XIV. And Abraham said unto the chief-captain: My lord chief-captain, the soul which the angel was holding in his hand, why was it sentenced to be set in the midst? Then said the chief-captain: Hear, just Abraham. Because the [witness] found that its sins and its righteousnesses were equal; so [it was committed] neither to condemnation nor to be saved, until what time the judge of all shall come. Abraham said to the chief-captain: What is lacking to the soul for it to be saved? The chief-captain said: If it win one righteousness over and above its sins it enters into salvation. Abraham said to the chief-captain: Come hither, chief-captain Michael, let us make a prayer on behalf of this soul, and see if GOD will hearken unto us. The chief-captain said: Amen, so be it. Then they made prayer and supplication on behalf of the soul, and GOD heard them; and when they rose up from their intercession, they no more saw the soul standing there. And Abraham said to the angel: Where is the soul which thou didst hold in the midst? And the angel said: It has been saved by thy righteous prayer [by GOD's leave], and behold, an angel light-bearer has taken it and carried it up into Paradise. And Abraham said: I glorify the name of the most high GOD and His unfathomable mercy. And Abraham said to the chief-captain: I pray thee, archangel, hear my supplications, and let us yet again call upon the Lord and supplicate His pity and beseech His mercy upon the souls of the sinners whom I once with evil purpose cursed and destroyed, and the earth swallowed up, and the beasts tore to pieces, and whom the fire devoured through my words. Now know I that I have sinned before our Lord GOD. Come, Michael, chief-captain of the hosts above, come, let us call upon GOD with tears that He may forgive me my sin, and grant them unto me. And the chief-captain hearkened unto him, and they made supplication before GOD. When they had called upon Him for a long time a voice came from heaven saying: "Abraham, Abraham, I have hearkened unto thy voice and thy supplication, and I forgive thee thy sin, and those whom thou thinkest I did destroy, them I have recalled, and have led into life by My extreme goodness. Because for a season I have requited them in judgement. For those whom I destroy living upon the earth, in death will I not requite them."

Abraham returns to his house; he refuses to yield up his soul. (Chapter XV.)

XV. And the voice of the Lord said also unto the chief-captain: "Michael, Michael, My Minister, turn back Abraham to his house, for behold his end is at hand, and the span of his life is fulfilled, so that he may make disposition concerning everything; and then do thou take him and bring him unto Me." So the chief-captain turned back the chariot and the cloud, and brought Abraham to his house. And departing to his chamber he sat him down upon his couch. And Sarah his wife came and [greeted] the spirit, and spake [courteously], saying: I give thee thanks, my lord, that thou hast brought back my lord Abraham; for behold we thought he had been taken up from us. Then came Isaac his son and fell upon his neck; and in like manner all the men-slaves and women-slaves surrounded Abraham and embraced him, glorifying GOD. And the spirit said unto him: Hearken, righteous Abraham, behold thy wife Sarah, behold too thy beloved son Isaac, behold too all thy men-servants and maid-servants arrayed about thee. Make disposition of all thy possessions, for the day is at hand in which thou art destined to depart from the body, and once again to come unto the Lord. Then said Abraham: Has the Lord spoken, or dost thou of thine own will say these words? Then said the chief-captain: Harken, righteous Abraham; the Lord has commanded, and I tell it unto thee. Then said Abraham: I will not follow thee. The chief-captain, when he heard this word, straightway went out from the presence of Abraham and went up to the heavens, and stood in the presence of GOD the Most High, and said: Lord Almighty, behold, I have harkened unto Thy friend Abraham in all that he has said unto Thee, and I have fulfilled his petition. I have shown to him Thy dominion and all the land and sea beneath heaven. I have shown to him judgement and retribution through a cloud and a chariot; and again he says I follow thee not. And the Most High said unto the angel: "Is it even so that again My friend Abraham says thus, I follow thee not?" And the archangel said: Lord Almighty, thus he says, and I refrain from touching him, for from the beginning he is Thy friend, and all things pleasing in Thy sight he has done; neither is there any man like unto him upon the earth, no, not even Job the marvellous man. Wherefore I refrain from touching him. Command then, Immortal King, what shall be done.

