Testamentum Abrahae (recensio B)

B. Testament of the Patriarch Abraham. On the Lord’s day before the birth of Christ, of the holy fathers. Bless, O Master.

It came to pass when the days of the death of Abraham drew near, the Lord said to Michael: “Arise and go to my servant Abraham, and tell him to depart from life, for behold, the days of his temporary life have been fulfilled, so that he may arrange his household affairs before dying.

And Michael went and came to Abraham, and found him sitting before his oxen at the plowing; he was very aged in appearance, and he had his son embraced in his arms. So when Abraham saw the archangel Michael, he rose from the ground and greeted him.

the ground, not knowing who he was, and said to him, "God save you; arise, go well on your way." And Michael answered him, "You are benevolent, good father." And Abraham answered and said to him, "Come, draw near to me, brother, and sit for a little while, so that I may order an animal to be brought, so that we may go to my house and you may rest with me, for it is toward evening, and in the morning arise and go wherever you wish, lest an evil beast meet you and harm you." And Michael asked Abraham, saying, "Tell me your name, before I enter your house, lest I become a burden to you." And Abraham answered and said, "My parents named me Abram, and the Lord surnamed me Abraham, saying, 'Arise and go from your house and from your kindred, and come to a land which I will show you'; and when I went to the land which the Lord showed me, he said to me, 'Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham.'" Michael answered and said to him, "Forgive me, my father, man of God, practiced one, for I am a stranger, and I heard about you when you went forty stades and brought a calf and sacrificed it, entertaining angels in your house so that they might rest." After they both spoke these things, they arose and went to the house. And Abraham called one of his servants and said to him, "Go, bring me a beast so that he may sit upon

4, 5 and he said, "Sit down." He said, "You are blessed, and you are good, concerning Abraham. And again he said to him, 'Benevolent one, come, brother, very near to me and sit down.'" B 4–11 and he said—he answered. And sitting together, Abraham asked the angel, saying, "Man traveling the road, from where do you come and where are you going?" Michael answered him, "I am a soldier and I am traveling the road. I learned of your benevolence and I came to you to see who you are." And he said, C 5, "so that—animal." A: "so that an irrational animal may arrive." C: "so that I will command animals to be brought." 7–9 "because—I will trouble you." B: "But now if you travel toward evening, it is evening, and perhaps while traveling by night you will be disturbed by a nocturnal apparition." 9 "trouble you." A: "instruct you." C: "disturbed." 12, 13 "the parents—he says." B: "Abraham heard me the first time, and the Lord called me the second time and said to me." 18, 19 "Forgive—I am mindful." B: "I am a stranger to you, man of God, I am surprised." C: "Forgive me, father, that I am a stranger, man of God, and I remember." 21 "you sacrificed it." A: "you placed calves for him." B: omits. 21, 22 "being strangers—angel." A: "being strangers." B: omits. 22, 23 "these things—speak." A: omits. 23 p.31, "in the house—your house." They went. He called—he said, "Go, bring him, the stranger, because he has become weary from the journey." And ABC Michael said, "Do not trouble the servant, but let us go, walking in the air until we arrive at your house, because I have loved your conversation.

III. And they arose and went. And when they approached the city, about three stades away, they found a great tree having three hundred branches, like a mulberry tree. And they heard a voice coming from its branches: "Holy one, because you have brought the pretext concerning that for which you were sent." And Abraham heard the voice, and he hid the mystery in his heart, saying to himself, "What then is the mystery that I have heard?" And when he came into the house, Abraham said to his servants, "Arise, go out to the sheep, and bring three animals, and slaughter them quickly, and serve so that we may eat and drink, for this day is a day of joy." And the servants brought the animals, and Abraham called his son Isaac and said to him, "My child Isaac, get up and pour water into the basin, so that we may wash the feet of this stranger." And he brought it as commanded. And Abraham said, "I have a presentiment of what will happen, that in this bowl I will no longer wash feet—do not pluck the [text unclear]—but let us walk." [Text unclear] A; "they went"—"one of the servants"—"beast and let there be food so that we may feast with the stranger, for he is weary from the journey." And the archangel Michael answered and said to him, "[Text unclear]—your house." B; "they went, sitting on their horses. And when they came into the house, Abraham called one of his household servants and said to him, 'Go—and beast, and having mounted it, go to the sheep and bring me three animals, so that having sacrificed them we may rejoice with the stranger, for we are weary from the journey.' And Michael answered, 'No longer the [text unclear], but let us both walk high up until [text unclear].'

...into the flock, and let us turn back again." Because of the conversation, and as they were going about two stades from the city, they approached the city; having three hundred branches, like a mulberry tree; a voice singing, "Holy is the occasion concerning which you were sent." From the voice which sounded in it, I have heard. And two boys came and brought three animals from the flock and quickly slaughtered them and served the table. And having arisen quickly, this day is a feast of joy. And he brought in his heart, saying, "Wash, child, the feet of the stranger." For understanding will come to pass in his soul.

...of a man who is a stranger to us. When Isaac heard his father saying these things, he wept and said to him, "My father, what is this that you said, 'It is my last time to wash the feet of a stranger'?" And when Abraham saw his son weeping, he himself wept greatly. And Michael, seeing them weeping, also wept. And Michael's tears fell into the basin and became a precious stone.

