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The Apocalypse of Abraham, called the Revelation of Abraham in the LSV—“apocalypse” meaning a “revelation,” “unveiling,” or, even more literally, “an uncovering”—was written fairly early in the current era, possibly between 70 and 150 AD. The narrative includes a history of Abraham in his father’s house and his conversion to monotheism. That section is followed by a prophetic vision and an account of his journey through the heavens.
The Scroll of the Revelation of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared.
On the day when I planed the gods of my father Terah and the gods of his brother Nahor, when I was searching as to who the Mighty God in truth is—I, Abraham, at the time when it fell to my lot, when I fulfilled the sacrifices of my father Terah to his gods of wood and stone, gold and silver, brass and iron; having entered into their temple for service, I found the god whose name was Merumath [which was] hewn out of stone, fallen forward at the feet of the iron god Nahon. And it came to pass, when I saw it, my heart was perplexed, and I considered in my mind that I should not be able to bring him back to his place, I, Abraham, alone, because he was heavy, being of a large stone, and I went forth and made it known to my father. And he entered with me, and when both of us moved him forward, so that we might bring him back to his place, his head fell from him while I was still holding him by the head. And it came to pass, when my father saw that the head of Merumath had fallen from him, he said to me: “Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am.” And he said to me: “Bring me an axe, of the small ones, from the house.” And I brought it to him. And he correctly hewed another Merumath out of another stone, without head, and the head which had been thrown down from Merumath he placed on it, and the rest of Merumath he shattered.
And he made five other gods, and gave them to me [and] commanded me to sell them outside in the street of the town. And I saddled my father’s donkey, and placed them on it, and went toward the inn to sell them. And behold, merchants from Fandana in Syria were traveling with camels going to Egypt, to trade. And I spoke with them. And one of their camels uttered a groan, and the donkey took fright and sprang away and upset the gods; and three of them were smashed, and two were preserved. And it came to pass, when the Syrians saw that I had gods, they said to me: “Why did you not tell us [[that you had gods? Then we would have bought them]] before the donkey heard the sound of the camel, and they would not have been lost. Give us, at any rate, the gods that remain, and we will give you the proper price for the broken gods, also for the gods that have been preserved.” For I was concerned in my heart as to how I could bring to my father the purchase-price; and the three broken ones I cast into the water of the River Gur, which was at that place, and they sank into the depths, and there was nothing more of them.
When I was still going on the way, my heart was perplexed within me, and my mind was distracted. And I said in my heart: [[“What evil deed is this that my father is doing? Is he not, rather, the god of his gods, since they come into existence through his chisels and lathes, and his wisdom, and is it not rather fitting that they should worship my father, since they are his work? What is this delusion of my father in his works?]] Behold, Merumath fell and could not rise in his own temple, nor could I, by myself, move him until my father came, and the two of us moved him; and as we were thus too weak, his head fell from him, and he set it on another stone of another god, which he had made without head. And the other five gods were broken in pieces down from the donkey, which were able neither to help themselves, nor to hurt the donkey, because it had broken them to pieces; nor did their broken fragments come up out of the river.” And I said in my heart: “If this be so, how can Merumath, my father’s god, having the head of another stone, and himself being made of another stone, rescue a man, or hear a man’s prayer and reward him?”
And while I meditated thus, I reached my father’s house; and having watered the donkey, and set out hay for it, I brought the silver and gave it into the hand of my father Terah. When he saw it, he was glad, [and] he said, “Blessed are you, Abraham, of my gods, because you have brought the price of the gods, so that my work was not in vain.” And I answered and said to him: “Hear, O my father Terah! Blessed are the gods of you, for you are their god, since you have made them; for their blessing is ruination, and their power is vain; they who did not help themselves, how will they, then, help you or bless me? I have been kind to you in this affair, because by [using] my intelligence, I have brought you the money for the broken gods.” And when he heard my word, he became furiously angry with me, because I had spoken hard words against his gods.
