Kebra Nagast

his " name " Menahem," which is, being interpreted, Seed of the strong man." Now Delilah was the sister of Maksaba, the wife of the King of the Philistines, and when Samson slew the King of the Philistines in the house with his people and his household, and he died with him, Delilah went to her sister Maksaba, the Now both women were Queen of the Philistines. beautiful, and they had no children, but both had conceived ; Maksaba had been with child six months by Kwolason, the King of the Philistines, and Delilah had been with child four months by Samson and the husbands of both were dead. And the two women loved each other exceedingly. And their love for each other was not like the love of sisters, but like that of the mother for the child, and of the child for the mother even so was their love. And they lived together. And the dominion over those who were left of the slaughter [made] by Samson in the house of the king was in the hands of Maksaba, for none of the ; ; mighty men of war of the kingdom of the Philistines were left, and therefore Maksaba ruled over those that were left. And they spake unto her morning and " We have no other king except thyevening, saying, self, and except that one that shall go forth from thy belly. If our Lord Dagon will do a favour unto us that which is in thy belly shall be a son, who shall reverence our god Dagon and shall reign over us. And if it be a daughter we will make her to reign over us, so that thy name and the name of Kwolason our lord shall be your memorial over us." And then Maksaba brought forth a man-child and all the men of the Philistines rejoiced, and they did homage " to her and sang, saying, Dagon and Be] have honoured her and loved Maksaba, and the seed of Kwolason is found again from Maksaba." And Delilah also bore a son, and the two women brought up the children in And when the children were great state and dignity. 138