When Sarah heard their weeping, being inside her house, she came out and said to Abraham, "My lord, what is it that you weep so?" And Abraham answered and said to her, "Nothing bad is happening. Go into your house and attend to your own affairs, so that we do not become a burden to the man." And Sarah withdrew, for she was about to prepare the dinner. And the sun drew near to setting. And Michael went out of the house and was taken up into the heavens to worship before God. For when the sun sets, all the angels worship God; and Michael himself is first among the angels. And they all worshipped and departed, each to his own place. And Michael, answering before God, said, "Lord, command me to be questioned before your holy glory." And the Lord says to Michael, "Announce what you wish." And the archangel answered and said, "Lord, you sent me to Abraham to tell him, 'Withdraw from your body and depart from the world. The Lord calls you.' And I—

the other angels. For it is possible to worship the sun before all the angels in the presence of God first, the archangel Michael, and then the other angels. And when the angels had withdrawn to their own places and Michael stood before God to be questioned, I ask you, to speak of your holy glory. And the Lord says, "Speak, Michael, what you wish." And I, having gone, did not even in word strike him, because I know him to be your friend, pure and most truthful. I dare not, Lord, appear to him, because he is your friend and a righteous man, receiving strangers. But I beseech you, Lord, command that the memory of the death of Abraham enter into his heart, and that I not tell him myself. For this is a great brevity, to say, "Depart from the world, and especially from your own body, for you from the beginning made him to have mercy on the souls of all men." Then the Lord said to Michael, "Arise and go to Abraham, and be a guest with him, and whatever you see him eating, eat also, and wherever he sleeps, sleep also there. For I will cast the memory of the death of Abraham into the heart of Isaac his son in a dream.

Then Michael went to Abraham’s house that evening and found them preparing the dinner. And they ate and drank and were merry. And Abraham said to his son Isaac, “Rise, child, make the man’s bed so that he may rest, and place the lamp on the lampstand.” And Isaac did as his father had instructed. And Isaac said to his father, “Father, I too am coming to sleep near you.” And Abraham answered him, “No, my child, lest we become a burden to this man; but go to your chamber and rest.” And Isaac, not wishing to disobey his father’s command, went and rested in his chamber.

VI. And it came about around the seventh hour of the night, Isaac awoke and came to the door of his father’s house, crying out and saying, “Father, open, so that I may enjoy you before they take you from me.” Then Abraham rose and opened, and Isaac entered and hung upon him.

...he embraced his father’s neck, weeping and lamenting, and kissed him. And Abraham wept with his son. And Michael saw them weeping, and he also wept. And Sarah, hearing the weeping from her chamber, cried out, saying, “My lord Abraham, what is this weeping? Has the stranger told you about your nephew Lot, that he has died? Or has something else happened to us?” And Michael answered and said to Sarah, “No, Sarah, I have brought no report about Lot. But I have recognized that you surpass all people on earth in your philanthropy, and God has remembered you.” Then Sarah said to Abraham, “How did you dare to weep when the man of God was with you? And how did your eyes, the springs of light, shed tears, when today is a day of joy?” So Abraham said to her, “How do you know that he is a man of God?” And Sarah answered and said, “Because I perceive and say that this is one of the three men who were entertained by us at the oak of Mamre, when one of the servants went and brought a calf and you sacrificed it. And you said to me, ‘Arise, prepare so that we may eat with these men in our house.’” And Abraham answered and said, “You have understood well, O woman, for when I washed his feet, I knew in my heart that these are the feet I washed at the oak of Mamre. And as I began to ask about the journey, he said...

...being inside the tent, "What is it? What is the matter that you weep so, both late and now? Do not, O my lord Abraham, speak concerning my brother—" or "cousin"? "What is it...? What is the matter that you weep? See if the stranger has brought some news to my lord Abraham—" or "cousin"? "has happened" + "grievous" "I did not speak anything concerning Lot" "but— God" "but all our affections— God" "but I knew that he remembered— God, and salvation has come to all tribes on earth" "in you" "upon us" "to us" "and how— of God" "of sleep" "that I carry" "believe that I carry" "I offer" "one of the children went away" "one of the children went away" "you brought in the child" "you went up to the plain" "brought" "you brought" "did you understand, O woman" "sister, did you understand" "well said— here" "you spoke well that we also rescued Lot from Sodom when we recognized the mystery" "and just as— mystery" "those who went and rescued our brother from Sodom, Lot" "that I go to watch over my brother Lot from Sodom. And then I recognized the mystery.

VII. Abraham said to Michael, "Tell me, man of God, and reveal to me why you have come here." And Michael said, "Your son Isaac will show you." And Abraham said to his son, "My beloved son, tell me what you saw in your dream today that disturbed you; report it to me." And Isaac answered his father, "I saw in my dream the sun and the moon, and there was a crown upon my head. And there was a very great man shining from heaven, like light, called the father of light. And he took the sun from my head, and then left the rays in my midst. And I wept and said, 'I beseech you, my lord, do not take away the glory of my head and the light of my house and all my glory.' And the sun and the moon and the stars mourned, saying, 'Do not take away the glory of our power.' And that shining man answered me, 'Do not weep because I have taken the light of your house; for it is taken from labors to rest, and from lowliness to height, they take him from narrowness to spaciousness, they take him from darkness to light.' And I said to him, 'I beseech you, lord, take also the rays with him.' And he said to me, 'There are twelve hours of the day, and then I take all the rays.' While that shining man was speaking, I saw the sun of my house ascending into heaven, and I no longer saw that crown; and that sun was like you, my father." And Michael said to Abraham, "Your son Isaac has spoken the truth.

eam, and what you saw in your dream, and why you were troubled." And Isaac said, "I saw in my dream the sun and the moon above my head, with rays shining and illuminating the whole world. And I saw a man of great stature coming out of heaven, shining like the sun, and he took the sun and the moon from my head." And Abraham said, "My child, tell me the truth. Do not hide anything from me." And Isaac said, "I saw a man of great stature coming out of heaven, and he took the sun and the moon from my head, and he went up into the heavens.