I, however, having thought over my father’s anger, went out; [[and after I had gone out]] my father cried, saying, “Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am.” And he said, “Take and collect the splinters of the wood out of which I made gods of pinewood before you came; and make ready for me the food of the midday meal.” And it came to pass, when I collected the splinters of wood, I found under them a little god which had been lying among the brushwood on my left, and on his forehead was written: God Barisat. And I did not inform my father that I had found the wooden god Barisat under the chips. And it came to pass, when I had laid the splinters in the fire, in order that I might make food ready for my father—on going out to ask a question regarding the food, I placed Barisat before the kindled fire, saying threateningly to him: “Pay careful attention, Barisat, [that] the fire does not die down until I come; if, however, it dies down, blow on it that it may burn up again.” And I went out and accomplished my purpose. And on returning I found Barisat fallen backwards, and his feet surrounded by fire and horribly burnt. I burst into a fit of laughter, and I said to myself: “Truly, O Barisat, you can kindle the fire and cook food!” And it came to pass, while I spoke [thus] in my laughter he was gradually burned up by the fire and reduced to ashes. And I brought the food to my father, and he ate. And I gave him wine and milk, and he was gladdened and blessed his god Merumath. And I said to him, “O father Terah, do not bless your god Merumath, and do not praise him, but rather praise your god Barisat because, loving you more, he has cast himself into the fire to cook your food!” And he said to me, “And where is he now?” [And I said,] “He is burned to ashes in the violence of the fire and is reduced to dust.” And he said, “Great is the power of Barisat! I make another today, and tomorrow he will prepare my food.”
However, when I, Abraham, heard such words from my father, I laughed in my mind and sighed in the grief and in the anger of my soul, and said, “How then can that which is made by him—manufactured statues—be a helper of my father? Or will the body then be subject to its soul, and the soul to the spirit, and the spirit to folly and ignorance?” And I said, “It is fitting to once endure evil, so I will direct my mind to what is pure and lay my thoughts open before him.” [And] I answered and said, “O father Terah, whichever of these you praise as a god, you are foolish in your mind. Behold the gods of your brother Ora, which stand in the holy temple, are more worthy of honor than [these of] yours. For behold, Zucheus, the god of your brother Oron, is more worthy of honor than your god Merumath, because he is made of gold which is highly valued by people, and when he grows old in years he will be remodeled; but if your god Merumath is changed or broken, he will not be renewed, because he is a stone; the which is also the case with the god Joavon [[who stands with Zucheus over the other gods—how much more worthy of honor is he than the god Barisat, who is made of wood, while he is forged of silver! How is he made, by adaptation of man, valuable to outward appearance! But your god Barisat, while he still was, before he had been prepared, rooted up on the earth and was great and wonderful with the glory of branches and blossom, you hewed out with the axe, and by means of your axe he has been made into a god. And behold, his fatness is already withered and perished, he is fallen from the height to the ground, he has come from great estate to littleness, and the appearance of his countenance has vanished, and he,]] Barisat himself, is burned up by fire and reduced to ashes and is no more; and you say: Today I will make another which tomorrow will make my food ready! He has perished to utter destruction!”
“Behold, the fire is more worthy of honor than all things formed because even that which is not subjected is subjected to it, and things easily perishable are mocked by its flames. But even more worthy of honor is the water, because it conquers the fire and satisfies the earth. But even it I do not call god, because it is subjected to the earth under which the water inclines. But I call the earth much more worthy of honor, because it overpowers the nature of the water. Even it, however, I do not call god—it, too, is dried up by the sun, [and] is apportioned to man to be tilled. [[I call the sun more worthy of honor than the earth,]] because it with its rays illuminates the whole world and the different atmospheres. [But] even it I do not call god, because at night and by clouds its course is obscured. Nor, again, do I call the moon or the stars god, because they also in their season obscure [their] light at night. [But] hear [this], my father Terah; for I will make known to you the God who has made everything, not these we consider as gods. Who then is He, || Or what is He, who has crimsoned the heavens, and made the sun golden, || And the moon lustrous, and with it the stars; And has made the earth dry in the midst of many waters, And set you in . . . [[and tested me in the confusion of my thoughts]]. Yet may God reveal Himself to us through Himself!”
