FIRST ETHIOPIAN KINGDOM

At the turn of the first millennia, the dominant kingdom was in Aksum. This was a
very advanced civilization. They were the first Africans to mint coins. They were
powerful enough to take military expeditions into South Arabia. Aksum began to
decline in the seventh century. The Zagwe Dynasty was next to rule Ethiopia. The
most prized of the Zagwe kings was Lalibela. This period saw the arrival of
Christianity and the Nine SaintsCOND ETHIOPIAN EMPIRE

The Zagwe's were considered usurpers because they did not lay claim to King Solomon
and the Queen of Sheba. When Yekuno Amlak came to power, the Solomonic Dynasty
was reinstated. In the 14th century, the conquests of Amda Seyon increased the size of
Ethiopia. During the sixteenth century, the expeditions of Ahmad Gragn ravaged
Ethiopia. Gondar became the center of power in the seventeenth century. The Zamana
Masafent era was marked with continuous warfare. A notable figure of this period is the
monastic evangelist Ewostatewos

Ethiopia in the Bible

Queen of Sheba's Visit to King Solomon

Sheba is believed to have been Queen of Ethiopia and it is

through her Ethiopian rulers claim royalty. The verses
below refer to Sheba's visit to King Solomon in Isreal. The
tale is retold in The Second Book of Chronicles, 8:18
(Pankhurst 16):

1 Kings 10, 1-13

[1] And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of

Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to
prove him with hard questions.
[2] And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with
camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious
stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she
communed with him of all that was in her heart.

[3] And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not
any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

[4] And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's
wisdom, and the house that he had built,

[5] And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his
servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their
apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he
went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more
spirit in her.

[6] And she said to the king, It was a true report that I
heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

[7] Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and

mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told
me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I
heard.

[8] Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which
stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
[9] Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee,
to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD
loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do
judgment and justice.

[10] And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents
of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious
stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as
these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

[11] And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from
Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees,
and precious stones.

[12] And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the
house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also
and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees,
nor were seen unto this day.

[13] And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all
her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which
Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and
went to her own country, she and her servants.

The Word 'Ethiopia' in the Bible

The word Ethiopia appears in the King James Bible version

45 times. When the word Ethiopia is used in the bible, it
most of the time refers to all the land south of Egypt:
Gen.2

[13] And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same
is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

Num.12

[1] And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of

the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had
married an Ethiopian woman.

2 Kgs.19

[9] And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia,

Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent
messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,

2Chr.12

[3] With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand

horsemen: and the people were without number that came
with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the
Ethiopians.

2Chr.14

[9] And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian
with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred
chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
[12] So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa and
before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

[13] And Asa and the people that were with him pursued
them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that
they could not recover themselves; for they were
destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they
carried away very much spoil.

2Chr.16

[8] Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host,
with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou
didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.

2Chr.21

[16] Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the

spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near
the Ethiopians:

Esth.1

[1] Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is

Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia,
over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

Esth.8
[9] Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the
third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and
twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all
that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the
lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces
which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and
seven provinces, unto every province according to the
writing thereof, and unto every people after their
language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and
according to their language.