For you are. And your soul is taken up into the heavens, but your body remains on the earth until seven thousand ages are completed; for then all flesh will be raised. Now therefore, Abraham, arrange the affairs of your house and concerning your children, for you have fully heard your dispensation. And Abraham answered and said to Michael, "I beseech you, lord, if I depart from my body, I wish to be taken up bodily, so that I may behold the creations which my Lord God created in heaven and on earth." And Michael answered and said, "This is not my doing. But I will go and report to the Lord concerning this, and if I am commanded, I will show you all these things.

And Michael went up into the heavens and spoke before the Lord concerning Abraham. And the Lord answered Michael: "Go and take up Abraham in the body and show him everything, and whatever he says to you, do as to one who is my friend." So Michael went out and took up Abraham on a cloud in the body, and brought him to the Ocean River. And looking intently, Abraham saw two gates, one small and the other large. And between the two gates sat a man on a throne of great glory, and a multitude of angels around him. And he was weeping, and again laughing, and his weeping exceeded his laughter sevenfold. And Abraham said to Michael: "Who then is this sitting between the two gates with great glory, sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, and the weeping exceeds the laughter sevenfold?" And Michael said to Abraham: "Do you not know who he is?" And he said: "No, Lord." And Michael said to Abraham: "Do you see the two

a multitude of angels around him. These gates, the small and the great; these are the ones that lead to life and to destruction. And this man sitting in the midst of them, this is Adam, the first man whom the Lord formed; and he placed him in this place to observe every soul departing from the body, since all are from him. Therefore, when you see him weeping, know that he has beheld many souls being led away to destruction; but when you see him laughing, he has beheld few souls being led away to life. Do you see how weeping surpasses laughter? Since he sees the greater part of the world being led away through the broad gate to destruction, for this reason weeping surpasses laughter sevenfold.

IX. And Abraham said, "And the one who is unable to enter through the narrow gate, is he unable to enter into life?" Then Abraham wept, saying, "Woe is me, what shall I do? For I am a man broad in body, and how shall I be able to enter the narrow gate, through which a child of fifteen years cannot pass?" And Michael answered and said to Abraham, "Do not fear, father, nor grieve, for you will enter through it without hindrance, and all who are like you." And while Abraham stood and marveled, behold, an angel of the Lord driving six myriad souls of sinners to destruction. And Abraham said to Michael, "Do all these go to destruction?" And Michael said to him, "Yes, but let us go and search among these souls, if there is even one righteous among them." And when they had gone, they found an angel holding in his hand one soul of a woman from among those six myriads.

one soul [perdition] [perdition] one balancing with its sin all; and they were not in distress nor without resources.

It found the sins balancing with all its works, and they were neither in distress nor in rest, but in a place of intermediacy. But those souls it carried off to perdition. And Abraham said to Michael, "Lord, is this the angel who brings the souls out of the body, or not?" Michael answered and said, "This is Death, and he leads them to the place of judgment, so that the judge may judge them.

And Abraham said, "My Lord, I beg you, take me up to the place of judgment so that I too may see how they are judged." Then Michael took Abraham upon a cloud and led him into paradise. And when he arrived at the place where the judge was, the angel came and gave that soul to the judge. And the soul said, "Have mercy on me, Lord." And the judge said, "How can I have mercy on you, since you did not have mercy on your own daughter, whom you bore, the fruit of your womb? Why did you kill her?" And it answered, "No, Lord; no murder was committed by me, but that daughter of mine falsely accused me." And the judge ordered the one who writes the records to come. And behold, cherubim carrying two books, and with them was a very huge man. And he had on his head three crowns, and one crown was higher than the other two crowns. And the crowns were called crowns of testimony. And the man had in his hand a golden reed. And the judge said to him, "Set forth the sin of this soul.

he made the cloud take up Abraham into paradise. And when he arrived at the place, the man unrolled one of the books that were from the cherubim and sought out the sin of the woman's soul, and found it. And the judge said, "O wretched soul, how can you say that you did not commit murder? Did you not, after the death of your husband, go and commit adultery with your daughter's husband, and kill her?" And he also convicted her of her other sins, and of everything she had done from her youth. When the woman heard these things, she cried out, saying, "Woe, woe is me, for all the sins I committed in the world I have forgotten; but here they have not been forgotten." Then they also took her and handed her over to the torturers.