And it came to pass while I spoke thus to my father Terah in the court of my house, there comes down the voice of a Mighty One from Heaven in a fiery rainstorm, saying and crying: “Abraham, Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am.” And He said, “You are seeking in the understanding of Your heart the God of gods and the Creator; I am He: Go out from your father Terah, and get out from the house, that you also are not slain in the sins of your father’s house.” And I went out. And it came to pass when I went out, that before I succeeded in getting out in front of the door of the court, there came a sound of a [great] thunder and [fire] burned him, and his house, and everything, whatever was in his house, down to the ground—forty cubits.
Then a voice came to me speaking twice: “Abraham, Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am!” And He said, “Behold, it is I; do not fear, for I am before the worlds, and a mighty God who has created the light of the world. I am a shield over you, and I am your helper. Go, bring Me a young heifer of three years old, and a female goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove and a pigeon, and bring Me a pure sacrifice. And in this sacrifice, I will lay before you the ages [to come], and make known to you what is reserved, and you will see great things which you have not seen [until now], because you have loved to search Me out, and I have named you My friend. But abstain from every form of food that proceeds out of the fire, and from the drinking of wine, and from anointing [yourself] with oil, forty days, and then set forth for Me the sacrifice which I have commanded you, in the place which I will show you on a high mountain, and there I will show you the ages which have been created and established, made and renewed, by My Word, and I will make known to you what will come to pass in them on those who have done evil and [practiced] righteousness in the generation of men.”
And it came to pass, when I heard the voice of Him who spoke such words to me, [and] I looked here and there, and behold, there was no breath of a man, and my spirit was frightened, and my soul fled from me, and I became like a stone, and fell down on the earth, for I had no more strength to stand on the earth. And while I was still lying with my face on the earth, I heard the voice of the Holy One speaking: “Go, Yahoel, and by means of My ineffable Name raise that man for Me, and strengthen him [so that he recovers] from his trembling.” And the messenger came, whom He had sent to me, in the likeness of a man, and grasped me by my right hand, and set me up on my feet, and said to me: “Stand up, friend of God who loves you; do not let the trembling of man seize you! For behold, I have been sent to you to strengthen you and bless you in the Name of God—who loves you—the Creator of the celestial and terrestrial. Be fearless and hasten to Him. I am called Yahoel by Him who moves that which exists with me on the seventh heaven on the expanse, a power in virtue of the ineffable Name that is dwelling in me. I am the one who has been given to restrain, according to His commandment, the threatening attack of the living creatures of the cherubim against one another, and teach those who carry Him the song of the seventh hour of the night of man. I am ordained to restrain the Leviathan, for to me are subject the attack and menace of every single reptile. [[I am he who has been commissioned to loosen Hades, to destroy him who stares at the dead.]] I am the one who was commissioned to set on fire your father’s house together with him, because he displayed reverence for dead [idols]. I have been sent to bless you now, and the land which the Perpetual One, whom you have invoked, has prepared for you, and for your sake I have journeyed my way on the earth. Stand up, Abraham! Go without fear; be rightly glad and rejoice; and I am with you! For continuous honor has been prepared for you by the Perpetual One. Go, fulfill the sacrifices commanded. For behold, I have been appointed to be with you and with the generation prepared [to spring] from you; and with me Michael blesses you forever. Be of good cheer, go!”
And I rose up and saw him who had grasped me by my right hand and set me up on my feet: and the appearance of his body was like sapphire, and the look of his countenance like chrysolite, and the hair of his head like snow, and the turban on his head like the appearance of the rainbow, and the clothing of his garments like purple; and a golden scepter was in his right hand. And he said to me, “Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am, your servant.” And he said, “Do not let my look frighten you, nor my speech, that your soul is not perturbed. Come with me and I will go with you, until the sacrifice, visible, but after the sacrifice, invisible forever. Be of good cheer, and come!”
And we went, the two of us together, forty days and nights, and I ate no bread, and drank no water, because my food was to see the messenger who was with me, and his speech—that was my drink. And we came to the Mount of God, the glorious Horeb. And I said to the messenger: “Singer of the Perpetual One! Behold, I have no sacrifice with me, nor am I aware of a place of an altar on the mountain; how can I bring a sacrifice?” And he said to me, “Look around!” And I looked around, and behold, there were following us all the prescribed sacrificial [animals]—the young heifer, and the female goat, and the ram, and the turtle-dove, and the pigeon. And the messenger said to me, “Abraham!” I said, “Here I am.” And he said to me, “Slaughter all of these, and divide the animals into halves, one against the other, but do not sever the birds; and give to the men, whom I will show you, standing by you, for these are the altar on the mountain, to offer a sacrifice to the Perpetual; but give the turtledove and the pigeon to me, for I will ascend on the wings of the bird, in order to show you in Heaven, and on the earth, and in the sea, and in the abyss, and in the underworld, and in the Garden of Eden, and in its rivers and in the fullness of the whole world and its circle—you will gaze in [them] all.”
