XXXIII
Menelik I
IBNA HAKIM, the son of the wise man, Solomon, who had adopted the throne name, Menelik I, was anointed by the Jewish high priest, Azariah, before the Ark after his mother, Makeda, died at the age of 60.
During his reign, he patterned his government and set policies, which were similar to those of the Hebrews, and he appointed Twelve Judges, according to the number of tribes of Israel.
Azariah drew up a code of laws and regulations based directly on the laws of Moses and tradition says that this code was the source of all subsequent legal decisions and ordinances,
Menelik I tried to legislate in every way like his father, Solomon, and his grandfather, David. He also adopted many of the engineering techniques of his Israeli friend, Adoniram, in building dams in the highlands where he stored water to irrigate the land in the dry season just as he did in Marib in the Arabian Saba.
He married a Hebrew woman and they had a son, named Thomas. He was to be the second emperor of the Ark.
In 930 B.C., he died at age 50 after reigning for 24 years.
IN 1904, the tomb of Menelik I was found in a large stone mausoleum in Ethiopia. The coffin contained the body of a king still wearing his golden crown. The crown was carefully removed and was placed with the crowns of other Ethiopian kings in St. Mary of Zion Cathedral in Aksum, the ancient capital. It is also the place where the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle of the Lord God of Israel, had rested for nearly 3,000 years.
The 225th Emperor, Haile Selassie I -- the Power of the Trinity -- and Tafari Makkonen before he took the throne name rode up to the gates of Aksum on his horse during his coronation celebrations in the 1930s where he cut a symbolic cord and, like those many kings before him, declared, "I am the son of David and Solomon, and Ibna Hakim."
(End of Part I of The Glory of The King)
Monday, February 12, 2007
The Death of Solomon
XXXII
The Death of Solomon
AT AGE 60, Solomon lost his will to live. The Ark was gone and so was his wisdom the God of Israel had given him.
The Angel of Death hovered over his bed.
"O Lord God of Israel, I'm conquered by the terrestrial law," he cried. "Please, have mercy on me and remember the covenant you made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Have mercy on me, for the sake of David. O Master of the world and of kings and of governors have mercy on me."
Tears streams down his face and he tried to dry them.
The Angel of Death reminded Solomon that his anguish was caused by marrying alien women and taking the Law of God lightly, and believing he would sire many male offspring.
"He has only given you three sons," said the Angel, whose name was Gabriel. "The one who carried your glory to Ethiopia, whom they call Ibna Hakim, then there's the little crippled one, Rehoboam, from the house of Judah and Adramis, who's the son of a Greek handmaiden."
Gabriel then touched Solomon on the foot and his health seemed to be restored.
Later, the king prayed, "I give thanks to the Lord, for he's looked on my affliction and didn't allow me to die in my grief."
He then told the court reporter to write down his final words, which were these:
"As a rsult of worshipping the strange gods of my wives, the spirit of God departed from me and from that day on my words became as idle talk., for she convinced me to build temples of idols. As a result I, wretched man that I am, carried out her advice and the glory of God completely departed from me. My spirit darkened and I became a laughing stock to the idols and demons. For the reason I have written out this, my testament, in order that those who hear might pray about, and pay attention to, the last things and not the first things."
Then Solomon ordered Zadok to anoint Rehoboam king, just like his father, David, had done while he was still alive.
The city was alive with celebrating as Rehoboam rode the king's mule through the streets, but before the son could return to his father, Solomon died.
Although Solomon had strictly ruled during the latter part of his reign, Rehoboam was a cruel and contemptible monarch and later the kingdom was divided in two -- Israel and Judah -- with Jeroboam picked by lot.
And then its people were scattered to the four winds of the earth, for the Glory of the King had vanished.
The Death of Solomon
AT AGE 60, Solomon lost his will to live. The Ark was gone and so was his wisdom the God of Israel had given him.
The Angel of Death hovered over his bed.
"O Lord God of Israel, I'm conquered by the terrestrial law," he cried. "Please, have mercy on me and remember the covenant you made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Have mercy on me, for the sake of David. O Master of the world and of kings and of governors have mercy on me."
Tears streams down his face and he tried to dry them.
The Angel of Death reminded Solomon that his anguish was caused by marrying alien women and taking the Law of God lightly, and believing he would sire many male offspring.
"He has only given you three sons," said the Angel, whose name was Gabriel. "The one who carried your glory to Ethiopia, whom they call Ibna Hakim, then there's the little crippled one, Rehoboam, from the house of Judah and Adramis, who's the son of a Greek handmaiden."
Gabriel then touched Solomon on the foot and his health seemed to be restored.
Later, the king prayed, "I give thanks to the Lord, for he's looked on my affliction and didn't allow me to die in my grief."
He then told the court reporter to write down his final words, which were these:
"As a rsult of worshipping the strange gods of my wives, the spirit of God departed from me and from that day on my words became as idle talk., for she convinced me to build temples of idols. As a result I, wretched man that I am, carried out her advice and the glory of God completely departed from me. My spirit darkened and I became a laughing stock to the idols and demons. For the reason I have written out this, my testament, in order that those who hear might pray about, and pay attention to, the last things and not the first things."
Then Solomon ordered Zadok to anoint Rehoboam king, just like his father, David, had done while he was still alive.
The city was alive with celebrating as Rehoboam rode the king's mule through the streets, but before the son could return to his father, Solomon died.
Although Solomon had strictly ruled during the latter part of his reign, Rehoboam was a cruel and contemptible monarch and later the kingdom was divided in two -- Israel and Judah -- with Jeroboam picked by lot.
And then its people were scattered to the four winds of the earth, for the Glory of the King had vanished.
The Pharoah's Daughter
XXXI
The Pharoah's Daughter
ONE OF his great loves, besides Makeda, was Makshara, the daughter of Pharoah and she brought him into the house he'd built where there were figures of the sun, moon and stars in the roof causing the rooms to be lighted brightly day and night.
The mansion's beams were made of bras and its roof of silver and its panels of lead and its walls of stones, red with black, and brown with white and green and its floor was of blacks of sapphire stone and sardius.
Makshara possessed certain idols which her father had given her and Solomon saw her sacrificing to them. He didn't rebuke her about idol worship and sorcery because God was angry with him and caused him to forget his wisdom.
She even talked some of the Israelites into joining her in worshipping her idols.
Even Solomon became excited with Makshara's folly.
"It's good to worship the gods like my father and all the kings of Egypt, who were before my father," she told Solomon with a sweet smile.
"They call gods the things which have been made by the hands of the worker in metal , and the carpenter and the potter and the painter. They're not gods, but the work of the hand of man, but we worship none else than the Holy God of Israel and our Lady, the holy and heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God, whom He gave us to worship and our seed after us."
Makshara shook her head.
"Your son took the Ark, didn't he?"
Solomon remained silent.
"Your son, you had with an alien woman which God hadn't commanded you to marry, and what's more she's an Ethiopian, who isn't of your color, and isn't from your country and, moreover, she's black."
Solomon, inwardly, trembled at her words, but he refused to bow down to her idols.
A month later, Makshara turned against the king, treating him disdainfully and refusing his advances.
"What do you want me to do?" moaned Solomon. "You've turned against me and I don't know what's the matter. Tell me and I'll do anything you ask."
"Do you mean it, you'll do anything I ask?" she said, slowly.
"Yes," he whispered.
"Makshara then tied a scarlet thread on the middle of the door of the shrine she'd made to her gods and brought three locusts and put them in the shrine.
"Here's what you have to do, Solomon, kill those three locusts within breaking the scarlet thread." He did as he was told.
"I'll have sex with you now because you've sacrificed to my gods by entering into this shrineto kill the locusts."
Solomon returned to his own quarters, and remembering how he had enticed Makeda into his bed through deception so long ago and now he was the one who had been duped.
In the night, a shadow fell across him and a voice thundered, "Why, Solomon did you marry alien women and sacrifice to their gods?"
From being the wisest man in the world, he had become a fool.
The Pharoah's Daughter
ONE OF his great loves, besides Makeda, was Makshara, the daughter of Pharoah and she brought him into the house he'd built where there were figures of the sun, moon and stars in the roof causing the rooms to be lighted brightly day and night.
The mansion's beams were made of bras and its roof of silver and its panels of lead and its walls of stones, red with black, and brown with white and green and its floor was of blacks of sapphire stone and sardius.
Makshara possessed certain idols which her father had given her and Solomon saw her sacrificing to them. He didn't rebuke her about idol worship and sorcery because God was angry with him and caused him to forget his wisdom.
She even talked some of the Israelites into joining her in worshipping her idols.
Even Solomon became excited with Makshara's folly.
"It's good to worship the gods like my father and all the kings of Egypt, who were before my father," she told Solomon with a sweet smile.
"They call gods the things which have been made by the hands of the worker in metal , and the carpenter and the potter and the painter. They're not gods, but the work of the hand of man, but we worship none else than the Holy God of Israel and our Lady, the holy and heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God, whom He gave us to worship and our seed after us."
Makshara shook her head.
"Your son took the Ark, didn't he?"
Solomon remained silent.
"Your son, you had with an alien woman which God hadn't commanded you to marry, and what's more she's an Ethiopian, who isn't of your color, and isn't from your country and, moreover, she's black."
Solomon, inwardly, trembled at her words, but he refused to bow down to her idols.
A month later, Makshara turned against the king, treating him disdainfully and refusing his advances.
"What do you want me to do?" moaned Solomon. "You've turned against me and I don't know what's the matter. Tell me and I'll do anything you ask."
"Do you mean it, you'll do anything I ask?" she said, slowly.
"Yes," he whispered.
"Makshara then tied a scarlet thread on the middle of the door of the shrine she'd made to her gods and brought three locusts and put them in the shrine.
"Here's what you have to do, Solomon, kill those three locusts within breaking the scarlet thread." He did as he was told.
"I'll have sex with you now because you've sacrificed to my gods by entering into this shrineto kill the locusts."
Solomon returned to his own quarters, and remembering how he had enticed Makeda into his bed through deception so long ago and now he was the one who had been duped.
In the night, a shadow fell across him and a voice thundered, "Why, Solomon did you marry alien women and sacrifice to their gods?"
From being the wisest man in the world, he had become a fool.
The Last Days of Solomon
XXX
The Last Days of Solomon
1. THEIR SECRET
AFTER SOLOMON realized his son, Ibna Hakim, and the young noblemen, including Zadok's son, Azariah, had stolen the Ark and taken it away to Ethiopia, he returned to Jerusalem from Egypt.
Both he and Zadok wept bitterly in the Temple and they remained silent for a long time.
However, his elders tried to comfort him.