And Abraham said to Michael, "Lord, who is this judge, and who is the other one who examines the sins?" And Michael said to Abraham, "Do you see the judge? This is Abel, who was the first to bear witness; and God brought him here to judge. And the one who is shown forth is Enoch, the teacher of heaven and earth and the scribe of righteousness; for the Lord sent them here to record the sins and the righteousnesses of each one." And Abraham said, "And how can Enoch bear the burden of the souls, not having seen death? Or how can he give a verdict for all the souls?" And Michael said, "If he gives a verdict concerning murder, no murder has been committed through you.

him here to judge all men, and the one who examines the sins is the teacher Enoch, who writes down the sins and the righteousnesses of each one; and the one who weighs the souls is the archangel Michael. And Abraham said, "And what does the one who holds the balance do?" And Michael said, "He holds the balance to weigh the souls, and he saves those who confess." And Abraham said, "And what of the one who writes?" And Michael said, "He writes down the sins and the righteousnesses of each one, and he brings them to the judge." And Abraham said, "And what does the judge do?" And Michael said, "He judges them, and he sends the righteous to paradise and the sinners to punishment." And Abraham said, "And what of the one who holds the balance?" And Michael said, "He holds the balance to weigh the souls, and he saves those who confess." And Abraham said, "And what of

of them, it is not permitted. But Enoch does not pronounce judgment; rather, the Lord is the one who pronounces, and Enoch's role is only to write. For Enoch prayed to the Lord, saying: "I do not wish, Lord, to deliver judgment upon souls, lest I become burdensome to anyone." And the Lord said to Enoch: "I command you to write down the sins of a soul that is being reconciled, and it will enter into life; but if the soul is not reconciled and does not repent, you will find its sins written down, and it will be cast into punishment.

XII. And after Abraham beheld the place of judgment, the cloud brought him down into the lower firmament. And looking down upon the earth, Abraham saw a man committing adultery with a married woman. And turning, Abraham said to Michael: "Do you see this sin? But, Lord, send fire from heaven, so that it may consume them." And immediately fire came down and consumed them, because the Lord had said to Michael: "Whatever Abraham asks you to do for him, do it." And again looking up, Abraham saw other men slandering their companions, and he said: "Let the earth open up and swallow them." And as he spoke, the earth swallowed them alive. And again the cloud brought him up to another place. And Abraham saw some men going to a deserted place to commit murder. And he said to Michael: "Do you see this sin? But let beasts come from the desert and tear them apart." And at that very hour beasts came out of the desert and devoured them. Then the Lord God spoke to Michael, saying: "Turn Abraham back to his house, and do not let him circle the whole creation that I have made, because he has no pity on sinners; but I have pity on sinners, so that they may turn back and live and repent.

... will live—they will be saved. A; omits B; so that they may turn and repent—they will be saved. C. from their sins, and they will be saved. And at the ninth hour Michael brought Abraham back to his house. And Sarah his wife, not having seen what had become of Abraham, was consumed with grief and gave up her spirit; and after Abraham returned, he found her dead, and buried her.

XIII. When the days of Abraham’s death drew near, the Lord God said to Michael: “Death shall not dare to approach to take the soul of my servant, for he is my friend. But go and adorn death with great beauty, and thus send him to Abraham, so that he may see him with his own eyes.” And Michael immediately, as he was commanded, adorned death with great beauty, and thus sent him to Abraham, so that he might see him. And he sat near Abraham. And when Abraham saw death sitting near him, he was seized with great fear. And death said to Abraham: “Hail, holy soul. Hail, friend of the Lord God. Hail, the comfort of the hospitality of travelers.” And Abraham said: “Welcome, servant of the Most High God. I beg you, tell me who you are, and enter the house and partake of food and drink, and then depart from me. For from the moment I saw you sitting so close to me, my soul has been troubled. For I am certainly not worthy to associate with you, for you are a lofty spirit, while I am flesh and blood, and therefore I cannot bear your glory. For I see your beauty, that it is not of this world.” And AB death said to Abraham: “I tell you, in all creation that God made, no one like you has been found.” And 1, 2 and— hour] and this hour A; on that day; and C 3—6 Sarah then— buried her] and thus his wife died— Abraham buried her A; and first his wife died and he buried her B 7—9 of Abraham— to approach] omits B 12, 13 with the eyes

Thus adorned, Death stood before Abraham. And Abraham said, "I see you, but you are not the Death I expected. Tell me, are you truly Death?" Death replied, "I am indeed Death, the one who takes the souls of all living creatures." Then Abraham said, "Show me your true form, as you appear before all men." And Death revealed his true form, which had seven heads of fiery serpents and fourteen faces, each more terrible than the last.

For God Himself, having searched, found no one like this upon the whole earth. And Abraham said to Death, "How did you dare to lie? For I see your beauty, that it is not of this world." And Death said to Abraham, "Do not think, Abraham, that this beauty is mine, or that I go thus to every person. No, but if someone is righteous like you, I take crowns thus and go to him; but if he is a sinner, I go in great rottenness and from their sin I make a crown for my head, and I throw them into great fear, so that they are terrified." Then Abraham says to him, "And whence comes this beauty?" And Death says, "There is no one more rotten than I." Abraham says to him, "And are you not the one called Death?" He answered him and said, "I am the bitter name; I am lamentation.

XIV. And Abraham said to Death, "Show us your rottenness." And Death revealed his rottenness; and he had two heads: one had the face of a serpent, and through it some die suddenly from asps; and the other head was like a sword, on account of which some die by the sword, as by arrows. On that day, the servants of Abraham died from fear of Death; seeing them, Abraham prayed to the Lord and raised them up. And God turned and stretched out the soul of Abraham as in a dream, and the chief captain Michael carried it into the heavens.

