The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek (Kebra Nagast)

Introduction the glory of Israel had departed with it. Then Solomon told Zadok the priest to go into the Holy of Holies and bring out the covering of the Tabernacle, and to spread over the Tabernacle in its stead the new covering which he had had specially made for the purpose (Chap. 51); and thus saying he placed the new covering in the bands of the high priest. The Queen of Sheba had asked him for a piece of the fringe of the covering of the Tabernacle, and she had repeated her request by the mouth of her son, and Solomon determined to send the complete covering to her. The text mentions the “five mice and ten emerods” which were given to Zion, but it is not clear whether Solomon meant them to be given to the Queen with the covering of the Tabernacle. Acting on Solomon’s instructions, Zadok went and fetched the covering of the Tabernacle (Chap.

52), and gave it to Bayna-Le˙kem, or David, together with a chain of gold.

Then the wagons were loaded, and Bayna-Le˙kem and his companions set out on their journey. The Archangel Michael led the way, and he cut a path for them, and sheltered them from the heat. Neither man nor beast touched the ground with their feet, but were carried along above the ground with the speed of the bat and the eagle, and even the wagons were borne along without touching the earth (Chap. 52).

Michael halted the company at Gâzâ, which city Solomon had given to the Queen of Sheba, and another day’s march brought them to the frontier of Egypt, and they encamped by “the River” (Takkazi), i.e. the Nile. Thus they had performed in one day a journey that generally took the caravans thirteen days to complete (Chap. 53). Whilst they were here his companions took the opportunity of revealing to David the fact that they had carried off the Tabernacle Zion, and that it was there with them. Azaryas told Elmeyas to “beautify and dress our Lady,” and when David II saw her he rose up and skipped like a young sheep, and danced before the Tabernacle even as lxvii