"Don't be sorrowful concerning this," said Adoniram, his former cabinet minister for public works and now a court adviser, "for we know, from first to last, that without the will of God, the Ark won't dwell anywhere."
Adoniram thought of his first meeting with Tamrin, and being in the mountains of Lebanon with the now crippled Chief Merchant and ambassador for Makeda. "If only we'd never met, then maybe, just maybe, the Ark would still be with us," he thought to himself.
Out loud, however, he continued with his words of comfort, recalling how the Philistines once carried it away, only to send it back to Israel because it carried such destruction.
Maybe this would happen to the Ethiopians, he thought.
"For it's impossibe," he continued, "to carry the Ark away unless she wanted to and God wanted it.
"When your father, Solomon, reigned over Israel he took the Ark from the city of Samaria and brought the Ark here to Jerusalem, dancing on her feet before her, and clapping his hands because of the joy for her. And the reason she wrent to the Ethiopian capital was because God willed it and she willed it."
Solomon seemed to be resigned to Adoniram's words when he said: "If the Ark doesn't return it will be God's good pleasure.
Although, they all had wept bitter tears, Solomon ordered them to cease with the words, "Cease so that the uncircumised people won't boast and won't say, 'Their glory is taken away and God has forsaken them.' Don't tell anything to alien people."
Then he told them of a secret plan.
"Let's take the boards Azariah and his henchmen set up in the Temple when they stole our Lady, and decorate them and cover with gold and let's put the Book of the Law inside it."
He assured his leaders that God hadn't abandoned them because of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the later covenant with his father, David, and the one with himself.
Solomon lived for 11 years after the Ark was stolen and then his heart turned aside from the love of God and he forgot his wisdom,. through the excessive love of women.
The Last Days of Solomon
1. THEIR SECRET
AFTER SOLOMON realized his son, Ibna Hakim, and the young noblemen, including Zadok's son, Azariah, had stolen the Ark and taken it away to Ethiopia, he returned to Jerusalem from Egypt.
Both he and Zadok wept bitterly in the Temple and they remained silent for a long time.
However, his elders tried to comfort him.
"Don't be sorrowful concerning this," said Adoniram, his former cabinet minister for public works and now a court adviser, "for we know, from first to last, that without the will of God, the Ark won't dwell anywhere."
Adoniram thought of his first meeting with Tamrin, and being in the mountains of Lebanon with the now crippled Chief Merchant and ambassador for Makeda. "If only we'd never met, then maybe, just maybe, the Ark would still be with us," he thought to himself.
Out loud, however, he continued with his words of comfort, recalling how the Philistines once carried it away, only to send it back to Israel because it carried such destruction.
Maybe this would happen to the Ethiopians, he thought.
"For it's impossibe," he continued, "to carry the Ark away unless she wanted to and God wanted it.
"When your father, Solomon, reigned over Israel he took the Ark from the city of Samaria and brought the Ark here to Jerusalem, dancing on her feet before her, and clapping his hands because of the joy for her. And the reason she wrent to the Ethiopian capital was because God willed it and she willed it."
Solomon seemed to be resigned to Adoniram's words when he said: "If the Ark doesn't return it will be God's good pleasure.
Although, they all had wept bitter tears, Solomon ordered them to cease with the words, "Cease so that the uncircumised people won't boast and won't say, 'Their glory is taken away and God has forsaken them.' Don't tell anything to alien people."
Then he told them of a secret plan.
"Let's take the boards Azariah and his henchmen set up in the Temple when they stole our Lady, and decorate them and cover with gold and let's put the Book of the Law inside it."
He assured his leaders that God hadn't abandoned them because of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the later covenant with his father, David, and the one with himself.
Solomon lived for 11 years after the Ark was stolen and then his heart turned aside from the love of God and he forgot his wisdom,. through the excessive love of women.
The Ark Goes to War
XXIX
The Ark Goes to War
THREE MONTHS after the Ark arrived, Menelik and his soldiers learned of pockets of resistance to his leadership and with the priests carrying the Ark they headed for the camp at Maya Abaw.
The following morning they laid waste the district of Zawa and then they camped at Gerra before destroying the city of vipers, which had the faces of men and tails of asses attached to the loins.
Makeda joined her son on the battlefield and for three months they waged war, conquering the city of Saba, which had fallen into enemy hands, and Noba and upwards towards the borders of Egypt.
Because of this terrible weapon of destruction, in the small golden container, the kings of Medyam and Egypt trembled and they sent gifts to Menelik to try to appease his wrath.
They also moved towards the king of India with the same results, for Menelik waged war wherever he wanted and he conquered all the lands his troops entered.
The Ark had made him invincible.
They were able to travel in one day distances that usually took three months and none of the Ethiopians suffered any loss of life because the angel Michael was directing the movements of the Ark, the Very Essence of God.
Menelik I, or Ibna Hakim and David II, stayed much of time at Debra Makeda and if he wanted something to be done, it was just by his thoughts. The Hand of God was with him.
The Ark Goes to War
THREE MONTHS after the Ark arrived, Menelik and his soldiers learned of pockets of resistance to his leadership and with the priests carrying the Ark they headed for the camp at Maya Abaw.
The following morning they laid waste the district of Zawa and then they camped at Gerra before destroying the city of vipers, which had the faces of men and tails of asses attached to the loins.
Makeda joined her son on the battlefield and for three months they waged war, conquering the city of Saba, which had fallen into enemy hands, and Noba and upwards towards the borders of Egypt.
Because of this terrible weapon of destruction, in the small golden container, the kings of Medyam and Egypt trembled and they sent gifts to Menelik to try to appease his wrath.
They also moved towards the king of India with the same results, for Menelik waged war wherever he wanted and he conquered all the lands his troops entered.
The Ark had made him invincible.
They were able to travel in one day distances that usually took three months and none of the Ethiopians suffered any loss of life because the angel Michael was directing the movements of the Ark, the Very Essence of God.
Menelik I, or Ibna Hakim and David II, stayed much of time at Debra Makeda and if he wanted something to be done, it was just by his thoughts. The Hand of God was with him.
Solomonic Dynasty
XVIII
Solomonic Dynasty
GATHERING HER NOBLES into the inner court of the Palace, Makeda said: "Swear by the heavenly Zion that in the future you won't allow any queen to ascend this throne and that no one except the male seed of my son, Ibna Hakim, the son of Solomon, will be worthy of it"
They agreed with a great shout.
In the following days, she appointed Elyas the chief of priests and Azariah the chief of deacons and with Ibna Hakim's assistance a similar administration as to the one in Jerusalem was set up.
Finally, Makeda turned over her kingdom to her son with these words, "Take the kingdom, I've given to you. I have made king whom God has made king, and I have chosen him whom God has chosen as the keeper of His pavilion. I'm well pleased with him whom God has been pleased with him whom God has been pleased to make the envoy of the Tabernacle of His Covenant and His Law. I have magnified him whom God has magnified and the director of his widows and I've honored him whom God has honored as the giver of food to orphans."
Ibna Hakim rose to his feet and praised Makeda and then said: "Please, pray for me, mother, that we'll respect the habitation of the Glory of God and those that come after me will obey His will and do what's right in respect of the Ark then we'll become chosen men and no one will be able to treat us evilly in the mountain of His holiness while His habitation is us.
"Also, I know God is with us because He sent the mighty angel, Michael, who directed us here and he'll be with us forever.
Ibna Hakim: And we've brought the whole Law of the kingdom and the commandment of God which Zadok declared to us when he anointed me with the oil of sovereignity in the Temple, the horn of oil, which is the unction of priesthood and royalty, being in his hand. And he did what was written in the Law and we were anointed along with Azariah to the priesthood and Elymas as the keeper of Zion and the Ear of the King in every path of righteousness. Zadok told me that I should listen to their advice about everything.
Then Elymas and Azariah brought Zadok's writing and read it to Makeda.
Then she spoke to the two advisers, saying, "Protect him and teach him the path of the kingdom of God and honor our Lady Zion, for you are the guardians of the Ark."
In the following days, Azariah issued the same dietary laws to his new nation that were applicable in Israel.
Azariah ordered the Jubilee trumpets to be blown and for the Ethiopians to be gathered around the mountain of Debra Makeda, where the Ark was now resting inside a tent.
"Let us go to Zion and there we will make new the kingdom of our lord, David," Azariah said.
There he anointed Ibna Hakim with the throne name of Menelik. Afterwards they blew horns and pipes and trumpets and beat drums with singing, dancing and displays of jousting and horsemanship.
The boundaries of the new kingdom began on the east at the city of Gaza in the land of Judah and along the coastline to Leba and Saba and down to Bisis and Asnet with its boundary the Sea of Blacks and Naked Men and towards Mount Kebereneyon into the Sea of Darkness, the place where the sun sets. The border also extended to Feneel and Lasifala and then towards the Sea of India.
Solomonic Dynasty
GATHERING HER NOBLES into the inner court of the Palace, Makeda said: "Swear by the heavenly Zion that in the future you won't allow any queen to ascend this throne and that no one except the male seed of my son, Ibna Hakim, the son of Solomon, will be worthy of it"
They agreed with a great shout.
In the following days, she appointed Elyas the chief of priests and Azariah the chief of deacons and with Ibna Hakim's assistance a similar administration as to the one in Jerusalem was set up.
Finally, Makeda turned over her kingdom to her son with these words, "Take the kingdom, I've given to you. I have made king whom God has made king, and I have chosen him whom God has chosen as the keeper of His pavilion. I'm well pleased with him whom God has been pleased with him whom God has been pleased to make the envoy of the Tabernacle of His Covenant and His Law. I have magnified him whom God has magnified and the director of his widows and I've honored him whom God has honored as the giver of food to orphans."
Ibna Hakim rose to his feet and praised Makeda and then said: "Please, pray for me, mother, that we'll respect the habitation of the Glory of God and those that come after me will obey His will and do what's right in respect of the Ark then we'll become chosen men and no one will be able to treat us evilly in the mountain of His holiness while His habitation is us.
"Also, I know God is with us because He sent the mighty angel, Michael, who directed us here and he'll be with us forever.
Ibna Hakim: And we've brought the whole Law of the kingdom and the commandment of God which Zadok declared to us when he anointed me with the oil of sovereignity in the Temple, the horn of oil, which is the unction of priesthood and royalty, being in his hand. And he did what was written in the Law and we were anointed along with Azariah to the priesthood and Elymas as the keeper of Zion and the Ear of the King in every path of righteousness. Zadok told me that I should listen to their advice about everything.
Then Elymas and Azariah brought Zadok's writing and read it to Makeda.