And Isaac buried his father near his mother Sarah, glorifying and praising God; for to him belong glory, honor, and worship, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen. I. It came to pass when the days of Abraham’s death drew near, the Lord said to Michael, “Arise and go to my servant Abraham, and tell him to depart from life, for behold, the days of your temporal life are fulfilled, so that he may set his household in order before he dies.” II. And Michael went and came to Abraham, and found him sitting before his oxen at plowing; he was very aged in appearance, and he held his son in his arms. So when Abraham saw the archangel Michael, he rose from the ground and greeted him.

Not knowing who he was, he said to him, "May God save you; arise and go well on your way." And Michael answered him, "You are kind, good father." And Abraham answered and said to him, "Come, draw near to me, brother, and sit for a little while so that I may order an animal to be brought, so that we may go to my house and you may rest with me, for it is toward evening, and in the morning you may arise and go wherever you wish, lest some evil beast meet you and harm you." And Michael asked Abraham, saying, "Tell me your name before I enter your house, lest I become a burden to you." And Abraham answered and said, "My parents named me Abram, and the Lord surnamed me Abraham, saying, 'Arise and go from your house and from your kindred, and come to the land which I will show you'; and when I went to the land which the Lord showed me, he said to me, 'Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham.'" Michael answered and said to him, "Forgive me, my father, man of God, practiced one, for I am a stranger, and I heard about you when you went forty stades and brought a calf and sacrificed it, entertaining angels in your house so that they might rest." After they both spoke these things, they arose and went to the house. And Abraham called one of his servants and said to him, "Go, bring me a beast so that he may sit upon

And he said, "Sit down." He said, "You are blessed." And you, good one, concerning the Lord and Abraham, again to him, "Kind one, come, brother, very near to me and sit down." And when they had sat down together, Abraham asked the angel, saying, "Man traveling the road, from where do you come and where are you going?" Michael answered him, "I am a soldier and I am traveling the road. I learned of your kindness and I came to you to see who you are." And he said, "So that an irrational animal may arrive." "Now if you travel toward evening, it is, and perhaps traveling by night you will be disturbed by a nocturnal apparition." "My parents heard formerly, and the Lord called me a second time and said to me." "Forgive me, father, that I am a guest, man of God, and I remember." "You sacrificed him." "I placed calves for him." "Being entertained by the angel." "These things to speak." "They went. He called—he said, 'Go, bring him, the stranger, because he is tired from the journey.' And Michael said, 'Do not trouble the servant, but let us go, being carried along until we reach your house, because I have loved your conversation.' III. And rising up, they went. And when they drew near the city, about three stadia away, they found a large tree having three hundred branches, like a cedar, and they heard a voice coming from its branches.

Holy, because you brought the pretext concerning that for which you were sent. And Abraham heard the voice, and he hid the mystery in his heart, saying to himself, "What then is the mystery which I have heard?" And when he came into the house, Abraham said to his servants, "Rise up, go out to the sheep, and bring three animals, and slaughter them quickly, and serve so that we may eat and drink; for this day is a day of joy." And the servants brought the animals, and Abraham called his son Isaac and said to him, "Child Isaac, rise and pour water on the basin, so that we may wash the feet of this stranger." And he brought it as commanded. And Abraham said, "I have an understanding of what will happen, that in this bowl I shall no longer wash feet—do not plunder the property, but let us walk." In one manuscript: "—your A; in—they were traveling—one of the servants—beast and let there be foods so that we may feast with the stranger, for he is outside of travel." And the archangel Michael answered and said to him, "Do not plunder the property of your house B; they were traveling sitting on horses. And when they came into the house, Abraham called one of his household servants and said to him, 'Go—and beast; and having sat upon it, go to the sheep and bring me three animals, so that having sacrificed we may rejoice with the stranger, for we have labored from the journey.' And Michael answered, 'No longer the property, but let us both walk elevated until we reach the flock and return again C 3, 4 because—conversation' om AB 5, 'And as—of three' and traveling about two stades, approaching the city B; and as they approached from the stade.

he had two of the flock, and—having thirty branches—like a trefoil. And the song was sung, "Holy, because the pretext concerning that for which you were sent is manifest." And from the voice that sounded in him, Abraham heard and said to himself, "What then is the mystery which I have heard?" And two servants came and brought three animals from the fold and quickly slaughtered them and served at the table. And rising quickly, they said, "This day is a day of joy." And Abraham brought it in his heart, saying, "Wash, child, the feet of the stranger." And I perceive in my soul that it will come to pass.

of a man being entertained as a guest by us. And when Isaac heard his father saying these things, he wept, and says to him: My father, what is this that you said, "It is my last time to wash the feet of a stranger"? And seeing his son weeping, Abraham also wept greatly. And Michael, seeing them weeping, also wept. And Michael's tears fell upon the basin, and became a precious stone. IV. And when Sarah heard their weeping, being inside her house, she came out and said to Abraham: Lord, what is it that you weep so? And Abraham answered and said to her: Nothing bad. Go into your house, and attend to your own affairs, so that we do not become a burden to the man. And Sarah withdrew, for she was about to prepare the dinner. And the sun was about to set. And Michael went out of the house, and was taken up into the heavens to worship before God. For at sunset all the angels worship God. And Michael himself is first among the angels. And they all worshipped and departed, each to his own place. And Michael, answering before God, said: Lord, command me to be questioned before your holy glory. And the Lord says to Michael: Announce what you wish. And the archangel answered and said: Lord, you sent me to Abraham to tell him: Withdraw from your body, and depart from the world. The Lord calls you. And I—these—and he says: These tears I brought, I say?

