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diff --git a/old/1adam10.txt b/old/1adam10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7264c8d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1adam10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4909 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Etext of First Book of Adam and Eve, by Platt +Part one of a series of the Forgotten Books of Eden + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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It tells of +Adam and Eve's first dwelling - the Cave of Treasures; +their trials and temptations; Satan's many apparitions to +them; the birth of Cain, Abel, and their twin sisters; and +Cain's love for his beautiful twin sister, Luluwa, whom +Adam and Eve wished to join to Abel. + +This book is considered by many scholars to be part of the +"Pseudepigrapha" (soo-duh-pig-ruh-fuh). The +"Pseudepigrapha" is a collection of historical biblical +works that are considered to be fiction. Because of that +stigma, this book was not included in the compilation of +the Holy Bible. This book is a written history of what +happened in the days of Adam and Eve after they were cast +out of the garden. Although considered to be +pseudepigraphic by some, it carries significant meaning and +insight into events of that time. It is doubtful that +these writings could have survived all the many centuries +if there were no substance to them. + +This book is simply a version of an account handed down by +word of mouth, from generation to generation, linking the +time that the first human life was created to the time when +somebody finally decided to write it down. This particular +version is the work of unknown Egyptians. The lack of +historical allusion makes it difficult to precisely date +the writing, however, using other pseudepigraphical works +as a reference, it was probably written a few hundred years +before the birth of Christ. Parts of this version are +found in the Jewish Talmud, and the Islamic Koran, showing +what a vital role it played in the original literature of +human wisdom. The Egyptian author wrote in Arabic, but +later translations were found written in Ethiopic. The +present English translation was translated in the late +1800's by Dr. S. C. Malan and Dr. E. Trumpp. They +translated into King James English from both the Arabic +version and the Ethiopic version which was then published +in The Forgotten Books of Eden in 1927 by The World +Publishing Company. In 1995, the text was extracted from a +copy of The Forgotten Books of Eden and converted to +electronic form by Dennis Hawkins. It was then translated +into more modern English by simply exchanging 'Thou' s for +'You's, 'Art's for 'Are's, and so forth. The text was then +carefully re-read to ensure its integrity. + + + + +Chapter I - The crystal sea, God commands Adam, expelled +from Eden, to live in the Cave of Treasures. + + +1 On the third day, God planted the garden in the east +of the earth, on the border of the world eastward, beyond +which, towards the sun-rising, one finds nothing but water, +that encompasses the whole world, and reaches to the +borders of heaven. + +2 And to the north of the garden there is a sea of +water, clear and pure to the taste, unlike anything else; +so that, through the clearness thereof, one may look into +the depths of the earth. + +3 And when a man washes himself in it, he becomes +clean of the cleanness thereof, and white of its whiteness +-- even if he were dark. + +4 And God created that sea of his own good pleasure, +for He knew what would come of the man He would make; so +that after he had left the garden, on account of his +transgression, men should be born in the earth. Among them +are righteous ones who will die, whose souls God would +raise at the last day; when all of them will return to +their flesh, bathe in the water of that sea, and repent of +their sins. + +5 But when God made Adam go out of the garden, He did +not place him on the border of it northward. This was so +that he and Eve would not be able to go near to the sea of +water where they could wash themselves in it, be cleansed +from their sins, erase the transgression they had +committed, and be no longer reminded of it in the thought +of their punishment. + +6 As to the southern side of the garden, God did not +want Adam to live there either; because, when the wind blew +from the north, it would bring him, on that southern side, +the delicious smell of the trees of the garden. + +7 Wherefore God did not put Adam there. This was so +that he would not be able to smell the sweet smell of those +trees, forget his transgression, and find consolation for +what he had done by taking delight in the smell of the +trees and yet not be cleansed from his transgression. + +8 Again, also, because God is merciful and of great +pity, and governs all things in a way that He alone knows -- +He made our father Adam live in the western border of the +garden, because on that side the earth is very broad. + +9 And God commanded him to live there in a cave in a rock -- +the Cave of Treasures below the garden. + + + +Chapter II - Adam and Eve faint when they leave the Garden. +God sends His Word to encourage them. + + +1 But when our father Adam, and Eve, went out of the +garden, they walked the ground on their feet, not knowing +they were walking. + +2 And when they came to the opening of the gate of the +garden, and saw the broad earth spread before them, covered +with stones large and small, and with sand, they feared and +trembled, and fell on their faces, from the fear that came +over them; and they were as dead. + +3 Because -- whereas until this time they had been in +the garden land, beautifully planted with all manner of +trees -- they now saw themselves, in a strange land, which +they knew not, and had never seen. + +4 And because, when they were in the garden they were +filled with the grace of a bright nature, and they had not +hearts turned toward earthly things. + +5 Therefore God had pity on them; and when He saw them fallen +before the gate of the garden, He sent His Word to our father, +Adam and Eve, and raised them from their fallen state. + + + +Chapter III - Concerning the promise of the great five and +a half days. + + +1 God said to Adam, "I have ordained on this earth +days and years, and you and your descendants shall live and +walk in them, until the days and years are fulfilled; when +I shall send the Word that created you, and against which +you have transgressed, the Word that made you come out of +the garden, and that raised you when you were fallen. + +2 Yes, the Word that will again save you when the five +and a half days are fulfilled." + +3 But when Adam heard these words from God, and of the +great five and a half days, he did not understand the +meaning of them. + +4 For Adam was thinking there would be only five and a +half days for him until the end of the world. + +5 And Adam cried, and prayed to God to explain it to him. + +6 Then God in his mercy for Adam who was made after +His own image and likeness, explained to him, that these +were 5,000 and 500 years; and how One would then come and +save him and his descendants. + +7 But before that, God had made this covenant with our +father, Adam, in the same terms, before he came out of the +garden, when he was by the tree where Eve took of the fruit +and gave it to him to eat. + +8 Because, when our father Adam came out of the garden, +he passed by that tree, and saw how God had changed the appearance +of it into another form, and how it shriveled. + +9 And as Adam went to it he feared, trembled and fell +down; but God in His mercy lifted him up, and then made +this covenant with him. + +10 And again, when Adam was by the gate of the garden, +and saw the cherub with a sword of flashing fire in his +hand, and the cherub grew angry and frowned at him, both +Adam and Eve became afraid of him, and thought he meant to +put them to death. So they fell on their faces, trembled +with fear. + +11 But he had pity on them, and showed them mercy; and +turning from them went up to heaven, and prayed to the +Lord, and said; -- + +12 "Lord, You sent me to watch at the gate of the +garden, with a sword of fire. + +13 But when Your servants, Adam and Eve, saw me, they +fell on their faces, and were as dead. O my Lord, what +shall we do to Your servants?" + +14 Then God had pity on them, and showed them mercy, +and sent His Angel to keep the garden. + +15 And the Word of the Lord came to Adam and Eve, and +raised them up. + +16 And the Lord said to Adam, "I told you that at the +end of the five and a half days, I will send my Word and +save you. + +17 Strengthen your heart, therefore, and stay in the +Cave of Treasures, of which I have before spoken to you." + +18 And when Adam heard this Word from God, he was +comforted with that which God had told him. For He had +told him how He would save him. + + + +Chapter IV - Adam mourns over the changed conditions. +Adam and Eve enter the Cave of Treasures. + + +1 But Adam and Eve cried for having come out of the +garden, their first home. + +2 And indeed, when Adam looked at his flesh, that was +altered, he cried bitterly, he and Eve, over what they had +done. And they walked and went gently down into the Cave +of Treasures. + +3 And as they came to it, Adam cried over himself and +said to Eve, "Look at this cave that is to be our prison +in this world, and a place of punishment! + +4 What is it compared with the garden? What is its +narrowness compared with the space of the other? + +5 What is this rock, by the side of those groves? +What is the gloom of this cavern, compared with the light +of the garden? + +6 What is this overhanging ledge of rock to shelter us, +compared with the mercy of the Lord that overshadowed us? + +7 What is the soil of this cave compared with the +garden land? This earth, strewed with stones; and that, +planted with delicious fruit trees?" + +8 And Adam said to Eve, "Look at your eyes, and at mine, +which before beheld angels praising in heaven; +and they too, without ceasing. + +9 But now we do not see as we did; our eyes have become of flesh; +they cannot see like they used to see before." + +10 Adam said again to Eve, "What is our body today, compared +to what it was in former days, when we lived in the garden?" + +11 After this, Adam did not want to enter the cave, +under the overhanging rock; nor would he ever want to enter it. + +12 But he bowed to God's orders; and said to himself, +"Unless I enter the cave, I shall again be a transgressor." + + + +Chapter V - Eve makes a noble and emotional intercession, +taking the blame on herself. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve entered the cave, and stood praying, +in their own tongue, unknown to us, but which they knew well. + +2 And as they prayed, Adam raised his eyes and saw the +rock and the roof of the cave that covered him overhead. +This prevented him from seeing either heaven or God's creatures. +So he cried and beat his chest hard, until he dropped, and was as dead. + +3 And Eve sat crying; for she believed he was dead. + +4 Then she got up, spread her hands toward God, +appealing to Him for mercy and pity, and said, "O God, +forgive me my sin, the sin which I committed, and don't +remember it against me. + +5 For I alone caused Your servant to fall from the +garden into this condemned land; from light into this +darkness; and from the house of joy into this prison. + +6 O God, look at this Your servant fallen in this +manner, and bring him back to life, that he may cry and +repent of his transgression which he committed through me. + +7 Don't take away his soul right now; but let him live +that he may stand after the measure of his repentance, and +do Your will, as before his death. + +8 But if You do not bring him back to life, then, O +God, take away my own soul, that I be like him, and leave +me not in this dungeon, one and alone; for I could not +stand alone in this world, but with him only. + +9 For You, O God, caused him to fall asleep, and took +a bone from his side, and restored the flesh in the place +of it, by Your divine power. + +10 And You took me, the bone, and make me a woman, +bright like him, with heart, reason, and speech; and in +flesh, like to his own; and You made me after the likeness +of his looks, by Your mercy and power. + +11 O Lord, I and he are one, and You, O God, are our +Creator, You are He who made us both in one day. + +12 Therefore, O God, give him life, that he may be +with me in this strange land, while we live in it on +account of our transgression. + +13 But if You will not give him life, then take me, +even me, like him; that we both may die the same day." + +14 And Eve cried bitterly, and fell on our father +Adam; from her great sorrow. + + + +Chapter VI - God's reprimand to Adam and Eve in which he +points out how and why they sinned. + + +1 But God looked at them; for they had killed +themselves through great grief. + +2 But He decided to raise them and comfort them. + +3 He, therefore, sent His Word to them; that they +should stand and be raised immediately. + +4 And the Lord said to Adam and Eve, "You transgressed +of your own free will, until you came out of the garden in +which I had placed you. + +5 Of your own free will have you transgressed through +your desire for divinity, greatness, and an exalted state, +such as I have; so that I deprived you of the bright nature +in which you then were, and I made you come out of the +garden to this land, rough and full of trouble. + +6 If only you had not transgressed My commandment and +had kept My law, and had not eaten of the fruit of the tree +which I told you not