Then she spoke to the two advisers, saying, "Protect him and teach him the path of the kingdom of God and honor our Lady Zion, for you are the guardians of the Ark."
In the following days, Azariah issued the same dietary laws to his new nation that were applicable in Israel.
Azariah ordered the Jubilee trumpets to be blown and for the Ethiopians to be gathered around the mountain of Debra Makeda, where the Ark was now resting inside a tent.
"Let us go to Zion and there we will make new the kingdom of our lord, David," Azariah said.
There he anointed Ibna Hakim with the throne name of Menelik. Afterwards they blew horns and pipes and trumpets and beat drums with singing, dancing and displays of jousting and horsemanship.
The boundaries of the new kingdom began on the east at the city of Gaza in the land of Judah and along the coastline to Leba and Saba and down to Bisis and Asnet with its boundary the Sea of Blacks and Naked Men and towards Mount Kebereneyon into the Sea of Darkness, the place where the sun sets. The border also extended to Feneel and Lasifala and then towards the Sea of India.
The Glory in Ethiopia
XVII
The Glory in Ethiopia
ALTHOUGH IBNA HAKIM and his entourage travelled through Egypt to the borders of Ethiopia, the old Regent Tamrin sent two messengers down the Nile with the report to Makeda that her son had been anointed king and they were bringing the Ark with them.
In her court, the Ethiopian queen wondered out loud, "The Ark? You must mean the fringe of its covering, just like I asked?"
"No, my Lady, they're bringing the Tabernacle of the Law of God with them, and they're flying through the air just like heavenly beings," replied the messengers in unison.
"Could it be true?"
"Yes, yes, my Lady."
Makeda realized it was true.
She then ordered the news to be spread throughout her land, that the Ark and her son were returning from Jerusalem and she began preparing for a great celebration by ordering special perfumes from India be brought to her.
Travelling on the Azyaba Road to Wakerom, Ibna Hakim finally entered Ethiopia and at Debra Makeda, the new capital city, which the queen had built.
Looking up, Makeda could see the Ark shining in the afternoon sun, the light flashing of it and when she saw this, she gave thanks to the God of Israel.
Bowing low, she smote her breast, while remembering the great cloud, which swooped over her and Solomon in the Temple so many years ago.
Makeda was overwhelmed with excitement. She laughed. She cried. She began to dance.
Her actions were contagious.
Ordering the official celebrations to begin, pavilions and tents were set up beside the river on the flat plain at the foot of the plateau of Debra Makeda and there 32,000 stalled oxen and bulls were slaughtered.
Azariah and his companions carried the Ark to a large rock formation, much like the one on Mount Moriah, and had it watched over by Makeda's special guard of 300 sword-wielding men. Her son also commanded a 700-man specially-trained contingent.
Three days after the Ark's arrival in Ethiopia, Makeda gave a gift of 17,700 chosen horses for her son's army when she abdicated her throne.
The Glory in Ethiopia
ALTHOUGH IBNA HAKIM and his entourage travelled through Egypt to the borders of Ethiopia, the old Regent Tamrin sent two messengers down the Nile with the report to Makeda that her son had been anointed king and they were bringing the Ark with them.
In her court, the Ethiopian queen wondered out loud, "The Ark? You must mean the fringe of its covering, just like I asked?"
"No, my Lady, they're bringing the Tabernacle of the Law of God with them, and they're flying through the air just like heavenly beings," replied the messengers in unison.
"Could it be true?"
"Yes, yes, my Lady."
Makeda realized it was true.
She then ordered the news to be spread throughout her land, that the Ark and her son were returning from Jerusalem and she began preparing for a great celebration by ordering special perfumes from India be brought to her.
Travelling on the Azyaba Road to Wakerom, Ibna Hakim finally entered Ethiopia and at Debra Makeda, the new capital city, which the queen had built.
Looking up, Makeda could see the Ark shining in the afternoon sun, the light flashing of it and when she saw this, she gave thanks to the God of Israel.
Bowing low, she smote her breast, while remembering the great cloud, which swooped over her and Solomon in the Temple so many years ago.
Makeda was overwhelmed with excitement. She laughed. She cried. She began to dance.
Her actions were contagious.
Ordering the official celebrations to begin, pavilions and tents were set up beside the river on the flat plain at the foot of the plateau of Debra Makeda and there 32,000 stalled oxen and bulls were slaughtered.
Azariah and his companions carried the Ark to a large rock formation, much like the one on Mount Moriah, and had it watched over by Makeda's special guard of 300 sword-wielding men. Her son also commanded a 700-man specially-trained contingent.
Three days after the Ark's arrival in Ethiopia, Makeda gave a gift of 17,700 chosen horses for her son's army when she abdicated her throne.
In Pursuit of the Robbers
XXVI
In Pursuit of the Robbers
SOLOMON WAS furious and he commanded his soldiers to set out on the chase.
Arriving in Egypt, Benaiah questioned the border residents.
"Some days ago some strangers passed here," they said.
"They travelled swiftly in wagons like the angels and they were swifter than the eagles of heaven."
"How many days ago was this?" they were asked.
Gathering information, one of Benaiah's aides returned to Jerusalem and told him that his son and his companions had left Egypt almost two weeks before.
Solomon and his contingent of troops went down to Gaza and asked they'd seen the Ark.
"We didn't see anything," they said.
Leaving Gaza, Solomon went deeper into Egypt and met one of Pharoah's ambassadors who told him that he'd seen the Ethiopians in Cairo.
"They were blowing flutes and they travelled on wagons like the host of the heavenly beings. Even our priests knew that the Ark was with them, for our idols were broken into fragments because of its presence."
Then the envoy asked a question, which seared deep into Solomon's soul.
"Why did you give away the Ark, which your fathers kept pure for you? For, according to what we hear, that Ark used to deliver you out of the land of your enemies and you used to be able to talk to your God because of it."
Solomon entered his tent and cried.
"God, I wish you'd taken my life."
He then tried to analyze the reason the Ark was no longer with Israel.
"I know why it's gone," he said to Zadok.
"Why?" said the priest, who slowly was beginning to regain his strength after collapsing in the Temple.
"Because God hates idolatry and seeking the advice of witches and divination and magic and we've been guilty of them as well as drunkeness and false testimony against neighbors. It's because of them that God has taken away the Ark and given it to my son and his descendants."
The tears continually ran down the king's face.
"It must have been the will of God," he sobbed.
"Why are you sad, then?" asked Zadok. "The will of God gave the Ark to your first-born son and he'll rule forever."
Resigning himself to this fate, the king said: "The will of God be done and not the will of man."
The chase was over.
Solomon and his men returned to Jerusalem, a city still in shock.
In Pursuit of the Robbers
SOLOMON WAS furious and he commanded his soldiers to set out on the chase.
Arriving in Egypt, Benaiah questioned the border residents.
"Some days ago some strangers passed here," they said.
"They travelled swiftly in wagons like the angels and they were swifter than the eagles of heaven."
"How many days ago was this?" they were asked.
Gathering information, one of Benaiah's aides returned to Jerusalem and told him that his son and his companions had left Egypt almost two weeks before.
Solomon and his contingent of troops went down to Gaza and asked they'd seen the Ark.
"We didn't see anything," they said.
Leaving Gaza, Solomon went deeper into Egypt and met one of Pharoah's ambassadors who told him that he'd seen the Ethiopians in Cairo.
"They were blowing flutes and they travelled on wagons like the host of the heavenly beings. Even our priests knew that the Ark was with them, for our idols were broken into fragments because of its presence."
Then the envoy asked a question, which seared deep into Solomon's soul.
"Why did you give away the Ark, which your fathers kept pure for you? For, according to what we hear, that Ark used to deliver you out of the land of your enemies and you used to be able to talk to your God because of it."
Solomon entered his tent and cried.
"God, I wish you'd taken my life."
He then tried to analyze the reason the Ark was no longer with Israel.
"I know why it's gone," he said to Zadok.
"Why?" said the priest, who slowly was beginning to regain his strength after collapsing in the Temple.
"Because God hates idolatry and seeking the advice of witches and divination and magic and we've been guilty of them as well as drunkeness and false testimony against neighbors. It's because of them that God has taken away the Ark and given it to my son and his descendants."
The tears continually ran down the king's face.
"It must have been the will of God," he sobbed.
"Why are you sad, then?" asked Zadok. "The will of God gave the Ark to your first-born son and he'll rule forever."
Resigning himself to this fate, the king said: "The will of God be done and not the will of man."
The chase was over.
Solomon and his men returned to Jerusalem, a city still in shock.
Solomon's Sorrow
XXV
Solomon's Sorrow
1. THE WOODEN PIECES
IN JERUSALEM, Solomon couldn't understand the sudden panic within himself.
When Zadok found him in a depressed state, he asked:
"What's the matter?"
"Do you remember when Makeda, the queen of Ethiopia, was here?"
"Yes."
"Well, when I slept with her, I had a vision. It seemed as I were standing in the chamber of Jerusalem and the sun came down from heaven into the land of Judah and lighted it up with great splendor and it stayed here for a short time and then it moved on and lighted on Ethiopia and it didn't return to Judah."
"Why didn't you tell me this before that you'd seen a vision of this kind? You make my knees tremble. What if your sons have stolen the Ark?"
Solomon was shocked by Zadok's question.
"When you took off the covering, didn't you check to make certain the Ark was there?"
"No, I didn't," came the reply. "It had three coverings on it and I took off the outtermost and put the covering you gave me on it."
Solomon was like a crazed man.
"Go to the Temple and examine it," he yelled, his voice crackling with anticipation.
Zadok took the keys and entered into the sanctuary and proceeded to cautiously walk in the darkness of the Holy of Holies.
He found nothing except the wooden boards that Azariah had fastened together to resemble the sides of the pedestal of the Ark.
It was gone.
Zadok collapsed in terror.
Benaiah found him there. He thought he was dead and frantically felt his pulse. He lifted him to a table and tried to revive him.
Slowly, Zadok came out of his faint and staggered to his feet.
Looking at the place where the Ark should have been, Zadok started screaming and wailing at the Temple doors.
Solomon, in the nearby king's quarters, now knew his most frightening nightmare had become true.
Army commander Benaiah was ordered to assemble the troops and set out after the thieves, who had taken the greatest treasure on earth, an object on which no monetary value could ever be placed.
Solomon told Benaiah to seize his son and bring him back to Jerusalem and kill the other men in his company.
"As the Lord God of Israel lives, they're men of death and not of life. They deserve to die because they''ve robbed the Temple."
Solomon's Sorrow
1. THE WOODEN PIECES
IN JERUSALEM, Solomon couldn't understand the sudden panic within himself.