These tears brought forth. He said to Abraham. Lord, why are you weeping? You are burdensome to this stranger man. Sarah withdrew. When the meal was about to be prepared, at sunset he went out. The heavens. To prostrate himself before God, and thus the rest of the angels. For it was a custom to prostrate before the sun, but all the angels before God first the archangel Michael and then the rest of the angels. When the angels had withdrawn to their own places and Michael stood before God. To be asked. I ask you, Lord, of your holy glory. And the Lord says, Say, Michael, what you wish. And I, having gone, did not even in a word rebuke him, because I know him to be your friend, pure and most truthful. I do not dare, Lord, to appear to him, because he is your friend and a righteous man, receiving strangers. But I beseech you, Lord, command that the remembrance of the death of Abraham enter into his heart, and not that I myself tell him. For this is a great brevity, to say, Depart from the world, and especially from your own body, for you from the beginning made him to have mercy on the souls of all men. Then the Lord said to Michael,

Arise and go to Abraham, and be a guest with him, and whatever you see him eating, eat also, and wherever he sleeps, sleep there also; for I will cast the memory of Abraham’s death into the heart of Isaac his son in a dream. V. Then Michael went to the house of Abraham that evening, and found them preparing the dinner; and they ate and drank and rejoiced. And Abraham said to his son Isaac, Arise, child, spread the bed of the man so that he may rest, and place the lamp on the lampstand. And Isaac did as his father commanded. And Isaac said to his father, Father, I also come to sleep near you. And Abraham answered him, No, my child, lest we become burdensome to this man, but go to your chamber and rest. And Isaac, not wishing to disobey his father’s command, went and rested in his chamber. VI. And about the seventh hour of the night, Isaac, awakened, came to the door of his father’s house crying out and saying, Father, open, so that I may enjoy you before they take you from me. And Abraham arose and opened, and Isaac entered and hung upon the righteous and hospitable one, rejoicing and blameless.

from the body C 18, 19 and place a lampstand] and the lampstand and the A; and light a lamp B 21 I come] om A I come—to sleep] let me sleep with you B 24, 25 not willing—command] om A 30 I will enjoy] + and I will devour and I will satiate your beauty C

...of the neck of his father, weeping, and lamenting he kissed him. And Abraham wept with his son. And Michael saw them weeping, and he also wept. And Sarah, hearing the weeping from her bedchamber, cried out, saying, "My lord Abraham, what is this weeping? Has the stranger told you about your nephew Lot, that he has died? Or has something else happened to us?" And Michael answered and said to Sarah, "No, Sarah, I have brought no report about Lot. But I have learned of your entire philanthropy, that you surpass all men upon the earth, and God has remembered you." Then Sarah says to Abraham, "How did you dare to weep when the man of God came to you? And how did your eyes, the springs of light, shed tears? For today is a day of joy." So Abraham says to her, "How do you know that he is a man of God?" And Sarah answered and said, "Because I perceive and say that this is one of the three men, those who were entertained by us at the oak of Mamre, when one of the servants went and brought a calf and you sacrificed it. And you said to me, 'Arise, make ready so that we may eat with these men in our house.'" And Abraham answered and said, "You have understood well, O woman. For I also, when I washed his feet, knew in my heart that these are the feet which I washed at the oak of Mamre. And as I began to ask about the journey, he said...

...inside the tent, "What is it? What do you have that you weep so, so late and so soon? Do not speak, O husband of my lord Abraham, not about the brother—" ... "What is it?" ... "—cousin. What do you have that you weep? See that the stranger has not brought some report to my lord Abraham—" ... "—cousin." ... "—grievous." ... "I said nothing about Lot." ... "But all our affections—God knew." ... "But I knew that he remembered—God, and salvation has come to all the tribes on earth." ... "in you" ... "upon us" ... "to us" ... "And how—it is of God" ... "of beds" ... "that I am carried away" ... "believe that I am carried away" ... "I bring" ... "one of the children went away" ... "one of the children went away" ... "you brought in the child" ... "you went up to the plain" ... "he brought" ... "you brought" ... "Did you understand, O woman?" ... "sister, did you understand" ... "Well said that—here" ... "You spoke well that we were also rescued from Lot from Sodom when we recognized the mystery." ... "And just as—mystery" ... "those who went away and rescued our brother from the Sodomites, Lot." ... "that I go to watch over brother Lot from Sodom." And then I recognized the mystery. VII. And Abraham said to Michael, "Tell me, man of God, and reveal to me why you came here." And Michael said, "Your son Isaac will show you." And Abraham says to his son, "My beloved son, tell me what you saw in your dream today and were troubled; report it to me." And Isaac answered his father, "I saw in my dream the sun and the moon, and a crown was upon my head.

