Opening the library…

Home Bible Corpus Discover You

Search the Bible

Testament of Abraham

Unknown

Section 16

About this work

Author: Unknown

XVI. Then the Most High said, Call me hither Death that is

‹ Section 15 Section 17 ›

called

the

shameless

countenance

and

the

pitiless

look

.

And

Michael

the

Incorporeal

went

and

said

to

Death

,

Come

hither

;

the

Lord

of

creation

,

the

immortal

king

,

calls

thee

.

And

Death

,

hearing

this

,

shivered

and

trembled

,

being

possessed

with

great

terror

,

and

coming

with

great

fear

it

stood

before

the

invisible

father

,

shivering

,

groaning

and

trembling

,

awaiting

the

command

of

the

Lord

.

Therefore

the

invisible

God

said

to

Death

,

Come

hither

,

thou

bitter

and

fierce

name

of

the

world

,

hide

thy

fierceness

,

cover

thy

corruption

,

and

cast

away

thy

bitterness

from

thee

,

and

put

on

thy

beauty

and

all

thy

glory

,

and

go

down

to

Abraham

my

friend

,

and

take

him

and

bring

him

to

me

.

But

now

also

I

tell

thee

not

to

terrify

him

,

but

bring

him

with

fair

speech

,

for

he

is

my

own

friend

.

Having

heard

this

,

Death

went

out

from

the

presence

of

the

Most

High

,

and

put

on

a

robe

of

great

brightness

,

and

made

his

appearance

like

the

sun

,

and

became

fair

and

beautiful

above

the

sons

of

men

,

assuming

the

form

of

an

archangel

,

having

his

cheeks

flaming

with

fire

,

and

he

departed

to

Abraham

.

Now

the

righteous

Abraham

went

out

of

his

chamber

,

and

sat

under

the

trees

of

Mamre

,

holding

his

chin

in

his

hand

,

and

awaiting

the

coming

of

the

archangel

Michael

.

And

behold

,

a

smell

of

sweet

odor

came

to

him

,

and

a

flashing

of

light

,

and

Abraham

turned

and

saw

Death

coming

towards

him

in

great

glory

and

beauty

.

And

Abraham

arose

and

went

to

meet

him

,

thinking

that

it

was

the

chief

-

captain

of

God

,

and

Death

beholding

him

saluted

him

,

saying

,

Rejoice

,

precious

Abraham

,

righteous

soul

,

true

friend

of

the

Most

High

God

,

and

companion

of

the

holy

angels

.

Abraham

said

to

Death

,

Hail

thou

of

appearance

and

form

like

the

sun

,

most

glorious

helper

,

bringer

of

light

,

wondrous

man

,

from

whence

does

thy

glory

come

to

us

,

and

who

art

thou

,

and

whence

comest

thou

?

Then

Death

said

,

Most

righteous

Abraham

,

behold

I

tell

thee

the

truth

.

I

am

the

bitter

lot

of

death

.

Abraham

said

to

him

,

Nay

,

but

thou

art

the

comeliness

of

the

world

,

thou

art

the

glory

and

beauty

of

angels

and

men

,

thou

art

fairer

in

form

than

every

other

,

and

sayest

thou

,

I

am

the

bitter

lot

of

death

,

and

not

rather

,

I

am

fairer

than

every

good

thing

.

Death

said

,

I

tell

thee

the

truth

.

What

the

Lord

has

named

me

,

that

also

I

tell

thee

.

Abraham

said

,

For

what

art

thou

come

hither

?

Death

said

,

For

thy

holy

soul

am

I

come

.

Then

Abraham

said

,

I

know

what

thou

meanest

,

but

I

will

not

go

with

thee

;

and

Death

was

silent

and

answered

him

not

a

word

.