When Zadok found him in a depressed state, he asked:
"What's the matter?"
"Do you remember when Makeda, the queen of Ethiopia, was here?"
"Yes."
"Well, when I slept with her, I had a vision. It seemed as I were standing in the chamber of Jerusalem and the sun came down from heaven into the land of Judah and lighted it up with great splendor and it stayed here for a short time and then it moved on and lighted on Ethiopia and it didn't return to Judah."
"Why didn't you tell me this before that you'd seen a vision of this kind? You make my knees tremble. What if your sons have stolen the Ark?"
Solomon was shocked by Zadok's question.
"When you took off the covering, didn't you check to make certain the Ark was there?"
"No, I didn't," came the reply. "It had three coverings on it and I took off the outtermost and put the covering you gave me on it."
Solomon was like a crazed man.
"Go to the Temple and examine it," he yelled, his voice crackling with anticipation.
Zadok took the keys and entered into the sanctuary and proceeded to cautiously walk in the darkness of the Holy of Holies.
He found nothing except the wooden boards that Azariah had fastened together to resemble the sides of the pedestal of the Ark.
It was gone.
Zadok collapsed in terror.
Benaiah found him there. He thought he was dead and frantically felt his pulse. He lifted him to a table and tried to revive him.
Slowly, Zadok came out of his faint and staggered to his feet.
Looking at the place where the Ark should have been, Zadok started screaming and wailing at the Temple doors.
Solomon, in the nearby king's quarters, now knew his most frightening nightmare had become true.
Army commander Benaiah was ordered to assemble the troops and set out after the thieves, who had taken the greatest treasure on earth, an object on which no monetary value could ever be placed.
Solomon told Benaiah to seize his son and bring him back to Jerusalem and kill the other men in his company.
"As the Lord God of Israel lives, they're men of death and not of life. They deserve to die because they''ve robbed the Temple."
Michael's Protection
XXIV
Michael's Protection
AFTER THEY left Jerusalem, a fiery cloud swept over their wagons and the Archangel Michael appeared in it.
He spread out his wings and was their guide to Ethiopia.
It was a supernatural journey, for no man hauled his wagon, with the entire caravan, both man and beast, raised above the ground to the height of at least a dozen inches.
Everyone travelled in wagons like a ship on the sea when the wind blows and like a bat through the air and like an eagle when his body glides above the wind!
They halted at Gaza, Makeda's city, and from there they arrived at Mesrin, on the Egyptian border in one day. The entourage was amazed for the distance usually was a 13-day march and they weren't tired or thirsty.
They all believed that this thing was from God.
The wagons rested at the Nile and they set up their tents.
Ibna Hakim looked around and was baffled by the events.
"I don't understand any of this," he said to Azariah.
"Can we tell you something?" Azariah asked, adding, "Can you keep a secret?"
"Certainly, I can keep a secret. I'll keep it to the day I die."
Azariah, being the group's leader, said: "The sun descended from heaven and was given on Sinai to Israel and it became the salvation of the race of Adam from Moses to the seed of Jesse and behold it is with us by the will of God. It's not through us that this has been done, but by the will of God. The will of God has fashioned it and made it happen.
"God has chosen you and is well pleased with your city to be the servant of the holy and heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God and it will be your guide forever, to you and your seed after you if you will keep His command and perform the will of the Lord your God. For you will not be able to take it back, even you wanted to and your father, Solomon, can't seize it, even if he wanted to, for it goes on its own free will where it wants to and can't be removed from its seat if it doesn't desire it. And now, it's our salvation and our place of refuge"
Azariah signalled to Elyas and said to him: "Go, take the Ark out of the lead wagon and put the proper covering over her.
Ibna Hakim was in shock.
"What does this mean? Did you steal it?" he gasped, barely able to breathe.
Then he looked towards heaven and said, "Have you, O Lord, remembered us, the outcasts?"
The High Priest then took off the great covering and there lay the golden container, glistening in the early African sun. Ibna Hakim began to yelp and dance around it just like his grandfather, David, had so many years before. It was contagious. Soon all Azariah's group joined in, stomping their feet like young bulls, clapping their hands and stretching their hands skyward and then casting themselves on the ground and giving thanks to God.
Then circling the Ark, Ibna Hakim said, "Behold Zion, behold salvation, behold the splendor like the sun."
Suddenly, his words flowed out of his mouth in a strange language and those that listened were astonished, believing they were hearing a prophet.
In Egypt, the Ethiopians blew horns and beat the drums as they continued their journey down the Nile and as they went the idols of men, dogs and cats as well as the obelisks fell down and broke into pieces before the wagon carrying the Ark.
The Egyptians were amazed as they watched the Ethiopians passing before them like shadows.
Finally, they reached the borders of their beloved country -- Ethiopia.
Michael's Protection
AFTER THEY left Jerusalem, a fiery cloud swept over their wagons and the Archangel Michael appeared in it.
He spread out his wings and was their guide to Ethiopia.
It was a supernatural journey, for no man hauled his wagon, with the entire caravan, both man and beast, raised above the ground to the height of at least a dozen inches.
Everyone travelled in wagons like a ship on the sea when the wind blows and like a bat through the air and like an eagle when his body glides above the wind!
They halted at Gaza, Makeda's city, and from there they arrived at Mesrin, on the Egyptian border in one day. The entourage was amazed for the distance usually was a 13-day march and they weren't tired or thirsty.
They all believed that this thing was from God.
The wagons rested at the Nile and they set up their tents.
Ibna Hakim looked around and was baffled by the events.
"I don't understand any of this," he said to Azariah.
"Can we tell you something?" Azariah asked, adding, "Can you keep a secret?"
"Certainly, I can keep a secret. I'll keep it to the day I die."
Azariah, being the group's leader, said: "The sun descended from heaven and was given on Sinai to Israel and it became the salvation of the race of Adam from Moses to the seed of Jesse and behold it is with us by the will of God. It's not through us that this has been done, but by the will of God. The will of God has fashioned it and made it happen.
"God has chosen you and is well pleased with your city to be the servant of the holy and heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God and it will be your guide forever, to you and your seed after you if you will keep His command and perform the will of the Lord your God. For you will not be able to take it back, even you wanted to and your father, Solomon, can't seize it, even if he wanted to, for it goes on its own free will where it wants to and can't be removed from its seat if it doesn't desire it. And now, it's our salvation and our place of refuge"
Azariah signalled to Elyas and said to him: "Go, take the Ark out of the lead wagon and put the proper covering over her.
Ibna Hakim was in shock.
"What does this mean? Did you steal it?" he gasped, barely able to breathe.
Then he looked towards heaven and said, "Have you, O Lord, remembered us, the outcasts?"
The High Priest then took off the great covering and there lay the golden container, glistening in the early African sun. Ibna Hakim began to yelp and dance around it just like his grandfather, David, had so many years before. It was contagious. Soon all Azariah's group joined in, stomping their feet like young bulls, clapping their hands and stretching their hands skyward and then casting themselves on the ground and giving thanks to God.
Then circling the Ark, Ibna Hakim said, "Behold Zion, behold salvation, behold the splendor like the sun."
Suddenly, his words flowed out of his mouth in a strange language and those that listened were astonished, believing they were hearing a prophet.
In Egypt, the Ethiopians blew horns and beat the drums as they continued their journey down the Nile and as they went the idols of men, dogs and cats as well as the obelisks fell down and broke into pieces before the wagon carrying the Ark.
The Egyptians were amazed as they watched the Ethiopians passing before them like shadows.
Finally, they reached the borders of their beloved country -- Ethiopia.
The Covering
XXIII
The Covering
AS SOLOMON watched, he called for Zadok, the priest.
Go, bring that covering which is on the Ark and take this covering which is better and lay it over the two coverings which are over it."
This covering was made of the finest gold wirework twisted together and hammered out into a pattern and they weren't woven like the threats of purple.
"Take the five golden mice which was given to the Ark and the 10 figures of their shame, the emrods, which the Philistines made for their redemption as well as the fringes of figures of gold that came from the land of Kades, which Moses, in the Sinai, commanded should be worked into the Ark's covering, and give them to my son for his mother said in Tamrin's message that they wanted the fringes to worship."
Then he added that the Ark fringes should be their guide, but he insisted it must remain with Israel forever, although he realized it hadn't been paid all the honor it was due."
Solomon towards where his son was standing by the lead wagon and said to him: "Take this covering and place it on your sanctuary as a sign of your worship of the God of Israel. And when you sacrifice to Jerusalem and the Ark, let your face be towards Jerusalem and pray towards us."
"This will be for my Lady," said Ibna Hakim.
Before the caravan departed, Zadok asked Solomon to put his son, Azariah in charge of the Ark's covering and to be the official in charge of anointing future kings of Ethiopia.
The Covering
AS SOLOMON watched, he called for Zadok, the priest.
Go, bring that covering which is on the Ark and take this covering which is better and lay it over the two coverings which are over it."
This covering was made of the finest gold wirework twisted together and hammered out into a pattern and they weren't woven like the threats of purple.
"Take the five golden mice which was given to the Ark and the 10 figures of their shame, the emrods, which the Philistines made for their redemption as well as the fringes of figures of gold that came from the land of Kades, which Moses, in the Sinai, commanded should be worked into the Ark's covering, and give them to my son for his mother said in Tamrin's message that they wanted the fringes to worship."
Then he added that the Ark fringes should be their guide, but he insisted it must remain with Israel forever, although he realized it hadn't been paid all the honor it was due."
Solomon towards where his son was standing by the lead wagon and said to him: "Take this covering and place it on your sanctuary as a sign of your worship of the God of Israel. And when you sacrifice to Jerusalem and the Ark, let your face be towards Jerusalem and pray towards us."
"This will be for my Lady," said Ibna Hakim.
Before the caravan departed, Zadok asked Solomon to put his son, Azariah in charge of the Ark's covering and to be the official in charge of anointing future kings of Ethiopia.
The Glory Departs
XXII
The Glory Departs
1. AMONG THE DIRTY CLOTHING
IN 945 B.C.E., the Glory of the King left for Ethiopia, hidden in a wagon filled with worthless stuff and dirty clothing.
The noblemen's entourage had loaded the wagons during the day while the Ark was moved into its hiding place in the middle of the night by Azariah and his companions.
The horn was blown and Jerusalem went into mourning for their pride was leaving for Makeda's kingdom.
Although the city didn't actually know that the Ark had been taken from them, there as a heaviness in all their hearts and they wept bitter tears, even greater than those when God slew the first-born in Egypt.
There wasn't a house where there wasn't wailing.
Even the animals sensed the despair. The dogs howled. The donkeys screamed.