to come near! And there were fruit +trees in the garden better than that one. + +7 But the wicked Satan did not keep his faith and had +no good intent towards Me, that although I had created him, +he considered Me to be useless, and sought the Godhead for +himself; for this I hurled him down from heaven so that he +could not remain in his first estate -- it was he who made +the tree appear pleasant in your eyes, until you ate of it, +by believing his words. + +8 Thus have you transgressed My commandment, and +therefore I have brought on you all these sorrows. + +9 For I am God the Creator, who, when I created My +creatures, did not intend to destroy them. But after they +had sorely roused My anger, I punished them with grievous +plagues, until they repent. + +10 But, if on the contrary, they still continue +hardened in their transgression, they shall be under a +curse forever." + + + +Chapter VII - The beasts are appeased. + + +1 When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they +cried and sobbed yet more; but they strengthened their +hearts in God, because they now felt that the Lord was to +them like a father and a mother; and for this very reason, +they cried before Him, and sought mercy from Him. + +2 Then God had pity on them, and said: "O Adam, I have +made My covenant with you, and I will not turn from it; +neither will I let you return to the garden, until My +covenant of the great five and a half days is fulfilled." + +3 Then Adam said to God, "O Lord, You created us, and +made us fit to be in the garden; and before I transgressed, +You made all beasts come to me, that I should name them. + +4 Your grace was then on me; and I named every one according +to Your mind; and you made them all subject to me. + +5 But now, O Lord God, that I have transgressed Your +commandment, all beasts will rise against me and will +devour me, and Eve Your handmaid; and will cut off our life +from the face of the earth. + +6 I therefore beg you, O God, that since You have made +us come out of the garden, and have made us be in a strange +land, You will not let the beasts hurt us." + +7 When the Lord heard these words from Adam, He had +pity on him, and felt that he had truly said that the +beasts of the field would rise and devour him and Eve, +because He, the Lord, was angry with the two of them on +account of their transgressions. + +8 Then God commanded the beasts, and the birds, and +all that moves on the earth, to come to Adam and to be +familiar with him, and not to trouble him and Eve; nor yet +any of the good and righteous among their offspring. + +9 Then all the beasts paid homage to Adam, according +to the commandment of God; except the serpent, against +which God was angry. It did not come to Adam, with the beasts. + + + +Chapter VIII - The "Bright Nature" of man is taken away. + + +1 Then Adam cried and said, "O God, when we lived in +the garden, and our hearts were lifted up, we saw the +angels that sang praises in heaven, but now we can't see +like we used to; no, when we entered the cave, all creation +became hidden from us." + +2 Then God the Lord said to Adam, "When you were under +subjection to Me, you had a bright nature within you, and +for that reason could you see things far away. But after +your transgression your bright nature was withdrawn from +you; and it was not left to you to see things far away, but +only near at hand; after the ability of the flesh; for it +is brutish." + +3 When Adam and Eve had heard these words from God, +they went their way; praising and worshipping Him with a +sorrowful heart. + +4 And God ceased to commune with them. + + + +Chapter IX - Water from the Tree of Life. Adam and Eve near drowning. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve came out of the Cave of Treasures, +and went near to the garden gate, and there they stood to +look at it, and cried for having come away from it. + +2 And Adam and Eve went from before the gate of the +garden to the southern side of it, and found there the +water that watered the garden, from the root of the Tree of +Life, and that split itself from there into four rivers +over the earth. + +3 Then they came and went near to that water, and +looked at it; and saw that it was the water that came forth +from under the root of the Tree of Life in the garden. + +4 And Adam cried and wailed, and beat his chest, for +being severed from the garden; and said to Eve: -- + +5 "Why have you brought on me, on yourself, and on our +descendants, so many of these plagues and punishments?" + +6 And Eve said to him, "What is it you have seen that +has caused you to cry and to speak to me in this manner?" + +7 And he said to Eve, "Do you not see this water that +was with us in the garden, that watered the trees of the +garden, and flowed out from there? + +8 And we, when we were in the garden, did not care +about it; but since we came to this strange land, we love +it, and turn it to use for our body." + +9 But when Eve heard these words from him, she cried; +and from the soreness of their crying, they fell into that +water; and would have put an end to themselves in it, so as +never again to return and behold the creation; for when +they looked at the work of creation, they felt they must +put an end to themselves. + + + +Chapter X - Their bodies need water after they leave the garden. + + +1 Then God, merciful and gracious, looked at them thus +lying in the water, and close to death, and sent an angel, +who brought them out of the water, and laid them on the +seashore as dead. + +2 Then the angel went up to God, was welcome, and +said, "O God, Your creatures have breathed their last." + +3 Then God sent His Word to Adam and Eve, who raised +them from their death. + +4 And Adam said, after he was raised, "O God, while we +were in the garden we did not require, or care for this +water; but since we came to this land we cannot do without it." + +5 Then God said to Adam, "While you were under My +command and were a bright angel, you knew not this water. + +6 But now that you have transgressed My commandment, +you can not do without water, wherein to wash your body and +make it grow; for it is now like that of beasts, and is in +want of water." + +7 When Adam and Eve heard these words from God, they +cried a bitter cry; and Adam entreated God to let him +return into the garden, and look at it a second time. + +8 But God said to Adam, "I have made you a promise; +when that promise is fulfilled, I will bring you back into +the garden, you and your righteous descendants." + +9 And God ceased to commune with Adam. + + + +Chapter XI - A recollection of the glorious days in the Garden. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve felt themselves burning with +thirst, and heat, and sorrow. + +2 And Adam said to Eve, "We shall not drink of this +water, even if we were to die. O Eve, when this water +comes into our inner parts, it will increase our +punishments and that of our descendants." + +3 Both Adam and Eve then went away from the water, and +drank none of it at all; but came and entered the Cave of +Treasures. + +4 But when in it Adam could not see Eve; he only heard +the noise she made. Neither could she see Adam, but heard +the noise he made. + +5 Then Adam cried, in deep affliction, and beat his +chest; and he got up and said to Eve, "Where are you?" + +6 And she said to him, "Look, I am standing in this +darkness." + +7 He then said to her, "Remember the bright nature in +which we lived, when we lived in the garden! + +8 O Eve! Remember the glory that rested on us in the +garden. O Eve! Remember the trees that overshadowed us in +the garden while we moved among them. + +9 O Eve! Remember that while we were in the garden, +we knew neither night nor day. Think of the Tree of Life, +from below which flowed the water, and that shed lustre +over us! Remember, O Eve, the garden land, and the +brightness thereof! + +10 Think, oh think of that garden in which was no +darkness, while we lived in it. + +11 Whereas no sooner did we come into this Cave of +Treasures than darkness surrounded us all around; until we +can no longer see each other; and all the pleasure of this +life has come to an end." + + + +Chapter XII - How darkness came between Adam and Eve. + + +1 Then Adam beat his chest, he and Eve, and they +mourned the whole night until the crack of dawn, and they +sighed over the length of the night in Miyazia. + +2 And Adam beat himself, and threw himself on the +ground in the cave, from bitter grief, and because of the +darkness, and lay there as dead. + +3 But Eve heard the noise he made in falling on the +ground. And she felt about for him with her hands, and +found him like a corpse. + +4 Then she was afraid, speechless, and remained by him. + +5 But the merciful Lord looked on the death of Adam, +and on Eve's silence from fear of the darkness. + +6 And the Word of God came to Adam and raised him from +his death, and opened Eve's mouth that she might speak. + +7 Then Adam stood up in the cave and said, "O God, why +has light departed from us, and darkness covered us? Why +did you leave us in this long darkness? Why do you plague +us like this? + +8 And this darkness, O Lord, where was it before it covered us? +It is because of this that we cannot see each other. + +9 For so long as we were in the garden, we neither saw +nor even knew what darkness is. I was not hidden from Eve, +neither was she hidden from me, until now that she cannot +see me; and no darkness came over us to separate us from +each other. + +10 But she and I were both in one bright light. I saw +her and she saw me. Yet now since we came into this cave, +darkness has covered us, and separated us from each other, +so that I do not see her, and she does not see me. + +11 O Lord, will You then plague us with this darkness?" + + + +Chapter XIII - The fall of Adam. Why night and day were created. + + +1 Then when God, who is merciful and full of pity, +heard Adam's voice, He said to him: -- + +2 "O Adam, so long as the good angel was obedient to +Me, a bright light rested on him and on his hosts. + +3 But when he transgressed My commandment, I deprived +him of that bright nature, and he became dark. + +4 And when he was in the heavens, in the realms of light, +he knew nothing of darkness. + +5 But he transgressed, and I made him fall from the heaven +onto the earth; and it was this darkness that came over him. + +6 And on you, O Adam, while in My garden and obedient +to Me, did that bright light rest also. + +7 But when I heard of your transgression, I deprived you +of that bright light. Yet, of My mercy, I did not turn +you into darkness, but I made you your body of flesh, +over which I spread this skin, in order that it may bear +cold and heat. + +8 If I had let My wrath fall heavily on you, I should +have destroyed you; and had I turned you into darkness, it +would have been as if I had killed you. + +9 But in My mercy, I have made you as you are; when +you transgressed My commandment, O Adam, I drove you from +the garden, and made you come forth into this land; and +commanded you to live in this cave; and darkness covered +you, as it did over him who transgressed My commandment. + +10 Thus, O Adam, has this night deceived you. It is +not to last forever; but is only of twelve hours; when it +is over, daylight will return. + +11 Sigh not, therefore, neither be moved; and say not +in your heart that this darkness is long and drags on wearily; +and say not in your heart that I plague you with it. + +12 Strengthen your heart, and be not afraid. This +darkness is not a punishment. But, O Adam, I have made the +day, and have placed the sun in it to give light; in order +that you and your children should do your work. + +13 For I knew you would sin and transgress, and come +out into this land. Yet I wouldn't force you, nor be heard +over you, nor shut up; nor doom you through your fall; nor +through your coming out from light into darkness; nor yet +through your coming from the garden into this land. + +14 For I made you of the light; and I willed to bring +out children of light from you and like to you. + +15 But you did not keep My commandment one day; until +I had finished the creation and blessed everything in it. + +16 Then, concerning the tree, I commanded you not to +eat of it. Yet I knew that Satan, who deceived himself, +would also deceive you. + +17 So I made known to you by means of the tree, not to +come near him. And I told you not to eat of the fruit +thereof, nor to taste of it, nor yet to sit under it, nor +to yield to it. + +18 Had I not been and spoken to you, O Adam, +concerning the tree, and had I left you without a +commandment, and you had sinned -- it would have been an +offence on My part, for not having given you any order; you +would turn around and blame Me for it. + +19 But I commanded you, and warned you, and you fell. +So that My creatures cannot blame Me; but the blame rests +on them alone. + +20 And, O Adam, I have made the day so that you and +your descendants can work and toil in it. And I have made +the night for them to rest in it from their work; and for +the beasts of the field to go forth by night and look for +their food. + +21 But little of darkness now remains, O Adam, and +daylight will soon appear." + + + +Chapter XIV - The earliest prophesy of the coming of Christ. + + +1 Then Adam said to God: "O Lord, take You my soul, +and let me not see this gloom any more; or remove me to +some place where there is no darkness." + +2 But God the Lord said to Adam, "Indeed I say to you, +this darkness will pass from you, every day I have +determined for you, until the fulfillment of My covenant; +when I will save you and bring you back again into the +garden, into the house of light you long for, in which +there is no darkness*. I will bring you to it -- in the +kingdom of heaven." + +3 Again said God to Adam, "All this misery that you +have been made to take on yourself because of your +transgression, will not free you from the hand of Satan, +and will not save you. + +4 But I will. When I shall come down from heaven, and +shall become flesh of your descendants, and take on Myself +the infirmity from which you suffer, then the darkness that +covered you in this cave shall cover Me in the grave, when +I am in the flesh of your descendants. + +5 And I, who am without years, shall be subject to the +reckoning of years, of times, of months, and of days, and I +shall be reckoned as one of the sons of men, in order to +save you." + +6 And God ceased to commune with Adam. + + +* Reference: John 12:46 + + + +Chapter XV - Adam and Eve grieve over the suffering of God +to save them from their sins. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve cried and sorrowed by reason of +God's word to them, that they should not return to the +garden until the fulfillment of the days decreed on them; +but mostly because God had told them that He should suffer +for their salvation. + + + +Chapter XVI - The first sunrise. Adam and Eve think it is +a fire coming to burn them. + + +1 After this, Adam and Eve continued to stand in the +cave, praying and crying, until the morning dawned on them. + +2 And when they saw the light returned to them, they +retrained from fear, and strengthened their hearts. + +3 Then Adam began to come out of the cave. And when +he came to the mouth of it, and stood and turned his face +towards the east, and saw the sunrise in glowing rays, and +felt the heat thereof on his body, he was afraid of it, and +thought in his heart that this flame came forth to plague him. + +4 He then cried and beat his chest, then he fell on +the ground on his face and made his request, saying: -- + +5 "O Lord, plague me not, neither consume me, nor yet +take away my life from the earth." + +6 For he thought the sun was God. + +7 Because while he was in the garden and heard the +voice of God and the sound He made in the garden, and +feared Him, Adam never saw the brilliant light of the sun, +neither did its flaming heat touch his body. + +8 Therefore he was afraid of the sun when flaming rays +of it reached him. He thought God meant to plague him +therewith all the days He had decreed for him. + +9 For Adam also said in his thoughts, as God did not +plague us with darkness, behold, He has caused this sun to +rise and to plague us with burning heat. + +10 But while he was thinking like this in his heart, +the Word of God came to him and said: -- + +11 "O Adam, get up on your feet. This sun is not God; +but it has been created to give light by day, of which I +spoke to you in the cave saying, 'that the dawn would come, +and there would be light by day.' + +12 But I am God who comforted you in the night." + +13 And God ceased to commune with Adam. + + + +Chapter XVII - The Chapter of the Serpent. + + +1 The Adam and Eve came out at the mouth of the cave, +and went towards the garden. + +2 But as they went near it, before the western gate, +from which Satan came when he deceived Adam and Eve, they +found the serpent that became Satan coming at the gate, and +sorrowfully licking the dust, and wiggling on its breast on +the ground, by reason of the curse that fell on it from God. + +3 And whereas before the serpent was the most exalted +of all beasts, now it was changed and become slippery, and +the meanest of them all, and it crept on its breast and +went on its belly. + +4 And whereas it was the fairest of all beasts, it had +been changed, and was become the ugliest of them all. +Instead of feeding on the best food, now it turned to eat +the dust. Instead of living, as before, in the best +places, now it lived in the dust. + +5 And, whereas it had been the most beautiful of all +beasts, all of which stood dumb at its beauty, it was now +abhorred of them. + +6 And, again, whereas it lived in one beautiful home, +to which all other animals came from elsewhere; and where +it drank, they drank also of the same; now, after it had +become venomous, by reason of God's curse, all beasts fled +from its home, and would not drink of the water it drank; +but fled from it. + + + +Chapter XVIII - The mortal combat with the serpent. + +1 When the accursed serpent saw Adam and Eve, it +swelled its head, stood on its tail, and with eyes blood- +red, acted like it would kill them. + +2 It made straight for Eve, and ran after her; while +Adam standing by, cried because he had no stick in his hand +with which to hit the serpent, and did not know how to put +it to death. + +3 But with a heart burning for Eve, Adam approached +the serpent, and held it by the tail; when it turned +towards him and said to him: -- + +4 "O Adam, because of you and of Eve, I am slippery, +and go on my belly." Then with its great strength, +it threw down Adam and Eve and squeezed them, +and tried to kill them. + +5 But God sent an angel who threw the serpent away +from them, and raised them up. + +6 Then the Word of God came to the serpent, and said +to it, "The first time I made you slick, and made you to go +on your belly; but I did not deprive you of speech. + +7 This time, however, you will be mute, and you and +your race will speak no more; because, the first time My +creatures were ruined because of you, and this time you +tried to kill them." + +8 Then the serpent was struck mute, and was no longer +able to speak. + +9 And a wind blew down from heaven by the command of +God and carried away the serpent from Adam and Eve, and +threw it on the seashore where it landed in India. + + + +Chapter XIX - Beasts made subject to Adam. + + +1 But Adam and Eve cried before God. And Adam said to Him: -- + +2 "O Lord, when I was in the cave, I said this to you, my Lord, +the beasts of the field would rise and devour me, +and cut off my life from the earth." + +3 Then Adam, because of what had happened to him, beat +his chest and fell on the ground like a corpse. Then the +Word of God came to him, who raised him, and said to him, + +4 "O Adam, not one of these beasts will be able to hurt you; +because I have made the beasts and other moving things +come to you in the cave. I did not let the serpent come +with them because it might have risen against you and made +you tremble; and the fear of it should fall into your hearts. + +5 For I knew that the accursed one is wicked; therefore +I would not let it come near you with the other beasts. + +6 But now strengthen your heart and fear not. I am +with you to the end of the days I have determined on you." + + + +Chapter XX - Adam wishes to protect Eve. + + +1 Then Adam cried and said, "O God, take us away to +some other place, where the serpent can not come near us +again, and rise against us. For fear that it might find +Your handmaid Eve alone and kill her; for its eyes are +hideous and evil." + +2 But God said to Adam and Eve, "From now on, don't be +afraid, I will not let it come near you; I have driven it +away from you, from this mountain; neither will I leave in +it the ability to hurt you." + +3 Then Adam and Eve worshipped before God and gave Him +thanks, and praised Him for having delivered them from death. + + + +Chapter XXI - Adam and Eve attempt suicide. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve went in search of the garden. + +2 And the heat beat like a flame on their faces; and +they sweated from the heat, and cried before the Lord. + +3 But the place where they cried was close to a high mountain, +facing the western gate of the garden. + +4 Then Adam threw himself down from the top of that +mountain; his face was torn and his flesh was ripped; he +lost a lot of blood and was close to death. + +5 Meanwhile Eve remained standing on the mountain +crying over him, thus lying. + +6 And she said, "I don't wish to live after him; for +all that he did to himself was through me." + +7 Then she threw herself after him; and was torn and +ripped by stones; and remained lying as dead. + +8 But the merciful God, who looks over His creatures, +looked at Adam and Eve as they lay dead, and He sent His +Word to them, and raised them. + +9 And said to Adam, "O Adam, all this misery which you +have brought on yourself, will have no affect against My rule, +neither will it alter the covenant of the 5, 500 years." + + + +Chapter XXII - Adam in a gracious mood. + + +1 Then Adam said to God, "I dry up in the heat, I am +faint from walking, and I don't want to be in this world. +And I don't know when You will take me out of it to rest." + +2 Then the Lord God said to him, "O Adam, it cannot be +now, not until you have ended your days. Then shall I +bring you out of this miserable land." + +3 And Adam said to God, "While I was in the garden I +knew neither heat, nor languor, neither moving about, nor +trembling, nor fear; but now since I came to this land, all +this affliction has come over me. + +4 Then God said to Adam, "So long as you were keeping +My commandment, My light and My grace rested on you. But +when you transgressed My commandment, sorrow and misery +came to you in this land." + +5 And Adam cried and said, "O Lord, do not cut me off +for this, neither punish me with heavy plagues, nor yet +repay me according to my sin; for we, of our own will, +transgressed Your commandment, and ignored Your law, and +tried to become gods like you, when Satan the enemy +deceived us." + +6 Then God said again to Adam, "Because you have +endured fear and trembling in this land, languor and +suffering, treading and walking about, going on this +mountain, and dying from it, I will take all this on Myself +in order to save you." + + + +Chapter XXIII - Adam and Eve strengthen themselves and make +the first altar ever built. + + +1 Then Adam cried more and said, "O God, have mercy on +me, so far as to take on yourself, that which I will do." + +2 But God withdrew His Word from Adam and Eve. + +3 Then Adam and Eve stood on their feet; and Adam said to Eve, +"Strengthen yourself, and I also will strengthen myself." +And she strengthened herself, as Adam told her. + +4 Then Adam and Eve took stones and placed them in the +shape of an altar; and they took leaves from the trees +outside the garden, with which they wiped, from the face of +the rock, the blood they had spilled. + +5 But that which had dropped on the sand, they took +together with the dust with which it was mingled and +offered it on the altar as an offering to God. + +6 Then Adam and Eve stood under the Altar and cried, +thus praying to God, "Forgive us our trespass* and our sin, +and look at us with Thine eye of mercy. For when we were +in the garden our praises and our hymns went up before you +without ceasing. + +7 But when we came into this strange land, pure praise +was not longer ours, nor righteous prayer, nor +understanding hearts, nor sweet thoughts, nor just +counsels, nor long discernment, nor upright feelings, +neither is our bright nature left us. But our body is +changed from the likeness in which it was at first, when we +were created. + +8 Yet now look at our blood which is offered on these +stones, and accept it at our hands, like the praise we used +to sing to you at first, when in the garden." + +9 And Adam began to make more requests of God. + + +* ORIGINAL OF THE LORD'S PRAYER SAID TO BE USED ABOUT +150 YEARS BEFORE OUR LORD: Our Father, Who art in Heaven, +be gracious unto us, O Lord our God, hallowed be Your Name, +and let the remembrance of Thee be glorified Heaven above +and upon earth here below. + +Let Your kingdom reign over us now and forever. The +Holy Men of old said remit and forgive unto all men +whatsoever they have done unto me. And lead us not into +temptation, but deliver us from the evil thing; for Thine +is the kingdom and Thou shalt reign in glory forever and +forevermore, AMEN. + + + +Chapter XXIV - A vivid prophecy of the life and death of Christ. + + +1 Then the merciful God, good and lover of men, looked +at Adam and Eve, and at their blood, which they had held up +as an offering to Him; without an order from Him for so +doing. But He wondered at them; and accepted their +offerings. + +2 And God sent from His presence a bright fire, that +consumed their offering. + +3 He smelled the sweet savor of their offering, and +showed them mercy. + +4 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him, +"O Adam, as you have shed your blood, so will I shed My own +blood when I become flesh of your descendants; and as you +died, O Adam, so also will I die. And as you built an +altar, so also will I make for you an altar of the earth; +and as you offered your blood on it, so also will I offer +My blood on an altar on the earth. + +5 And as you sued for forgiveness through that blood, +so also will I make My blood forgiveness of sins, and erase +transgressions in it. + +6 And now, behold, I have accepted your offering, O +Adam, but the days of the covenant in which I have bound +you are not fulfilled. When they are fulfilled, then will +I bring you back into the garden. + +7 Now, therefore, strengthen your heart; and when +sorrow comes over you, make Me an offering, and I will be +favorable to you." + + + +Chapter XXV - God represented as merciful and loving. +The establishing of worship. + + +1 But God knew that Adam believed he should frequently +kill himself and make an offering to Him of his blood. + +2 Therefore He said to him, "O Adam, don't ever kill +yourself like this again, by throwing yourself down from +that mountain." + +3 But Adam said to God, "I was thinking to put an end +to myself at once, for having transgressed