History knows many facts about heroic events ancient times. But, along with battle scenes and political acts of rulers, history has brought to us poetic love pages. One of the most striking of them is the love story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, which I decided to tell you about today, my dear readers.

Solomon - son of the legendary David - the last king of the united Judeo-Israelite kingdom, is mentioned in the Bible and other sources as one of the smartest rulers of the Ancient World. Under his rule, all trade relations that existed at that time in Asia were consolidated in his state. In order not to depend on Phenicia for trade, Solomon started his own fleet, the ships of which went on long voyages; they came back stuffed with gold, rare works of art, precious stones, silk and many other things. However, the eastern luxury with which the king surrounded himself required enormous expenses, which affected the increase in taxes, which became one of the reasons
collapse of the Israeli-Jewish state. The brilliant reign of Solomon ended with threatening signs of internal decay. After the death of the king, the united kingdom of Israel and Judah split into two independent states - Israel and Judea. This event occurred around 925 BC. But not political history the subject of this article, and love is sublime and poetic.

So, it happened that the wisdom of Solomon went beyond the borders of his kingdom and reached distant countries. According to legend, the Queen of Sheba decided to test whether Solomon was as wise as they say about him. One of ancient sources – “Third Book of Kings of the Old Testament” - says that the Queen of Sheba, having decided to test the wisdom of Solomon herself, went to him; Upon arrival, she asked Solomon a series of riddles. The Bible doesn't say which ones; mentions only that Solomon solved them all.

Fascinated by the queen's beauty and intelligence, Solomon falls in love with her. The love between the great king and the charming queen lasted six months. All this time, Solomon did not part with her and constantly gave her expensive gifts. When it turned out that the Queen of Sheba was pregnant, she left the king and returned to the Sabaean kingdom, where she gave birth to a son Menelik, who became the first Ethiopian king.

As for the Queen of Sheba herself, today it is known for certain that she was an intelligent and beautiful woman. She knew how to compose essences from herbs, flowers and roots, she understood a lot about astrology, taming wild animals, and drawing up love spells. Greek and Roman legends attributed to her unearthly beauty and the greatest wisdom, the art of intrigue to maintain power. In her state, the Queen of Sheba was not only a ruler, but also a high priestess. The Arabs added that the Queen of Sheba was an expert in preparing delicious dishes; traveled on elephants and camels, surrounded by a large retinue and personal guard, consisting of light-skinned tall giants. As a child of her era, she was cunning, superstitious, and inclined to recognize foreign gods if they promised her good luck.

History has brought to us a description of the magnificent palace of the Queen of Sheba. Her royal palace complex along with a fairy garden surrounded by an ornamented wall of colored stones was another miracle ancient world. Unfortunately, the remains of this palace have not yet been found, because even the place where it was located is unknown. Legends name various areas of the location of the capital of the mysterious country of the Queen of Sheba. According to one version, it was located at the junction of the borders of Namibia, Botswana and Angola, according to another - in the south-east of modern Zaire.

It is now almost certain that the possessions of the Queen of Sheba were in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, where the state of Yemen is now located. In legends, the state of the Queen of Sheba is described as a magical country, where sand is more expensive than gold, trees from the Garden of Eden grow, and people do not know war.

Queen of Sheba - she is known by various names. Koran, Persian and Arabian tales I call her Belix. In Ethiopia she is known as Maqueda- Queen of the South. But, no matter what they call her, the Queen of Sheba, like King Solomon, is not a legend; she is a real historical person who conquered the great ruler and sage.

King Solomon's wisdom is so legendary that he is credited with authorship of biblical writings including The Book of Solomon's Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes And Book of Wisdom of Solomon. Solomon is spoken of as an outstanding ruler, a philosopher on the throne, who glorified himself with oratory.

Queen of Sheba is one of the most mysterious women in world history. According to the widespread assumption, she was the reigning person of one of the ancient countries, although there is no direct evidence for this. There is also a version that she was the wife of some ruler. The location of the country in which she ruled is also not very clear. In all likelihood, this state included part of modern Yemen and, possibly, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Different peoples have kept different names for it. This woman is known to Ethiopians as Makeda. For King Solomon of Israel, she was the Queen of Sheba. Muslims call it Balqis. Its homeland is considered to be the city of Sabu, called Mareb, located in Yemen. It is believed that she lived in the 10th century BC.

According to Biblical legend, the unnamed queen of the land of Saba heard about the great wisdom of King Solomon and traveled to him with rich gifts - spices, gold, precious stones. In addition, she wanted to ask him some tricky riddles to test his wisdom. Tsar Solomon and the Queen of Sheba met. The queen was impressed by the wisdom of the Israeli king and his wealth, although she herself was far from poor: as a gift to Solomon, she brought four and a half tons of gold on 797 camels. The length of the journey through the deserts of Arabia, along the shores of the Red Sea and the Jordan River to Jerusalem was about 700 kilometers. Since the queen traveled on camels, such a journey should have lasted about 6 months one way only. She also returned to her country with rich gifts from the ruler of Israel: the beauty of the queen from southern country charmed Solomon.

In the biblical texts telling about this woman, there is no hint of love or any relationship between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. They are depicted there only as two monarchs caring for the interests of their states.

The Quran, the main religious text of Islam, also mentions the Queen of Sheba; Arabic sources call it Balqis. According to this story, Solomon learns from the lapwing bird about the Sabaean kingdom, which is ruled by a queen sitting on a golden throne decorated with precious stones. People in this country worship the sun instead of one God. Solomon sends a letter inviting the queen to visit him and believe in one God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Queen of Sheba hesitated whether to accept this invitation. To begin with, she decided to send gifts to Solomon and wait for his response. King Solomon, however, was not impressed by the queen's offerings, stating that the gifts he received from God were disproportionate great value. In addition, he threatened that he would send troops to Sabia, capture its cities and drive out their inhabitants in disgrace. After this, Balkis decided to come to Solomon herself.