It was if a general of a mighty army had besieged Jerusalem, looting, taking people prisoners and killingf them with the sword.
2. FROM THE PALACE ROOF
SOLOMON was upset at the weeping and the outcry of the city as he looked from the Palace roof.
Even he was moved at seeing the young noblemen leaving, particularly his son and he trembled and his bowels quaked and his tears fell drop by drop on his apparel and he said, "Woe is me, for my glory has departed and the majesty of my city and the children of my might are removed. From this moment out glory has passed away and our kingdom has been carried off to a strange people who don't know God. From this time forth, the law, the wisdom and understanding will be given to them.
"My father prophesied concerning them, saying, 'Ethiopia will bow before him and the enemies will eat the dust'. And in another place, he said, 'Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God and he will receive her with honor and the kings of earth will praise God.'"
The Glory Departs
1. AMONG THE DIRTY CLOTHING
IN 945 B.C.E., the Glory of the King left for Ethiopia, hidden in a wagon filled with worthless stuff and dirty clothing.
The noblemen's entourage had loaded the wagons during the day while the Ark was moved into its hiding place in the middle of the night by Azariah and his companions.
The horn was blown and Jerusalem went into mourning for their pride was leaving for Makeda's kingdom.
Although the city didn't actually know that the Ark had been taken from them, there as a heaviness in all their hearts and they wept bitter tears, even greater than those when God slew the first-born in Egypt.
There wasn't a house where there wasn't wailing.
Even the animals sensed the despair. The dogs howled. The donkeys screamed.
It was if a general of a mighty army had besieged Jerusalem, looting, taking people prisoners and killingf them with the sword.
2. FROM THE PALACE ROOF
SOLOMON was upset at the weeping and the outcry of the city as he looked from the Palace roof.
Even he was moved at seeing the young noblemen leaving, particularly his son and he trembled and his bowels quaked and his tears fell drop by drop on his apparel and he said, "Woe is me, for my glory has departed and the majesty of my city and the children of my might are removed. From this moment out glory has passed away and our kingdom has been carried off to a strange people who don't know God. From this time forth, the law, the wisdom and understanding will be given to them.
"My father prophesied concerning them, saying, 'Ethiopia will bow before him and the enemies will eat the dust'. And in another place, he said, 'Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God and he will receive her with honor and the kings of earth will praise God.'"
The Blessing
XXI
The Blessing
"BLESS ME, my father," Ibna Hakim said.
Solomon, with his heart breaking, smiled and embraced him, saying, "Blessed be the Lord my God who blessed my father David and blessed our father Abraham, May he be with you always and bless be your seed even as he blessed Jacob and made his seed to be as many as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea.
"And as Abraham blessed Isaac even so will your blessing be -- the dew of heaven and the spaciousness of earth -- and may all the birds of the heavens and all the hearts of the beasts of the fields and the fish of the sea be in subjection to you.
"Be full and not lacking in fullness; be perfect and not lacking in perfection; be gracious and obstinate; be in in good health and not suffering; be generous and not vindictive; be pure and not defiled; be righteous and not a sinner; be merciful and not oppressive; be sincere and not perverse; be long suffering and not prone to wrath. And the enemy will be afraid of you and your adversaries will cast themselves under the sole of your foot. And my Lady Zion, the holy and heavenly, the Tabernacle of the Law of God, will be your guide to you all times. A guide in respect of what you should think in your heart and should do with your fingers, whether it be far or near to you, whether it be low or high to you, whether it be strong or weak to you, whether it be inside or out to you, whether it be in the house or in the field, whether it be away from you, whether it be in secret or published abroad to you -- to your Lady Zion, the holy and heavenly, the pure Tabernacle of the Law of God will be your guide.
David II -- Ibna Hakim -- the son of Solomon and Makeda bowed down and then departed.
The Blessing
"BLESS ME, my father," Ibna Hakim said.
Solomon, with his heart breaking, smiled and embraced him, saying, "Blessed be the Lord my God who blessed my father David and blessed our father Abraham, May he be with you always and bless be your seed even as he blessed Jacob and made his seed to be as many as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea.
"And as Abraham blessed Isaac even so will your blessing be -- the dew of heaven and the spaciousness of earth -- and may all the birds of the heavens and all the hearts of the beasts of the fields and the fish of the sea be in subjection to you.
"Be full and not lacking in fullness; be perfect and not lacking in perfection; be gracious and obstinate; be in in good health and not suffering; be generous and not vindictive; be pure and not defiled; be righteous and not a sinner; be merciful and not oppressive; be sincere and not perverse; be long suffering and not prone to wrath. And the enemy will be afraid of you and your adversaries will cast themselves under the sole of your foot. And my Lady Zion, the holy and heavenly, the Tabernacle of the Law of God, will be your guide to you all times. A guide in respect of what you should think in your heart and should do with your fingers, whether it be far or near to you, whether it be low or high to you, whether it be strong or weak to you, whether it be inside or out to you, whether it be in the house or in the field, whether it be away from you, whether it be in secret or published abroad to you -- to your Lady Zion, the holy and heavenly, the pure Tabernacle of the Law of God will be your guide.
David II -- Ibna Hakim -- the son of Solomon and Makeda bowed down and then departed.
Secret Place
XX
Secret Place
THAT SAME NIGHT, Azariah had another vision when the Angel of the Lord appeared above him like a pillar of fire and he filled the house with his light.
"Stand up, be strong and roust up Elyas, Abis and Makris, " said the angel, adding, "Then take the pieces of wood and I'll open the doors of the sanctuary for you and you will take the Ark out of the Temple without any trouble."
Azariah jumped up and woke up his three companions and they took the pieces of wood and went into the Temple. They found the doors open to the Holy of Holies and the angel directed the entire operation. They carried it to Azariah's house and then they returned to the Temple with pieces of wood. They covered them over with the Ark covering. They took lamps and set them in the place where the Ark was now hidden and there they sacrificed the sheep and burned incense and they spread purple cloths over it and set it again in the secret place for seven days and seven nights.
Secret Place
THAT SAME NIGHT, Azariah had another vision when the Angel of the Lord appeared above him like a pillar of fire and he filled the house with his light.
"Stand up, be strong and roust up Elyas, Abis and Makris, " said the angel, adding, "Then take the pieces of wood and I'll open the doors of the sanctuary for you and you will take the Ark out of the Temple without any trouble."
Azariah jumped up and woke up his three companions and they took the pieces of wood and went into the Temple. They found the doors open to the Holy of Holies and the angel directed the entire operation. They carried it to Azariah's house and then they returned to the Temple with pieces of wood. They covered them over with the Ark covering. They took lamps and set them in the place where the Ark was now hidden and there they sacrificed the sheep and burned incense and they spread purple cloths over it and set it again in the secret place for seven days and seven nights.
A Night Vision
XIX
A Night Vision
AZARIAH received instructions in a night vision.
The Angel of the Lord told him: "Take four goats, each a yearling, for yourself, Elyas, Abis and Makri, and four pure sheep, yearlings also and an ox as a sacrifice on the east side of Zion and sheep and goats to the right and left thereof and at the west of it, which is close to the exit."
After that the entity in glowing white robes said, "And your lord, Ibna Hakim, should speak to Solomon and he must say to him, 'One thing I ask from you, O father, that I would offer up a sacrifice to the holy city Jerusalem and to my Lady Zion. And Solomon will say to him, 'Do so.' And Ibna Hakim must say to him, 'Let Zadok's son, Azariah, offer up a sacrifice on my behalf,' and he'll give you a command to offer up a sacrifice. And you must bring the Ark after you have offered up the sacrifice and I will again show you what you must do in respect to bringing it out, for this is from God; for Israel has provoked God to wrath and for this he'll make the Ark to leave."
The dream ended, but when Azariah woke up, he remembered everything the angel had said.
He went to his companions and told them of his vision and what the angel told him about Israel and how she was to be divided in the future.
"Rejoice with me," Azariah said, "because of what the angel said. So let's go to Ibna Hakim and tell him what to say to Solomon about the sacrifice in the Temple."
David II sent Benaiah to his father, Solomon, with the message: "Send me away, for I'll depart to my own country, together with everything that your goodness has given me. May your prayers accompany me always whithersoever I will go. But now there's one petition which I would make to you, peradventure I found grace with you and turn not away your face from me. For I your servant am going to depart and I wish to offer up a sacrifice of salvation for my sins in this your holy city of Jerusalem and of Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God. And peace be with your majesty,"
After hearing the message, Solomon readied 100 bulls, 100 oxen, 10,000 sheep, 10,000 goats and 10 of every clean birds and 20 silver sahal of fine white flour and 40 baskets of bread, for the sacrifice.
Benaiah then remembered the last part of the message.
"Let Azariah offer up the sacrifice on my behalf ."
The king agreed.
Azariah then went to the Temple and mingled his own offerings just as the angel had ordered him in the dream.
Later, they went back to their houses and slept.
A Night Vision
AZARIAH received instructions in a night vision.
The Angel of the Lord told him: "Take four goats, each a yearling, for yourself, Elyas, Abis and Makri, and four pure sheep, yearlings also and an ox as a sacrifice on the east side of Zion and sheep and goats to the right and left thereof and at the west of it, which is close to the exit."
After that the entity in glowing white robes said, "And your lord, Ibna Hakim, should speak to Solomon and he must say to him, 'One thing I ask from you, O father, that I would offer up a sacrifice to the holy city Jerusalem and to my Lady Zion. And Solomon will say to him, 'Do so.' And Ibna Hakim must say to him, 'Let Zadok's son, Azariah, offer up a sacrifice on my behalf,' and he'll give you a command to offer up a sacrifice. And you must bring the Ark after you have offered up the sacrifice and I will again show you what you must do in respect to bringing it out, for this is from God; for Israel has provoked God to wrath and for this he'll make the Ark to leave."
The dream ended, but when Azariah woke up, he remembered everything the angel had said.
He went to his companions and told them of his vision and what the angel told him about Israel and how she was to be divided in the future.
"Rejoice with me," Azariah said, "because of what the angel said. So let's go to Ibna Hakim and tell him what to say to Solomon about the sacrifice in the Temple."
David II sent Benaiah to his father, Solomon, with the message: "Send me away, for I'll depart to my own country, together with everything that your goodness has given me. May your prayers accompany me always whithersoever I will go. But now there's one petition which I would make to you, peradventure I found grace with you and turn not away your face from me. For I your servant am going to depart and I wish to offer up a sacrifice of salvation for my sins in this your holy city of Jerusalem and of Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God. And peace be with your majesty,"
After hearing the message, Solomon readied 100 bulls, 100 oxen, 10,000 sheep, 10,000 goats and 10 of every clean birds and 20 silver sahal of fine white flour and 40 baskets of bread, for the sacrifice.
