Qatabanian mukarribs carried out many functions: they performed holy hunting in the valleys of the kingdom, the guided the army during war, they built the walls and gates of the capital, conquered and walled neighbouring cities, and cut mountains to create passes between important wadis.
At the capital of Di'amat, Yeha, the title "Mukarrib of Diʿamat and Saba" (mkrb Dʿmt s-S1bʾ) has been attested, to signify rulership over the Ethiopians in addition to the local Sabaeans that had migrated into the area.
[5] Stuart Munro-Hay writes that the title of mukarrib "indicates something like 'federator', and in southern Arabia was assumed by the ruler who currently held the primacy over a group of tribes linked by a covenant.
The mukarrib issued edicts that carried out decisions by the council and presided over building projects, ritual hunts, and sacrifices.
Drews has instead proposed the vocalization makrūb based on the passive participle of a form 0/1: "the blessed (by God)".