Your +commandments, and for my having come out of the beautiful +garden; and for the bright light of which You have deprived +me; and for the praises which poured forth from my mouth +without ceasing, and for the light that covered me. + +4 Yet of Your goodness, O God, do not get rid of me +altogether; but be favorable to me every time I die, and +bring me to life. + +5 And thereby it will be made known that You are a +merciful God, who does not want anyone to perish; who loves +not that one should fall; and who does not condemn any one +cruelly, badly, and by whole destruction." + +6 Then Adam remained silent. + +7 And the Word of God came to him, and blessed him, +and comforted him, and covenanted with him, that He would +save him at the end of the days determined for him. + +8 This, then, was the first offering Adam made to God; +and so it became his custom to do. + + + +Chapter XXVI - A beautiful prophecy of eternal life and joy +(v. 15). The fall of night. + +1 Then Adam took Eve, and they began to return to the +Cave of Treasures where they lived. But when they got +closer to it and saw it from a distance, heavy sorrow fell +on Adam and Eve when they looked at it. + +2 Then Adam said to Eve, "When we were on the mountain +we were comforted by the Word of God that conversed with +us; and the light that came from the east shown over us. + +3 But now the Word of God is hidden from us; and the +light that shown over us is so changed as to disappear, and +let darkness and sorrow come over us. + +4 And we are forced to enter this cave which is like a +prison, in which darkness covers us, so that we are +separated from each other; and you can not see me, neither +can I see you." + +5 When Adam had said these words, they cried and +spread their hands before God; for they were full of +sorrow. + +6 And they prayed to God to bring the sun to them, to +shine on them, so that darkness would not return to them, +and that they wouldn't have to go under this covering of +rock. And they wished to die rather than see the darkness. + +7 Then God looked at Adam and Eve and at their great +sorrow, and at all they had done with a fervent heart, on +account of all the trouble they were in, instead of their +former well-being, and on account of all the misery that +came over them in a strange land. + +8 Therefore God was not angry with them; nor impatient +with them; but he was patient and forbearing towards them, +as towards the children He had created. + +9 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him, +"Adam, as for the sun, if I were to take it and bring it to +you, days, hours, years and months would all stop, and the +covenant I have made with you, would never be fulfilled. + +10 But then you would be deserted and stuck in a +perpetual plague, and you would never be saved. + +11 Yes, rather, bear long and calm your soul while you +live night and day; until the fulfillment of the days, and +the time of My covenant is come. + +12 Then shall I come and save you, O Adam, for I do +not wish that you be afflicted. + +13 And when I look at all the good things in which you +lived, and why you came out of them, then would I willingly +show you mercy. + +14 But I cannot alter the covenant that has gone out +of My mouth; otherwise I would have brought you back into +the garden. + +15 When, however, the covenant is fulfilled, then +shall I show you and your descendants mercy, and bring you +into a land of gladness, where there is neither sorrow nor +suffering; but abiding joy and gladness, and light that +never fails, and praises that never cease; and a beautiful +garden that shall never pass away." + +16 And God said again to Adam, "Be patient and enter the cave, +for the darkness, of which you were afraid, shall only be +twelve hours long; and when ended, light shall come up." + +17 Then when Adam heard these words from God, he and +Eve worshipped before Him, and their hearts were comforted. +They returned into the cave after their custom, while tears +flowed from their eyes, sorrow and wailing came from their +hearts, and they wished their soul would leave their body. + +18 And Adam and Eve stood praying until the darkness +of night came over them, and Adam was hid from Eve, and she +from him. + +19 And they remained standing in prayer. + + + +Chapter XXVII - The second tempting of Adam and Eve. +The devil takes on the form of a beguiling light. + + +1 When Satan, the hater of all good, saw how they +continued in prayer, and how God communed with them, and +comforted them, and how He had accepted their offering -- +Satan made an apparition. + +2 He began with transforming his hosts; in his hands +was a flashing fire, and they were in a great light. + +3 He then placed his throne near the mouth of the cave +because he could not enter into it by reason of their prayers. +And he shed light into the cave, until the cave glistened over +Adam and Eve; while his hosts began to sing praises. + +4 And Satan did this, in order that when Adam saw the +light, he should think within himself that it was a +heavenly light, and that Satan's hosts were angels; and +that God had sent them to watch at the cave, and to give +him light in the darkness. + +5 So that when Adam came out of the cave and saw them, +and Adam and Eve bowed to Satan, then he would overcome +Adam thereby, and a second time humble him before God. + +6 When, therefore, Adam and Eve saw the light, +fancying it was real, they strengthened their hearts; yet, +as they were trembling, Adam said to Eve: -- + +7 "Look at that great light, and at those many songs +of praise, and at that host standing outside who won't come +into our cave. Why don't they tell us what they want, +where they are from, what the meaning of this light is, +what those praises are, why they have been sent to this +place, and why they won't come in? + +8 If they were from God, they would come into the cave +with us, and would tell us why they were sent." + +9 Then Adam stood up and prayed to God with a burning +heart, and said: -- + +10 "O Lord, is there in the world another god besides +You, who created angels and filled them with light, and +sent them to keep us, who would come with them? + +11 But, look, we see these hosts that stand at the +mouth of the cave; they are in a great light; they sing +loud praises. If they are of some other god than You, tell +me; and if they are sent by you, inform me of the reason +for which You have sent them." + +12 No sooner had Adam said this, than an angel from +God appeared to him in the cave, who said to him, "O Adam, +fear not. This is Satan and his hosts; he wishes to +deceive you as he deceived you at first. For the first +time, he was hidden in the serpent; but this time he is +come to you in the likeness of an angel of light; in order +that, when you worshipped him, he might enslave you, in the +very presence of God." + +13 Then the angel went from Adam and seized Satan at +the opening of the cave, and stripped him of the pretense +he had assumed, and brought him in his own hideous form to +Adam and Eve; who were afraid of him when they saw him. + +14 And the angel said to Adam, "This hideous form has +been his ever since God made him fall from heaven. He +could not have come near you in it; he therefore +transformed himself into an angel of light." + +15 Then the angel drove away Satan and his hosts from +Adam and Eve, and said to them, "Fear not; God who created +you, will strengthen you." + +16 And the angel left them. + +17 But Adam and Eve remained standing in the cave; no +consolation came to them; they divided in their thoughts. + +18 And when it was morning they prayed; and then went +out to seek the garden. For their hearts were towards it, +and they could get no consolation for having left it. + + + +Chapter XXVIII - The Devil pretends to lead Adam and Eve to +the water to bathe. + + +1 But when the crafty Satan saw them, that they were +going to the garden, he gathered together his host, and +came in appearance on a cloud, intent on deceiving them. + +2 But when Adam and Eve saw him thus in a vision, they +thought they were angels of God come to comfort them about +having left the garden, or to bring them back again into it. + +3 And Adam spread his hands before God, beseeching Him +to make him understand what they were. + +4 Then Satan, the hater of all good, said to Adam, "O +Adam, I am an angel of the great God; and, behold the hosts +that surround me. + +5 God has sent us to take you and bring you to the +border of the garden northwards; to the shore of the clear +sea, and bathe you and Eve in it, and raise you to your +former gladness, that you return again to the garden." + +6 These words sank into the heart of Adam and Eve. + +7 Yet God withheld His Word from Adam, and did not +make him understand at once, but waited to see his +strength; whether he would be overcome as Eve was when in +the garden, or whether he would prevail. + +8 Then Satan called to Adam and Eve, and said, +"Behold, we go to the sea of water," and they began to go. + +9 And Adam and Eve followed them at some little distance. + +10 But when they came to the mountain to the north of +the garden, a very high mountain, without any steps to the +top of it, the Devil drew near to Adam and Eve, and made +them go up to the top in reality, and not in a vision; +wishing, as he did, to throw them down and kill them, and +to wipe off their name from the earth; so that this earth +should remain to him and his hosts alone. + + + +Chapter XXIX - God tells Adam of the Devil's purpose. (v. 4). + + +1 But when the merciful God saw that Satan wished to +kill Adam with his many tricks, and saw that Adam was meek +and without guile, God spoke to Satan in a loud voice, and +cursed him. + +2 Then he and his hosts fled, and Adam and Eve +remained standing on the top of the mountain, from there +they saw below them the wide world, high above which they +were. But they saw none of the host which time after time +were by them. + +3 They cried, both Adam and Eve, before God, and +begged for forgiveness of Him. + +4 Then came the Word from God to Adam, and said to +him, "Know you and understand concerning this Satan, that +he seeks to deceive you and your descendants after you." + +5 And Adam cried before the Lord God, and begged and +prayed to Him to give him something from the garden, as a +token to him, wherein to be comforted. + +6 And God considered Adam's thought, and sent the +angel Michael as far as the sea that reaches India, to take +from there golden rods and bring them to Adam. + +7 This did God in His wisdom in order that these +golden rods, being with Adam in the cave, should shine +forth with light in the night around him, and put an end to +his fear of the darkness. + +8 Then the angel Michael went down by God's order, +took golden rods, as God had commanded him, and brought +them to God. + + + +Chapter XXX - Adam receives the first worldly goods. + + +1 After these things, God commanded the angel Gabriel +to go down to the garden, and say to the cherub who kept +it, "Behold, God has commanded me to come into the garden, +and to take from it sweet smelling incense, and give it to Adam." + +2 Then the angel Gabriel went down by God's order to +the garden, and told the cherub as God had commanded him. + +3 The cherub then said, "Well." And Gabriel went in +and took the incense. + +4 Then God commanded his angel Raphael to go down to +the garden, and speak to the cherub about some myrrh, to +give to Adam. + +5 And the angel Raphael went down and told the cherub +as God had commanded him, and the cherub said, "Well." +Then Raphael went in and took the myrrh. + +6 The golden rods were from the Indian sea, where +there are precious stones. The incense was from the +eastern border of the garden; and the myrrh from the +western border, from where bitterness came over Adam. + +7 And the angels brought these things to God, by the +Tree of Life, in the garden. + +8 Then God said to the angels, "Dip them in the spring +of water; then take them and sprinkle their water over Adam +and Eve, that they be a little comforted in their sorrow, +and give them to Adam and Eve. + +9 And the angels did as God had commanded them, and +they gave all those things to Adam and Eve on the top of +the mountain on which Satan had placed them, when he sought +to make an end of them. + +10 And when Adam saw the golden rods, the incense and +the myrrh, he was rejoiced and cried because he thought +that the gold was a token of the kingdom from where he had +come, that the incense was a token of the bright light +which had been taken from him, and that the myrrh was a +token of the sorrow in which he was. + + + +Chapter XXXI - They make themselves more comfortable +in the Cave of Treasures on the third day. + + +1 After these things God said to Adam, "You asked Me +for something from the garden, to be comforted therewith, +and I have given you these three tokens as a consolation to +you; that you trust in Me and in My covenant with you. + +2 For I will come and save you; and kings shall bring +me when in the flesh, gold, incense and myrrh; gold as a +token of My kingdom; incense as a token of My divinity; and +myrrh as a token of My suffering and of My death. + +3 But, O Adam, put these by you in the cave; the gold +that it may shed light over you by night; the incense, that +you smell its sweet savor; and the myrrh, to comfort you in +your sorrow." + +4 When Adam heard these words from God, he worshipped +before Him. He and Eve worshipped Him and gave Him thanks, +because He had dealt mercifully with them. + +5 Then God commanded the three angels, Michael, +Gabriel and Raphael, each to bring what he had brought, and +give it to Adam. And they