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TheLion of Judah(Hebrew:אריה יהודה,Aryeh Yehudah) is aJewish national and cultural symbol,traditionally regarded as the symbol of thetribe of Judah.The association between the Judahites and thelioncan first be found in the blessing given byJacobto his fourth son,Judah,in theBook of Genesisof theHebrew Bible.[1]
It is also mentioned in theBook of Revelationof theNew Testamentas a term representingJesus of Nazareth,according toChristian theology.[2]The Lion of Judah was also one of the titles used byEthiopian emperorsfrom theSolomonic dynasty.
History
editJudaism
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The biblicalJudah(inHebrew:Yehuda) is theeponymousancestor of theTribe of Judah,which is traditionally symbolized by a lion. InGenesis,the patriarchJacob( "Israel" ) gave that symbol to this tribe when he refers to his son Judah as aGur Aryeh'גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה,"Young Lion" (Genesis 49:9) when blessing him.[3]InJewishnaming tradition the Hebrew name and the substitute name are often combined as a pair, as in this case. The Lion of Judah was used as a Jewish symbol for many years, and asJerusalemwas the capital of theKingdom of Judah,in 1950 it was included in theEmblem of Jerusalem.[4][5]
Christianity
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The phrase appears in theNew TestamentinRevelation 5:5:
Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."
This is widely regarded as a reference to theSecond ComingamongChristians.[citation needed]
Many Christian organizations and ministries use the lion of Judah as their emblem or even as their names.[citation needed]
Ethiopia
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It was depicted on a map of the Upper Nile published in 1683 by the GermanHiob Ludolfdescribing the Lion of Judah symbol as theroyal insigniaof theEthiopian Empire.TheSolomonic dynastyof Ethiopia claims to have its patrilineal origin in the Israelite Royal House of Judah. The Lion of Judah served as the hereditary title of the SolomonicEthiopian emperorsand nobles includingSabagadis Woldu,Kenfu Hailu,Wube Haile Mariam,Tewodros II,Yohannes IV,Menelik,andHaile Selassieand was depicted on theflag of Ethiopiafrom 1897 to 1974. Due to its association with Haile Selassie, it continues to be an important symbol among members of theRastafari movement.[6]
The Lion of Judah motif figured prominently on the old imperial flag, currency, stamps, etc. and may still be seen gracing the terrace of the capital as a national symbol. After the collapse of theDergin 1990, a minor political party bearing the nameMo'a Anbessa'made its appearance.[citation needed]
Kebra Nagast
editEthiopia's history as recorded and elaborated in a 13th-century treatise, theKebra Nagast,asserts descent from a retinue of Israelites who returned with Makeda, theQueen of Shebafrom her visit toKing SolomoninJerusalem,by whom she had conceived the Solomonic dynasty's founderMenelik I.As Solomon was of the tribe of Judah, his son Menelik I would continue the line, which according to Ethiopian history was passed directly down from king to king until EmperorHaile Selassie I(ostensibly the 225th king fromKing David) was deposed in 1974.[7][8][9]
BothChristianandJewish Ethiopianhistory have it that there were also immigrants of the Tribes ofDanand Judah that accompanied Makeda back from her visit to Solomon; hence theGe'ezmottoMo`a 'Anbessa Ze'imnegede Yihuda( "The Lion of Judah has conquered" ), included among the titles of the Emperor throughout the Solomonic Dynasty.[citation needed]
Rastafari
editThe Lion of Judah is a prominent symbol in theRastafari movement.It representsEmperor Haile Selassie Ias well as being a symbol of strength, kingship, pride and African sovereignty.[10] Rastafari consider the mention of "The Lion of Judah" inGenesis 49:9 andRevelation 5:5 of the Bible to refer toEmperor Haile Selassie I.Rastafari hail Haile Selassie I with the titles "King of kings, lord of lords, conquering Lion of Judah, elect of God, the light of the world".[11]
The Lion of Judah 1981
editIn 1981 Lutz Becker published archival film footage showing the occupation ofEthiopiabyFascist Italyin the documentary filmThe Lion of Judah.The archival footage shows the illegal combat withmustard gas.[12]
In literature
editInspired by the Lion of Judah,C. S. Lewisused a lion namedAslanto representJesusinThe Chronicles of Narnia.[13][14][15][16]
See also
edit- Monument to the Lion of Judah,a historic statue in Ethiopia
References
edit- ^"Genesis 49:9".Biblos.Archivedfrom the original on 17 February 2015.Retrieved1 December2014.
- ^"Revelation 5:5".Bible Study Tools.Archivedfrom the original on 19 January 2015.Retrieved1 December2014.
- ^Genesis 49:9
- ^על מקורותיו של האריה הירושלמי
- ^אריות בירושלים
- ^"Rastafarians".flagspot.net.Archivedfrom the original on 2015-09-29.
- ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2016-11-30.Retrieved2017-01-06.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"Debate Central - Since 1994".Archivedfrom the original on 2017-05-21.Retrieved2017-01-06.
- ^Adem, Seifudein (2012)."'The Lion of Judah in the New World: Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and the Shaping of Americans' Attitude Toward Africa' by Vestal T. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2011. Pp. 231, $44.95 (hbk) ".The Journal of Modern African Studies.50(3):541–542.doi:10.1017/S0022278X12000286.S2CID155064698.Archivedfrom the original on 2017-01-07 – via Cambridge Core.
- ^Barnett, Michael; Onuora, Adwoa Ntozake (2014). "Rastafari as Afrocentrically Based Discourse and Spiritual Expression".Rastafari in the New Millennium: A Rastafari Reader.Syracuse University Press.
- ^Chislom, Clinton (1998)."The Rasta-Selassie-Ethiopian Connections".In Murrel, Nathaniel Samuel; et al. (eds.).Chanting Down Babylon: The Rastafari Reader.Temple University Press. p. 171.ISBN9781566395847.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-09-18.
- ^Caterina Albano (2016).Memory, Forgetting and the Moving Image.Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 187.ISBN9781137365880.
- ^"Liam Neeson says Narnia's Aslan could be Muhammed | Christian News on Christian Today".Christiantoday. 2010-12-09.Retrieved2015-03-05.
- ^Hooper, Walter (1998-06-23).C. S. Lewis: A Complete Guide to His Life & Works – Google Books.Zondervan.ISBN9780060638801.Retrieved2015-03-05.
- ^"NarniaWeb Community Forums: View topic – Allegorical Aslan – C.S. Lewis Quote".Forum.narniaweb.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-05-24.Retrieved2015-03-05.
- ^"C S Lewis Letter Testifies Narnia's Lion as Christ".Christian News on Christian Today christiantoday. 2005-12-07.Retrieved2015-03-05.
External links
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