And I did everything according to the commandment of the messenger, and gave the messengers, who had come to us, the divided animals, but the messenger took the birds. And I waited for the evening sacrifice. And there flew an unclean bird down on the carcasses, and I drove it away. And the unclean bird spoke to me, and said, “What are you doing, Abraham, on the holy heights, where no man eats or drinks, neither is there on them food of man, but these consume everything with fire, and burn you up? Forsake the man who is with you and flee; for if you ascend to the heights, they will make an end of you.” And it came to pass, when I saw the bird speak, I said to the messenger, “What is this, my lord?” And he said, “This is ungodliness, this is Azazel.” And he said to it: “Disgrace on you, Azazel! For Abraham’s lot is in Heaven, but yours on the earth, because you have chosen and loved this for the dwelling-[place] of your uncleanness, therefore the perpetual mighty Lord made you a dweller on the earth and through you every evil spirit of lies, and through you wrath and trials for the generations of ungodly men; for God, the Perpetual, Mighty One, has not permitted that the bodies of the righteous should be in your hand, in order that thereby the life of the righteous and the destruction of the unclean may be assured. Hear, friend, go away from me with shame. For it has not been given to you to play the tempter in regard to all the righteous. Depart from this man! You cannot lead him astray, because he is an enemy to you, and of those who follow you and love what you will. For behold, the vesture which in Heaven was formerly yours has been set aside for him, and the mortality which was his has been transferred to you.”
The messenger said to me, [[“Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am, your servant.” And he said, “Know from now on that the Perpetual One has chosen you, [He] whom you love; be of good courage and use this authority, so far as I bid you, against him who slanders truth; should I not be able to put him to shame who has scattered over the earth the secrets of Heaven and has rebelled against the Mighty One?]] Say to him: Be the burning coal of the furnace of the earth; go, Azazel, into the inaccessible parts of the earth; [[for your heritage is over those existing with you being born with the stars and clouds, with the men whose portion you are, and through your being exist; and your enmity is justification. On this account, by your perdition disappear from me.” And I uttered the words which the messenger had taught me. And he said, “Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am, your servant.”]] And the messenger said to me: “Do not answer him; for God has given him will over those who answer him.” [[8 And the messenger spoke to me a second time and said, “Now rather, however much he speaks to you, do not answer him, that his will may have no free course in you, because the Perpetual and Mighty One has given him weight and will; do not answer him.” I did what was commanded me by the messenger;]] and however much he spoke to me, I answered him nothing at all.
And it came to pass when the sun went down, that behold, [there was] a smoke as of a furnace. And the messengers who had the portions of the sacrifice ascended from the top of the smoking furnace. And the messenger took me with the right hand and set me on the right wing of the pigeon, and set himself on the left wing of the turtle-dove, which [birds] had neither been slaughtered nor divided. And he bore me to the borders of the flaming fire [[and we ascended as with many winds to the Heaven which was fixed on the surface. And I saw on the air]] on the height, to which we ascended a strong light, which it was impossible to describe, and behold, in this light a fiercely burning fire for people, many people of male appearance, all [constantly] changing in aspect and form, running and being transformed, and worshiping and crying with a sound of words which I did not know.
And I said to the messenger, “Why have you brought me up here now, because now I cannot see, for I have already grown weak, and my spirit departs from me?” And he said to me, “Remain by me; do not fear! And He whom you see come straight toward us with great voice of holiness —that is the Perpetual One who loves you; but Himself you cannot see. But do not let your spirit grow faint [[on account of the loud crying]], for I am with you, strengthening you.”