Benaiah then remembered the last part of the message.
"Let Azariah offer up the sacrifice on my behalf ."
The king agreed.
Azariah then went to the Temple and mingled his own offerings just as the angel had ordered him in the dream.
Later, they went back to their houses and slept.
The Deal
XVIII
The Deal
1. PREPARATIONS FOR A GRAND THEFT
THE RELATIVES weren't the only ones grumbling about the appointments, but the 21, who were ordered to accompany David II, fumed over their fate.
"What will he do?" asked Akonhel, the youth leader. "For we have to leave our country and our birthplace and our kinsfolk and the people of our city. Now, come let us establish a covenant between us only and our kinsfolk will know nothing of this that we will love each other in that country; none will hasten or tarry here and we will neither fear nor have any doubt. For God is here and God is there and may God's will be done.
Azariah, the High Priest stepped forward. A man of commanding presence, he said: "It doesn't matter if our kinsfolk hate us, what matters is that we should be sad because we'll have to leave the Ark of the Covenant. It's because of her we should weep."
"You're right, Azariah," said Awsteran. "She is our hope and the object of our boasting and we've grown up under our blessedness. And how is it possible for us to forsake Zion our mistress?
"And what will we do? If we resist his command the king will king us and we're unable to trangress the word of our fathers or the king's command. But what will be do concerning Zion our Lady?"
"I'll counsel you on what we should do," replied Azariah. "I want you to swear an oath that you'll never repeat. I mean they might torture you with your life on the line and you'll still keep our secret."
After taking the oath, Azariah said, "Come now, let us take our Lady Zion with us to Ethiopia."
The group couldn't comprehend what the High Priest was saying.
"That's what I said. Let's take the Ark with us and I'll show you how if you all listen to my plan. Even if they learn what we're doing and kill us, that shouldn't trouble us because we're all willing to die for our Lady Zion. If we die it will not cause us sorrow and if we live, the will of God be done."
Zechariah, the son of army commander Benaiah and a confidante of Azariah, looked at his close friend. He shook his head and exclaimed, "What you're saying is wonderful, but you know, Azariah, you can't go into the Temple in the place of your father, Zadok, because he keeps the keys with him at all times."
The Deal
1. PREPARATIONS FOR A GRAND THEFT
THE RELATIVES weren't the only ones grumbling about the appointments, but the 21, who were ordered to accompany David II, fumed over their fate.
"What will he do?" asked Akonhel, the youth leader. "For we have to leave our country and our birthplace and our kinsfolk and the people of our city. Now, come let us establish a covenant between us only and our kinsfolk will know nothing of this that we will love each other in that country; none will hasten or tarry here and we will neither fear nor have any doubt. For God is here and God is there and may God's will be done.
Azariah, the High Priest stepped forward. A man of commanding presence, he said: "It doesn't matter if our kinsfolk hate us, what matters is that we should be sad because we'll have to leave the Ark of the Covenant. It's because of her we should weep."
"You're right, Azariah," said Awsteran. "She is our hope and the object of our boasting and we've grown up under our blessedness. And how is it possible for us to forsake Zion our mistress?
"And what will we do? If we resist his command the king will king us and we're unable to trangress the word of our fathers or the king's command. But what will be do concerning Zion our Lady?"
"I'll counsel you on what we should do," replied Azariah. "I want you to swear an oath that you'll never repeat. I mean they might torture you with your life on the line and you'll still keep our secret."
After taking the oath, Azariah said, "Come now, let us take our Lady Zion with us to Ethiopia."
The group couldn't comprehend what the High Priest was saying.
"That's what I said. Let's take the Ark with us and I'll show you how if you all listen to my plan. Even if they learn what we're doing and kill us, that shouldn't trouble us because we're all willing to die for our Lady Zion. If we die it will not cause us sorrow and if we live, the will of God be done."
Zechariah, the son of army commander Benaiah and a confidante of Azariah, looked at his close friend. He shook his head and exclaimed, "What you're saying is wonderful, but you know, Azariah, you can't go into the Temple in the place of your father, Zadok, because he keeps the keys with him at all times."
The Appointments
XVII
The Appointments
JERUSALEM REJOICED because Solomon had made his son king and appointed him monarch over Ethiopia, however, they were sad that he'd commanded they should send their first-born sons to the faraway land.
He told David II that he should direct his kingdom like his namesake, his grandfather.
The men appointed by Solomon and their offices were:
* High Priest: Azariah, the son of Zadok, the priest.
* Archdeacon: Elyas, the son of Arni, whose father was the Archdeacon to Nathan the Prophet.
* Leader of the Peoples: Adram, the son of Arderones.
* Scribe of the Oxen: Fankera, son of Soba.
* Leader of the Youth: Akonhel, the son of Tofel.
* The Recorder: Samneyas, the son of Akitalam.
* Chief of the Troops: Fikaros, the son of Neya.
* Commander of the Recruits: Lewandos, the son of Akire.
* Commander of the Sea: Fakuten, the son of Adray.
* Chief of the House: Matan, the son of Benyas.
* Servant of Decorations: Adaraz, the son of Kirem.
* Chief of the Horse Soldiers: Dalakem, the son of Matrem
* Chief of the Foot Soldiers: Adaryos, the son of Nedros.
* Bearer of the Glory: Awsteran, son of Yohad.
* Messenger of the Palace: Astarayon, the son of Asa.
* Commander of the Host: Imi, the son of Matatyas.
* Assessor of Taxes and Tithes: Abis, the son of Karyos.
* Judge of the Assembly: Lik Wendeyos, the son of Nelenteyos.
* Administrator of the Royal Workmen: Karmi, the son of Hadneyes.
* Administrator (of the king's house): Seranyas, son of Akazel.
In addition to the 21 administrators, Solomon gave his eldest son horses, chariots, riding camels and mules and wagons for carrying loads of gold and silver and apparel as well as bysses, the precious linen fabric. Included in the gifts to be taken to Ethiopia were purple and gems, pearls and precious stones.
There was a mixture of joy and sadness.
Among the relatives, they secretly cursed Solomon because he had ordered their sons to accompany David II to Ethiopia, however, to his face they said, " Because of this you have done well. Your wisdom is so good that the kingdom of Israel, by the will of of God and by your wisdom, extends to the country of Ethiopia. And God will gather together the other kingdoms of the world into your hand, for you have a right mind towards God."
Solomon was aware of their double-minded words.
The Appointments
JERUSALEM REJOICED because Solomon had made his son king and appointed him monarch over Ethiopia, however, they were sad that he'd commanded they should send their first-born sons to the faraway land.
He told David II that he should direct his kingdom like his namesake, his grandfather.
The men appointed by Solomon and their offices were:
* High Priest: Azariah, the son of Zadok, the priest.
* Archdeacon: Elyas, the son of Arni, whose father was the Archdeacon to Nathan the Prophet.
* Leader of the Peoples: Adram, the son of Arderones.
* Scribe of the Oxen: Fankera, son of Soba.
* Leader of the Youth: Akonhel, the son of Tofel.
* The Recorder: Samneyas, the son of Akitalam.
* Chief of the Troops: Fikaros, the son of Neya.
* Commander of the Recruits: Lewandos, the son of Akire.
* Commander of the Sea: Fakuten, the son of Adray.
* Chief of the House: Matan, the son of Benyas.
* Servant of Decorations: Adaraz, the son of Kirem.
* Chief of the Horse Soldiers: Dalakem, the son of Matrem
* Chief of the Foot Soldiers: Adaryos, the son of Nedros.
* Bearer of the Glory: Awsteran, son of Yohad.
* Messenger of the Palace: Astarayon, the son of Asa.
* Commander of the Host: Imi, the son of Matatyas.
* Assessor of Taxes and Tithes: Abis, the son of Karyos.
* Judge of the Assembly: Lik Wendeyos, the son of Nelenteyos.
* Administrator of the Royal Workmen: Karmi, the son of Hadneyes.
* Administrator (of the king's house): Seranyas, son of Akazel.
In addition to the 21 administrators, Solomon gave his eldest son horses, chariots, riding camels and mules and wagons for carrying loads of gold and silver and apparel as well as bysses, the precious linen fabric. Included in the gifts to be taken to Ethiopia were purple and gems, pearls and precious stones.
There was a mixture of joy and sadness.
Among the relatives, they secretly cursed Solomon because he had ordered their sons to accompany David II to Ethiopia, however, to his face they said, " Because of this you have done well. Your wisdom is so good that the kingdom of Israel, by the will of of God and by your wisdom, extends to the country of Ethiopia. And God will gather together the other kingdoms of the world into your hand, for you have a right mind towards God."
Solomon was aware of their double-minded words.
The Oil of Kingship
XVI
The Oil of Kingship
MOUNT MORIAH was ablaze with color and the Temple sparkled in the Jerusalem sunlight as Israel made ready the oil of kingship for Ibna Hakim. The sounds of the large horn and flute and pipes filled the air along with the loud thumps of the drums as the city resounded with cries of joy.
Solomon's officers brought the young man into the Holy of Holies and he laid hold onto the horns of the altar and sovereignity was given to him by two priests, Zadok and Benaiah, who was also the army commander. They anointed him with the holy oil of the ointment of kingship.
After the brief ceremony, in which the oil flowed down over Ibna Hakim's face and his robes, he went out of the Temple and was presented to the people with the throne name of David II, after his illustrious grandfather,
He then was placed on King Solomon's mule and they led throughout the city and the people yelled: "We have appointed you from this moment" and "Long live the royal father."
One elder rushed up to him and said, "It's right that your dominion of Ethiopia will be from the Nile River to the stting sun, from Shoa to the east of India. And the Lord God of Israel will be a guide to you and the Tabernacle of the Law of God will be with all you look on and all your seed after you. You will judge many nations and none will judge you."
Then Solomon blessed him with these words: "The blessing of heaven and earth will be your blessing.," and all the people of Israel agreed with a hearty "Amen."
Then his father told Zadok, "Make him know and tell him the judgment and decrees of God which he should observe in Ethiopia. In a lengthy speech, the priests then outlined the curses and blessings of the Almighty.
The Oil of Kingship
MOUNT MORIAH was ablaze with color and the Temple sparkled in the Jerusalem sunlight as Israel made ready the oil of kingship for Ibna Hakim. The sounds of the large horn and flute and pipes filled the air along with the loud thumps of the drums as the city resounded with cries of joy.