Before leaving, she locked her precious throne in the fortress, but Solomon, wanting to impress her, with the help of the genies, moved it to Jerusalem and changed it appearance, after which he showed it to the queen, asking: “Is this what your throne looks like?” Balkis recognized him and was invited to the palace built for her by Solomon. The floor of the palace was made of glass, under which fish swam in the water. Balkis, deciding that she would have to walk on water, raised the hem of her dress, exposing her legs. And then she realized that she could not compare in mental strength with Solomon, declaring that she was surrendering to one God, the Lord of the worlds.

 Legends about the Queen of Sheba

Imperial family Ethiopia traces its origin directly to the descendants of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. The Ethiopians call the Queen of Saba Ma-keda. Some researchers associate this name with Macedonia and later Ethiopian legends about Alexander the Great. Ethiopians believe that she was born around 1020 BC in Ophir. This legendary country stretched across the entire eastern coast of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and captured the island of Madagascar. The ancient inhabitants of this country were fair-skinned and tall. Makeda was educated by the best scientists, philosophers and priests of her country.

Ancient Ethiopian legends say that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a son, Menelik, who became the first emperor of Ethiopia. In Ethiopian mythology, Solomon is presented as an outright seducer, which is apparently an exaggeration. Having fallen in love with the queen, he, according to the mythological story, decided to act with cunning: he promised not to harass her if she vowed not to take anything from him without asking, and ordered over-salted dishes to be served for dinner. At night, the queen, suffering from thirst, drank from a jug standing next to her bed. Solomon immediately accused her of stealing and forced her into love. Their romance lasted six months, but the memory of the kinship between Ethiopians and Israelis is still alive. The emperors of Ethiopia, from the Middle Ages until the fall of the monarchy in 1974, used the lion of Judah and a six-pointed star, reminiscent of the Star of David, as national symbols.

Not only the rulers of Ethiopia considered themselves descendants of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, but also the small Ethiopian Falasha people, who, according to legend, trace their origins to Jewish officials and priests, whom King Solomon ordered to follow to Africa along with his son Menelik. Menelik decided to steal from Jerusalem Temple the sacred Ark of the Covenant kept there. At night, he stole the shrine and secretly took it to Ethiopia to his mother, who revered this ark as the repository of all spiritual revelations. According to Ethiopian priests, the ark is still located in a secret underground temple in the Ethiopian city of Axum.

There is another Ethiopian legend that talks about the father of the Queen of Sheba, named Agabo, who expanded his empire on both sides of the Red Sea - African and Arabian. The Queen of Sheba, according to these Ethiopian sources, was the ruler of Ethiopia who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem. And the Hebrew historian of the first century AD Josephus Flavius ​​calls Solomon’s guest the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia. In the New Testament she is also called the “Queen of the South.” The south is identified as Egypt.

Another version connects the personality of the Queen of Sheba with famous queen Egypt's Hatshepsut, who ruled the country from 1489 to 1468 BC. Her father, Pharaoh Thutmose I, annexed the country of Kush (Ethiopia) to Egypt. According to this opinion, the name Hatshepsut is translated as “Queen of Saba.” It established active trade with neighboring countries and created a prosperous economy during the era of the eighteenth dynasty of the pharaohs. And the solar deity, which, according to the Koran, was worshiped by the Queen of Sheba, was close to this dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs: Hatshepsut’s grandfather, Pharaoh Akhenaten, introduced the cult of worship of the sun god Aten.

In Jewish traditions of the post-Biblical era and Muslim literature, an exotic version of this story appears, according to which the image of the Queen of Sheba is demonized. A plot arises of the seduction and sinful relationship of Solomon and the queen, from whom is born not the Ethiopian king Menelik, but the destroyer of the Jerusalem temple, the ruler of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.

The image of the queen also has some relation to the legendary demoness Lilith. Their images are first associated in the Targum to the Book of Job, where it is said that Lilith tormented the righteous Job, taking on the guise of the Queen of Sheba. In addition, in one of the Arab legends, Solomon also suspects that Lilith appeared to him in the form of the Queen of Sheba.

Christians interpret scriptures metaphorically: they compare the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon with the submission of the pagans to the Messiah, God's anointed. The three gifts that she brought to the king, gold, spices and precious stones, are similar to the gifts of the Magi (gold, incense and myrrh). And according to the Talmud, the story of the Queen of Sheba should be considered only an allegory. This is exactly how the image of the Queen of Sheba is interpreted by the art of the Middle Ages.

Nubia, a country between Ethiopia and Egypt, is sometimes called the Kingdom of the Sabians. Some modern Arab historians see the legendary queen as the ruler of a trading colony in Northwestern Arabia founded by the southern Arabian kingdoms. Modern archeology indeed confirms the fact that such colonies existed, although scientists were unable to find anything specific relating to Queen Balkis, or the Queen of Sheba.

Researchers note that the Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem most likely could have been a trade mission related to the desire of the Israeli king to settle on the Red Sea coast and thereby undermine the monopoly of Saba and other South Arabian kingdoms on caravan trade with Syria and Mesopotamia.

Recent archaeological discoveries in Yemen support the version that the Queen of Saba ruled South Arabia. It turned out that the residence of the Sabean kings was the city of Mareb in Yemen.

In the Sabaean capital of Mareb, located in modern-day Yemen, research is being carried out on an ancient 3,000-year-old temple believed to be associated with the Queen of Sheba. According to legend, somewhere not far from the temple, underground there is the queen’s palace. Whether these searches will be crowned with success, whether the mystery of the Queen of Sheba will be discovered, time will tell.