did so, one by one. + +6 And God commanded Suriyel and Salathiel to bear up +Adam and Eve, and bring them down from the top of the high +mountain, and to take them to the Cave of Treasures. + +7 There they laid the gold on the south side of the cave, +the incense on the eastern side, and the myrrh on the western side. +For the mouth of the cave was on the north side. + +8 The angels then comforted Adam and Eve, and departed. + +9 The gold was seventy rods*; the incense, twelve +pounds; and the myrrh, three pounds. + +10 These remained by Adam in the Cave of Treasures**. + +11 God gave these three things to Adam on the third day +after he had come out of the garden, in token of the +three days the Lord should remain in the heart of the earth. + +12 And these three things, as they continued with Adam +in the cave, gave him light by night; and by day they gave +him a little relief from his sorrow. + + +* A rod is a unit of linear measure equivalent to 5.5 +yards and also a unit of area measure equivalent to 30.25 +square yards. In this case, the word rod simply means a kind +of long, thin piece of gold of unspecified size and weight. + +** This is the original text which appears to contain +embedded editorial content: "These remained by Adam in the +House of Treasures; therefore was it called 'of +concealment.' But other interpreters say it was called the +'Cave of Treasures,' by reason of the bodies of righteous +men that were in it. + + + +Chapter XXXII - Adam and Eve go into the water to pray. + + +1 And Adam and Eve remained in the Cave of Treasures +until the seventh day; they neither ate of the fruit the +earth, nor drank water. + +2 And when it dawned on the eighth day, Adam said to +Eve, "O Eve, we prayed God to give us something from the +garden, and He sent his angels who brought us what we had +desired. + +3 But now, get up, let us go to the sea of water we +saw at first, and let us stand in it, praying that God will +again be favorable to us and take us back to the garden; or +give us something; or that He will give us comfort in some +other land than this in which we are." + +4 Then Adam and Eve came out of the cave, went and +stood on the border of the sea in which they had before +thrown themselves, and Adam said to Eve:-- + +5 Come, go down into this place, and come not out of +it until the end of thirty days, when I shall come to you. +And pray to God with burning heart and a sweet voice, to +forgive us. + +6 And I will go to another place, and go down into it, +and do like you." + +7 Then Eve went down into the water, as Adam had +commanded her. Adam also went down into the water; and +they stood praying; and besought the Lord to forgive them +their offense, and to restore them to their former state. + +8 And they stood like that praying, until the end of +the thirty-five days. + + + +Chapter XXXIII - Satan falsely promises the "bright light." + + +1 But Satan, the hater of all good, sought them in the cave, +but found them not, although he searched diligently for them. + +2 But he found them standing in the water praying and +thought within himself, "Adam and Eve are standing like +that in that water praying to God to forgive them their +transgression, and to restore them to their former state, +and to take them from under my hand. + +3 But I will deceive them so that they shall come out +of the water, and not fulfil their vow." + +4 Then the hater of all good, went not to Adam, but he +went to Eve, and took the form of an angel of God, praising +and rejoicing, and said to her:-- + +5 "Peace be to you! Be glad and rejoice! God is +favorable to you, and He sent me to Adam. I have brought +him the glad tidings of salvation, and of his being filled +with bright light as he was at first. + +6 And Adam, in his joy for his restoration, has sent +me to you, that you come to me, in order that I crown you +with light like him. + +7 And he said to me, 'Speak to Eve; if she does not +come with you, tell her of the sign when we were on the top +of the mountain; how God sent his angels who took us and +brought us to the Cave of Treasures; and laid the gold on +the southern side; incense, on the eastern side; and myrrh +on the western side.' Now come to him." + +8 When Eve hear these words from him, she rejoiced +greatly. And thinking Satan's appearance was real, she +came out of the sea. + +9 He went before, and she followed him until they came to Adam. +Then Satan hid himself from her, and she saw him no more. + +10 She then came and stood before Adam, who was +standing by the water and rejoicing in God's forgiveness. + +11 And as she called to him, he turned around, found +her there and cried when he saw her, and beat his chest; +and from the bitterness of his grief, he sank into the water. + +12 But God looked at him and at his misery, and at his +being about to breathe his last. And the Word of God came +from heaven, raised him out of the water, and said to him, +"Go up the high bank to Eve." And when he came up to Eve +he said to her, "Who told you to come here?" + +13 Then she told him the discourse of the angel who +had appeared to her and had given her a sign. + +14 But Adam grieved, and gave her to know it was Satan. +He then took her and they both returned to the cave. + +15 These things happened to them the second time they +went down to the water, seven days after their coming out +of the garden. + +16 They fasted in the water thirty-five days; +altogether forty-two days since they had left the garden. + + + +Chapter XXXIV - Adam recalls the creation of Eve. +He eloquently appeals for food and drink. + + +1 And on the morning of the forty-third day, they came +out of the cave, sorrowful and crying. Their bodies were +lean, and they were parched from hunger and thirst, from +fasting and praying, and from their heavy sorrow on account +of their transgression. + +2 And when they had come out of the cave they went up +the mountain to the west of the garden. + +3 There they stood and prayed and besought God to +grant them forgiveness of their sins. + +4 And after their prayers Adam began to beg God, +saying, "O my Lord, my God, and my Creator, You commanded +the four elements* to be gathered together, and they were +gathered together by Thine order. + +5 Then You spread Your hand and created me out of one +element, that of dust of the earth; and You brought me into +the garden at the third hour, on a Friday, and informed me +of it in the cave. + +6 Then, at first, I knew neither night nor day, for I +had a bright nature; neither did the light in which I lived +ever leave me to know night or day. + +7 Then, again, O Lord, in that third hour in which You +created me, You brought to me all beasts, and lions, and +ostriches, and fowls of the air, and all things that move +in the earth, which You had created at the first hour +before me of the Friday. + +8 And Your will was that I should name them all, one +by one, with a suitable name. But You gave me +understanding and knowledge, and a pure heart and a right +mind from you, that I should name them after Thine own mind +regarding the naming of them. + +9 O God, You made them obedient to me, and ordered +that not one of them break from my sway, according to Your +commandment, and to the dominion which You had given me +over them. But now they are all estranged from me. + +10 Then it was in that third hour of Friday, in which +You created me, and commanded me concerning the tree, to +which I was neither to go near, nor to eat thereof; for You +said to me in the garden, 'When you eat of it, of death you +shall die.' + +11 And if You had punished me as You said, with death, +I should have died that very moment. + +12 Moreover, when You commanded me regarding the tree, +I was neither to approach nor to eat thereof, Eve was not +with me; You had not yet created her, neither had You yet +taken her out of my side; nor had she yet heard this order +from you. + +13 Then, at the end of the third hour of that Friday, +O Lord, You caused a slumber and a sleep to come over me, +and I slept, and was overwhelmed in sleep. + +14 Then You drew a rib out of my side, and created it +after my own likeness and image. Then I awoke; and when I +saw her and knew who she was, I said, 'This is bone of my +bones, and flesh of my flesh; from now on she shall be +called woman.' + +15 It was of Your good will, O God, that You brought a +slumber in a sleep over me, and that You immediately +brought Eve out of my side, until she was out, so that I +did not see how she was made; neither could I witness, O my +Lord, how awful and great are Your goodness and glory. + +16 And of Your goodwill, O Lord, You made us both with +bodies of a bright nature, and You made us two, one; and +You gave us Your grace, and filled us with praises of the +Holy Spirit; that we should be neither hungry nor thirsty, +nor know what sorrow is, nor yet faintness of heart; +neither suffering, fasting nor weariness. + +17 But now, O God, since we transgressed Your +commandment and broke Your law, You have brought us out +into a strange land, and have caused suffering, and +faintness, hunger and thirst to come over us. + +18 Now, therefore, O God, we pray you, give us +something to eat from the garden, to satisfy our hunger +with it; and something wherewith to quench our thirst. + +19 For, behold, many days, O God, we have tasted +nothing and drunk nothing, and our flesh is dried up, and +our strength is wasted, and sleep is gone from our eyes +from faintness and crying. + +20 Then, O God, we dare not gather anything from the +fruit of trees, from fear of you. For when we transgress +at first You spared us and did not make us die. + +21 But now, we thought in our hearts, if we eat of the +fruit of the trees, without God's order, He will destroy us +this time, and will wipe us off from the face of the earth. + +22 And if we drink of this water, without God's order, +He will make an end of us and root us up at once. + +23 Now, therefore, O God, that I am come to this place +with Eve, we beg You to give us some fruit from the garden, +that we may be satisfied with it. + +24 For we desire the fruit that is on the earth, and +all else that we lack in it." + + +* The medieval belief that there were only four +elements - fire, earth, air, and water - was widely +accepted until about 1500 AD when the current atomic theory +was in its infancy. + + + +Chapter XXXV - God's reply. + + +1 Then God looked again at Adam and his crying and groaning, +and the Word of God came to him, and said to him: -- + +2 "O Adam, when you were in My garden, you knew +neither eating nor drinking; neither faintness nor +suffering; neither leanness of flesh, nor change; neither +did sleep depart from thine eyes. But since you +transgressed, and came into this strange land, all these +trials are come over you." + + + +Chapter XXXVI - Figs. + + +1 Then God commanded the cherub, who kept the gate of +the garden with a sword of fire in his hand, to take some +of the fruit of the fig-tree, and to give it to Adam. + +2 The cherub obeyed the command of the Lord God, and +went into the garden and brought two figs on two twigs, +each fig hanging to its leaf; they were from two of the +trees among which Adam and Eve hid themselves when God went +to walk in the garden, and the Word of God came to Adam and +Eve and said to them, "Adam, Adam, where are you?" + +3 And Adam answered, "O God, here I am. When I heard the sound +of You and Your voice, I hid myself, because I am naked." + +4 Then the cherub took two figs and brought them to +Adam and Eve. But he threw them to them from a distance; +for they might not come near the cherub by reason of their +flesh, that could not come near the fire. + +5 At first, angels trembled at the presence of Adam +and were afraid of him. But now Adam trembled before the +angels and was afraid of them. + +6 Then Adam came closer and took one fig, and Eve also +came in turn and took the other. + +7 And as they took them up in their hands, they looked +at them, and knew they were from the trees among which they +had hidden themselves. + + + +Chapter XXXVII - Forty-three days of penance do not redeem +one hour of sin (v. 6). + + +1 Then Adam said to Eve, "Do you not see these figs +and their leaves, with which we covered ourselves when we +were stripped of our bright nature? But now, we do not +know what misery and suffering may come over us from eating them. + +2 Now, therefore, O Eve, let us restrain ourselves and +not eat of them, you and I; and let us ask God to give us +of the fruit of the Tree of Life." + +3 Thus did Adam and Eve restrain themselves, and did +not eat of these figs. + +4 But Adam began to pray to God and to beseech Him to +give him of the fruit of the Tree of Life, saying thus: "O +God, when we transgressed Your commandment at the sixth +hour of Friday, we were stripped of the bright nature we +had, and did not continue in the garden after our +transgression, more than three hours. + +5 But in the evening You made us come out of it. O +God, we transgressed against You one hour, and all these +trials and sorrows have come over us until this day. + +6 And those days together with this the forty-third +day, do not redeem that one hour in which we transgressed! + +7 O God, look at us with an eye of pity, and do not +avenge us according to our transgression of Your +commandment, in Your presence. + +8 O God, give us of the fruit of the Tree of Life, +that we may eat of it, and live, and turn not to see +sufferings and other trouble, in this earth; for You are God. + +9 When we transgressed Your commandment, You made us +come out of the garden, and sent a cherub to keep the Tree +of Life, lest we should eat thereof, and live; and know +nothing