Solomon's officers brought the young man into the Holy of Holies and he laid hold onto the horns of the altar and sovereignity was given to him by two priests, Zadok and Benaiah, who was also the army commander. They anointed him with the holy oil of the ointment of kingship.
After the brief ceremony, in which the oil flowed down over Ibna Hakim's face and his robes, he went out of the Temple and was presented to the people with the throne name of David II, after his illustrious grandfather,
He then was placed on King Solomon's mule and they led throughout the city and the people yelled: "We have appointed you from this moment" and "Long live the royal father."
One elder rushed up to him and said, "It's right that your dominion of Ethiopia will be from the Nile River to the stting sun, from Shoa to the east of India. And the Lord God of Israel will be a guide to you and the Tabernacle of the Law of God will be with all you look on and all your seed after you. You will judge many nations and none will judge you."
Then Solomon blessed him with these words: "The blessing of heaven and earth will be your blessing.," and all the people of Israel agreed with a hearty "Amen."
Then his father told Zadok, "Make him know and tell him the judgment and decrees of God which he should observe in Ethiopia. In a lengthy speech, the priests then outlined the curses and blessings of the Almighty.
The Noblemen's Sons
XV
The Noblemen's Sons
1. SOLOMON'S PROPOSAL
SOLOMON was deeply perturbed.
His son had rejected him.
He returned to the Throne Room and consulted with his officers and the elders, telling them that he was unable to persuade Ibna Hakim to stay in Israel.
SOLOMON: Come let us make him king of Ethiopia, together with your children.. You sit on my right hand and on my left hand and in like manner the eldest of your children will sit on his right and left hand. So all you counsellors and officers, let us give him your first-born children and we'll have two kingdoms. I'll rule here and our children will rule there. And I put my trust in God that a third time he'll give me seed and that a third king will be here with me.
The Throne Room was abuzz as their monarch made a proposal that few, if any had heard before.
SOLOMON: Now, Baltasar, the king of Byzantium, wants me to give my son, Rehoboam, to his daughter king over the whole country of Byzantium. For besides her he has no other child and he's sworn that he'll only make king a man who's the seed of David, my father. And if we reign there we will be three kings. According to my father's prophecy, it declared: 'The seed of Solomon will become three heads of kingdoms on earth.' And we'll send to them priests and we'll ordain laws for them and they'll worship and serve the God of Israel under the three royal heads. And now let us make this young man king and let us send him away with your children, you who possess wealth and possession. According to the position and wealth you have here, your children will rule there. And they'll see the ordering of royalty and we'll establish them according to our law and we'll direct them and give them commands and send them away to reign there.
The priests, officers and counsellors answered: "Since you're sending your firs-born and then we'll send out children also according to your wish. Who can resist the commandment of God and the king? They're your servants and of your seed as you've proclaimed. If you wish, you can sell them and mothers as slaves. It isn't for us to trangress your command and the command of the Lord your God.
Despite the outward show of support for Solomon's proposal, there were grumblings within the Palace walls.
The Noblemen's Sons
1. SOLOMON'S PROPOSAL
SOLOMON was deeply perturbed.
His son had rejected him.
He returned to the Throne Room and consulted with his officers and the elders, telling them that he was unable to persuade Ibna Hakim to stay in Israel.
SOLOMON: Come let us make him king of Ethiopia, together with your children.. You sit on my right hand and on my left hand and in like manner the eldest of your children will sit on his right and left hand. So all you counsellors and officers, let us give him your first-born children and we'll have two kingdoms. I'll rule here and our children will rule there. And I put my trust in God that a third time he'll give me seed and that a third king will be here with me.
The Throne Room was abuzz as their monarch made a proposal that few, if any had heard before.
SOLOMON: Now, Baltasar, the king of Byzantium, wants me to give my son, Rehoboam, to his daughter king over the whole country of Byzantium. For besides her he has no other child and he's sworn that he'll only make king a man who's the seed of David, my father. And if we reign there we will be three kings. According to my father's prophecy, it declared: 'The seed of Solomon will become three heads of kingdoms on earth.' And we'll send to them priests and we'll ordain laws for them and they'll worship and serve the God of Israel under the three royal heads. And now let us make this young man king and let us send him away with your children, you who possess wealth and possession. According to the position and wealth you have here, your children will rule there. And they'll see the ordering of royalty and we'll establish them according to our law and we'll direct them and give them commands and send them away to reign there.
The priests, officers and counsellors answered: "Since you're sending your firs-born and then we'll send out children also according to your wish. Who can resist the commandment of God and the king? They're your servants and of your seed as you've proclaimed. If you wish, you can sell them and mothers as slaves. It isn't for us to trangress your command and the command of the Lord your God.
Despite the outward show of support for Solomon's proposal, there were grumblings within the Palace walls.
Father and Son
XIV
Father and Son
1. TWO PLACES AT ONCE?
BEFORE LEAVING Gaza for Jerusalem, Ibna Hakim took some of the fine apparel and gave it to Benaiah and his company of 50 men, who went ahead of the Ethiopians to the Royal Equestrian Center, where Solomon had built luxurious stables.
The army commander told the king he was impressed by Ibna Hakim's noble appearance, but Solomon cut him off short and said, "Where is he? Didn't I send you to bring him as quickly as possible?"
"He is here. I'll bring him quickly.
Mounting his horse, Benaiah galloped outside the city walls to where the Ethiopians were camped.
"Get up, sir, and come."
They entered Jerusalem by the King's Gate and when the city's soldiers saw him, they bowed down and said, "Look, King Solomon has left his lodgings."
Some re-entered the Royal Stables and saw Solomon grooming his favorite stallion.
"What's going on? How can the king be in two places at once?" said one of the troopers.
When Benaiah and his men brought Ibna Hakim into the city core, the word spread like wildfire and thousands swelled the streets, hundreds peering out of the windows, trying to get a glimpse of the horse caravan.
"Who is he?"
"That's Solomon."
"No, it's not."
"It's his son."
"No, it's his brother."
2. 'THE RING' RETURNED
BENAIAH went inside the stables with Ibna Hakim and when Solomon saw him, he embraced him with his hands resting on the young man's chest, and then kissed him on the mouth and forehead and eyes.
"Behold, my father, David, has renewed his youth and risen from the dead."
Then Solomon turned around to Benaiah and said, "You told me, 'He resembles you,' but this isn't my stature, but the stature of David my father in the days of his early manhood and he's handsomer than I am."
The king took Ibna Hakim into the nearby Palace and went into his bedroom and brought out an outfit embroidered with gold and a belt of gold. He then set a crown on his head, put a ring on his finger and led him into the Throne Room where he sat to Solomon's right.
"Those who look on me and contempiously say among yourselves that I have no son except Rehoboam, well, look. this is my son, whom the God, the Lord of Israel, has given me when I didn't expect it."
One of Israel's nobles answered him, saying, "Blessed be the mother, who has delivered this young man and blessed be the day when you had union with the mother of this young man. For there has risen from the root of Jesse a shining man who will be king of the posterity of our seed. Concerning his father none shall ask questions and none will say, "Where did he come from?" Surely, he's an Israelite of the seed of David, fashioned perfectly in the likeliness of his father's form and appearance. We are his servants and he'll be our king."
After the nobleman's speech, Ibna Hakim took the Ring of Solomon, the one which could even subdue demons, from his finger and gave it to his father.
"Take this ring and remember the word you spoke to the queen and give us a portion of the fringe of the covering of the Tabernacle of the Law of God so we can worship it all our days and all those who are subject to us and those who are in the Kingdom of Makeda."
"Why do you give me this ring as a sign?" Solomon asked. "Without you giving me a sign I discovered that you're indeed my son."
Tamrin, who had been standing beside Makeda's son, asked:
"Don't you recognize me, Solomon?"
"Is that you, Mr. Ambassador?"
"Yes, my lord."
3. LETTER FROM THE QUEEN
THE YEARS hadn't been kind to the former Chief Merchant of Ethiopia, now bent over from arthritis and his face was even more wrinkled and his once-taut body had become fleshy from a sedentary lifetsyle as Makeda's regent.
Slowly, he began to read a letter from his queen to Solomon:
THE LETTER: Take this young man, anoint him, consecrate him and bless him and make him king over our country and give him the command that a woman will never again reign in this country and send him back in peace. And peace be with the might of your kingdom and your brilliant wisdom. As for me, I didn't want to go to you, but he begged me that he should see you. And besides, I was afraid for him, should he fall sick on the journey, either from thirst for water or heat of the sun and I should bring grey hairs down to the grave with sorrow. Then I put my trust in the holy, heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God, that you won't hold it in your wisdom. For your nobles can't return to their houses and look on their children, by reason of the abundance of widom and food which you gave them, according to their desire and they say, the table of Solomon is better for us than enjoying and gratifying ourselves in our own houses. And because of this, through my fear, but would send him back to me in peace, without sickness and suffering, in love and in peace that my heart might rejoice at having encountered him.
Tamrin then stepped back from the throne after reading Makeda's letter and waited for Solomon's reply.
"Besides travailing with him and suckling him, what else has a woman to do do with a son? A daughter belongs to the mother and a boy to the father. God cursed Eve, saying "Bring forth children in anguish and with sorrow of heart and after forth you will return to your husband. With an oath he said, 'Bring forth,' and having sworn, you return to your husband will follow. As for this my son, I will not give him to the queen, but I will make him king over Israel. For this is my firstborn, the first of my race who God has given me."
Solomon did everything in his power, trying to convince his new-found son to remain in Israel, supplying him with fine clothing, gold, fine food and taking him to all his cities near Jerusalem as far as up as Megiddo.
"It's better for you to dwell here in our country with us, where the House of God is and where God dwells."
Later, Ibna Hakim wrote a note to the king:
IT READ: Gold and silver and rich apparel aren't wanting in our country, but I came to see you and to hear your wisdom and to see face to face and to salute you and to pay homage to your kingdom and then I intended for you to send me away to my own country and my own mother. For no man hates the place where he's born and everyone loves the things of his native country. Although you give me dainty meats, I don't love them and they aren't suitable for my body, but the meats whereby I grow and become strong are those that are gratifying to me. And although your country pleases me even as does a garden, yet my heart's not gratified. The mountains of the land of of my motherwhere I as born are far better in my sight. And as for the Tabernacle of the God of Israel, if I adore it where I am, it will give me great glory and I will look on the House of God, which you have built and I'll make offering and supplication there. And as for Zion the fringe of the covering and I will worship it with my mother and with all those who are subject to my sovereignty.
Ibna Hakim also told Solomon that his mother had rooted out all idol worshippers, including those who bowed down to strange objects and stones and trees.
4. HIS FATHER'S PLEAS
SOLOMON was persistent in trying to convince his son to stay in Jerusalem.
