The Queen of Sheba is well-known for her enormous wealth and for visiting King Solomon to gauge his level of intelligence. Photo credit: Freepik.com
The story of the Queen of Sheba is interwoven with
Ethiopian, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions. She was referred to as
the Queen of Sheba by Jews and Christians, Queen Bilquis by Arabs, and Macheda
by Ethiopians. Between 1000 and 950 BC, she is reported to have traveled to
Jerusalem with a convoy of valuable stones, gold, and spices to meet King
Solomon.
Who was the Queen of Sheba in reality? From where did she
originate? Did she actually have a meeting with King Solomon? Some of the
stories in the Bible are both fascinating and inspirational, posing many
questions. She was referred to as the Queen of Sheba by the Jews and
Christians, Macheda by the Ethiopians, and Queen Bilquis by the Arabs.
The fact that Queen Sheba's story has both Jewish and
Persian roots, as well as being mentioned in the Koran, adds to its intrigue.
The Jewish Talmud, the Bible, the Old Testament, the Koran, and the Kebra
Nagast, an Ethiopian literature from the fourteenth century, all tell her
story. According to these accounts, she was a wealthy and astute monarch who
was drawn to Solomon's reputation for knowledge.
Menelik, whose inherent meaning is "son of the wise
man," was born out of King Solomon's relationship with the queen. Menelik,
who grew up and became king, adopted the lion of Judah as his emblem after
ascending to the throne because Ethiopians are the chosen people. When he came
to Axum as an adult and wanted to see the alleged father Solomon, he either
stole or received the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark of the Covenant was not a common item that anybody
could easily touch or steal, so in my opinion, this story is a little
confusing. Only the Levites, more especially Kohath's sons from the priestly
class, are involved. Given the story that "when they came to the threshing
floor of Nachon, when the oxen stumbled, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the
ark of God, and he was struck," how could the Ark of the Covenant be
stolen?
The queen reportedly resided 120 kilometers from Yemen's
capital, Sana. The ancient capital of Saba was located in Marib, east of Sana.
As time went on, Marib was located at the intersection of caravans carrying
incense toward the Red Sea and the entire region.
In May 2008, a team of German archaeologists declared that
they had discovered at Axum, Ethiopia, not only the remnants of the famous
Queen of Sheba's palace but also the location of the Ark of the Covenant, which
held the Tablets of the Law that Moses had received on Sinai. Beneath the ruins
of another structure constructed by a later Christian ruler, the remnants of
the Queen of Sheba's palace from the tenth century BC were found.
The queen most likely came from Marib, which was the capital
of ancient Saba and a hamlet east of Sana in modern-day Yemen. Therefore, if
she existed, she may have been born and raised in Marib, which is in the middle
of the desert. According to legend, she was incredibly attractive, interesting,
and wealthy. The magnificence of enormous temples and palaces surrounds his
legendary presence.
The dominion of the Sabeans also extended over the African
continent, including the current Yemen, Eritrea, Somalia, and above all,
Ethiopia, wherein the Axum seat of the sovereigns of the Axumite empire was
established, and whose current site has been discovered by the German
archaeologists.
However, who was the Queen of Sheba, what realm did she rule
over, and why did she fabricate a legend? The material found in the Sacred Book
of Rastafarians, associated with reggae music and claiming to be the successors
of Christianity from Haile Selassie, Ras Tafari, is the basis for what has been
said thus far concerning the Queen of Sheba and her remarkable tale.
We can’t overlook the biblical allusions to the Queen of
Sheba's journey to learn about Solomon in 1 Kings 10:4 and Matthew 12:42, which
states, "The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with this
generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is
here."
Rastafarians believe they are the descendants of King David
through a lineage traced back to the union of King Solomon and the Queen of
Sheba, a belief supported by the Ethiopian religious text Kebra Nagast. They
view the Ethiopian Solomonic Dynasty, to which Emperor Haile Selassie I
belonged, as a direct representation of King David's royal line.
According to history, the queen lived about 120 km from
Sana, the capital of Yemen. East of Sana in Marib, which was the capital of
ancient Saba. Marib was situated at the point where caravans that carried
incense in the direction of the Red Sea crossed, and the whole region, with the
passing of the years.
In May 2008, a group of German archaeologists announced that
they had found in Axum, Ethiopia, not only the remains of the palace of the
legendary Queen of Sheba but also the place where the Ark of the Covenant was
kept, which contained the Tablets of the Law, the Ten Commandments.
According to the story, the Queen of Sheba returned to her
own nation after successfully challenging Solomon's wisdom and receiving lavish
presents in exchange. She is never referenced again in the biblical account. According
to Ethiopian legend, she subsequently gave birth to Menelik I, the first
Ethiopian ruler, who is credited with returning the Ark of the Covenant to
Ethiopia.