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Most of us have probably heard this name, but few have a real idea of ​​who she was, when she lived and whose queen she was. Today I will try to tell you about the mysterious Queen of Sheba:

The Queen of Sheba belonged to the family of Sabaean priest-kings - the Mukarribs. According to Ethiopian legend, the Queen of Sheba's childhood name was Makeda. She was born around 1020 BC in the country of Ophir, which stretched across the entire eastern coast of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the island of Madagascar. The inhabitants of the land of Ophir were fair-skinned, tall and virtuous. They were reputed good warriors, herded herds of goats, sheep and camels, hunted deer and lions, mined precious stones, gold, copper and knew how to smelt bronze

Edward Slocombe. "Queen of Sheba".
Still from the film “Queen Sheva”

The capital of Ophir, the city of Aksum, was located in Ethiopia. At the age of fifteen, Makeda went to reign in South Arabia, in the Sabaean kingdom, where she became the Queen of Sheba. She ruled the kingdom for about forty years.
Her subjects said that she ruled with the heart of a woman, but with the head and hands of a man. The capital of the Sabaean kingdom was the city of Marib. The Koran says that the Queen of Saba and her people worshiped the Sun.

"Saint Makeda, Queen of Sheba" modern icon

Hypotheses and archaeological evidence

Relatively recently, scientists have established that in folk religion ancient Yemen big role played by the solar deity Shams. Legends say that the queen originally worshiped the stars, the Moon, the Sun and Venus. She had the honorary title of high priestess of planetary conciliarity and organized “Cathedrals of Wisdom” in her palace. She was also the high priestess of a certain southern cult of tender passion. Only after traveling to King Solomon did she become acquainted with Judaism and accept it.

A story about the birth of the queen, her accession to the throne, her visit to Jerusalem and the conception of her son (Ethiopian “comic”)

According to the descriptions of ancient authors, the rulers of Saba lived in marble palaces surrounded by gardens with flowing springs and fountains, where birds sang, flowers fragrant, and the aroma of balsam and spices spread everywhere. The pride of the Sabaean kingdom was a giant dam west of Marib, which held water in an artificial lake. Through complex system canals and drains, the lake watered peasant fields, as well as fruit plantations and gardens at temples and palaces

“Queen of Sheba.” Miniature from a medieval German manuscript.

The length of the stone dam reached 600 and the height – 15 meters. Water was supplied to the canal system through two ingenious gateways. It was not river water that was collected behind the dam, but rainwater, brought once a year by a tropical hurricane from Indian Ocean. The Koran states that irrigation system was destroyed by heaven as punishment for paganism. In reality, the catastrophe was caused by the Romans, who plundered the city and destroyed the floodgates as punishment for the desperate resistance of the inhabitants of Marib.

Miniature for Boccaccio’s book “Illustrious Women”, France, 15th century.

To the city of Marib, where time immemorial ruled by the legendary Queen of Sheba, scientists tried to penetrate for a long time. However, its very location remained a secret for a long time, carefully kept by local Arab tribes and Yemeni authorities.

“The Queen of Sheba on the Throne”: Persian miniature of the 16th century

In 1976, the French made another attempt to penetrate the treasured city. They corresponded with the Yemeni authorities for seven long years until they obtained permission for one person to visit the ruins, who was only allowed to inspect them. And then they decided to send a Parisian photographer from the magazine “Figaro” to Marib, who knew how to shoot with a hidden camera.

Movie poster from 1921

He managed to see and photograph massive columns of destroyed temples and palaces, as well as several sculptures dating back to the period of the 6th-4th centuries BC. Some were made of marble, others of bronze, and others of alabaster.
Some figures had clearly Sumerian features, others – Parthian. All of them were inside the ruins, leaning against the stones. The photographer was able to capture a kind of safe conduct engraved on the stone: “The people of Marib built this temple under the auspices of their gods, kings and all the people of the state of Saba. Whoever damages these walls or takes away the sculptures will die himself, and his family will be cursed.”

Solomon and Sheba. Parma, Diocesan Museum

Just after shooting this text, the photographer was asked to leave. The recording was made on a fragment of bas-relief inside the building, of which only the foundation remains. Inside it, people in rags were scurrying around, putting halves of bricks into bags.
The photographer got the impression that Europeans are not allowed into Marib not because it is declared a sacred place for Muslims, but because it is the private quarry of some local feudal clan. According to the Figaro photojournalist, he managed to photograph only a hundredth part of what was possible. He admitted that such work is akin to racing a motorcycle through the halls of the Louvre.

Piero della Francesca - 2a. Procession of the Queen of Sheba

Researchers note that the Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem may have been a trade mission related to the Israeli king's efforts to settle on the Red Sea coast and thereby undermine the monopoly of Saba and other South Arabian kingdoms on caravan trade with Syria and Mesopotamia.

Piero della Francesca - Legend of the True Cross - Queen of Sheba - in the reception hall with Solomon

Assyrian sources confirm that southern Arabia was engaged in international trade as early as 890 BC. e., so the arrival in Jerusalem of the time of Solomon of a trade mission of a certain South Arabian kingdom seems quite possible.

Solomon and Sheba, stained glass window in Strasbourg Romanesque Cathedral

Meeting of Sheba and Solomon, stained glass window in Cologne Cathedral

There is, however, a problem with the chronology: Solomon lived from approximately 965 to 926. BC e., and the first traces of the Savean monarchy appear about 150 years later.

Ruins of the Sun Temple in Marib. Built in the 8th century BC. e., existed for 1000 years

In the 19th century, researchers I. Halevi and Glaser found ruins in the Arabian Desert huge city Marib.

