ht.
There is also Shimei the son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, who,
after he had cast many reproaches upon me, when, in my flight, I was
going to Mahanaim, met me at Jordan, and received assurances that he
should then suffer nothing. Do thou now seek out for some just occasion,
and punish him."

2. When David had given these admonitions to his son about public
affairs, and about his friends, and about those whom he knew to deserve
punishment, he died, having lived seventy years, and reigned seven years
and six months in Hebron over the tribe of Judah, and thirty-three
years in Jerusalem over all the country. This man was of an excellent
character, and was endowed with all virtues that were desirable in a
king, and in one that had the preservation of so many tribes committed
to him; for he was a man of valor in a very extraordinary degree, and
went readily and first of all into dangers, when he was to fight for
his subjects, as exciting the soldiers to action by his own labors, and
fighting for them, and not by commanding them in a despotic way. He
was also of very great abilities in understanding, and apprehension of
present and future circumstances, when he was to manage any affairs. He
was prudent and moderate, and kind to such as were under any calamities;
he was righteous and humane, which are good qualities, peculiarly fit
for kings; nor was he guilty of any offense in the exercise of so great
an authority, but in the business of the wife of Uriah. He also left
behind him greater wealth than any other king, either of the Hebrews or,
of other nations, ever did.

3. He was buried by his son Solomon, in Jerusalem, with great
magnificence, and with all the other funeral pomp which kings used to be
buried with; moreover, he had great and immense wealth buried with him,
the vastness of which may be easily conjectured at by what I shall now
say; for a thousand and three hundred years afterward Hyrcanus the high
priest, when he was besieged by Antiochus, that was called the Pious,
the son of Demetrius, and was desirous of giving him money to get him
to raise the siege and draw off his army, and having no other method of
compassing the money, opened one room of David's sepulcher, and took out
three thousand talents, and gave part of that sum to Antiochus; and by
this means caused the siege to be raised, as we have informed the reader
elsewhere. Nay, after him, and that many years, Herod the king opened
another room,