Sheba

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92 THE KEBRA NAGAST Menelik Cycle text from chapter 21b of the Kebra Nagast until the queen’s departure in chapter 31, it would appear that the Sheba-Menelik Cycle was written before the Christian era. The Sheba-Menelik Cycle pays a lot of attention to details, for example, the number of camels the queen brought, the security of the temple, the nature of the queen’s religion, the way that Solomon forced the queen into bed, Azariah’s ruse to steal the Ark. It is also interesting to note what the Sheba-Menelik Cycle does not mention: Jewish records stating that the high priesthood disappeared from Jerusalem during the ministry of Azariah, and re-emerging 300 years later. The Sheba-Menelik Cycle says Azariah stole the Ark but does not press the point that the high priesthood disappeared. The Sheba-Menelik Cycle explains how the Ark was stolen but makes no reference to the subsequent silence about the matter in Jewish literature, sacred or otherwise. The Sheba-Menelik Cycle does not list the Torah in full, which indicates it probably was not fully developed when the Sheba-Menelik Cycle was written. Aforementioned, the parts it quotes are considered the most ancient. Lastly, the Sheba-Menelik Cycle makes no mention of the disasters that befell Israel and Judah at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Had it been written at a later date, the authors would certainly have used these catastrophes to elaborate on the points raised in the vision of Solomon, that divine grace deserted the king and his realm on the night he bedded the queen. Taking all that into consideration it is therefore extraordinary that the Sheba-Menelik Cycle’s account of Menelik’s escape with the Ark and Solomon’s pursuit seems to make absolute nonsense. Arab and Ethiopian scribes would have a basic knowledge of Middle East geography. If they did not, later editors would correct their work. This is in fact what happened. The redactors of the Kebra Nagast took the Sheba-Menelik Cycle text and, realizing its geography was skewed, they inserted helpful points that unfortunately only made things much worse. For a start they inserted the Archangel Michael into the text and said the whole party flew. Let us examine the text, ignoring references to Michael and flying. In chapter 52 Menelik’s party leaves Jerusalem for Gaza. Then they pass to the border of Mesrin (Egypt), where they reach “the river of Ethiopia,” a journey of a single day instead of the usual thirteen. There Menelik is told about the theft of the Ark of the Covenant. Next they come to the Sea of Eritrea (the Red Sea), crossing it, arriving opposite Mt. Sinai and traveling on from there to Ethiopia. If we take this account seriously, Menelik’s party would have gone from Jerusalem to Gaza and then down to the Nile to the Takezze River junction, where they then crossed the Red
QUEEN OF SHEBA AND BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP 93 MAP 7 The geography of Menelik’s route according to the Kebra Nagast with Jerusalem in Palestine and Msr/Msrm translated to mean Egypt Jerusalem – Gaza – border of Egypt – Waters of Ethiopia – Brook of Egypt – Sea of Eritrea – arrival in Ethiopia opposite Mt Sinai
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Queen of Sheba and Biblical Scholar
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QUEEN OF SHEBA AND BIBLICAL SCHOLAR
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CHAPTER ONE Sheba, Zionism, and the
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CHAPTER TWO The Search for Evidence
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CHAPTER THREE Writing the Old Testa
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Sheba

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