And while he yet spoke, behold, fire came against us [all] around, and a voice was in the fire like a voice of many waters, like the sound of the sea in its uproar. And the messenger bent his head with me and worshiped. And I desired to fall down on the earth, and the high place, on which we stood, [[at one moment rose upright,]] but at another rolled downwards. And he said, “Only worship, Abraham, and utter the song which I have taught you”; because there was no earth to fall on. And I only worshiped and uttered the song which he had taught me. And he said, “Recite without ceasing.” And I recited, and he also himself recited the song with me: “Perpetual, mighty, Holy, El, God alone—Supreme! You who are self-existent, incorruptible, spotless, || Uncreated, immaculate, immortal, || Self-complete, self-illuminating; Without father, without mother, unbegotten, || Exalted, fiery One! Lover of men, benevolent, bountiful, jealous over me and very compassionate; Eli, that is, || My God—Perpetual, mighty Holy [One] of Hosts, very glorious El, El, El, El, Yah’El! You are He whom my soul has loved! Perpetual Protector, shining like fire, || Whose voice is like the thunder, || Whose look is like the lightning—all-seeing, || Who receives the prayers of such as honor You, [[10 And turns away from the requests of such as embarrass with the embarrassment of their provocations, || Who dissolves the confusions of the world which arise from the ungodly and righteous in the corruptible age, renewing the age of the righteous!]] You, O Light, shine before the light of the morning on Your creatures, || And in Your heavenly dwelling places there is no need of any other light than [that] of the unspeakable splendor from the lights of Your countenance. Accept my prayer [[and be well-pleased with it]], likewise also the sacrifice which You have prepared through me who sought You! Accept me favorably, and show me, and teach me, || And make known to Your servant as You have promised me!”
And while I still recited the song, the mouth of the fire which was on the surface rose up on high. And I heard a voice like the roaring of the sea; nor did it cease on account of the rich abundance of the fire. And as the fire raised itself up, ascending into the height, I saw a throne of fire under the fire, and all-seeing ones around it, reciting the song, and under the throne four fiery living creatures singing, and their appearance was one, each one of them with four faces. And such was the appearance of their countenances: of a lion, of a man, of an ox, of an eagle; four heads [[were on their bodies so that the four creatures had sixteen faces]]; and each had six wings; from their shoulders, [[and their sides,]] and their loins. And with the [two] wings from their shoulders they covered their faces, and with the [two] wings which [sprang] from their loins they covered their feet, while the [two] middle wings they spread out for flying straightforward. And when they had ended the singing, they looked at one another and threatened one another. And it came to pass when the messenger who was with me saw that they were threatening each other, he left me and went running to them, and turned the countenance of each living creature from the countenance immediately confronting him, in order that they might not see their countenances threatening each other. And he taught them the song of peace which has its origin [[in the Perpetual One]]. And as I stood alone and looked, I saw behind the living creatures a chariot with fiery wheels, each wheel full of eyes [all] around; and over the wheels was a throne, which I saw, and this was covered with fire, and fire encircled it around, and behold, an indescribable fire enclosed a fiery host. And I heard its holy voice like the voice of a man.
And a voice came to me out of the midst of the fire, saying, “Abraham, Abraham!” I said, “Here I am!” And He said, “Consider the expanses which are under the expanse on which you are placed, and see how on no single expanse is there any other but He whom you have sought, or who has loved you.” And while He was yet speaking [and], behold, the expanses opened, and beneath me the heavens. And I saw on the seventh heaven on which I stood a fire widely extended, and light, and dew, and a multitude of messengers, and a power of invisible glory over the living creatures which I saw; but I saw no other being there. And I looked from the mountain in which I stood [[downwards]] to the sixth heaven, and saw a multitude of messengers there, of [pure] spirit, without bodies, who carried out the commands of the fiery messengers who were on the eighth heaven, as I was standing suspended over them. And behold, on this expanse there were no other powers of [any] other form, but only messengers of [pure] spirit, like the power which I saw on the seventh heaven. And He commanded that the sixth heaven should be taken away. And I saw there, on the fifth heaven, the powers of the stars which carry out the commands laid on them, and the elements of the earth obeyed them.