The Angel of Death visits Abraham. (Chapters XVI-XVII.)

XVI. Then said the Most High: "Call me hither Death, who is called the shameless face and pitiless glance." So Michael the spirit went away and said unto Death, Come hither, the Lord of Creation, the Immortal King, calls thee. Death, when he heard, shuddered and trembled, possessed with great cowardice; and he came with great fear, and stood before the unseen [GOD], shuddering, groaning, and trembling, awaiting the command of the Lord. So the unseen GOD said to Death: "Come hither, thou bitter and cruel name of the world, hide thy fierceness, veil thy foulness, and cast off thy bitterness from thee, and gird around thee thy youth and all thy glory, and go down to Abraham My friend, and take him and lead him to Me. Yet even now command I thee not to terrify him, but take possession of him with coaxing, for he is My very friend." When Death heard this, he went out from the presence of the Most High and girded about him a most glorious robe, and made his countenance like unto the sun, and became comely and blooming, passing the sons of men, having assumed the form of an archangel, with his cheeks flashing like fire, and he went away unto Abraham. Now the righteous man Abraham (had) emerged from his chamber and was sitting beneath the trees of Mamre, holding his chin in his hand, and was expecting the coming of the archangel Michael. And behold, a smell of sweet savour came to him, and a flashing of light, and turning round, Abraham saw Death, coming towards him in great glory and comeliness. And Abraham rose up and went to meet him, for he thought he was the chief-captain of GOD, and seeing him Death [greeted] him, saying: Hail, honoured Abraham, righteous soul, true friend of the Most High GOD, and companion of the holy angels! And Abraham said unto Death, Hail, thou that appearest and in form art as the sun, most glorious helper, light-bringer, marvellous man, whence comes thy glory unto us, and who art thou, and whence hast thou come? So Death said: Most righteous Abraham, behold, I tell thee the truth. I am the bitter cup of death. Abraham said to him: Nay, but thou art the fairness of the world, thou art the glory and the beauty of angels and of men, thou art more comely than every form, and sayest thou I am the bitter cup of death, and not rather, I am more comely than every good thing? But Death said: I speak the truth unto thee, what GOD has named me, that I tell thee. And Abraham said: Wherefore hast thou come hither? And Death said: For thy holy soul am I come. Then Abraham said: I know what thou meanest, but I will not follow thee. And Death was silent, and answered him not a word.

XVII. Then Abraham rose up and went to his house, and Death too followed him thither. And Abraham went up into his chamber, and Death went up with him. And Abraham reclined upon his couch, and Death came and sat beside his feet. And Abraham said: Depart, depart from me, for I am minded to rest me on my couch. Death said: I depart not until what time I take thy breath from thee. Abraham said unto him: By the immortal GOD I charge thee speak unto me the truth. Art thou Death? Death said unto him: I am Death: I am he that blights the world. Abraham said: I pray thee, since thou art Death, tell me, comest thou thus unto all in such comeliness, glory, and fairness? Death said: Nay, my lord Abraham; for thy righteousnesses and the measureless sea of thy hospitality, and the greatness of thy love towards GOD have become a crown upon my head, and in beauty, and in great peace and winsomeness come I to the righteous, but to sinners I come in great corruption and fierceness and very great bitterness, and with a fierce and pitiless glance. Abraham said: I beseech thee, harken unto me, and show me thy fierceness, and all thy corruption and bitterness. Death said: Thou wilt not be able to behold my fierceness, most righteous Abraham. Abraham said: Yea, I shall be able to behold all thy fierceness, because of the name of the living GOD, for the power of my GOD which is in heaven is with me. Then Death put off all his beauty and fairness, and all his glory, and the form that was like unto the sun, wherewith he was clad, and girded about him his robe of tyranny, and made his countenance gloomy, and fiercer than all manner of wild beasts, and more foul than every kind of foulness; and he showed Abraham seven fiery serpents' heads, and fourteen faces, of the most burning fire, and of great fierceness, and a countenance like unto darkness, and a most gloomy countenance of a viper, and a countenance of a most horrible precipice, and a countenance fiercer than an asp, and a countenance of a dread lion, and a countenance of a horned serpent (cerastes) and of a basilisk. He showed him too a countenance of a fiery sword, and a scimitar-bearing countenance, and a countenance of lightning that flashed forth lightning fearfully, and an echo of fearful thunder. He showed him too another countenance of a fierce, billowy sea, and a fierce river plashing, and a monstrous three-headed serpent, and a wine-cup mingled with poisons; and in a word, he showed him great fierceness and bitterness unendurable, and every deadly disease as of the odour of death. And from the great fierceness and bitterness there died servants and maid-servants in number about seven thousand. And righteous Abraham came into a deadly faintness, so that his spirit failed him.

