-Joe Nelson Armijo
I am reading the National Bestseller by Abraham Verghese titled CUTTING FOR STONE. In the early pages of the book it is written that one could not accept the bloodlines of the Emperor, extending back to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.
The line about the Queen of Sheba made me recall my father, Joe Nelson Armijo. Before dinner in the early 1970's he would sip his favorite glass of red wine and sometimes say, “Who do you think I am? The King of Sheba?”
I had completely forgotten until I read about the Queen of Sheba.
As a kid I didn’t give it much thought. I just thought my dad was getting a little too ‘tipsy’ on the wine. I wondered NOW how he had heard or thought about the King of Sheba.
This encouraged me to research more about the King of Sheba and it seems it is 'King Solomon' who was the King of Sheba. Sheba is identified with Saba, a nation once spanning along the Red Sea, on the coasts of what today are Ethiopia and Yemen. Some modern Arab academics place the queen not in Yemen, as did older Islamic sources, but rather as a ruler of a trading colony in Northwest Arabia.
I’ll keep it relatively brief but here is what I learned about the King/Queen of Sheba:
The Queen of Sheba was a monarch of the ancient kingdom of Sheba and is referred to in Habeshan history, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur'an. There is no evidence of her existence outside the texts of these four sources. The location of her historical kingdom is believed to be in Ethiopia.
According to the Hebrew Bible, the unnamed queen of the land of Sheba heard of the great wisdom of King Solomon of Israel and journeyed there with gifts of spices, gold, precious stones, and beautiful wood to test him with questions.
It is related further that the queen was awed by Solomon's great wisdom and wealth, and pronounced a blessing on Solomon's God. Solomon reciprocated with gifts and "everything she desired." Solomon offered to give her everything his kingdom had to offer except the "royal bounty." Therefore, according to the Bible, "she turned and went to her country, she and her servants." The queen apparently was quite rich, however, as she brought four and a half tons of gold with her to give to Solomon.
In the biblical passages which refer explicitly to the Queen of Sheba there is no hint of love or sexual attraction between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The two are depicted merely as fellow monarchs engaged in the affairs of state.
The biblical text, Song of Solomon (Song of Songs), contains some references, which at various times, have been interpreted as referring to love between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The young woman of the Song of Songs, however, continues to deny the romantic advances of her suitor, whom many commentators identify as King Solomon.
The story of the Queen of Sheba acquired special importance and impact in the Ethiopian tradition and history. There she is referred to as Makeda and it is believed that she bore Solomon a son, who was the founder of the Ethiopian royal dynasty of emperors.
Twenty-five years ago today:
January 15, 1986
Wednesday
I arrived at work in San Francisco by 7AM. It was a stressful and busy day. I handled it okay (I think). I would have worked up until 7PM but the pre-planned babysitting appointment for Ashley could not be overlooked.
PHOTO: 1986, Ashley Marie Armijo
Ash was pretty well-behaved all the way around.
Steph Redding phoned me for a quick minute.
Chad telephoned as well.
“Thank you for that letter you sent me.”
“Oh, I’m glad you got it. I had a two-hour talk with Larry…mostly good things.”
I wondered what sort of good things as he did not elaborate.
John and Sherri returned home after seeing the movie “JAGGED EDGE” at about 11:30PM. That’s when I walked my merry way home and went to bed.
I didn’t make it to the gym (or do any aerobics). Tomorrow is make-up day!
“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
-Nathaniel Hawthorne
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