And there was a man, exceedingly great, shining from the sky like light, called the Father of Light; and he took the sun from my head; and then he left the rays within me. And I wept and said, "I beseech you, my lord, do not take away the glory of my head and the light of my house and all my glory." And the sun and the moon and the stars mourned, saying, "Do not take away the glory of our power." And that shining man answered and said to me, "Do not weep because I have taken the light of your house; for he has been taken from labors to rest, and from lowliness to height, they are taking him from narrowness to spaciousness, they are taking him from darkness to light." And I said to him, "I beseech you, lord, take also the rays with him." And he said to me, "There are twelve hours of the day, and then I take all the rays." While that shining man was saying these things, I saw the sun of my house ascending into the sky, but that crown I no longer saw; and that sun was like you, my father. And Michael said to Abraham, "Your son Isaac has spoken the truth.

not take them until the twelve hours of the day are completed, and then you will see the rays shining. His body remains on the earth until (p. 112, 2). Now you have heard the unusual thing, and set your house in order; for behold, I have been sent by the Lord God to take your soul.

For you are; and you will be taken up into the heavens, but your body remains on the earth until seven thousand ages are completed; for then every flesh will be raised. Now therefore, Abraham, set your house in order, and concerning your children, for you have fully heard your dispensation. And Abraham answered and said to Michael: I beseech you, lord, if I depart from my body, I would wish to be taken up bodily, so that I may behold the creations which my Lord God created in heaven and on earth. And Michael answered and said: This is not my doing. But I will go and report to the Lord concerning this, and if I am commanded, I will show you all these things. VIII. And Michael went up into the heavens and spoke before the Lord concerning Abraham; and the Lord answered Michael: Go and take up Abraham in the body and show him everything, and whatever he says to you, do as to him who is my friend. So Michael went out and took up Abraham on a cloud in the body, and carried him to the Ocean River. And looking intently, Abraham saw two gates, one small and the other large. And between the two gates sat a man on a throne of great glory. And a multitude of angels surrounded him. And he was weeping, and again laughing, and the weeping exceeded his laughter sevenfold. And Abraham said to Michael: Who then is this sitting between the two gates with great glory, sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, and the weeping exceeds the laughter sevenfold? And Michael said to Abraham: Do you not know who he is? And he said:

No, lord." And Michael said to Abraham, "Do you see these two gates, the small and the great? These are the gates that lead to life and to destruction. And this man sitting between them is Adam, the first man whom the Lord formed; and he placed him in this place to observe every soul departing from the body, since all are from him. Therefore, when you see him weeping, know that he has beheld many souls being led away to destruction; but when you see him laughing, he has beheld few souls being led away to life. Do you see how his weeping exceeds his laughter? Since he sees the majority of the world being led away through the wide gate to destruction, for this reason his weeping exceeds his laughter sevenfold." IX. And Abraham said, "And he who is unable to enter through the narrow gate, can he not enter into life?" Then Abraham wept, saying, "Woe is me, what shall I do?

that I am a man broad in body, and how will I be able to enter through the narrow gate, through which a child of fifteen years cannot pass? And Michael answered and said to Abraham, "Do not fear, father, nor grieve, for you will enter through it without hindrance, and all who are like you." And while Abraham stood and marveled, behold, an angel of the Lord driving six myriad sinful souls to destruction. And Abraham says to Michael, "Do all these go to destruction?" And Michael says to him, "Yes, but let us go and search among these souls, if there is even one righteous among them." And when they had gone, they found an angel holding in his hand one soul of a woman from among those six myriads.

he found the sins balancing equally with all her works, and they were neither in torment nor in rest, but in a place of intermediacy. And those souls he carried off to destruction. And Abraham said to Michael, "Lord, is this the angel who brings the souls out of the body, or not?" Michael answered and said, "This is Death, and he leads them to the place of judgment, so that the judge may judge them." And Abraham says, "My Lord, I beg you to take me up to the place of judgment so that I too may see how they are judged." Then Michael took Abraham upon a cloud and led him to paradise. And when he arrived at the place where the judge was, the angel came and gave that soul to the judge. And the soul said, "Have mercy on me, Lord." And the judge said, "How shall I have mercy on you, since you did not have mercy on your daughter, whom you bore, the fruit of your womb? Why did you kill her?" And she answered, "No, Lord; no murder was committed by me, but my daughter falsely accused me." And the judge ordered the one who writes the records to come. And behold, cherubim carrying two books, and with them was a very huge man. And he had on his head three crowns, and one crown was higher than the other two crowns. And the crowns were called crowns of testimony. And the man had in his hand a golden reed. And the judge says to him, "Set forth the sin of this soul.

from among those thousands, one soul of a woman who was in the intermediate state; for her good works and her contrary ones were equal, and she was not destined for destruction nor yet for rest, but in the middle of these. And one righteous soul from among thousands of women—for he found the scales balancing equally with all her works, and they were neither in torment nor in rest, but in destruction. And that man, opening one of the books that were from the cherubim, sought out the sin of the woman's soul, and found it. And the judge said, "O wretched soul, how do you say that you did not commit murder? Did you not, after the death of your husband, go and commit adultery with your daughter's husband, and kill her?" And he also convicted her of her other sins, and of everything she had done from her youth. Hearing these things, the woman cried out, saying, "Woe, woe, for all the sins I committed in the world I have forgotten; but here they have not been forgotten." Then they took her also and handed her over to the torturers. And Abraham said to Michael, "Lord, who is this judge, and who is the other one who convicts the sins?" And Michael says to Abraham, "Do you see the judge?

