this view, the king was overly obsessed with the earth, much like Cain, and ultimately, this unbalanced love yielded no true benefit [רש"י].