Intercession for those who have died at the presence of the Angel. (Chapter XVIII.)

XVIII. When the all-holy Abraham had thus seen these things he said to Death: I beseech thee, all-destructive Death, hide thy fierceness, and gird about thee thy beauty, and the shape which thou hadst before. Straightway Death hid his fierceness and girded about him his beauty which he had before. And Abraham said to Death: Why hast thou done this, that thou hast slain all my men-servants and maid-servants? Did GOD for this purpose send thee hither to-day? Death said: Not so, my lord Abraham, it is not as thou sayest, but on thy account was I sent hither. Abraham said to Death: How, then, have these died? Has not the Lord commanded it? Death said: Believe, most righteous Abraham, that this also is marvellous, that thou also wast not carried off with them. Yet speak I unto thee the truth. For if the right hand of GOD had not been with thee in that hour, thou too wouldest have had to depart from this life. Then said righteous Abraham: Now I know that I have come into a deadly faintness, so that my spirit fails. Yet, I beseech thee, all-destructive Death, since my servants have died untimely, let us beseech here the Lord our GOD, that He will hearken unto us and raise up them that have died untimely through thy fierceness. And Death said: Amen, so be it. So Abraham rose up and fell upon the face of the earth and prayed, and Death with him. And GOD sent a breath of life upon the dead, and they were quickened with life. Then the righteous Abraham gave glory unto GOD.

The Interview continued. (Chapter XIX.)

XIX. And going up into his chamber he lay down; and Death came also and stood before him. And Abraham said unto him: Depart from me, for I am minded to rest because my spirit is in (a state of) weariness. Death said: I depart not from thee until I take thy soul. And Abraham, with harsh countenance and angry glance, said to Death: Who has commanded thee to say this? Thou sayest these words of thyself boastfully and I will not follow thee until the chief-captain Michael come to me and I shall go away with him, yet even this do I tell thee: If thou desirest that I follow thee, explain unto me all thy changing shapes--the seven fiery heads of the serpents, and what means the countenance of the precipice, and what the sharp sword, and the raging river, and the turgid tempestuous sea. Teach me too concerning the unendurable thunder and the fearful lightning, and what was the ill-savouring cup mingled with poisons. Teach me concerning all. And Death said: Harken, O righteous Abraham, for seven ages do I ravage the world, and drive down [the wicked] into hell, kings and rulers, sick and poor, slaves and freemen, do I send to the depth of hell. Therefore showed I thee the seven heads of the serpents. And the countenance of the fire I showed unto thee because many are burned to death by fire, and through the countenance of fire they see death. The face of the precipice I showed thee, because many men die coming down from high trees or fearful cliffs, and swoon and die, and they see death in the shape of a fearful precipice. The face of a sword I showed thee because many fall by the sword in wars, and see death in a sword. The face of a mighty surging river showed I to thee because many are snatched away by a flood of many waters, and are carried off by very mighty rivers, and are choked and die, and see death untimely. And the face of the rude, rough sea I showed thee because many are shipwrecked in a sea by a mighty wave and are overwhelmed, and see death as the sea. And the unendurable thunder and the fearful lightning I showed thee because many men, when they encounter a season of (divine) wrath, at the onset of unendurable thunder and fearful lightning suffer violent death, and thus behold death as unendurable thunder and fearful lightning. I showed thee also venomous beasts, vipers and basilisks, leopards and lions, and lions' whelps and bears, and vipers--in a word, I showed thee the face of every wild beast, most righteous one, because many men are made away with by wild beasts, while others, being breathed upon by venomous snakes, serpents and vipers, and horrid reptiles and basilisks, breathe their last. I showed thee also deadly cups filled with poison because many men are given poisons to drink by other men, and in a moment unexpectedly are carried off.