of faintness after we transgressed. + +10 But now, O Lord, behold, we have endured all these +days, and have borne sufferings. Make these forty-three +days an equivalent for the one hour in which we transgressed." + + + +Chapter XXXVIII - "When 5500 years are fulfilled. . . ." + + +1 After these things the Word of God came to Adam, and said to him: -- + +2 "O Adam, as to the fruit on the Tree of Life that +you have asked for, I will not give it to you now, but only +when the 5500 years are fulfilled. At that time I will +give you fruit from the Tree of Life, and you will eat, and +live forever, you, and Eve, and your righteous descendants. + +3 But these forty-three days cannot make amends for +the hour in which you transgressed My commandment. + +4 O Adam, I gave you the fruit of the fig-tree to eat +in which you hid yourself. Go and eat of it, you and Eve. + +5 I will not deny your request, neither will I +disappoint your hope; therefore, endure until the +fulfillment of the covenant I made with you." + +6 And God withdrew His Word from Adam. + + + +Chapter XXXIX - Adam is cautious -- but too late. + + +1 Then Adam returned to Eve, and said to her, "Get up, +and take a fig for yourself, and I will take another; and +let us go to our cave." + +2 Then Adam and Eve took each a fig and went towards +the cave; the time was about the setting of the sun; and +their thoughts made them long to eat of the fruit. + +3 But Adam said to Eve, "I am afraid to eat of this fig. +I know not what may come over me from it." + +4 So Adam cried, and stood praying before God, saying, +"Satisfy my hunger, without my having to eat this fig; for +after I have eaten it, what will it profit me? And what +shall I desire and ask of you, O God, when it is gone?" + +5 And he said again, "I am afraid to eat of it; for I +know not what will befall me through it." + + + +Chapter XL - The first Human hunger. + + +1 Then the Word of God came to Adam, and said to him, +"O Adam, why didn't you have this dread, or this fasting, +or this care before now? And why didn't you have this fear +before you transgressed? + +2 But when you came to live in this strange land, your +animal body could not survive on earth without earthly +food, to strengthen it and to restore its powers." + +3 And God withdrew His Word for Adam. + + + +Chapter XLI - The first Human thirst. + + +1 Then Adam took the fig, and laid it on the golden +rods. Eve also took her fig, and put it on the incense. + +2 And the weight of each fig was that of a water-melon; +for the fruit of the garden was much larger than the +fruit of this land*. + +3 But Adam and Eve remained standing and fasting the +whole of that night, until the morning dawned. + +4 When the sun rose they were still praying, but after +they had finished praying, Adam said to Eve: -- + +5 "O Eve, come, let us go to the border of the garden +looking south; to the place from where the river flows, and +is parted into four heads. There we will pray to God, and +ask Him to give us some of the Water of Life to drink . + +6 For God has not fed us with the Tree of Life, in +order that we may not live. Therefore, we will ask him to +give us some of the Water of Life, and to quench our thirst +with it, rather than with a drink of water of this land." + +7 When Eve heard these words from Adam, she agreed; +and they both got up and came to the southern border of the +garden, at the edge of the river of water a short distance +from the garden. + +8 And they stood and prayed before the Lord, and asked +Him to look at them this once, to forgive them, and to +grant them their request. + +9 After this prayer from both of them, Adam began to +pray with his voice before God, and said; -- + +10 "O Lord, when I was in the garden and saw the water +that flowed from under the Tree of Life, my heart did not +desire, neither did my body require to drink of it; neither +did I know thirst, for I was living; and above that which I am now. + +11 So that in order to live I did not require any Food +of Life, neither did I drink of the Water of Life. + +12 But now, O God, I am dead; my flesh is parched with +thirst. Give me of the Water of Life that I may drink of +it and live. + +13 Of Your mercy, O God, save me from these plagues +and trials, and bring me into another land different from +this, if You will not let me live in Your garden." + + +* This is substantiated by Genesis 3:7 whereby the +leaves of the fig tree were large enough that Adam and Eve +could fashion garments from them. + + + +Chapter XLII - A promise of the Water of Life. The third +prophecy of the coming of Christ. + + +1 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him:-- + +2 "O Adam, as to what you said, 'Bring me into a land +where there is rest,' it is not another land than this, but +it is the kingdom of heaven where alone there is rest. + +3 But you can not make your entrance into it at +present; but only after your judgment is past and +fulfilled. + +4 Then will I make you go up into the kingdom of +heaven, you and your righteous descendants; and I will give +you and them the rest you ask for at present. + +5 And if you said, 'Give me of the Water of Life that +I may drink and live' -- it cannot be this day, but on the +day that I shall descend into hell, and break the gates of +brass, and bruise in pieces the kingdoms of iron. + +6 Then will I in mercy save your soul and the souls of +the righteous, to give them rest in My garden. And that +shall be when the end of the world is come. + +7 And, again, in regards to the Water of Life you +seek, it will not be granted you this day; but on the day +that I shall shed My blood on your head* in the land of +Golgotha**. + +8 For My blood shall be the Water of Life to you at +that time, and not to just you alone, but to all your +descendants who shall believe in Me***; that it be to them +for rest forever." + +9 The Lord said again to Adam, "O Adam, when you were +in the garden, these trials did not come to you. + +10 But since you transgressed My commandment, all +these sufferings have come over you. + +11 Now, also, does your flesh require food and drink; +drink then of that water that flows by you on the face of +the earth. + +12 Then God withdrew His Word from Adam. + +13 And Adam and Eve worshipped the Lord, and returned from +the river of water to the cave. It was noon-day; and when +they drew near to the cave, they saw a large fire by it. + + +* This phrase indicates that the bleeding will take +place in an elevated position above the populace. This is +believed to be a reference to the cross whereby Christ bled +profusely above the people below. + +** Golgotha (goal-goth-uh) was the hill outside the +walls of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. Its exact +location is not precisely known, but the Church of the Holy +Sepulcher is believed to have been constructed on this hill. + +*** Reference: John 6:25 and 7:38 + + + + +Chapter XLIII - The Devil attempts arson. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve were afraid, and stood still. And +Adam said to Eve, "What is that fire by our cave? We have +done nothing in it to cause this fire. + +2 We neither have bread to bake therein, nor broth to +cook there. As to this fire, we have never known anything +like it, neither do we know what to call it. + +3 But ever since God sent the cherub with a sword of +fire that flashed and lightened in his hand, from fear of +which we fell down and were like corpses, have we not seen +the like. + +4 But now, O Eve, behold, this is the same fire that +was in the cherub's hand, which God has sent to keep the +cave in which we live. + +5 O Eve, it is because God is angry with us, and will +drive us from it. + +6 O Eve, we have again transgressed His commandment in +that cave, so that He had sent this fire to burn around it, +and to prevent us from going into it. + +7 If this be really so, O Eve, where shall we live? +And where shall we flee from before the face of the Lord? +Since, in regards to the garden, He will not let us live in +it, and He has deprived us of the good things thereof; but +He has placed us in this cave, in which we have borne +darkness, trials and hardships, until at last we have found +comfort therein. + +8 But now that He has brought us out into another +land, who knows what may happen in it? And who knows but +that the darkness of that land may be far greater than the +darkness of this land? + +9 Who knows what may happen in that land by day or by +night? And who knows whether it will be far or near, O Eve? +Where it will please God to put us, may be far from the +garden, O Eve? Or where God will prevent us from beholding +Him, because we have transgressed His commandment, and +because we have made requests of Him at all times? + +10 O Eve, if God will bring us into a strange land +other than this, in which we find consolation, it must be +to put our souls to death, and blot out our name from the +face of the earth. + +11 O Eve, if we are further alienated from the garden +and from God, where shall we find Him again, and ask Him to +give us gold, incense, myrrh, and some fruit of the fig-tree? + +12 Where shall we find Him, to comfort us a second +time? Where shall we find Him, that He may think of us, as +regards the covenant He has made on our behalf?" + +13 Then Adam said no more. And they kept looking, He +and Eve, towards the cave, and at the fire that flared up +around it. + +14 But that fire was from Satan. For he had gathered +trees and dry grasses, and had carried and brought them to +the cave, and had set fire to them, in order to consume the +cave and what was in it. + +15 So that Adam and Eve should be left in sorrow, and +he should cut off their trust in God, and make them deny +Him. + +16 But by the mercy of God he could not burn the cave, +for God sent His angel around the cave to guard it from +such a fire, until it went out. + +17 And this fire lasted from noon-day until the break +of day. That was the forty-fifth day. + + + + +Chapter XLIV - The power of fire over man. + + +1 Yet Adam and Eve were standing and looking at the fire, +and unable to come near the cave from their dread of the fire. + +2 And Satan kept on bringing trees and throwing them +into the fire, until the flames of the fire rose up on +high, and covered the whole cave, thinking, as he did in +his own mind, to consume the cave with much fire. But the +angel of the Lord was guarding it. + +3 And yet he could not curse Satan, nor injure him by +word, because he had no authority over him, neither did he +take to doing so with words from his mouth. + +4 Therefore the angel tolerated him, without saying +one bad word, until the Word of God came who said to Satan, +"Go away from here; once before you deceived My servants, +and this time you seek to destroy them. + +5 Were it not for My mercy I would have destroyed you +and your hosts from off the earth. But I have had patience +with you, until the end of the world." + +6 Then Satan fled from before the Lord. But the fire +went on burning around the cave like a coal-fire the whole +day; which was the forty-sixth day Adam and Eve had spent +since they came out of the garden. + +7 And when Adam and Eve saw that the heat of the fire +had somewhat cooled down, they began to walk towards the +cave to get into it as they usually did; but they could +not, by reason of the heat of the fire. + +8 Then they both began crying because of the fire that +separated them from the cave, and that came towards them, +burning. And they were afraid. + +9 Then Adam said to Eve, "See this fire of which we +have a portion in us: which formerly yielded to us, but no +longer does so, now that we have transgressed the limit of +creation, and changed our condition, and our nature is +altered. But the fire is not changed in its nature, nor +altered from its creation. Therefore it now has power over +us; and when we come near it, it scorches our flesh." + + + +Chapter XLV - Why Satan didn't fulfil his promises. +Description of hell. + + +1 Then Adam rose and prayed to God, saying, "See, this +fire has separated us from the cave in which You have +commanded us to live; but now, behold, we cannot go into it." + +2 Then God heard Adam, and sent him His Word, that said: -- + +3 "O Adam, see this fire! How different the flame and +heat thereof are from the garden of delights and the good +things in it! + +4 When you were under My control, all creatures +yielded to you; but after you have transgressed My +commandment, they all rise over you." + +5 God said again to him, "See, O Adam, how Satan has +exalted you! He has deprived you of the Godhead, and of an +exalted state like Me, and has not kept his word to you; +but has, after all, become your enemy. He is the one who +made this fire in which he meant to burn you and Eve. + +6 Why, O Adam, has he not kept his agreement with you, +not even one day; but has deprived you of the glory that +was on you -- when you yielded to his command? + +7 Do you think, Adam, that he loved you when he made +this agreement with you? Or that he loved you and wished +to raise you on high? + +8 But no, Adam, he did not do all that out of love to +you; but he wished to make you come out of light into +darkness; and from an exalted state to degradation; from +glory to abasement; from joy to sorrow; and from rest to +fasting and fainting." + +9 God also said to Adam, "See this fire kindled by +Satan around your cave; see this wonder that surrounds you; +and know that it will encompass about both you and your +descendants, when you obey his command; that he will plague +you with fire; and that you will go down into hell after +you are dead. + +10 Then you will see the burning of his fire, that +will be burning around you and likewise your descendants. +You will not be delivered from it until My coming; just +like you cannot go into your cave right now because of the +great fire around it; not until My Word comes and makes a +way for you on the day My covenant is fulfilled. + +11 There is no way for you at present to come from +this life to rest, not until My Word comes, who is My Word. +Then He will make a way for you, and you shall have rest." +Then God called with His Word to the fire that burned +around the cave, that it split itself in half, until Adam +had gone through it. Then the fire parted itself by God's +order, and a way was made for Adam*. + +12 And God withdrew His Word from Adam. + + +* Reference: Exodus 14:21,22 and Joshua 3:15-17 + + + +Chapter XLVI - "How many times have I delivered you +out of his hand . . ." + + +1 Then Adam and Eve began again to come into the cave. +And when they came to the way between the fire, Satan blew +into the fire like a whirlwind, and caused the burning +coal-fire to cover Adam and Eve; so that their bodies were +singed; and the coal-fire scorched them*. + +2 And from the burning of the fire Adam and Eve +screamed, and said, "O Lord, save us! Leave us not to be +consumed and plagued by this burning fire; neither require +us for having transgressed Your commandment." + +3 Then God looked at their bodies, on which Satan had +caused fire to burn, and God sent His angel that stayed the +burning fire. But the wounds remained on their bodies. + +4 And God said to Adam, "See Satan's love for you, who +pretended to give you the Godhead and greatness; and, +behold, he burns you with fire, and seeks to destroy you +from off the earth. + +5 Then look at Me, O Adam; I created you, and how many +times have I delivered you out of his hand? If not, +wouldn't he have destroyed you?" + +6 God said again to Eve, "What is that he promised you +in the garden, saying, 'As soon as you eat from the tree, +your eyes will be opened, and you shall become like gods, +knowing good and evil.' But look! He has burnt your +bodies with fire, and has made you taste the taste of fire, +for the taste of the garden; and has made you see the +burning of fire, and the evil of it, and the power it has +over you. + +7 Your eyes have seen the good he has taken from you, +and in truth he has opened your eyes; and you have seen the +garden in which you were with Me, and you have also seen +the evil that has come over you from Satan. But as to the +Godhead he cannot give it to you, neither fulfil his speech +to you. No, he was bitter against you and your +descendants, that will come after you." + +8 And God withdrew His Word form them. + + +* At this time, the garments that the Lord had given +them in Genesis 3:21 were burned off so that Adam and Eve +were again naked. Reference chapter L whereby Adam and Eve +seek garments with which to cover their nakedness.. + + + +Chapter XLVII - The Devil's own Scheming. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve came into the cave, yet trembling at +the fire that had scorched their bodies. So Adam said to Eve:-- + +2 "Look, the fire has burnt our flesh in this world; +but how will it be when we are dead, and Satan shall punish +our souls? Is not our deliverance long and far off, unless +God come, and in mercy to us fulfil His promise?" + +3 Then Adam and Eve passed into the cave, blessing +themselves for coming into it once more. For it was in +their thoughts, that they never should enter it, when they +saw the fire around it. + +4 But as the sun was setting the fire was still +burning and nearing Adam and Eve in the cave, so that they +could not sleep in it. After the sun had set, they went +out of it. This was the forty-seventh day after they came +out of the garden. + +5 Adam and Eve then came under the top of hill by the +garden to sleep, as they were accustomed. + +6 And they stood and prayed God to forgive them their +sins, and then fell asleep under the summit of the +mountain. + +7 But Satan, the hater of all good, thought within +himself: "Whereas God has promised salvation to Adam by +covenant, and that He would deliver him out of all the +hardships that have befallen him -- but has not promised me +by covenant, and will not deliver me out of my hardships; +no, since He has promised him that He should make him and +his descendants live in the kingdom in which I once was -- +I will kill Adam. + +8 The earth shall be rid of him; and shall be left to +me alone; so that when he is dead he may not have any +descendants left to inherit the kingdom that shall remain +my own realm; God will then be wanting me, and He will +restore it to me and my hosts." + + + +Chapter XLVIII - Fifth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve. + + +1 After this Satan called to his hosts, all of which +came to him, and said to him: -- + +2 "O, our lord, what will you do?" + +3 He then said to them, "You know that this Adam, whom +God created out of the dust, is the one who has taken our +kingdom, come, let us gather together and kill him; or hurl +a rock at him and at Eve, and crush them under it." + +4 When Satan's hosts heard these words, they came to +the part of the mountain where Adam and Eve were asleep. + +5 Then Satan and his host took a huge rock, broad and +even, and without blemish, thinking within himself, "If +there should be a hole in the rock, when it fell on them, +the hole in the rock might come over them, and so they +would escape and not die." + +6 He then said to his hosts, "Take up this stone, and +throw it flat on them, so that it doesn't roll off them to +somewhere else. And when you have hurled it, get away from +there quickly." + +7 And they did as he told them. But as the rock fell +down from the mountain toward Adam and Eve, God commanded +the rock to become a dome over them*, that did them no +harm. And so it was by God's order. + +8 But when the rock fell, the whole earth quaked with +it**, and was shaken from the size of the rock. + +9 And as it quaked and shook, Adam and Eve awoke from +sleep, and found themselves under a dome of rock. But they +didn't know what had happened; because when the fell asleep +they were under the sky, and not under a dome; and when +they saw it, they were afraid. + +10 Then Adam said to Eve, "Wherefore has the mountain +bent itself, and the earth quaked and shaken on our account? +And why has this rock spread itself over us like a tent? + +11 Does God intend to plague us and to shut us up in +this prison? Or will He close the earth over us? + +12 He is angry with us for our having come out of the +cave, without His order; and for our having done so of our +own accord, without consulting Him, when we left the cave +and came to this place." + +13 Then Eve said, "If, indeed, the earth quaked for +our sake, and this rock forms a tent over us because of our +transgression, then we will be sorry, O Adam, because our +punishment will be long. + +14 But get up and pray to God to let us know concerning this, +and what this rock is that is spread over us like a tent." + +15 Then Adam stood up and prayed before the Lord, to +let him know what had brought about this difficult time. +And Adam stood praying like that until the morning. + + +* The word "dome" is used here but the text does not +specifically suggest that the covering was round - only +that it covered them on all sides, however a dome is the +most likely shape that would have be able to withstand the +impact with the ground. From verse 9 that says "when they +saw it" and verse 11 that says "shut us up in this prison", +we can conclude that the dome had holes in its sides that +were big enough to let in light and air but were too small +to allow Adam and Eve to escape. Another conclusion would +be that the holes were large but too high up for Adam and +Eve to reach, however the former is more likely. + +** In verse 7 of the next chapter (XLIX), God tells +Adam and Eve that the ground was also lowered under them - +"I commanded ... the rock under you to lower itself". + + + + +Chapter XLIX - The first prophecy of the Resurrection. + + +1 Then the Word of God came and said: -- + +2 "O Adam, who counselled you, when you came out of +the cave, to come to this place?" + +3 And Adam said to God, "O Lord, we came to this place +because of the heat of the fire, that came over us inside +the cave." + +4 Then the Lord God said to Adam, "O Adam, you dread +the heat of fire for one night, but how will it be when you +live in hell? + +5 Yet, O Adam, don't be afraid, and don't believe that I have +placed this dome of rock over you to plague you with it. + +6 It came from Satan, who had promised you the Godhead +and majesty. It is he who threw down this rock to kill you +under it, and Eve with you, and thus to prevent you from +living on the earth. + +7 But, in mercy for you, just as that rock was falling +down on you, I commanded it to form an dome over you; and +the rock under you to lower itself. + +8 And this sign, O Adam, will happen to Me at My +coming on earth: Satan will raise the people of the Jews to +put Me to death; and they will lay Me in a rock, and seal a +large stone over Me, and I shall remain within that rock +three days and three nights. + +9 But on the third day I shall rise again, and it +shall be salvation to you, O Adam, and to your descendants, +to believe in Me. But, O Adam, I will not bring you from +under this rock until three days and three nights have +passed." + +10 And God withdrew His Word from Adam. + +11 But Adam and Eve lived under the rock three days +and three nights, as God had told them. + +12 And God did so to them because they had left their +cave and had come to this same place without God's order. + +13 But, after three days and three nights, God created +an opening in the dome of rock and allowed them to get out +from under it. Their flesh was dried up, and their eyes +and hearts were troubled from crying and sorrow. + + + +Chapter L - Adam and Eve seek to cover their nakedness. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve went forth and came into the Cave +of Treasures, and they stood praying in it the whole of +that day, until the evening. + +2 And this took place at the end of the fifty days +after they had left the garden. + +3 But Adam and Eve rose again and prayed to God in the cave +the whole of that night, and begged for mercy from Him. + +4 And when the day dawned, Adam said to Eve, "Come! +Let us go and do some work for our bodies." + +5 So they went out of the cave, and came to the +northern border of the garden, and they looked for +something to cover their bodies with*. But they found +nothing, and knew not how to do the work. Yet their bodies +were stained, and they were speechless from cold and heat. + +6 Then Adam stood and asked God to show him something +with which to cover their bodies. + +7 Then came the Word of God and said to him, "O Adam, +take Eve and come to the seashore where you fasted before. +There you will find skins of sheep that were left after +lions ate the carcasses. Take them and make garments for +yourselves, and clothe yourselves with them. + + +* Chapter XLVI, verse 1, says "Satan blew into the +fire ... so that their bodies were singed". At this time, +the garments that the Lord had given them in Genesis 3:21 +were burned off so that Adam and Eve were again naked. + + + +Chapter LI - "What is his beauty that you should have +followed him?" + + +1 When Adam heard these words from God, he took Eve +and went from the northern end of the garden to the south +of it, by the river of water where they once fasted. + +2 But as they were going on their way, and before they +got there, Satan, the wicked one, had heard the Word of God +communing with Adam respecting his covering. + +3 It grieved him, and he hastened to the place where +the sheep-skins were, with the intention of taking them and +throwing them into the sea, or of burning them with fire, +so that Adam and Eve would not find them. + +4 But as he was about to take them, the Word of God +came from heaven, and bound him by the side of those skins +until Adam and Eve came near him. But as they got closer +to him they were afraid of him, and of his hideous look. + +5 Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, and said +to them, "This is he who was hidden in the serpent, and who +deceived you, and stripped you of the garment of light and +glory in which you were. + +6 This is he who promised you majesty and divinity. +Where, then, is the beauty that was on him? Where is his +divinity? Where is his light? Where is the glory that +rested on him? + +7 Now his figure is hideous; he is become abominable +among angels; and he has come to be called Satan. + +8 O Adam, he wished to take from you this earthly +garment of sheep-skins, and to destroy it, and not let you +be covered with it. + +9 What, then, is his beauty that you should have +followed him? And what have you gained by obeying him? +See his evil works and then look at Me; at Me, your +Creator, and at the good deeds I do you. + +10 See, I bound him until you came and saw him and +beheld his weakness, that no power is left with him." + +11 And God released him from his bonds. + + + +Chapter LII - Adam and Eve sew the first shirt. + +1 After this Adam and Eve said no more, but cried +before God on account of their creation, and of their +bodies that required an earthly covering. + +2 Then Adam said to Eve, "O Eve, this is the skin of +beasts with which we shall be covered, but when we put it +on, behold, we shall be wearing a token of death on our +bodies. Just as the owners of these skins have died and +have wasted away, so also shall we die and pass away." + +3 Then Adam and Eve