And the Perpetual Mighty One said to me, “Abraham, Abraham!” And I said, “Here I am.” [[And He said,]] “Consider from above the stars which are beneath you, and number them [[for Me]], and make known [[to Me]] their number.” And I said, “When can I? For I am but a man [[of dust and ashes]].” And He said to me, “As the number of the stars and their power, [so will] I make your seed a nation and a people, set apart for Me in My heritage with Azazel.” And I said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! Let Your servant speak before You, and do not let Your anger kindle against Your chosen one! Behold, before You led me up, Azazel raged against me. How, then, while he is not now before You, have You constituted Yourself with him?”
And He said to me, “Now look beneath your feet at the heavens and understand the creation foreshadowed in this expanse, the creatures existing on it, and the age prepared according to it.” And I saw beneath [[the surfaces of the feet, and I saw beneath]] the sixth heaven and what was therein, and then the earth and its fruits, and what moved on it and its animate beings; and the power of its men, and the ungodliness of their souls, and their righteous deeds, [[and the beginnings of their works]], and the lower regions and the perdition therein, the abyss and its torments. I saw there the sea and its islands, and its monsters and its fishes, and Leviathan and his dominion, and his camping-ground, and his caves, and the world which lay on him, and his movements, and the destructions of the world on his account. I saw streams there and the rising of their waters, and their windings. And I saw there the Garden of Eden and its fruits, the source of the stream issuing from it, and its trees and their bloom, and those who behaved righteously. And I saw therein their foods and blessedness. And I saw there a great multitude—men, and women, and children—[[half of them on the right side of the picture]] and half of them on the left side of the picture.
And I said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! What is this picture of the creatures?” And He said to me, “This is My will with regard to those who exist in the [divine] world-counsel, and it seemed well-pleasing before My sight, and then afterward I gave commandment to them through My Word. And it came to pass, whatever I had determined to be, was already planned beforehand in this [picture], and it stood before Me before it was created, as you have seen.” And I said, “O Lord, mighty and perpetual! Who are the people in this picture on this side and on that?” And He said to me, “These which are on the left side are the multitude of the peoples which have formerly been in existence and which are destined after you, some for judgment and restoration, and others for vengeance and destruction at the end of the world. But these which are on the right side of the picture—they are the people set apart for me of the peoples with Azazel. These are they whom I have ordained to be born of you and to be called My people.”
“Now look again in the picture, who it is who seduced Eve and what is the fruit of the tree, [[and]] you will know what there will be, and how it will be to your seed among the people at the end of the days of the age, and so far as you cannot understand I will make known to you, for you are well-pleasing in My sight, and I will tell you what is kept in My heart.” And I looked into the picture, and my eyes ran to the side of the Garden of Eden. And I saw there a man very great in height and fearful in breadth, incomparable in aspect, embracing a woman, who likewise approximated to the aspect and shape of the man. And they were standing under a tree of Eden, and the fruit of this tree was like the appearance of a bunch of grapes of the vine, and behind the tree was standing as it were a serpent in form, having hands and feet like a man’s, and wings on its shoulders—six on the right side and six on the left, and they were holding the grapes of the tree in their hands, and both were eating it whom I had seen embracing. And I said, “Who are these mutually embracing, or who is this who is between them, or what is the fruit which they are eating, O Mighty Perpetual One?” And He said, “This is the human world, this is Adam, and this is their desire on the earth, [and] this is Eve; but he who is between them represents ungodliness, their beginning [on the way] to perdition, even Azazel.” And I said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! Why have You given such power to destroy the generation of men in their works on the earth?” And He said to me, “They who will [to do] evil—and how much I hated [it] in those who do it—over them I gave him power, and to be beloved of them.” And I answered and said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! Why have You willed to effect that evil should be desired in the hearts of men, since You indeed are angered over that which was willed by You, at him who is doing what is unprofitable in Your counsel?”
And He said to me, “Being angered at the nations on your account, and on account of the people of your family who are [to be] separated after you, as you see in the picture the burden [of destiny] that [is laid] on them—and I will tell you what will be, and how much will be, in the last days. Now look at everything in the picture.” And I looked and saw there what was before me in creation; I saw Adam, and Eve existing with him, and with them the cunning Adversary, and Cain who acted lawlessly through the Adversary, and the slaughtered Abel, [and] the destruction brought and caused on him through the lawless one. I also saw impurity there, and those who lust after it, and its pollution, and their jealousy, and the fire of their corruption in the lowest parts of the earth. I saw theft there, and those who hasten after it, and the arrangement [[of their retribution, the judgment of the Great Court]]. I saw naked men there, the foreheads against each other, and their disgrace, and their passion which [they had] against each other, and their retribution. I saw desire there, and in her hand the head of every kind of lawlessness, [[and her scorn, and her waste assigned to perdition]].