Abraham's Death and Departure to Paradise. (Chapter XX.)

XX. Then said Abraham: I beseech thee tell me: is there an untimely death? Death said: Verily, verily I say unto thee as GOD's truth there are seventy-two deaths. One is the just death that has its allotted time. And many men (there are who) within one hour go to death, and are consigned to the grave. Behold, I have told thee all thou hast asked. Now say I to thee, most just Abraham, put away every device, and leave thy questioning once and for all, and come follow me as GOD and judge of all has commanded me. Abraham said to Death: Depart from me yet a little while, that I may rest on my couch, for I am in great despondency. Ever since I have seen thee with my eyes my strength has failed me, and all the limbs of my flesh are as a weight of lead, and my breath labours distressfully. Depart for a little, for I have said, I cannot bear to see thy form. Then came Isaac his son and fell upon his breast weeping. And his wife Sarah, too, came and embraced his feet, lamenting bitterly. And all his slaves and women-slaves came and stood around his couch, greatly lamenting. Then came Abraham into indifference of death, and Death said to Abraham: Come, embrace my right hand, and let cheerfulness and life and strength come to thee. For Death deceived Abraham; and he embraced his hand, and straightway his soul clave to the hand of Death. And straightway Michael the archangel stood by him with a host of angels, and they raised his precious soul in their hands in a cloth divinely woven, and they tended the body of the just Abraham with exquisite ointments and perfumes until the third day after his death; and they buried him in the promised land, by the oak of Mamre; but the angels escorted his precious soul, and ascended into heaven singing the hymn of the 'Thrice-holy' to the Lord GOD of all; and they set it to adore [GOD]. And after much praising and glorifying unto the Lord, and when Abraham had adored, there came the pure voice of [GOD], saying thus: "Uplift, then, My friend Abraham into Paradise, where are the tabernacles of My righteous ones, and the abodes of My holy ones, Isaac and Jacob, in his bosom, where is no toil, neither grief nor mourning; but peace and exultation, and life everlasting." Let us, too, my beloved brethren, imitate the hospitality of the patriarch Abraham, and let us gain his virtuous behaviour, that we may be counted worthy of eternal life, glorifying [GOD]: His be the glory and the power for ever. Amen.

PART II: THE SHORTER RECENSION

(14 chapters)

Michael's commission. (Chapter I.)

I. It came to pass when the days of Abraham's death drew nigh, that the Lord said unto Michael: "Arise, go to Abraham My servant, and say unto him: Thou shalt depart from life, for, lo! the years of thy temporal life are fulfilled: that he may set the affairs of his household in order ere he die."

The Archangel visits Abraham, and at last the object of his mission is disclosed. (Chapters II-VII.)