Ruins of ancient Marib

Among the inscriptions found, scientists read the names of four South Arabian states: Minea, Hadhramaut, Qataban and Sawa. As it turned out, the residence of the Sheba kings was the city of Marib (modern Yemen), which confirms the traditional version of the origin of the queen from the south of the Arabian Peninsula.

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba-portico.Gates of Heaven

Detail “Gates of Heaven”

Inscriptions discovered in southern Arabia do not mention rulers, but from Assyrian documents of the 8th-7th centuries BC. e. Arabian queens are known in more northern regions Arabia. In the 1950s, Wendell Philips excavated the temple of the goddess Balqis at Marib. In 2005, American archaeologists discovered the ruins of a temple in Sana'a near the palace of the biblical Queen of Sheba in Marib (north of Sana'a). According to US researcher Madeleine Phillips, columns, numerous drawings and objects dating back 3 millennia were found.

Yemen - the territory from which the queen probably came

Ethiopia - a country where her son may have ruled

Researchers associate the emergence of the legend about the son of the Queen of Sheba in Ethiopia with the fact that, apparently, in the 6th century BC. e. The Sabaeans, having crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, settled near the Red Sea and occupied part of Ethiopia, “capturing” the memory of their ruler with them and transplanting it to new soil. One of the provinces of Ethiopia is called Shewa (Shava, modern Shoa).

In Amiens Cathedral, medallions with scenes from the legend of Sheva

There is also a fairly widespread point of view according to which the homeland of the Queen of Sheba or her prototype was not South, but North Arabia. Along with other North Arabian tribes, the Sabaeans are mentioned on the stele of Tiglath-pileser III.

Fresco de "Salomón y la Reina de Saba" in the Escorial Library

These northern Sabaeans, in a number of ways, can be associated with the Sabaeans (Sabeans) mentioned in the book of Job (Job 1:15), Sheba from the book of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 27:22), as well as with Abraham’s grandson Sheba (Gen. 25 :3, cf. also Gen. 10:7, Gen. 10:28) (the name of Sheba’s brother Dedan mentioned nearby is associated with the oasis of El-Ula north of Medina).

Queen of Sheba in front of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, Salomon de Bray (1597-1664)

According to some researchers, the Kingdom of Israel first came into contact with the northern Sabaeans, and only then, perhaps through their mediation, with Saba in the south. Historian J. A. Montgomery suggested that in the 10th century BC. e. The Sabaeans lived in Northern Arabia, although they controlled trade routes from South

Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, also became the “godmother” of Xena, the warrior princess, in the 20th century.

The famous explorer of Arabia, H. St. John Philby, also believed that the Queen of Sheba came not from South Arabia, but from North Arabia, and legends about her at some point mixed with stories about Zenobia, the warlike queen of Palmyra (modern Tadmur, Syria), who lived in the 3rd century AD. e. and converted to Judaism.

Casa de Alegre Sagrera, Salomó i de la Reina Sabà

So, for example, it is said (by one of Muhammad’s biographers) that it was in Palmyra, in the 8th century. During the reign of Caliph Walid I, a sarcophagus was found with the inscription: “Here is buried the pious Bilqis, wife of Solomon...”.

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" by Pietro Dandini

Jewish Kabbalistic tradition also considers Tadmur to be the burial place of the evil she-devil queen, and the city is considered a sinister haven of demons

"King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" by Frans Franken

Frans Frankena

In addition, there are parallels between Sheba and another eastern autocrat - the famous Semiramis, who also fought and was engaged in irrigation, who lived around the same time - in the 9th century. BC e., which can also be traced in folklore. Thus, the writer of our era Meliton retells the Syrian legend in which the father of Semiramis is called Hadhad. In addition, Jewish legend made the queen the mother of Nebuchadnezzar and Semiramis his wife

“The Queen of Sheba on her Knees before King Solomon”, Johann Friedrich August Tischbein

One of Vasco da Gama's companions suggested that the Queen of Sheba came from Sofala, the oldest harbor known from documents. Southern Hemisphere, the coast, which, according to his assumptions, was called Ophir. In this regard, John Milton mentions Sofala in Paradise Lost. By the way, later in these places the Portuguese will undertake expeditions in search of the gold mines of the Queen of Sheba.

Solomon receives the Queen of Sheba", artist of the Antwerp school, 17th century

Other versions

Josephus in his work “Jewish Antiquities” gives a story about the visit of Solomon by the queen, “who reigned at that time over Egypt and Ethiopia and was distinguished by her special wisdom and generally outstanding qualities.” Arriving in Jerusalem, she, as in other legends, tests Solomon with riddles and admires his wisdom and wealth. This story is interesting because the historiographer mentions completely different states as the queen’s homeland.

General view of the Temple of Hatshepsut

According to the reconstruction of researcher Immanuel Velikovsky, the creator of the non-academic “revisionist chronology”, based on these data, the Queen of Sheba is Queen Hatshepsut (XV century BC according to traditional chronology Ancient Egypt), one of the first and most influential rulers of the 18th dynasty of pharaohs (New Kingdom), whose father, Thutmose I, annexed the country of Kush (Ethiopia) to Egypt.

Hatshepsut

As Velikovsky noted, in Deir el-Bahri (Upper Egypt), the queen built for herself a funerary temple modeled on the temple in the land of Punt, where there is a series of bas-reliefs depicting in detail the queen’s expedition to the mysterious country, which she calls “Divine”, or, in other words, translation, "God's Earth." Hatshepsut's bas-reliefs depict scenes similar to the biblical description of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon.

"Solomon and Sheba", Knupfer

Historians do not know exactly where this land was located, although there is currently a hypothesis that the land of Punt is the territory of modern Somalia. In addition, it can be assumed that the names “Savea” (in Hebrew Sheva) and “Thebes” - the capital of Egypt during the reign of Hatshepsut (ancient Greek Θῆβαι - Tevai) - are unambiguous.