I saw the likeness of the idol of jealousy there, having the likeness of woodwork such as my father was accustomed to make, and its statue was of glittering bronze; and before it a man, and he worshiped it; and in front of him an altar, and on it a boy slain in the presence of the idol. But I said to Him, “What is this idol, or what is the altar, or who are they that are sacrificed, or who is the sacrificer? Or what is the temple which I see that is beautiful in art, and its beauty [being like] the glory that lies beneath Your throne?” And He said, “Hear, Abraham. This which you see, the temple, and altar, and beauty, is My idea of the priesthood of My glorious Name, in which dwells every single prayer of man, and the rise of kings and prophets, and whatever sacrifice I ordain to be offered to Me among My people who are to come out of your generation. But the statue which you saw is My anger with which the people anger Me who are to proceed for Me from you. But the man whom you saw slaughtering—that is he who incites murderous sacrifices, of which are a witness to Me of the final judgment, even at the beginning of creation.”
And I said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! Why have You established that it should be so, and then proclaim the knowledge thereof?” And He said to me, “Hear, Abraham; understand what I say to you, and answer Me as I question you. Why did your father Terah not listen to your voice, and [why] did he not cease from the devilish idolatry until he perished [[and]] his whole household with him?” And I said, “O Perpetual, [[Mighty One]]! [It was] entirely because he did not choose to listen to me; but I, too, did not follow his works.” And He said [[to me]]: “Hear, Abraham. As the counsel of your father is in him, and as your counsel is in you, so also is the counsel of My will in Me ready for the coming days, before you have knowledge of these, or [can] see with your eyes what is future in them. How those of your seed will be, look in the picture.”
And I looked and saw: behold, the picture swayed and on its left side a heathen people emerged, and they pillaged those who were on the right side—men, and women, and children; [[some they slaughtered,]] others they retained with themselves. Behold, I saw them run toward them through four entrances, and they burned the temple with fire, and the holy things that were therein they plundered. And I said, “O Perpetual One! Behold, the people [that spring] from me, whom You have accepted, the hordes of the heathen plunder, and some they kill, while others they hold fast as aliens, and they have burned the temple with fire, and they rob the beautiful things therein. O Perpetual, Mighty One! If this be so, why have You now lacerated my heart, and why should this be so?” And He said to me, “Hear, Abraham. What you have seen will happen on account of your seed who anger Me by reason of the statue which you saw, and on account of the human slaughter in the picture, through zeal in the temple; and as you saw so will it be.” And I said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! May the works of evil [worked] in ungodliness now pass by, but [show me] rather those who fulfilled the commandments, even the works of his righteousness, for You can do this.” And He said to me, “The time of the righteous meets [them] first through the holiness from kings and righteous-dealing rulers whom I at first created in order from such to rule among them. But from these issue men who care for their interests, as I have made known to you and you have seen.”
And I answered and said, “O Mighty, [[Perpetual One]], hallowed by Your power! Be favorable to my petition, [[for this have You brought me up here—and show me]]. As You have brought me up to Your height, so make [this] known to me, Your beloved one, as much as I ask—whether what I saw will happen to them for long?” And He showed me a multitude of His people, and said to me: “On their account through four issues, as you saw, I will be provoked by them, and in these My retribution for their deeds will be [accomplished]. But in the fourth outgoing of one hundred years and one hour of the age—the same is one hundred years—it will be in misfortune among the heathen, [[but one hour in mercy and insult, as among the heathen]].”
