114. Concerning the Return of Zion

Kebra Nagast

[his] staff, and ring, and the close-fitting cap that was under his headdress. And he companied with her, and she took [the things] and departed unto her house. And he sent the lamb unto her early in the morning. And his servants enquired and said, “Where is the house of the harlot?” And they said unto him, “There is no harlot in our town”; and they returned into their city and told him that there was no harlot in their town. And Judah said, “Leave ye [it]; the Will of God be done.”

Then Tamar conceived and they told her father-in-law that she had conceived. And he went and took the elders of Israel to the father of Tamar, and he said unto him, “Bring to me thy daughter who hath conceived that we may stone her with stones even as Moses commanded, for she hath brought reproach upon the house of Israel.” And the father and kinsfolk of Tamar told her that her father-in-law spake thus. And she brought out the ring, and the staff, and the cap, and gave [them] to her father and her kinsfolk, and she said unto them, “The owner of these things hath seduced me; let them stone me with him with stones.” And when Judah saw his possessions he recognized [them] and he said, “Tamar is more righteous than I”; and he left her and came to his house. And Tamar brought forth twins, two nations, Fârês (Perez) and Zârâ. And Fârs (Persia) was founded in the name of Fârês, and he ruled over it and his seed after him, and they were called “Farasâwîyân” (Persians). Behold now, it is proved that the King of Persia is of the seed of Shem.

78. Concerning the King of Moab

And the King of Moab is of the seed of Shem, and we will inform you how this hath come to pass. When God made Abraham to depart from his father’s country into the land of Kârân (Harran), He made Lot to pass over into the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. And when God wished to blot out the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, He sent His Angels Michael and Gabriel to bring out Lot and to burn up the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; and they destroyed them and brought out Lot with his children. And his wife turned round so that she might see the city of her father and her mother. Now the wrath of God came down on the city of Sodom [in the

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