Sabaean stele: a feast and a camel driver, with an inscription in Sabaean at the top.

British writer Ralph Ellis, whose theories have been questioned by scientists, suggested that the Queen of Sheba could be the wife of Pharaoh Psusennes II, who ruled Egypt during the life of Solomon, and whose name in Egyptian sounded like Pa-Seba-Khaen-Nuit .

Edward Poynter, 1890, "The Queen of Sheba's Visit to King Solomon"

Attempts have also been made to draw an analogy between the Queen of Sheba and the Chinese goddess Xi Wang Mu - the goddess of Western paradise and immortality, the legends about which arose around the same era and have similar features

"Arrival of the Queen of Sheba", painting by Samuel Coleman

The journey of Bilqis (as the Queen of Sheba is called in later Arabic texts) to Solomon became one of the most famous biblical stories. She set off on a seven-hundred-kilometer journey with a caravan of 797 camels.

“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”, Giovanni Demin, 19th century
Her retinue consisted of black dwarfs, and her security escort consisted of tall, light-skinned giants. On the queen's head there was a crown decorated with ostrich feathers, and on her little finger there was a ring with an Asterix stone, which is unknown modern science. 73 ships were hired to travel by water.

Piero della Francesca. Queen of Sheba Meeting with Solomon. Fresco, - San Francesco In Arezzo, Italy

In Judea, the queen asked Solomon tricky questions, but all the ruler’s answers were absolutely correct. Historians note that almost most of the queen’s riddles were not based on worldly wisdom, but on knowledge of history Jewish people, and this really looks strange coming from a sun worshiper from a distant country, by the standards of that time.

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" by Konrad Witz

In turn, Solomon was captivated by the beauty and intelligence of Bilqis. The Ethiopian book Kebra Negast describes that upon the arrival of the queen, Solomon “showed great honor to her and rejoiced, and gave her abode in his royal palace next to you. And he sent her food for morning and evening meals."

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba", painting by Tintoretto, c. 1555, Prado

According to some legends, he married the queen. Subsequently, Solomon's court received horses, precious stones, and jewelry made of gold and bronze from hot Arabia. The most valuable at that time was fragrant oil for church incense. The queen also received expensive gifts in return and returned to her homeland with all her subjects.

“Queen Bilqis and the Hoopoe.” Persian miniature, ca. 1590–1600

According to most legends, she ruled alone from then on. But from Solomon, Bilqis had a son named Menelik, who became the founder of a three-thousand-year dynasty of emperors of Abyssinia. At the end of her life, the Queen of Sheba returned to Ethiopia, where by that time her grown-up son ruled.

The Queen of Sheba gallops to Jerusalem. Ethiopian fresco

Another Ethiopian legend tells that for a long time Bilqis kept the name of his father secret from her son, and then sent him with an embassy to Jerusalem, saying that he would recognize his father from the portrait, which Menelik was supposed to look at for the first time only in the temple of God Yahweh.

“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”, detail. Ottoman master, 16th century.

Having reached Jerusalem and coming to the temple for worship, Menelik took out a portrait, but instead of a drawing he was surprised to find a small mirror. Looking at his reflection, Menelik looked around at all the people present in the temple, saw King Solomon among them and, based on the similarity, guessed that this was his father...

A riddle for scientists

Meanwhile, recently an incident helped us get closer to solving a number of mysteries. Ancient Arabia. Less than ten years ago, a whole group of mining engineers from Europe, the USA and Saudi Arabia was invited to work in Yemen.

Several archaeologists were quietly included in this purely technical team. The first thing they discovered was an abundance of forgotten oases and ancient settlements. The desert, fanned by eastern legends and sultry winds, was not lifeless everywhere in ancient times.

“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”, anonymous artist, 15th century, Bruges

There were pastures, hunting grounds, and mines for precious stones. Among other things, a small stone sculpture resembling an ancient Indo-European Mother Goddess was discovered, which puzzled scientists. How did the ritual sculpture get into southern regions? However, many ceramic shards with specific ornamental decorations were clearly of the Indo-European type, close to the Sumerian.

The Queen of Sheba kneels before the Life-Giving Tree, fresco by Piero della Francesca, Basilica of San Francesco in Arezzo

In northern Yemen, archaeologists have found ten sites with slag dumps. From the smelting furnaces, they determined that high-quality copper ore was processed there and bronze was made. Ingots from Saba went to African countries, Mesopotamia and even to Europe. All this proved that the successful metallurgists were not Bedouins, but sedentary tribes of a different ethnic origin.

Giovanni Demin (1789-1859), "Solomon and the Queen of Sheba"

Interesting Facts

Both variants of the queen's name, Bilqis and Makeda, are relatively common female names - the former, respectively, in Islamic Arab countries, the second - among Christians in Africa, as well as among African Americans who emphasize their African identity and are interested in Rastafarianism.

King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Rubens

September 11, the day of the return of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon to her native country, is the official date of the beginning of the New Year in Ethiopia and is called Enkutatash.

Queen of Sheba, Raphael, Urbino
The third most senior order in Ethiopia is the Order of the Queen of Sheba. the Queen of Sheba), established in 1922. Among the holders of the order were: Queen Mary (wife English king George V), French President Charles de Gaulle, US President Dwight Eisenhower

Engraving illustration of Nicaula, Queen of Sheba and Solomon

Pushkin's ancestor Abram Petrovich Hannibal, according to one version, was from Ethiopia and, according to him, belonged to a princely family. If this clan, which is quite acceptable, had any marital ties with ruling dynasty, then “the blood of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon” flowed in Pushkin’s veins

In Somalia, coins with the image of the Queen of Sheba were minted in 2002, although no legends associate her with this country.

