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it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto men more than to
God； judge ye；〃 Acts 4：19。 〃We ought to obey God rather than
men；〃 ver。 29。
（24） What Josephus adds here is very remarkable； that this Mount
Moriah was not only the very place where Abraham offered up Isaac
long ago； but that God had foretold to David by a prophet； that
here his son should build him a temple； which is not directly in
any of our other copies； though very agreeable to what is in
them； particularly in 1 Chronicles 21：25； 28； 22：1； to which
places I refer the reader。
（25） Of the quantity of gold and silver expended in the building
of Solomon's temple； and whence it arose； see the description of
ch。 13。
（26） David is here greatly blamed by some for recommending Joab
and Shimei to be punished by Solomon； if he could find a proper
occasion； after he had borne with the first a long while； and
seemed to have pardoned the other entirely； which Solomon
executed accordingly； yet I cannot discern any fault either in
David or Solomon in these cases。 Joab's murder of Abner and Amasa
were very barbarous； and could not properly be forgiven either by
David or Solomon； for a dispensing power in kings for the crime
of willful murder is warranted by no law of God； nay； is directly
against it every where； nor is it； for certain； 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 does
it indeed appear that； under the judges； or under Samuel the
prophet； there was any such public allowance to those governors
at all。 Those great charges upon the public for maintaining
courts came in with kings； as God foretold they would； 1 Samuel
8：11…18。
（4） Some pretended fragments of these books of conjuration of
Solomon are still extant in Fabricius's Cod。 Pseudepigr。 Vet。
Test。 page 1054； though I entirely differ from Josephus in this
his supposal； that such books and arts of Solomon were parts of
that wisdom which was imparted to him by God in his younger days；
they must rather have belonged to such profane but curious arts
as we find mentioned Acts 19：13…20； and had been derived from the
idolatry and superstition of his heathen wives and concubines in
his old age； when he had forsaken God； and God had forsaken him；
and given him up to demoniacal delusions。 Nor does Josephus's
strange account of the root Baara （Of the War； B。 VIII。 ch。 6。
sect。 3） seem to be other than that of its magical use in such
conjurations。 As for the following history； it confirms what
Christ says； Matthew 12；27 〃If I by Beelzebub cast out demons； by
whom do your Sons cast them out？〃
（5） These epistles of Solomon and Hiram are those in 1 Kings
5：3…9； and； as enlarged； in 2 Chronicles 2：3…16； but here given
us by Josephus in his own words。
（6） What Josephus here puts into his copy of Hiram's epistle to
Solomon； and repeats afterwards； ch。 5。 sect。 3； that Tyre was
now an island； is not in any of the three other copies； viz。 that
of the Kings； Chronicles； or Eusebius； nor is it any other； I
suppose； than his own conjectural paraphrase； for when I； many
years ago； inquired into this matter； I found the state of this
famous city； and of the island whereupon it stood； to have been
very different at different times。 The result of my inquiries in
this matter； with the addition of some later improvements； stands
thus： That the best testimonies hereto relating； imply； that
Paketyrus； or Oldest Tyre； was no other than that most ancient
smaller fort or city Tyre； situated on the continent； and
mentioned in Joshua 19：29； out of which the Canaanite or
Phoenician inhabitants were driven into a large island； that lay
not far off in the sea； by Joshua： that this island was then
joined to the continent at the present remains of Paketyrus； by a
neck of land over against Solomon's cisterns； still so called；
and the city's fresh water； probably； was carried along in pipes
by that neck of land； and that this island was therefore； in
strictness； no other than a peninsula； having villages in its
fields； Ezekiel 26：6； and a wall about it； Amos 1：10； and the
city was not of so great reputation as Sitlon for some ages： that
it was attacked both by sea and land by Salmanasser； as Josephus
informs us； Antiq。 B。 IX。 ch。 14。 sect。 2； and afterwards came to
be the metropolis of Phoenicia； and was afterwards taken and
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar； according to the numerous Scripture
prophecies thereto relating； Isaiah 23。； Jeremiah 25：22； 27：3；
47：4； Ezekiel 26。； 27。； 28。： that seventy years after that
destruction by Nebuchadnezzar； this city was in some measure
revived and rebuilt； Isaiah 23：17； 18； but that； as the prophet
Ezekiel had foretold； chap。 26：3…5； 14； 27： 34； the sea arose
higher than before； till at last it over flowed； not only the
neck of land； but the m