The Queen of Sheba Foundation

The Legend of The Queen of Sheba
by The Oracle of Temple

The mystery of the Queen of Sheba is one that spans religion, region and culture. She was once one of the most powerful leaders in the world but there are few clues about this woman who ruled a rich and powerful nation somewhere in Africa. She is referenced in the Bible in I Kings, II Chronicles, the New Testament, the Qur'an, Ethiopian history and now Nigerian history__ as the ruler of Sheba, an ancient kingdom which modern archaeology speculates was located in present-day Yemen or Eritrea, Ethiopia or even Nigeria. Unnamed in the Biblical text, she is called Makeda in the Ethiopian history, and in Islamic tradition her name is Belqees (Bilqis). She was to have lived in the 10th century BC.
According to the Bible, the queen of the land of Sheba heard of the great wisdom of King Solomon and journeyed with spices, gold, precious stones and beautiful wood to test him with questions: I Kings 10:1-13; II Chron. 9:1-12. The queen, awed by Solomon's wisdom and wealth pronounced a blessing on Solomon's God. Solomon reciprocated with gifts and "everything she desired," then the queen returned to her country. She was apparently quite rich herself, as she brought 4.5 tons of gold to give to Solomon. The Song of Solomon contains some references which have been interpreted as referring to love between Solomon and the Queen. Thus, the female lover at 1:5 declares “I am black, but comely."
The Qur’an never mentions the Queen of Sheba by name, though Arab sources name her Balqis. The story is similar to the Bible's. According to the Qur’an, Solomon got reports of a kingdom ruled by a queen whose people worshipped the sun. He sent a letter inviting her to come in submission to Allah. She replies with a gift after consulting her people. He replies threatening an invasion. Then one of Solomon’s servants (who had knowledge of the "Book") proposes to bring him the throne of Sheba “in the twinkling of an eye”. The queen arrives at his court, is shown her throne, and when she enters his palace she accepts Abrahamic monotheism and the worship of “The One God.”
The imperial family of Ethiopia claims its origin directly from the offspring of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba who is named Makeda in Ethiopian history. The Ethiopian narrative Kebra Negast (“the Glory of Kings”), is supposed to record the history of Makeda and her descendants. The tradition that the biblical Queen of Sheba was a ruler of Ethiopia who visited King Solomon in ancient Israel is supported by the 1st century AD Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who identified Solomon’s visitor as a queen of Egypt and Ethiopia.