Ethiopian church, frescoes

A rare species of Yemeni gazelle is named “Bilqis gazelle” (Gazella bilkis) in honor of the Queen of Sheba

Akopo Tintoretto, Solomon and Sheba.

In French cuisine There is a dish named after the queen - gâteau de la reine Saba, chocolate pie.

The stone sculpture is a copy of the statue of the Queen of Sheba Cathedral in Reims.

Two asteroids are named in honor of the queen: 585 Bilkis and 1196 Sheba.

Kingdom of Sheba, Lloraina

One of tourist places Ethiopia - the ruins of Dungur in Axum - are called (without any reason) "the palace of the Queen of Sheba." The same thing is shown in Salalah in Oman.

Mindelheim (Germany), nativity scene in the Jesuit church, “Queen of Sheba”

In 1985, in the Mansi sanctuary near the village of Verkhne-Nildino, a silver dish with the image of David, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba was discovered, which was revered local population like a fetish. According to local legends, it was caught from the Ob River with a seine during fishing.

Great love stories. 100 stories about great feeling Mudrova Irina Anatolyevna

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

Solomon (? -928 BC) was the tenth son of King David, born to Bathsheba.

Bathsheba was a woman of rare beauty. King David, walking on the roof of his palace, saw Bathsheba bathing below. Her husband was away from home at the time, serving in David's army. Then he died. Bathsheba did not try to seduce the king, as evidenced by the biblical text. But David was seduced by Bathsheba's beauty and ordered her to be taken to the palace. As a result of their relationship, she became pregnant. David subsequently married Bathsheba. With all his high position the most beloved of David's wives, Bathsheba took a place in the shadows and behaved in a dignified manner. David crowned Solomon, Bathsheba's son, king. Bathsheba was wise woman and always hoped in God. She became faithful to David and loving wife and a good mother to her children.

The son of David and Bathsheba was given the name Shlomo (Solomon), which in Hebrew comes from the root shalom - “peace”, meaning “not war”. Hopes were pinned on him for the return of peace and tranquility in the Promised Land. In 965 BC. e. Solomon, during David's lifetime, became king of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah. According to the Bible, God gave Solomon kingship on the condition that he would not deviate from serving God. In exchange for this promise, God endowed Solomon with unprecedented wisdom and patience. In the first years of his reign, Solomon truly proved himself to be a wise and fair ruler. He seated his mother Bathsheba on the throne at his right hand.

Later, the king fell into idolatry under the influence of his harem: he had 700 wives and 300 concubines from different countries East - and worshiped the pagan idols Moloch, Astarte, Asherah. For this, God was angry with him and promised many hardships to the people of Israel, but after the end of Solomon’s reign. Thus, the entire reign of Solomon passed quite calmly.

Solomon was vain, loved women and luxury, but went down in history as the builder of the Jerusalem Temple and as a writer-philosopher.

The main temple of the Jews was built by King Solomon on Mount Moriah. Father David intended to build a temple to house Jewish shrines and even began to prepare materials. However, for the sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the blood shed in many wars, David was denied by God the right to build a temple. This was supposed to be done by his son Solomon - “peaceful”.

Preserved legendary version miraculous emergence of the building. Solomon, the son of David, had a magical gift: he understood the language of birds and the winds obeyed him. Solomon had a magic ring on which was depicted a star made of two triangles, light and dark, which had the power to form the Universe. This is the Star of David. One day the evil Shaitan stole this ring and became king for forty days, but lost the ring in the sea and was eaten by a fish. Solomon caught a fish and found his ring in it. Thus justice was restored. With the help of his ring, Solomon, with one movement of his hand, could move and cut stones, which, obedient to his will, were folded into walls. The walls of the sanctuary are approx. 40?13 m were made of cedar, the floor was made of cypress. The doors "of olive wood and cypress" are decorated with carvings of cherubs, palm trees and blooming flowers. Solomon “overlaid” these images with “carved gold.” The floor was also covered with gold sheets. The inside of the walls, ceiling and altar were lined with gold. Sculptural images of two cherubim, also “overlaid with gold,” with outstretched wings were placed in the Holy of Holies. Between the wings of the cherubs was the main shrine of the Jews. Fence courtyard with an area of ​​52×27 m, above which the temple towered, was built from “three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.”

In 586 BC. e. The Temple of Solomon was destroyed by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, who took the inhabitants of Jerusalem into captivity. King Herod I the Great (37-4 BC), having dismantled the old temple, built a new one. This second temple was destroyed and burned by the Roman legionaries of Titus during the capture of Jerusalem in 70 AD. e. The modern outline of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem corresponds to the plan of the second temple, which was surrounded by a high stone wall. Ordinary Jews were forbidden to enter the temple. It was in this temple that Jesus talked with the scribes, and from his courtyard, where they sold sacrificial animals and changed money, he expelled the merchants. On the day of the destruction of the temple, August 10, Jews pray at the “Wailing Wall.”

Sawa (Sheba) is an area in northern Arabia, whose inhabitants (Savei) were engaged in trading in gold and incense. Balcis ruled the country of the Saveans, called by the ancients “Happy Arabia.” On her lands, majestic temples rose, the richest cities flourished, luxurious gardens grew green and roads were built, and the people never ceased to glorify their wise queen. Balkida claimed that her country was the richest in the world and she was the wisest ruler.

Having heard about Solomon's wisdom, the Queen of Sheba decided to visit him to “test him with riddles.” She set off on her journey, accompanied by several thousand servants who led camels loaded with gifts for the king of Israel: gold, precious stones, exotic plants, rare mahogany, fragrant oils and ivory.