This is Abel, who was the first to bear witness; and God brought him here to judge. And the one who is shown here is Enoch, the teacher of heaven and earth and the scribe of righteousness; for the Lord sent them here to record the sins and the righteous deeds of each one. And Abraham said, “How can Enoch bear the weight of the souls, not having seen death? Or how can he give judgment for all the souls?” And Michael said, “If he gives judgment concerning murder, no murder has been committed through you.

Enoch himself spoke to the Lord so that the burden would not fall upon the men, but the Lord did not listen to him and commanded him to do thus.

of them, it is not permitted. But it is not Enoch himself who pronounces, but the Lord is the one who pronounces, and of this Enoch has nothing but the writing. Since Enoch prayed to the Lord, saying, "I do not wish, Lord, to give judgment of the souls, so that I may not become burdensome to anyone." And the Lord said to Enoch, "I will command you to write the sins of a soul that is being propitiated, and it will enter into life. And if the soul is not propitiated and does not repent, you will find its sins written, and it will be cast into punishment." XII. And after Abraham had seen the place of judgment, the cloud brought him down into the lower firmament. And looking down upon the earth, Abraham saw a man committing adultery with a married woman. And turning, Abraham said to Michael, "Do you see this sin? But, Lord, send fire from heaven, so that it may consume them." And immediately fire came down and consumed them, because the Lord had said to Michael, "Whatever Abraham asks you to do for him, do it." And again looking up, Abraham saw other men slandering their companions, and he said, "Let the earth open and swallow them up." And as he spoke, the earth swallowed them alive. And again the cloud brought him up to another place. And Abraham saw some men going to a deserted place to commit murder. And he said to Michael, "Do you see this sin? But let beasts come from the desert and tear them apart." And at that very hour beasts came out of the desert and devoured them. Then the Lord God spoke to Michael, saying,

Send Abraham back to his house, and do not allow him to go around the whole creation that I made, because he has no compassion on the sinners, but I have compassion on the sinners, so that they may turn, live, and repent of their sins, and be saved. And at the ninth hour Michael brought Abraham back to his house. But Sarah his wife, not having seen what had become of Abraham, was swallowed up by grief and gave up her soul; and after Abraham returned, he found her dead and buried her. XIII. When the days of Abraham’s death drew near, the Lord God said to Michael: “Death shall not dare to approach to take the soul of my servant, because he is my friend; but go and adorn Death with great beauty, and thus send him to Abraham so that he may see him with his own eyes.” And Michael immediately, as he was commanded, adorned Death with great beauty, and thus sent him to Abraham so that he might see him. And he sat near Abraham; and when Abraham saw Death sitting near him, he was seized with great fear. And Death said to Abraham:

Hail, holy soul. Hail, friend of the Lord God. Hail, the comfort of the hospitality of travelers. And Abraham said, “You have come well, servant of the Most High God. I entreat you, tell me who you are, and having entered the house, partake of food and drink, and depart from me. For from the time I saw you sitting near me, my soul was troubled. For surely I am not worthy to associate with you, for you are a lofty spirit, while I am flesh and blood, and therefore I cannot bear your glory. For I see your beauty, that it is not of this world.” And Death said to Abraham, “I tell you, in the whole creation that God made, no one like you was found.

For God Himself, having searched, found no such man upon the whole earth. And Abraham said to Death, “How did you dare to lie? For I see your beauty, that it is not of this world.” And Death said to Abraham, “Do not think, Abraham, that this beauty is mine, or that I go thus to every man. No, but if someone is righteous like you, I take crowns thus and go to him; but if he is a sinner, I go in great rottenness, and from their sin I make a crown for my head, and I throw them into great fear, so that they are terrified.” Then Abraham says to him, “And whence comes this beauty?” And Death says, “There is none more rotten than I.” Abraham says to him, “And are you not the one called Death?” He answered him and said, “I am the bitter name; I am lamentation.” XIV. Then Abraham said to Death, “Show us your rottenness.” And Death revealed his rottenness; and he had two heads: one had the face of a serpent, and through it some die suddenly from asps; and the other head was like a sword; through this some die by the sword, as by arrows. On that day the servants of Abraham died from the fear of Death; seeing them, Abraham prayed to the Lord, and raised them up. And God turned and stretched out the soul of Abraham as in a dream, and the chief captain Michael took it up into the heavens.

Do not think, Abr. [om. A] 7–11 “Not—be amazed” [om. B] 9 “the” [τὰς A] 11–16 “Then says—weeping” [om. A] 16 “weeping” [with this word B breaks off] 19 “his rottenness” [+“he revealed them” A] 21 “swords” [-α A] 22 “bows” [-ος A] 26–p. 119, 5 “dreams—amen” [dreams, and behold, a chariot of the Lord God lifted his precious soul into the heavens, and angels preceding and following with lamps and censers, glorifying and blessing the Most High God. And Isaac his son ran and fell upon his face and wept and kissed him, and likewise all the household servants; and bearing that most precious relic they carried it away; and Isaac buried it with his own hands near his mother Sarah. And they returned glorifying and hymning our God; for to him belong glory, honor, and majesty unto the ages of ages. Amen. C] 26, 27 “and the commander-in-chief M.” [the commander-in-chief M. and A. And Isaac buried his father near his mother Sarah, glorifying and praising God; for to him are due glory, honor, and worship, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.]