II. So Michael went and came to Abraham and found him sitting before his oxen for ploughing, and he was exceeding aged in form, and he was holding his son in his arms. So Abraham saw the archangel Michael, and arose from the ground and saluted him, not witting who it was and said unto him: May GOD keep thee safe! Mayest thou continue on thy journey prosperously. And Michael answered him: Thou art kind, noble father. And Abraham answered and said unto him: Come, draw nigh unto me, brother, and sit thou down a short season, that I may order a beast to be brought, that we may depart unto my house, and that thou mayest abide with me, for it is nigh unto eventide. Early in the morning rise up and go whithersoever thou listest, lest any evil beast meet thee and wound thee. And Michael enquired of Abraham and said: Tell me thy name before I enter thy house, lest I be burdensome unto thee. Abraham answered and said: My parents named me Abram, and the Lord gave me a new name, Abraham, saying: "Arise, and journey from thy house and from thy kindred, even hither into a land which I shall show you." And when I had departed into the land which the Lord showed me, He said unto me: "Thy name shall no more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham." Michael answered and said unto him: Pardon me, my father, man that hast been cared for by GOD, for I am a stranger, and I heard concerning thee when thou didst depart a space of forty furlongs, and didst take a calf, and offer it, entertaining angels in thy house that they might rest. Thus conversing the two of them arose, and went within the house. Then Abraham called one of his servants and said to him: Go, bring me a beast of burden that the stranger may sit thereon, for he is weary from his journey. And Michael said: Trouble not the boy, but let us go walking until we come unto thy house, for I love thy companionship.

III. They arose and began to go, and as they drew near to the city, about three furlongs away, they found a mighty fruit-tree having three hundred branches like unto a tamarisk. And they heard a voice singing from its branches: Holy art thou, for thou hast kept the purpose concerning those things for which thou wast sent. And Abraham heard the voice and hid the mystery in his heart, saying to himself: What, then, is the mystery which I have heard? And as they came within the house Abraham said to his servants: Arise, go out to the flocks, and bring three lambs, and slay them quickly, and serve them, that we may eat and drink; for this day is a day of good cheer. And the servants brought the sheep, and Abraham called his son Isaac, and said unto him: Son Isaac, rise up, and put water in the bason that we may wash the feet of this stranger. And he brought it as he was bidden. Then said Abraham: I have a feeling of what shall even come to pass, that in this bowl I shall never again wash the feet of a stranger entertained by us. And when Isaac heard his father speaking these words, he wept and said unto him: My father, what is this that thou saidst, 'Tis the last time for me to wash a stranger's feet? And Abraham saw his son weeping, and he himself wept too exceedingly; and Michael saw them weeping, and he also wept, and the tears of Michael fell upon the bason and became a precious stone.

IV. Now when Sarah heard their lamenting, she being within in her house, came out and spake to Abraham: Why is it that ye weep thus, my lord? Abraham answered and said unto her: 'Tis nought evil, go in into thy abode and do thine own business lest we become troublesome to the stranger. So Sarah went in, as she was minded to make ready the supper. And the sun approached the setting, and Michael went out from the house and was caught up into the heavens to worship in the presence of GOD, for at sunset all angels worship GOD, and the same Michael is first of the angels. And all worshipped and departed, each unto his place. But Michael answered in the presence of GOD and said: Lord, bid me be questioned in the presence of Thy holy glory. And the Lord said to Michael: "Tell what thou desirest." The archangel answered and said: Lord, Thou didst send me to Abraham to say unto him: Depart thou from out of thy body, and go thou from the world. The Lord doth call thee. And I do not dare, Lord, to show myself to him, for he is Thy friend and a righteous man making strangers welcome. But I beseech Thee, Lord, bid the remembrance of Abraham's death to enter into his own heart, and let me not tell it to him. For 'tis great abruptness to say: Depart from the world; and above all from his own body. For Thou didst from the beginning make him to pity all men's souls. Then said the Lord unto Michael: "Arise, go to Abraham, and sojourn with him, and whatever thou seest him eating, [seem to] eat thou too; and wherever he resteth, [seem to] rest thou there too. For I will inject the notion of Abraham's death into the heart of Isaac his son in a dream."