According to legend, the queen also brought silver to Solomon. Part of it - 30 silver coins - disappeared during the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple (after 4 centuries), and those (after another 5 centuries) were among the gifts of the Magi to Jesus, and were finally given to Judas Iscariot for betrayal. She was accompanied by many boys and girls born in the same year and month, on the same day and hour, all of the same height, the same physique and identically dressed in purple robes - to participate in the test of the king's wisdom. A thoroughbred stallion named Safanad (“Pure”), one of the ancestors of Arabian horses, was also brought.

Among Solomon's reciprocal gifts to the queen was the so-called library of the Queen of Sheba, which was preserved in Abyssinia.

The Queen of Sheba was a beautiful, brilliant and intelligent woman. Solomon greeted the foreign guest, seated on a golden throne and dressed in golden robes. When the queen saw the Israeli ruler, it seemed to her that a golden statue appeared before her. The Great Solomon rose, approached the beautiful Balcis and, taking her by the arm, led her to his throne. The king had never received a single guest like this. Solomon “showed great honor to her and rejoiced, and gave her abode in his royal palace next to him. And he sent her food for morning and evening meals.” It seemed that he immediately fell in love with the foreigner and, delighted with her beauty, spent all his days talking with her. He took Balcis around Jerusalem, showing the buildings and temples he had built, and the queen never ceased to be amazed at the scope and generosity of the famous Israeli.

However, the Queen of Sheba, despite Solomon’s very polite reception, sought to fulfill her plan. She offers the king riddles: “If you guess it, I will recognize you as a sage; if you don’t guess it, I will know that you are an ordinary person.” A list of riddles that partially overlap with each other is contained in several sources: “Targum Sheni” to the “Book of Esther” - contains 3 riddles; “Midrash Mishley”, as well as “Yalkut Shimoni” to “Chronicles” - contain 4 riddles; "Midrash Hahefetz" - contains 19 riddles.

In the Kabbalistic Book of Zohar (c. 14th century), the queen asks Solomon to make her sandals as a test. According to this version, it is assumed that the queen’s feet were like those of an animal, and she did not need shoes, and the task was a trap. Solomon refused to make sandals.

As a result of all the trials, the Queen of Sheba was forced to admit Solomon's superiority over her in wisdom.

One day “they lay down together.” In folk tales, the personality of the Queen of Sheba was overgrown with fantastic details; they talked about her only flaw female beauty- hairy legs. The loving king wanted to see for himself whether this was true or not. For this purpose, the wisest ruler of Israel ordered a transparent crystal floor to be made in one of his rooms. A pool was built under it, into which they poured the purest water and released the fish. All this resembled a real lake, and it was possible to distinguish it only by coming closer. Therefore, when Solomon led the queen into the prepared room, she, seeing the amazing pool, raised her skirts in fear so as not to wet them. For a few seconds her legs appeared from under her underwear, and Israeli king I saw that they were too crooked and ugly, but not hairy.

The offended queen gathered all her servants in one night and left Jerusalem without saying goodbye to Solomon, who had inflicted a cruel insult on the queen of the Sabeans.

“After nine months and five days, after she was separated from King Solomon, the pangs of childbirth seized her, and she gave birth to a male child.” She gave her son the name Bayna-Lekhkem and, when he reached twelve years old, told him about his father. At the age of 22, Bayna-Lehkem “became skilled in all the arts of war and equestrianism, as well as in hunting and setting traps for wild animals, and in everything that young men are taught as usual. And he said to the queen: “I will go and look at the face of my father, and I will return here, if it is the will of God, the Lord of Israel.” Before leaving, the mother gave the young man Solomon's ring so that he could recognize his son. Upon Bayna-Lehkem's arrival in Jerusalem, Solomon recognized him as his son, and he was given royal honors.

Bayna-Lekhem returned to his homeland to his mother along with the first-born of the Jewish nobility and took away the shrine of the Jews from the Jerusalem Temple. After the return of her son, Queen Balcis renounced the throne in his favor, and he set up a kingdom in Ethiopia in the likeness of Israel, introducing Judaism into the country as the state religion and refusing inheritance according to female line, but by establishing patriarchy.

The royal dynasty of the Ethiopian Solomonid kings, founded by Bayna-Lekhem, ruled the country until the end of the 10th century. After this, the dynasty continued in secret. The last Emperor Ethiopia Haile Selassie I considered himself a member of the Solomonid dynasty and considered himself the 225th descendant of the Queen of Sheba. He was overthrown by the revolutionary military in September 1974 and died in August 1975.

After the visit of the Queen of Sheba, according to the Bible, unprecedented prosperity began in Israel. 666 talents of gold came to King Solomon per year. The luxury that Solomon was able to afford is described. He made himself a throne of ivory, overlaid with gold, the splendor of which surpassed any other throne of that time. Solomon made himself 200 shields of beaten gold and all the drinking vessels in the palace and temple were gold. “King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom.” Solomon undoubtedly owes such greatness to the visit of the Queen of Sheba. After this visit, many kings also desired a visit to King Solomon.

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The Queen of Sheba is one of the most mysterious women in world history. According to popular assumptions, she was the reigning person of one of the ancient countries, although there is no evidence for this. There is also a version that she was the wife of some ruler. The location of the country in which the legendary woman ruled is also not very clear. In all likelihood, this state included part of modern Yemen and, possibly, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Meeting with Solomon

Solomon, wanting to impress her, with the help of the genies, brought it to Jerusalem and, changing its appearance, showed it to the queen with the question: “Is this what your throne looks like?”

