The First War of the King of Ethiopia

Illustration of The First War of the King of Ethiopia

Three months after Zion came to Ethiopia, the Kebra Nagast says, the king set out to war from the capital with his mother Makeda and with Zion. The Levites carried the Tabernacle of the Law, Azariah and Elmeyas bearing it, while the mighty men of Israel marched on every side singing psalms. From a camp at Maya Abaw they laid waste the district of Zawa with Hadeya, old enemies, and then a city at Gerra.

Later they reached Saba in one day and wasted Noba and the land as far as the border of Egypt. The kings of Medyam and Egypt sent gifts, and the King of India brought tribute and did homage. The book says no one defeated the king, because Zion wore out the strength of his enemies, and his army covered three months of road in a day.

0:00

Details

Era
Kings and Prophets
Category
Royal
Participants
The King of Ethiopia (Menyelek, called David), Queen Makeda, the Levites and mighty men of Israel carrying Zion, against Zawa with Hadeya, Gerra, Noba and Saba
Outcome
Ethiopian victory; the kings of Medyam, Egypt and India send gifts or tribute
Divine Intervention
Yes

Key Chapters

The Kebra Nagast 94 The First War of the King of Ethiopia 4 min read

Key Passages

The first war of the King of Ethiopia

The Kebra Nagast 94:1-10

And after three months they (i.e. David and his soldiers) rose up to wage war from the city of the Government, with Make...

A1nd after three months they (i.e. David and his soldiers) rose up to wage war from the city of the Government, with Makeda his mother and Zion his Lady. And the Levites carried the Tabernacle of the Law, together with the things that appertained to their office, and they marched along with great majesty, and as in times of old when God on Mount Sinai made Zion to come down in holiness to Moses and Aaron, even so did Azariah and 'Elmiyas bear along the Tabernacle of the Law.

2 And the other mighty men of war of Israel marched on the right side of it and on the left, and close to it, and before it and behind it, and although they were beings made of dust they sang psalms and songs of the spirit like the heavenly hosts. 3 And God gave them beautiful voices and marvellous songs, for He was well pleased to be praised by them. And they came from the city of the Government, and encamped at Maya 'Abaw, and on the following morning they laid waste the district of Zawa with Hadeya, for enmity had existed between them from olden time; and they blotted out the people and slew them with the edge of the sword. 4 And they passed on from that place and encamped at Gerra, and here also they laid waste the city of vipers that had the faces of men, and the tails of asses attached to their loins. And [the Queen] returned and encamped in the city of Zion, and they remained therein three months, then their wagons moved on and came to the city of the Government. 5 And in one day they came to the city of Saba, and they laid waste Noba; and from there they camped round about Saba, and they laid it waste as far as the border of Egypt. And the majesty (or, awe) of the King of Ethiopia was so great that the King of Medyam and the King of Egypt caused gifts to be brought unto him, and they came into the city of the Government, and from there they encamped in 'Ab'at, and they waged war on the country of India, and the King of India brought a gift and a present (or, tribute), and himself did homage to the King of Ethiopia. 6 He (i.e. David) waged war wheresoever he pleased; no man conquered him, on the contrary, whosoever attacked him was conquered. And as for those who would have played the spy in his camp, in order to hear some story and relate it in their city, they were unable to run by the wagons, for Zion herself made the strength of the enemy to be exhausted. 7 But King David, with his soldiers, and the armies of his soldiers, and all those who obeyed his word, ran by the wagons without pain or suffering, and without hunger or thirst, and without sweat or exhaustion, and travelled in one day a distance which [usually] took three months to traverse. 8 And they lacked nothing whatsoever of the things which they asked God through Zion the Tabernacle of the Law of God to give them, for He dwelt with her, and His Angel directed her, and she was His habitation. And as for the king who ministered to His pavilion— if he were travelling on any journey, and wished something to be done, everything that he wished for and thought about in his heart, and indicated with his finger, everything [I say] was performed at his word; and everyone feared him. 9 But he feared no one, for the hand of God was with him, and it protected him by day and by night. And he did His Will, and God worked for him and protected him from all evil for ever and ever. Amen. This I found among the manuscripts of the Church of Sophia in Constantinople. 10 And the Archbishops who were there said unto him [Domitius?], " This is what is written from the days of Solomon the King." And Domitius of Antioch said, " Yea, that which is written up to the day of the death of Solomon is to be accepted, and that which hath been written by other prophets after his death is to be accepted likewise."

Related

Characters

Geography

Timeline Events

Sacred Objects

Themes

Symbols

Did You Know?

1

The army set out three months after Zion's arrival, with Queen Makeda and with the Levites carrying the Tabernacle of the Law.

2

The first district laid waste was Zawa with Hadeya, which the book says had been at enmity with Ethiopia from olden time.

3

At Gerra the army destroyed what the text calls a city of vipers with the faces of men and the tails of asses.

4

The King of India brought a gift and tribute and did homage in person, while Medyam and Egypt sent gifts.

5

Enemy spies could not keep pace with the wagons, but the king's soldiers ran beside them without hunger, thirst, sweat or exhaustion.