The Ethiopian Bible

 Happy Monday everyone. 

As promised, today let's talk about the Ethiopian Bible. I listen to a couple of You Tube channels that explain the history and some of the books. One is called Bible Hidden Truths and another one that was really good but only had a couple that I saw was called Osho Secrets. Bible Hidden Truths has quite a few. It has one I just saw titled The Ancient Map Of
Heaven. I've listened to it before and have been thinking about it lately, and now it showed up. 

If you aren't familiar with the Ethiopian Bible that isn't surprising. As you may have figured out, I'm always looking for scripture that mainstream Christianity would reject. I'm usually a non-conformist. if I'm told to do, or not to do something, I at least want to know why and decide for myself. Sometimes I'll bring stuff up on a popular social media site just to stir the pot and get a conversation going. Once the lady in Arkansas wrinkled her nose at my request for an Ethiopian Bible I knew it was a challenge for me to buy one and see why the hard core, rigid, Holy Bible only readers feel that way about something different than their belief. Something that basically says the same thing there's just more books that the Ethiopian Bible considers scripture, and the reason they feel justified and required to keep those scriptures sacred.

So let's get into it.  In the Bible that is typical for what most people in Modern Mainstream Protestant and I would imagine Catholic Churches are used to, we'll call The Western Bible. I think some Catholic churches use a Western Bible with The Apocrypha included. I think I've seen this, but you can let me know if this isn't correct. In the books of 1 Kings 10:1-13 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-12 we read the story of the Queen Of Sheba visiting King Solomon. Each of these stories say basically the same thing, almost word for word. The Ethiopian Bible and the Western Bible have the same stories. That's why I struggle with the idea that back in the 3rd century the rulers said what they would allow in the Bible and NOTHING else. But anyway, you've read my rants about that before.

These stories say that The Queen Of Sheba went to visit King Solomon arriving with great pomp. Bringing with her camels carrying spices, and a large quantity of gold and precious gems. A little later it gives a little more detail but the rest of the story is how she was very impressed with his wisdom, all the work he was doing to build the temple, the knowledge he had to be able to do it, how his God had blessed him and how, because of this she would follow King Solomons God. 

The Ethiopian Bible I bought, and I'm glad I did, came with a bunch of bonus digital PDF scriptures. I've included an image of it below. One of the bonuses was a scripture called The Kebra Nagast. It is called the "National Epic Of Ethiopia." It claims there in an unbroken ancestral line from King Solomon to today. There has been some question about that. I don't know if anyone would or could find out if it's true but my interest is, their Bible is the same as the Western Bible that I've always had with the exception is, they've included other scripture that weren't allowed in the Western Bible. The Book Of Enoch being one of many. 

The Kebra Nagast has more detail regarding the Queen's trip to see King Solomon. It still says she prepared with great pomp, but goes on to say she had 797 camels, innumerable mules and asses, and without delay she set off on her journey, her heart having confidence in God. Another key part of this scripture is that in one of her conversations with the king, she asked him to take an oath that he would not "TAKE HER by force." He agreed with the condition that she wouldn't take anything in the palace without permission...she agreed. After 6 months when she decided it was time to go home, she told Solomon and that night for the lavish dinner he had the servants cook a spicey meal. None of the stories really give a description of the queens appearance, but this one says Solomon was having a hard time keeping his oath to her because of " A Woman Of Her Splendid Beauty has come to see me from the ends of the earth. Will God give me a seed in her?" Knowing she would stay thirsty after the meal the king stayed awake after she had gone to bed. Shortly after that he heard her get up. He went and found her drinking water. He told her that he considered that breaking her oath and that she should allow him to break his. She agreed and they slept together that night. During the night he had a dream that a bright sun shone on Israel. It left, went to Ethiopia and never came back.

The result was she became pregnant and had a son. While the boy was growing up he would hear that King Solomon was his father. He would mention that to the Queen and she would keep telling him "I am your mother and father." Finally when he became an adult he and some friends took supplies and headed off to see the king. It doesn't mention much about his stay in Israel. It mainly mentions a dream of an angel saying to take the Ark Of The Covenant home with him, and how to do it. During the night his friends take it and they leave. In the morning Solomons men go after them but eventually Solomon remembers his dream about the sun and calls them off. Supposedly the Ark Of The Covenant is still in Ethiopia guarded by a monk day and night. When one dies another is replaced immediately. This is why Ethiopia claims to have more rights to be the official church and have felt the responsibility to preserve all the scriptures instead of denying any.

Another book I want to get into is The Book Of Jubilees. It is from back in the 2nd century. It is also included in the bonuses of my Ethiopian Bible purchase. The summary says "It retells Genesis and Early Exodus claiming to be an angel's revelation to Moses on Mt. Sinai, adding more details to biblical stories like naming Adam and Eve's daughters, Cain's wife, and elaborating more about the Watchers that we'll cover in the Book of Enoch. Depending on how much of each one I get read, I'll try to cover one of each every week.

Have a great week and as always,

Keep Searching,

Paul