The Kebra Nagast [Paperback]

E.A. Wallis Budge (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2004

A "great storehouse of legends and traditions" according to translator E.A. Wallis Budge, 'The Kebra Nagast' most likely dates back to the sixth century AD, and provides an alternative view of many biblical stories. According to this ancient text, the kings of Ethiopia were descended from Solomon, King of Israel, and the Queen of Sheba; the Ark of the Covenant had been brought from Jerusalem to Aksum by Meyelek, the son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba; and the God of Israel had transferred his place of abode on earth from Jerusalem to Aksum, the ecclesiastical and political capital of Ethiopia. ". . .[O]nly in the Kebra Nagast, and not in the Bible. . . the bold assertion is made. . . that the Ark had gone from Jerusalem to Ethiopia." ". . . [H]ow could the most important Biblical object in the world end up in the heart of Africa. . . ? The Kebra Nagast with a great deal of weight and historical authenticity. . . offers a clear answer to this question. . . as Ethiopia's claim to be the last resting place of the lost Ark remains unchallenged. . ." ". . . [T]he Kebra Nagast's audacious claim of a massive cover-up. . . [and] all information about the tragic loss of the Ark during Solomon's reign had been suppressed, which is why no mention is made of it in the Scriptures." ". . . a great epic. . . a remarkable document. . . erected above a solid foundation of historical truth." --Graham Hancock "The Sign and the Seal" E.A. WALLIS BUDGE was the curator of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities at the British Museum and he collected a large number of manuscripts. He is perhaps best known for translating "The Egyptian Book of The Dead," but he also created books of translated hieroglyphs, Egyptian religion, mythology, and magic. He was knighted in 1920.

Editorial Reviews

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From the Back Cover

A "great storehouse of legends and traditions" according to translator E.A. Wallis Budge, 'The Kebra Nagast' most likely dates back to the sixth century AD, and provides an alternative view of many biblical stories.

According to this ancient text, the kings of Ethiopia were descended from Solomon, King of Israel, and the Queen of Sheba; the Ark of the Covenant had been brought from Jerusalem to Aksum by Meyelek, the son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba; and the God of Israel had transferred his place of abode on earth from Jerusalem to Aksum, the ecclesiastical and political capital of Ethiopia.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Cosimo Classics (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159605025X
• ISBN-13: 978-1596050259
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 4.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,217,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To Appreciate the Paths to Glory, December 14, 2008

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Kebra Nagast: The Glory Of Kings (Paperback)

Scholar E.A. Wallis Budge does a masterful job in highlighting the key elements contained in the 177 inspired chapters that explain the origins of the Solomonic line of the Emperors of Ethiopia and then presenting a clear and accurate translation.

Budge has five introductory sections - The Manuscripts of the Kebra Nagast, Translation of the Arabic Version, Legends of the Queen of Sheba in the Kur'an, Modern Legends of Soloman and the Queen of Sheba, Summary of the Contents of the Kebra Nagast - that are indispensable.

The Glory of Kings delves into how the Queen of Sheba met Solomon and how the Ark of the Covenant came to Ethiopia with Menelik I. It also contains an account of the conversion of the Ethiopians to the "Lord God of Israel."

This volume is a wonderful means to fully appreciate an incredible spiritual journey and awakening that continues today.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeds Expectations!!!!!!, January 28, 2011

By 

Yehochanan (VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kebra Nagast: The Glory Of Kings (Paperback)

I give this book a 5! The paperback appears to be put together very well. The paper is thick and the letters are large for easy reading. So, the physical book is pretty good. The five introductions are an added bonus. And I was also pleased to receive the book in three days!

I would also like to make a comment about some other commentaries I have heard.

It is rather condescending to claim that the Kebra Negast contains "embellished stories". First, there is nothing in the Kebra Negast that contradicts the Holy Bible. Second, the Bible does not pretend to give a full of account of EVERY historical account in history. Such a description would fill a room full of books. The Tanakh (aka Old Testament) speaks only of the events that describe the nescience, rises, falls and ultimate redemption of Israel along with the way of life for Israel (the Torah). The New Testament speaks of the advent of the messiah, the Gospel, the initial conversion Gentiles to the true God and, finally, gives instructions on how to live in accordance with the Gospel. The Kebra Negast speaks of the how the Nation of Ethiopia came to know the Torah and then the Gospel. Therefore, it expounds on historical events that are important to the Ethiopian church and state. Since some of the events do not carry universal importance to all nations, they are not included in the Bible.

For example, the Bible does not include the narrative about the Solomonic dynasty through Menelik since the messianic lineage does not go through Menelik. The Kebra Negast clearly confirms the lineage of the messiah as given in the Tanakh and New Testament, that is, that the Messiah is from lineage of the Kings of Judah, not Ethiopia.

And just because a miraculous event is not included in the Bible, it does not mean it is an embellishment. Read the following verse.

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

The Miracle of Chanukah is clearly a miracle that was witnessed by many Jews and confirmed in New Testament. Yet Chanukah (aka the Feast of Dedication: John 10:22) is NOT EXPLAINED in the Protestant Bible. If a person only reads the standard canon, we will read right past the mention of the Feast of Dedication in John 10:22 and never know what it means. The way we know about Chanukah is by reading the Book of Maccabees. There is nothing wrong with not carrying about miracles that are only important to Jews or Ethiopians. Where we cross the line is when we begin to refer to such miracles as "embellishments".

So, as I quoted above, God has performed MANY MANY MANY miracles and there are MANY MANY details that are not recorded in the Bible. If the Bible included every detail and divine miracle in history, there would be no end to the books being written. In fact, since God is still doing miracles, we would have to produce of volume of books on miracles every month! LOL! Any time we read of the Miracles of God and recall the Gospel of Jesus, it increases our faith. This is what the Kebra Negast accomplishes for Ethiopian and all who love Jesus.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read, December 24, 2009

By 

C. Sleigh - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Kebra Nagast: The Glory Of Kings (Paperback)

This is a paperback type book, but is put together nicely, and the print is easy to read. The introduction explains that this is an English translation of the book, which is a combination of some truth, some Bible verses, and a lot of stories embellished with some imagination. It is interesting to review.