ertain, in the
power of men to grant such a prerogative to any of their kings; though
Joab was so nearly related to David, and so potent in the army under a
warlike administration, that David durst not himself put him to death,
2 Samuel 3:39; 19:7. Shimei's cursing the Lord's anointed, and this
without any just cause, was the highest act of treason against God and
his anointed king, and justly deserved death; and though David could
forgive treason against himself, yet had he done no more in the case
of Shimei than promised him that he would not then, on the day of his
return and reinauguration, or upon that occasion, himself put him to
death, 2 Samuel 19:22; and he swore to him no further, ver. 23, as the
words are in Josephus, than that he would not then put him to death,
which he performed; nor was Solomon under any obligation to spare such a
traitor.

BOOK 8 FOOTNOTES

[1] This execution upon Joab, as a murderer, by slaying him, even when
he had taken sanctuary at God's altar, is perfectly agreeable to the
law of Moses, which enjoins, that "if a man come presumptuously upon
his neighbor to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar
that he die," Exodus 21:14.

[2] This building of the walls of Jerusalem, soon after David's death,
illustrates the conclusion of the 51st Psalm, where David prays, "Build
thou the walls of Jerusalem;" they being, it seems, unfinished or
imperfect at that time. See ch. 6. sect. 1; and ch. 1. sect. 7; also 1
Kings 9:15.

[3] It may not be amiss to compare the daily furniture of king Solomon's
table, here set down, and 1 Kings 4;22, 23, with the like daily
furniture of Nehemiah the governor's table, after the Jews were come
back from Babylon; and to remember withal, that Nehemiah was now
building the walls of Jerusalem, and maintained, more than usual, above
a hundred and fifty considerable men every day, and that, because the
nation was then very poor, at his own charges also, without laying any
burden upon the people at all. "Now that which was prepared for me daily
was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me,
and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine; and yet for all this
required not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy
upon this people," Nehemiah 5:18: see the whole context, ver. 14-19.
Nor did the governor's usual allowance of forty shekels of silver a-day,
ver. 15, amount to 45 a day, nor to 1800 a-year. Nor doe