The Servant of King Yannai

The kings of Israel, why [are they not judged]? Is it not because of a situation that occurred when the servant of King Yannai killed someone? Simeon ben Shetaḥ said to the sages: Place your eyes upon him and judge him. They sent [a message] to [King Yannai saying]: Your servant killed a person. [Yannai] sent [the servant] to them. [The sages] sent [a message] to [King Yannai saying]: You must come here also—the Torah says: [And if the ox was accustomed to gore in the past] and the owner was warned and did not guard [it, and it killed a man or woman, the ox will be stoned and the owner will also be put to death] (Exodus 21:29)—let the owner of the ox stand with his ox! [King Yannai] came and sat. Simeon ben Shetaḥ said [to King Yannai]: Yannai the king, stand on your feet so that they can testify against you, for it is not before us that you are standing, but before the One who spoke and the world came into being that you are standing, as it says: The two people who have a disagreement will stand [before God] (Deuteronomy 19:17). [King Yannai] said to him: Not when you say this, but only when your fellows say [this, will I stand]. He turned to his right and [the sages] held their faces to the ground. He turned to his left and [the sages] held their faces to the ground. Simeon ben Shetaḥ said to them: You are masters of intelligence, let the Master of intelligence come and exact punishment from you. Immediately, [the angel] Gabriel came and struck them to the ground, and they died. At that very hour, they said: A king does not judge, and they do not judge him. [A king] does not give testimony, and they do not testify about him.