"Why do want to leave me?"
Ibna Hakim listened intently to his father's pleas.
"What do you lack here that you would go to the country of the heathen? Tell me what drives you to forsake the kingdom of Israel?"
Speaking with conviction in his voice, Ibna Hakim said, "No, I must go to my mother with your blessing, for you have a son who's better than me, namely Rehoboam, who was born of your wife lawfully while my mother, Makeda, isn't your wife according to the law."
Solomon, thoughtfull, replied: "Since you speak in this wise, according to the law, I, myself, am not the son of my father, David, for he took the wife of another man whom he caused to be slain in battle and he begot me by her, but God is compassionate and he has forgiven him.
"Who's as compassionate and wise as God? He has made me of my father and you He has made of me, according to His will. And as for you, O my son, you who fears our Lord God, don't do any violence in the face of your father, so that in time to come you might not meet with violence from him that will go forth from your loins and that your seed might prosper on the earth. My son, Rehoboam, is only six years old and you're my first-born and you've come to reign and lift up the spear of him that begot you. Listen, I've been reigning for 29 years and your mother came to see me in the seventh year of my kingdom and if God pleases, he will make me attain the span of the days of my father.
"And when I'm gathered with my fathers, you will sit on my throne and you'll reign in my stead and the elders of Israel will love you exceedingly and I'll make a marriage for you and I'll give you as many queens and concubines as you desire.
"You'll be blessed in this land of inheritance with the blessing that God gave to out fathers, even as he covenanted with his servant, Noah, and with his friend, Abraham, and the righteous men right down to my father, David.
"You see me, a weak man, on the throne of my father's and you will be like me and you'll judge the nations without number and families that can't be counted. And the Tabernacle of the God of Israel will belong to you and your seed and you'll make offerings and make prayers to ascend. And God will dwell within it forever and hear your prayers therein and your remembrance will be in it from generation to generation."
His father's conversation brought tears to Ibna Hakim's eyes, but in a low voice he said: "O my lord, it's impossible to leave my country and my mother, for my mother made me swear on her breasts that I wouldn't stay here but would return to her quickly and also I wouldn't marry a wife here.
"And the Tabernacle of the God of Israel will bless me wheresoever I go. I desired to see your face and to hear your voice and to receive your blessing and now I desire to depart to my mother in safety."
Father and Son
1. TWO PLACES AT ONCE?
BEFORE LEAVING Gaza for Jerusalem, Ibna Hakim took some of the fine apparel and gave it to Benaiah and his company of 50 men, who went ahead of the Ethiopians to the Royal Equestrian Center, where Solomon had built luxurious stables.
The army commander told the king he was impressed by Ibna Hakim's noble appearance, but Solomon cut him off short and said, "Where is he? Didn't I send you to bring him as quickly as possible?"
"He is here. I'll bring him quickly.
Mounting his horse, Benaiah galloped outside the city walls to where the Ethiopians were camped.
"Get up, sir, and come."
They entered Jerusalem by the King's Gate and when the city's soldiers saw him, they bowed down and said, "Look, King Solomon has left his lodgings."
Some re-entered the Royal Stables and saw Solomon grooming his favorite stallion.
"What's going on? How can the king be in two places at once?" said one of the troopers.
When Benaiah and his men brought Ibna Hakim into the city core, the word spread like wildfire and thousands swelled the streets, hundreds peering out of the windows, trying to get a glimpse of the horse caravan.
"Who is he?"
"That's Solomon."
"No, it's not."
"It's his son."
"No, it's his brother."
2. 'THE RING' RETURNED
BENAIAH went inside the stables with Ibna Hakim and when Solomon saw him, he embraced him with his hands resting on the young man's chest, and then kissed him on the mouth and forehead and eyes.
"Behold, my father, David, has renewed his youth and risen from the dead."
Then Solomon turned around to Benaiah and said, "You told me, 'He resembles you,' but this isn't my stature, but the stature of David my father in the days of his early manhood and he's handsomer than I am."
The king took Ibna Hakim into the nearby Palace and went into his bedroom and brought out an outfit embroidered with gold and a belt of gold. He then set a crown on his head, put a ring on his finger and led him into the Throne Room where he sat to Solomon's right.
"Those who look on me and contempiously say among yourselves that I have no son except Rehoboam, well, look. this is my son, whom the God, the Lord of Israel, has given me when I didn't expect it."
One of Israel's nobles answered him, saying, "Blessed be the mother, who has delivered this young man and blessed be the day when you had union with the mother of this young man. For there has risen from the root of Jesse a shining man who will be king of the posterity of our seed. Concerning his father none shall ask questions and none will say, "Where did he come from?" Surely, he's an Israelite of the seed of David, fashioned perfectly in the likeliness of his father's form and appearance. We are his servants and he'll be our king."
After the nobleman's speech, Ibna Hakim took the Ring of Solomon, the one which could even subdue demons, from his finger and gave it to his father.
"Take this ring and remember the word you spoke to the queen and give us a portion of the fringe of the covering of the Tabernacle of the Law of God so we can worship it all our days and all those who are subject to us and those who are in the Kingdom of Makeda."
"Why do you give me this ring as a sign?" Solomon asked. "Without you giving me a sign I discovered that you're indeed my son."
Tamrin, who had been standing beside Makeda's son, asked:
"Don't you recognize me, Solomon?"
"Is that you, Mr. Ambassador?"
"Yes, my lord."
3. LETTER FROM THE QUEEN
THE YEARS hadn't been kind to the former Chief Merchant of Ethiopia, now bent over from arthritis and his face was even more wrinkled and his once-taut body had become fleshy from a sedentary lifetsyle as Makeda's regent.
Slowly, he began to read a letter from his queen to Solomon:
THE LETTER: Take this young man, anoint him, consecrate him and bless him and make him king over our country and give him the command that a woman will never again reign in this country and send him back in peace. And peace be with the might of your kingdom and your brilliant wisdom. As for me, I didn't want to go to you, but he begged me that he should see you. And besides, I was afraid for him, should he fall sick on the journey, either from thirst for water or heat of the sun and I should bring grey hairs down to the grave with sorrow. Then I put my trust in the holy, heavenly Zion, the Tabernacle of the Law of God, that you won't hold it in your wisdom. For your nobles can't return to their houses and look on their children, by reason of the abundance of widom and food which you gave them, according to their desire and they say, the table of Solomon is better for us than enjoying and gratifying ourselves in our own houses. And because of this, through my fear, but would send him back to me in peace, without sickness and suffering, in love and in peace that my heart might rejoice at having encountered him.
Tamrin then stepped back from the throne after reading Makeda's letter and waited for Solomon's reply.
"Besides travailing with him and suckling him, what else has a woman to do do with a son? A daughter belongs to the mother and a boy to the father. God cursed Eve, saying "Bring forth children in anguish and with sorrow of heart and after forth you will return to your husband. With an oath he said, 'Bring forth,' and having sworn, you return to your husband will follow. As for this my son, I will not give him to the queen, but I will make him king over Israel. For this is my firstborn, the first of my race who God has given me."
Solomon did everything in his power, trying to convince his new-found son to remain in Israel, supplying him with fine clothing, gold, fine food and taking him to all his cities near Jerusalem as far as up as Megiddo.
"It's better for you to dwell here in our country with us, where the House of God is and where God dwells."
Later, Ibna Hakim wrote a note to the king:
IT READ: Gold and silver and rich apparel aren't wanting in our country, but I came to see you and to hear your wisdom and to see face to face and to salute you and to pay homage to your kingdom and then I intended for you to send me away to my own country and my own mother. For no man hates the place where he's born and everyone loves the things of his native country. Although you give me dainty meats, I don't love them and they aren't suitable for my body, but the meats whereby I grow and become strong are those that are gratifying to me. And although your country pleases me even as does a garden, yet my heart's not gratified. The mountains of the land of of my motherwhere I as born are far better in my sight. And as for the Tabernacle of the God of Israel, if I adore it where I am, it will give me great glory and I will look on the House of God, which you have built and I'll make offering and supplication there. And as for Zion the fringe of the covering and I will worship it with my mother and with all those who are subject to my sovereignty.
Ibna Hakim also told Solomon that his mother had rooted out all idol worshippers, including those who bowed down to strange objects and stones and trees.
4. HIS FATHER'S PLEAS
SOLOMON was persistent in trying to convince his son to stay in Jerusalem.
"Why do want to leave me?"
Ibna Hakim listened intently to his father's pleas.
"What do you lack here that you would go to the country of the heathen? Tell me what drives you to forsake the kingdom of Israel?"
Speaking with conviction in his voice, Ibna Hakim said, "No, I must go to my mother with your blessing, for you have a son who's better than me, namely Rehoboam, who was born of your wife lawfully while my mother, Makeda, isn't your wife according to the law."
Solomon, thoughtfull, replied: "Since you speak in this wise, according to the law, I, myself, am not the son of my father, David, for he took the wife of another man whom he caused to be slain in battle and he begot me by her, but God is compassionate and he has forgiven him.
"Who's as compassionate and wise as God? He has made me of my father and you He has made of me, according to His will. And as for you, O my son, you who fears our Lord God, don't do any violence in the face of your father, so that in time to come you might not meet with violence from him that will go forth from your loins and that your seed might prosper on the earth. My son, Rehoboam, is only six years old and you're my first-born and you've come to reign and lift up the spear of him that begot you. Listen, I've been reigning for 29 years and your mother came to see me in the seventh year of my kingdom and if God pleases, he will make me attain the span of the days of my father.
"And when I'm gathered with my fathers, you will sit on my throne and you'll reign in my stead and the elders of Israel will love you exceedingly and I'll make a marriage for you and I'll give you as many queens and concubines as you desire.
"You'll be blessed in this land of inheritance with the blessing that God gave to out fathers, even as he covenanted with his servant, Noah, and with his friend, Abraham, and the righteous men right down to my father, David.
"You see me, a weak man, on the throne of my father's and you will be like me and you'll judge the nations without number and families that can't be counted. And the Tabernacle of the God of Israel will belong to you and your seed and you'll make offerings and make prayers to ascend. And God will dwell within it forever and hear your prayers therein and your remembrance will be in it from generation to generation."
His father's conversation brought tears to Ibna Hakim's eyes, but in a low voice he said: "O my lord, it's impossible to leave my country and my mother, for my mother made me swear on her breasts that I wouldn't stay here but would return to her quickly and also I wouldn't marry a wife here.
"And the Tabernacle of the God of Israel will bless me wheresoever I go. I desired to see your face and to hear your voice and to receive your blessing and now I desire to depart to my mother in safety."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)