According to the Bible, the unnamed queen of the land of Saba heard about the great wisdom of King Solomon and traveled to him with rich gifts - spices, gold, precious stones. The length of the journey through the deserts of Arabia, along the shores of the Red Sea and the Jordan River to Jerusalem was about 700 km. Since the queen traveled on camels, such a voyage should have lasted about 6 months one way only. In addition to getting to know each other, the ruler wanted to ask Solomon several tricky riddles to test his wisdom. According to legend, the Israeli ruler made an impression on her. The woman also returned to her country with rich gifts from the ruler of Israel: the beauty of the queen from the southern country charmed Solomon. Meanwhile, in the biblical texts telling about the Queen of Sheba, there is no hint of love or any relationship between her and Solomon. They are depicted there only as two monarchs caring for the interests of their states.

The Qur'an, Islam's main religious text, also mentions the Queen of Sheba; Arabic sources call it Balqis. Their information is somewhat different from the biblical legends. According to the Qur'anic narrative, Solomon learns from a lapwing bird about the Sabaean kingdom, which is ruled by a queen seated on a golden throne adorned with precious stones. People in this country worship the sun instead of one God. Solomon sends a letter inviting the queen to visit him and believe in one God. The Queen of Sheba hesitated whether to accept this invitation. To begin with, she decided to send gifts to Solomon and wait for his response. Solomon, however, was not impressed by the queen's offerings, declaring that the gifts he received from God were of much greater value. He also threatened to send troops to Sabia, capture its cities and drive out their inhabitants in disgrace. After this, Balkis decided to come to Solomon herself.

Before leaving, she locked her precious throne in the fortress, but Solomon, wanting to impress her, with the help of the genies, moved it to Jerusalem and, changing its appearance, showed it to the queen with the question: “Is this what your throne looks like?” Balkis recognized him and was invited to the palace built for her by Solomon. The floor of the palace was made of glass, under which fish swam in the water. Balkis, deciding that she would have to walk on water, raised the hem of her dress, exposing her legs. And then she realized how wise her opponent was.

Descendants of the queen from Ethiopia

One version connects the identity of the Queen of Sheba with the famous queen of Egypt, Hatshepsut.

Some peoples believe that they descend from the line of a legendary ruler. The Ethiopian imperial family believes that it traces its origins back to the descendants of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. The Ethiopians call the Queen of Saba Makeda. Some researchers associate this name with Macedonia and later Ethiopian legends about Alexander the Great. Ethiopians believe that the queen was born around 1020 BC. in Ophir (the legendary country of Ophir stretched across the entire eastern coast of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and even captured the island of Madagascar. The ancient inhabitants of this country were fair-skinned and tall). Makeda received her education from the best scientists, philosophers and priests of her country.

Ancient Ethiopian legends say that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a son, Menelik, who became the first emperor of Ethiopia. Solomon in Ethiopian mythology looks like an outright seducer. Having fallen in love with the queen, he decided to act with cunning: he promised not to harass her if she swore not to take anything from him without asking, and for dinner he ordered too salty dishes to be served. At night, the queen, suffering from thirst, drank from a jug standing next to her bed. Solomon immediately accused her of stealing and forced her into love. True, their romance lasted only six months.

Representatives of the Ethiopian Falasha people considered themselves descendants of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who, according to legend, traced their origins to Jewish officials and priests, whom King Solomon ordered to follow to Africa along with his son Menelik. Menelik decided to steal the sacred Ark of the Covenant, which was kept there, from the Temple of Jerusalem. At night, he stole the shrine and secretly took it to Ethiopia to his mother, who revered this ark as the repository of all spiritual revelations. According to Ethiopian priests, the ark is still located in a secret underground temple in the Ethiopian city of Axum.

Another Ethiopian legend talks about the father of the Queen of Sheba, named Agabo, who expanded his empire on both sides of the Red Sea - African and Arabian. The Queen of Sheba, according to these Ethiopian sources, was the ruler of Ethiopia who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem. And the ancient Hebrew historian of the 1st century. AD Josephus calls Solomon's guest the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia. In the New Testament she is also called the “Queen of the South.” The south is identified as Egypt.

This is not accidental, since another version connects the personality of the Queen of Sheba with the famous Queen of Egypt Hatshepsut, who ruled the country from 1489 to 1468. BC. Her father, Pharaoh Thutmose I, annexed the country of Kush (Ethiopia) to Egypt. According to this opinion, the name Hatshepsut is translated as “Queen of Saba.” It established active trade with neighboring countries and created a prosperous economy during the era of the 18th dynasty of the pharaohs. And the solar deity, which, according to the Koran, was worshiped by the Queen of Sheba, was close to this dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs: Hatshepsut’s grandfather, Pharaoh Akhenaten, introduced the cult of worship of the sun god Aten. Nubia, a country between Ethiopia and Egypt, is sometimes called the Kingdom of the Sabians. Some modern Arab historians see the legendary queen as the ruler of a trading colony in Northwestern Arabia founded by the southern Arabian kingdoms. Modern archeology does confirm the fact that such colonies existed, although scientists have not been able to find anything definitive relating to Queen Balkis, or the Queen of Sheba. Researchers note that the Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem most likely could have been a trade mission related to the desire of the Israeli king to settle on the Red Sea coast and thereby undermine the monopoly of Saba and other South Arabian kingdoms on caravan trade with Syria and Mesopotamia. Recent archaeological discoveries in Yemen support the theory that the Queen of Saba ruled South Arabia. It turned out that the residence of the Sabaean kings was the city of Mareb in Yemen. A team of researchers from the University of Calgary (Canada), led by archeology professor Dr. Bill Glanzman, is exploring an ancient 3,000-year-old temple at Mareb, believed to be associated with the Queen of Sheba. According to legend, somewhere not far from the temple, underground there is the palace of the ruler. Time will tell whether these searches will be successful, but so far in the UK, Canada and the USA the phrase “Queen of Sheba” is used as a figure of speech, denoting something completely unreal and untrue.