The Kebra Nagast
The Ethiopian Sacred Epic of Sheba, Solomon, Menelik, and the Ark of the CovenantBy Anonymous
Length10h 25m
About this audiobook
The Kebra Nagast, or "The Glory of Kings," is an Ethiopian epic and sacred-historical chronicle that narrates the meeting of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the birth of Menelik I, and the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia. Composed in Ge'ez and probably compiled in its extant form during the fourteenth century from biblical, late antique, and Arabic-Christian traditions, the work fuses legend, theology, genealogy, and political ideology. Its elevated, sermonic prose and episodic storytelling give the narrative both scriptural gravity and the imaginative breadth of an origin myth. Central to its purpose is the validation of Ethiopia's Solomonic dynasty and its claim to a divinely sanctioned historical identity. The author is anonymous, as is appropriate to a text shaped by communal religious memory rather than individual literary self-fashioning. The compilation reflects the intellectual and ecclesiastical world of medieval Ethiopia, where Christian institutions, royal authority, and sacred history were closely interwoven. Its narratives respond to the need to articulate Ethiopia's place within biblical history while legitimizing the monarchy through descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The compiler's achievement lies in synthesizing diverse traditions into a coherent national-theological vision. This book is especially recommended to readers interested in Ethiopian Christianity, biblical reception, African intellectual history, medieval political theology, and the formation of national myth. It rewards reading not as literal history alone, but as a profound meditation on memory, kingship, covenant, and cultural belonging. The Kebra Nagast remains indispensable for understanding how sacred narrative can shape a civilization's sense of origin and destiny.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.3 (3.2K)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing, StoryGraph
GenreSpirituality and Religion
Length10 hrs 25 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateOct 20, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Brook Kerith
2Introduction
3I.—The Manuscripts of the Kebra Nagast and Their Arrival in Europe. The Labours of Bruce, Dillmann, Prætorius, Wright, Zotenberg, and Bezold. King John's Letter to Lord Granville. Date of Compilation of the Kebra Nagast. The Ethiopian Work Based on Coptic and Arabic Sources, Etc.
4II.—English Translation of the Arabic Text Describing How the Kingdom of David Was Transferred From Jerusalem to Ethiopia
5III.—Legends of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba in the Kur’ân and in Muhammadan Literature
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6IV.—Modern Legends of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
7V.—The Contents of the Kebra Nagast Described
81. Concerning the Glory of Kings
92. Concerning the Greatness of Kings
103. Concerning the Kingdom of Adam
114. Concerning Envy
125. Concerning the Kingdom of Seth
136. Concerning the Sin of Cain
147. Concerning Noah
158. Concerning the Flood
169. Concerning the Covenant of Noah
1710. Concerning Zion
1811. The Unanimous Declaration of the Three Hundred and Eighteen Orthodox Fathers
1912. Concerning Canaan 37
2013. Concerning Abraham
2114. Concerning the Covenant of Abraham
2215. Concerning Isaac and Jacob
2316. Concerning Rôbêl (Reuben)
2417. Concerning the Glory of Zion
2518. How the Orthodox Fathers and Bishops Agreed
2619. How This Book Came to Be Found
2720. Concerning the Division of the Earth
2821. Concerning the Queen of the South
2922. Concerning Tâmrîn, the Merchant
3023. How the Merchant Returned to Ethiopia
3124. How the Queen Made Ready to Set Out on Her Journey
3225. How the Queen Came to Solomon the King
3326. How the King Held Converse With the Queen
3427. Concerning the Labourer
3528. How Solomon Gave Commandments to the Queen
3629. Concerning the Three Hundred and Eighteen [Patriarchs]
3730. Concerning How King Solomon Swore to the Queen
3831. Concerning the Sign Which Solomon Gave the Queen
3932. How the Queen Brought Forth and Came to Her Own Country
4033. How the King of Ethiopia Travelled
4134. How the Young Man Arrived in His Mother's Country
4235. How King Solomon Sent to His Son the Commander of His Army
4336. How King Solomon Held Intercourse With His Son
4437. How Solomon Asked His Son Questions
4538. How the King Planned to Send Away His Son With the Children of the Nobles
4639. How They Made the Son of Solomon King
4740. How Zadok the Priest Gave Commands to David the King
4841. Concerning the Blessing of Kings
4942. Concerning the Ten Commandments
5043. How the Men of the Army of Israel Received [Their] Orders
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