And I said, “O Perpetual, [[Mighty One]]! And how long a time is an hour of the age?” And He said, “I have ordained twelve years of this ungodly age to rule among the heathen and in your seed; and until the end of the times it will be as you saw. And reckon, and understand, and look into the picture.” And I [[looked and]] saw a Man going out from the left side of the heathen; and there went out men, and women, and children from the side of the heathen, many hosts, and worshiped Him. And while I still looked there came out from the right side [many], and some insulted that Man, while some struck Him; others, however, worshiped Him. [And] I saw how these worshiped Him, and Azazel ran and worshiped Him, and having kissed His face he turned and stood behind Him. And I said, “O Perpetual, Mighty One! Who is the Man insulted and beaten, who is worshiped by the heathen with Azazel?” And He answered and said, “Hear, Abraham! The Man whom you saw insulted and beaten and again worshiped—that is the relief [granted] by the heathen to the people who proceed from you, in the last days, in this twelfth hour of the age of ungodliness. But in the twelfth year of My final age, I will set up this Man from your generation, whom you saw from My people; all will follow this one, and such as are called by Me [will] join, [even] those who change in their counsels. And those whom you saw emerge from the left side of the picture—the meaning is [this]: there will be many from the heathen who set their hopes on Him; and as for those whom you saw from your seed on the right side, some insulting and striking, others worshiping Him—many of them will be offended at Him. He, however, is testing those who have worshiped Him of your seed, in that twelfth hour of the end, with a view to shortening the age of ungodliness. Before the age of the righteous begins to grow, My judgment will come on the lawless heathen through the people of your seed who have been separated for Me. In those days I will bring on all creatures of the earth ten plagues, through misfortune and disease and sighing of the grief of their soul. Thus much will I bring on the generations of men that be on it on account of the provocation and the corruption of its creatures, whereby they provoke Me. And then will righteous men of your seed be left in the number which is kept secret by Me, hastening in the glory of My Name to the place prepared beforehand for them, which you saw devastated in the picture; and they will live and be established through sacrifices and gifts of righteousness and truth in the age of the righteous, and will rejoice in Me continually; and they will destroy those who have destroyed them, and will insult those who have insulted them; and of those who defamed them they will spit in the face, scorned by Me, while they will behold Me full of joy, rejoicing with My people, and receiving those who return to Me [[in conversion]]. See, Abraham, what you have seen, and [hear] what you have heard, and [[take full knowledge of]] what you have come to know. Go to your heritage, and behold, I am with you forever.”
But while He was still speaking, I found myself on the earth. And I said, “O Perpetual, [[Mighty One]], I am no longer in the glory in which I was [while] on high, and what my soul longed to understand in my heart I do not understand.” And He said to me, “What is desired in your heart I will tell you, because you have sought to see the ten plagues which I have prepared for the heathen, and have prepared beforehand at the passing over of the twelfth hour of the earth. Hear what I divulge to you, so will it come to pass: the first [is] pain of great distress; the second, conflagration of many cities; the third, destruction and pestilence of animals; the fourth, hunger of the whole world and of its people; the fifth by destruction among its rulers, destruction by earthquake and the sword; the sixth, multiplication of hail and snow; the seventh, the wild beasts will be their grave; the eighth, hunger and pestilence will alternate with their destruction; the ninth, punishment by the sword and flight in distress; the tenth, thunder, and voices, and destructive earthquake.”
“And then I will sound the trumpet out of the air, and will send My Chosen One, having in Him all My power—one measure; and this one will summon My despised people from the nations, and I will burn with fire those who have insulted them and who have ruled among them in [this] age. And I will give those who have covered Me with mockery to the scorn of the coming age; and I have prepared them to be food for the fire of Hades and for ceaseless flight to and fro through the air in the underworld beneath the earth—[[the body filled with worms. For on them will they see the righteousness of the Creator—those, namely, who have chosen to do My will, and those who have openly kept My commandments, [and] they will rejoice with joy over the downfall of the men who still remain, who have followed the idols and their murders. For they will decay in the body of the evil worm Azazel, and be burned with the fire of Azazel’s tongue; for I hoped that they would come to Me, and not have loved and praised the strange [god], and not have adhered to him for whom they were not allotted, but [instead] they have forsaken the mighty Lord.”
1 “Therefore hear, O Abraham, and see; behold, your seventh generation [will] go with you, and they will go out into a strange land, and they will enslave them, 2 and mistreat them as it were an hour of the age of ungodliness, but the nation whom they will serve I will judge.”]]