V. Then Michael went away to the house of Abraham in that evening and found them making ready the supper, and they ate and drank [the angel only seeming to eat] and made merry. And Abraham said to his son Isaac: Arise, son, and spread the couch of the stranger that he may rest, and put the lamp upon the lamp-stand. And Isaac did as his father bade. And Isaac said to his father: Father, I, too, am coming to sleep beside you. Abraham answered him: Not so, my son, lest we be burdensome to this stranger, but depart, and rest in thine own chamber. And Isaac, not wishing to disobey his father's command, departed to rest in his own chamber.

VI. Now it came to pass about the seventh hour of the night Isaac awoke from sleep, and came to the door of his father's abode, knocking and saying: Father, open, that I may enjoy the sight of thee before they take thee away from me. And Abraham rose and opened and Isaac entered and hung upon the neck of his father, weeping, and in lamentation he began to kiss him, and Abraham wept with his son. And Michael saw them weeping, and he himself wept too; and Sarah heard the lamentation from her bed-chamber, and knocked, saying: My lord Abraham, why this lamentation? Has the stranger told thee concerning thy nephew Lot, that he has died? Or hath aught else happened unto us? And Michael answered and said unto Sarah: Not so, Sarah, I brought no word concerning Lot. But I knew concerning all your kindness, that ye excel all the men on the earth, and GOD remembered you. Then said Sarah to Abraham: How didst thou dare to weep when the man of GOD came in unto thee? And why did thine eyes weep for the man? For to-day there is gladness. So Abraham said unto her: Whence knowest thou that he is a man of GOD? And Sarah answered and said: Because I declare and tell thee that this is one of the three men who sojourned with us at the oak of Mamre, when one of the slaves went and brought a calf and thou didst sacrifice it. And thou saidst unto me: Arise, prepare that we may eat with these men in our house. And Abraham answered and said: Thou hast bethought thee well, my wife, for I too when I washed his feet knew in my heart that these were the feet which I did wash at the oak of Mamre; and as I began to enquire of his journey, he said: I go to guard thy kinsman Lot from Sodom; and then I recognized the mystery.

VII. Then Abraham said to Michael: Tell me, man of GOD, and reveal unto me why thou art come hither. Michael said: Thy son Isaac will declare unto thee. Abraham said to his son: My beloved son, tell me what thou didst see in a dream to-day, and what thou wast told. Tell me. Isaac answered his father: I saw in a dream the sun and the moon. And a crown was upon my head, and there was a man of gigantic size shining mightily from heaven, as the light that is called father of the light. And he took the sun from my head, but left behind its rays with me. And I wept and said: I beseech

thee, my lord, do not carry off the glory from my head, and the light of my house, and all my glory. And the sun and the moon and the stars wept, saying: Do not carry off the glory of our might. And that radiant man answered and said unto me: Weep not because I take the light of thy house, for it is taken away from toils into rest, from lowliness into exaltation; they raise him from confinement into spaciousness; they raise him from darkness into light. I said unto him: I beseech thee, lord, take also the rays with him. He said to me: Twelve hours of the day there are, and then I will take all the rays. As the radiant man said these words I saw the sun and my house ascending into heaven, but that crown saw I no more. And that sun was like thee, my father. And Michael said to Abraham: Thy son Isaac has spoken truth. For thou shalt go, and be taken up into the heavens, but thy body shall remain upon the earth until seven thousand ages are fulfilled. For then shall all flesh be raised. So now, Abraham, settle the affairs of thine household, and take order concerning thy children, for fully hast thou heard thy apportioned fate [GOD's decree]. Then Abraham answered and said unto Michael: I beseech thee, lord, if I must needs leave my body, I would fain be caught up in the body, that I may see the creatures which the Lord my GOD has created in heaven and upon earth. Michael answered and said: This is not my appointed work, but I will depart and tell the Lord concerning this, and if I am bidden I will show thee all these works.