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THE APOCALYPSE OF ABRAHAM

TRANSLATIONS OF EARLY DOCUMENTSSERIES IP A L E S T I N I A N J E W I S H T E X T S(PRE-RABBINIC)THE APOCALYPSE OFABRAHAMTHE APOCALYPSEOF ABRAHAMEDITED, WITH A TRANSLATION FROM THE SLAVONICTEXT AND NOTESBYG. H. BOX, IN RABBINIC HEBREW, KING S COLLEGE, LONDON;HON. CANON OF ST. ALBANSWITH THE ASSISTANCE OFJ. I. LANDSMANS O C I E T Y F O R P R O M O T I N GC H R I S T I A N K N O W L E D G EL O N D O N : 68, H A Y M A R K E T, YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY1919 First Edition Impression PrefaceIntroductionBibliographyShort Titles, Abbreviations, and Brackets used in this EditionPART IPART IIAdditional Notes IAdditional Notes IIAppendix IAppendix IIAppendix IIIEDITORS PREFACETHE object of this series of translations is primarily to furnish students with short, cheap,and handy text-books, which, it is hoped, will facilitate the study of the particular text

It is based upon the account of Abraham’s trance-vision described in Genesis xv.—a favourite theme for apocalyptic speculation. In the Book, as it lies before us, the two parts are ... and act as his celestial guide. Under the direction of the angel he proceeds to Horeb, the Mount of God, a journey of forty days (chaps. x.-xii.), and ...

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Transcription of THE APOCALYPSE OF ABRAHAM

1 TRANSLATIONS OF EARLY DOCUMENTSSERIES IP A L E S T I N I A N J E W I S H T E X T S(PRE-RABBINIC)THE APOCALYPSE OFABRAHAMTHE APOCALYPSEOF ABRAHAMEDITED, WITH A TRANSLATION FROM THE SLAVONICTEXT AND NOTESBYG. H. BOX, IN RABBINIC HEBREW, KING S COLLEGE, LONDON;HON. CANON OF ST. ALBANSWITH THE ASSISTANCE OFJ. I. LANDSMANS O C I E T Y F O R P R O M O T I N GC H R I S T I A N K N O W L E D G EL O N D O N : 68, H A Y M A R K E T, YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY1919 First Edition Impression PrefaceIntroductionBibliographyShort Titles, Abbreviations, and Brackets used in this EditionPART IPART IIAdditional Notes IAdditional Notes IIAppendix IAppendix IIAppendix IIIEDITORS PREFACETHE object of this series of translations is primarily to furnish students with short, cheap,and handy text-books, which, it is hoped, will facilitate the study of the particular texts in classunder competent teachers.

2 But it is also hoped that the volumes will be acceptable to thegeneral reader who may be interested in the subjects with which they deal. It has been thoughtadvisable, as a general rule, to restrict the notes and comments to a small compass; moreespecially as, in most cases, excellent works of a more elaborate character are , it is much to be desired that these translations may have the effect of inducingreaders to study the larger principal aim, in a word, is to make some difficult texts, important for the study ofChristian origins, more generally accessible in faithful and scholarly most cases these texts are not available in a cheap and handy form.

3 In one or two casestexts have been included of books which are available in the official Apocrypha; but in everysuch case reasons exist for putting forth these texts in a new translation, with an Introduction,in this series.**An edition of The APOCALYPSE of ABRAHAM is included in the present volume. Theexplanatory notes, in this case, given in the commentary on the text, are rather longer andfuller than usual. This was rendered necessary by the fact that the Book is made accessiblehere to English readers for the first time; and the difficulties and obscurities in the text arenot O.

4 E. H. ACCOUNT OF THE BOOKThe APOCALYPSE of ABRAHAM , which has been preserved in old Slavonic literature, falls intotwo distinct parts (cf. the somewhat similar case of The Ascension of Isaiah). The first part,contained in chaps. , consists of a Midrashic narrative based upon the legend ofAbraham s conversion from idolatry, which has several peculiar The second part(chaps. ) is purely apocalyptic in character, and contains a revelation made toAbraham about the future of his race, after his (temporary) ascent into the heavenly regions,under the guidance of the archangel Jaoel, who here seems to play the part of Metatron-Michael.

5 It is based upon the account of ABRAHAM s trance-vision described in genesis xv. afavourite theme for apocalyptic speculation. In the Book, as it lies before us, the two parts areorganically connected. Thus in chap. x. the archangel says: I am the one who was commissionedto set on fire thy father s house together with him, because he displayed reverence for dead (idols) anallusion to the narrative of chap. viii.; and the general plan of the whole work seems to bebased upon the idea that ABRAHAM s dissatisfaction with the idol-worship by which he wassurrounded, which found vent in his strong protest to his father Terah (chaps.)

6 ,appealed so much to the divine favour, that the archangel Jaoel was specially sent by God toinstruct him and initiate him into the knowledge of heavenly mysteries. Whether theapocalyptic portion ever existed in a shorter and independent form will be discussed Book opens with a description of ABRAHAM s activities as a maker and seller of idols,his father Terah being a manufacturer of idols. His doubts as to the justifiable character of theidol-worship are roused especially by an accident that befell the stone image called Merumath,and by a similar accident that happened to five other gods, by which they were broken inpieces (chaps.)

7 Reflecting on this, he is led to protest to his father against the unrealityof asking a blessing from such helpless images, thereby rousing Terah s anger (chaps. ).He is led to test further the powers of the idols by placing a wooden god Barisat before the fire,and telling the idol to see that the fire must not be allowed to die down during his absence. Onreturning he finds Barisat fallen backwards and horribly burnt (chap. v.). He again proteststo his father against the futility of such worship, sarcastically contrasting the relative meritsof gold, silver and wooden idols (chap.)

8 Vi.). He then proceeds to show that the elements of fire,water, earth, and the heavenly bodies (sun, moon, and stars) are more worthy of honour thanthe idols, and yet, as each is subjected to some superior force, they can none of them claim tobe God (chap. vii.). While he was yet speaking to his father a voice came from heaven biddinghim leave his father s house. He had scarcely left the house when fire descended andconsumed all within apocalyptic part opens with a divine command to ABRAHAM to prepare a sacrifice witha view to receiving a divine revelation concerning the future (chap.

9 Ix.). ABRAHAM ,1 See Appendix I, esp. p. at the experience, is confronted by the angel Jaoel, who encourages him, and explainshis commission to be with ABRAHAM , and act as his celestial guide . Under the direction of theangel he proceeds to Horeb, the Mount of God, a journey of forty days (chaps. ), andthere, with the help of Jaoel, accomplishes the sacrifice. At this point Azazel, the fallenarchangel and seducer of mankind, intervenes and attempts to dissuade ABRAHAM from hispurpose. In the form of an unclean bird he flies down upon the carcasses (cf. Gen.

10 Xv. II),and tries to induce ABRAHAM to leave the holy place, but in vain. Jaoel denounces the evilspirit, bidding him depart, and telling him that the heavenly garment which was formerly hishas been set aside for ABRAHAM (chaps. ).After this ABRAHAM and the angel ascend on the wings of the unslaughtered birds (of thesacrifice) to heaven, which is described at length. It is filled with a strong light of powerinexpressible, and there they see the angels who are born and disappear daily, after singingtheir hymn of praise (chaps. ). At this point ABRAHAM , hearing the divine voice, fallsprostrate, and, taught by the angel, utters the celestial song of praise, and prays for enlighten-ment (chap.


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