took the skins, and went back to +the Cave of Treasures; and when in it, they stood and +prayed as they were accustomed. + +4 And they thought how they could make garments of +those skins; for they had no skill for it. + +5 Then God sent to them His angel to show them how to +work it out. And the angel said to Adam, "Go forth, and +bring some palm-thorns." Then Adam went out, and brought +some, as the angel had commanded him. + +6 Then the angel began before them to work out the +skins, after the manner of one who prepares a shirt. And +he took the thorns and stuck them into the skins, before +their eyes. + +7 Then the angel again stood up and prayed God that +the thorns in those skins should be hidden, so as to be, as +it were, sewn with one thread. + +8 And so it was, by God's order; they became garments +for Adam and Eve, and He clothed them therewith. + +9 From that time the nakedness of their bodies was +covered from the sight of each other's eyes. + +10 And this happened at the end of the fifty-first day. + +11 Then when Adam's and Eve's bodies were covered, +they stood and prayed, and sought mercy of the Lord, and +forgiveness, and gave Him thanks for that He had had mercy +on them, and had covered their nakedness. And they ceased +not from prayer the whole of that night. + +12 Then when the morning dawned at the rising of the +sun, they said their prayers after their custom; and then +went out of the cave. + +13 And Adam said to Eve, "Since we don't know what there is +to the west of this cave, let us go out and see it today." +Then they came forth and went toward the western border. + + + +Chapter LIII - The prophecy of the Western Lands +and of the great flood. + + +1 They were not very far from the cave, when Satan +came towards them, and hid himself between them and the +cave, under the form of two ravenous lions three days +without food, that came towards Adam and Eve, as if to +break them in pieces and devour them. + +2 Then Adam and Eve cried, and prayed God to deliver +them from their paws. + +3 Then the Word of God came to them, and drove away +the lions from them. + +4 And God said to Adam, "O Adam, what do you seek on +the western border? And why have you left of thine own +accord the eastern border, in which was your living place? + +5 Now then, turn back to your cave, and remain in it, +so that Satan won't deceive you or work his purpose over you. + +6 For in this western border, O Adam, there will go +from you a descendant, that shall replenish it; and that +will defile themselves with their sins, and with their +yielding to the commands of Satan, and by following his works. + +7 Therefore will I bring over them the waters of a +flood, and overwhelm them all. But I will deliver what is +left of the righteous among them; and I will bring them to +a distant land, and the land in which you live now shall +remain desolate and without one inhabitant in it. + +8 After God had thus spoken to them, they went back to +the Cave of Treasures. But their flesh was dried up, and +they were weak from fasting and praying, and from the +sorrow they felt at having trespassed against God. + + +Chapter LIV - Adam and Eve go exploring. + + +1 Then Adam and Eve stood up in the cave and prayed +the whole of that night until the morning dawned. And when +the sun was risen they both went out of the cave; their +heads were wandering from heaviness of sorrow and they +didn't know where they were going. + +2 And they walked in that condition to the southern +border of the garden. And they began to go up that border +until they came to the eastern border beyond which there +was no more land. + +3 And the cherub who guarded the garden was standing +at the western gate, and guarding it against Adam and Eve, +lest they should suddenly come into the garden. And the +cherub turned around, as if to put them to death; according +to the commandment God had given him. + +4 When Adam and Eve came to the eastern border of the +garden -- thinking in their hearts that the cherub was not +watching -- as they were standing by the gate as if wishing +to go in, suddenly came the cherub with a flashing sword of +fire in his hand; and when he saw them, he went forth to +kill them. For he was afraid that God would destroy him if +they went into the garden without His order. + +5 And the sword of the cherub seemed to shoot flames a +distance away from it. But when he raised it over Adam +and Eve, the flame of the sword did not flash forth. + +6 Therefore the cherub thought that God was favorable +to them, and was bringing them back into the garden. And +the cherub stood wondering. + +7 He could not go up to Heaven to determine God's +order regarding their getting into the garden; he therefore +continued to stand by them, unable as he was to part from +them; for he was afraid that if they should enter the +garden without permission, God would destroy him. + +8 When Adam and Eve saw the cherub coming towards them +with a flaming sword of fire in his hand, they fell on +their faces from fear, and were as dead. + +9 At that time the heavens and the earth shook; and +another cherubim came down from heaven to the cherub who +guarded the garden, and saw him amazed and silent. + +10 Then, again, other angels came down close to the +place where Adam and Eve were. They were divided between +joy and sorrow. + +11 They were glad, because they thought that God was +favorable to Adam, and wished him to return to the garden; +and wished to restore him to the gladness he once enjoyed. + +12 But they sorrowed over Adam, because he was fallen +like a dead man, he and Eve; and they said in their +thoughts, "Adam has not died in this place; but God has put +him to death, for his having come to this place, and +wishing to get into the garden without His permission." + + + +Chapter LV - The Conflict between God and Satan. + + +1 Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, and +raised them from their dead state, saying to them, "Why did +you come up here? Do you intend to go into the garden, +from which I brought you out? It cannot be today; but only +when the covenant I have made with you is fulfilled." + +2 Then Adam, when he heard the Word of God, and the +fluttering of the angels whom he did not see, but only +heard the sound of them with his ears, he and Eve cried, +and said to the angels: -- + +3 "O Spirits, who wait on God, look at me, and at my +being unable to see you! For when I was in my former +bright nature, then I could see you. I sang praises as you +do; and my heart was far above you. + +4 But now, that I have transgressed, that bright +nature is gone from me, and I am come to this miserable +state. And now I have come to this, that I cannot see you, +and you do not serve me like you used to do. For I have +become animal flesh. + +5 Yet now, O angels of God, ask God with me, to +restore me to that wherein I was formerly; to rescue me +from this misery, and to remove from me the sentence of +death He passed on me, for having trespassed against Him." + +6 Then, when the angels heard these words, they all +grieved over him; and cursed Satan who had misled Adam, +until he came from the garden to misery; from life to +death; from peace to trouble; and from gladness to a +strange land. + +7 Then the angels said to Adam, "You obeyed Satan, and +ignored the Word of God who created you; and you believed +that Satan would fulfil all he had promised you. + +8 But now, O Adam, we will make known to you, what +came over us though him, before his fall from heaven. + +9 He gathered together his hosts, and deceived them, +promising to give them a great kingdom, a divine nature; +and other promises he made them. + +10 His hosts believed that his word was true, so they +yielded to him, and renounced the glory of God. + +11 He then sent for us -- according to the orders in +which we were -- to come under his command, and to accept +his vein promise. But we would not, and we did not take +his advice. + +12 Then after he had fought with God, and had dealt +forwardly with Him, he gathered together his hosts, and +made war with us. And if it had not been for God's +strength that was with us, we could not have prevailed +against him to hurl him from heaven. + +13 But when he fell from among us, there was great joy +in heaven, because of his going down from us. For if he +had remained in heaven, nothing, not even one angel would +have remained in it. + +14 But God in His mercy, drove him from among us to +this dark earth; for he had become darkness itself and a +worker of unrighteousness. + +15 And he has continued, O Adam, to make war against +you, until he tricked you and made you come out of the +garden, to this strange land, where all these trials have +come to you. And death, which God brought to him, he has +also brought to you, O Adam, because you obeyed him, and +trespassed against God." + +16 Then all the angels rejoiced and praised God, and +asked Him not to destroy Adam this time, for his having +sought to enter the garden; but to bear with him until the +fulfillment of the promise; and to help him in this world +until he was free from Satan's hand. + + + +Chapter LVI - A chapter of divine comfort. + + +1 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him: -- + +2 "O Adam, look at that garden of joy and at this +earth of toil, and behold the garden is full of angels, but +look at yourself alone on this earth with Satan whom you obeyed. + +3 Yet, if you had submitted, and been obedient to Me, +and had kept My Word, you would be with My angels in My garden. + +4 But when you transgressed and obeyed Satan, you +became his guests among his angels, that are full of +wickedness; and you came to this earth, that brings forth +to you thorns and thistles. + +5 O Adam, ask him who deceived you, to give you the +divine nature he promised you, or to make you a garden as I +had made for you; or to fill you with that same bright +nature with which I had filled you. + +6 Ask him to make you a body like the one I made you, +or to give you a day of rest as I gave you; or to create +within you a reasonable soul, as I created for you; or to +take you from here to some other earth than this one which +I gave you. But, O Adam, he will not fulfil even one of +the things he told you. + +7 Acknowledge, then, My favor towards you, and My +mercy on you, My creature; that I have not avenged you for +your transgression against Me, but in My pity for you I +have promised you that at the end of the great five and a +half days I will come and save you." + +8 Then God said again to Adam and Eve, "Get up, go +down from here, before the cherub with a sword of fire in +his hand destroys you." + +9 But Adam's heart was comforted by God's words to +him, and he worshipped before Him. + +10 And God commanded His angels to escort Adam and Eve +to the cave with joy, instead of the fear that had come over them. + +11 Then the angels took up Adam and Eve, and brought +them down from the mountain by the garden, with songs and +psalms, until they arrived at the cave. There the angels +began to comfort and to strengthen them, and then departed +from them towards heaven, to their Creator, who had sent them. + +12 But after the angels had departed from Adam and +Eve, Satan came with shamefacedness, and stood at the +entrance of the cave in which were Adam and Eve. He then +called to Adam, and said, "O Adam, come, let me speak to you." + +13 Then Adam came out of the cave, thinking he was one +of God's angels that was come to give him some good counsel. + + + +Chapter LVII - "Therefore I fell. . . . " + + +1 But when Adam came out and saw his hideous figure, +he was afraid of him, and said to him, "Who are you?" + +2 Then Satan answered and said to him, "It is I, who +hid myself within the serpent, and who spoke to Eve, and +who enticed her until she obeyed my command. I am he who +sent her, using my deceitful speech, to deceive you, until +you both ate of the fruit of the tree and abandoned the +command of God." + +3 But when Adam heard these words from him, he said to +him, "Can you make me a garden as God made for me? Or can +you clothe me in the same bright nature in which God had +clothed me? + +4 Where is the divine nature you promised to give me? +Where is that slick speech of yours that you had with us at +first, when we were in the garden?" + +5 Then Satan said to Adam, "Do you think that when I +have promised one something that I would actually deliver +it to him or fulfil my word? Of course not. For I myself +have never even thought of obtaining what I promised. + +6 Therefore I fell, and I made you fall by that for +which I myself fell; and with you also, whosoever accepts +my counsel, falls thereby. + +7 But now, O Adam, because you fell you are under my +rule, and I am king over you; because you have obeyed me +and have transgressed against your God. Neither will there +be any deliverance from my hands until the day promised you +by your God." + +8 Again he said, "Because we do not know the day +agreed on with you by your God, nor the hour in which you +shall be delivered, for that reason we will multiply war +and murder on you and your descendants after you. + +9 This is our will and our good pleasure, that we may +not leave one of the sons of men to inherit our orders in heaven. + +10 For as to our home, O Adam, it is in burning fire; +and we will not stop our evil doing, no, not one day nor +one hour. And I, O Adam, shall set you on fire when you +come into the cave to live there." + +11 When Adam heard these words he cried and mourned, +and said to Eve, "Hear what he said; that he won't fulfil +any of what he told you in the garden. Did he really then +become king over us? + +12 But we will ask God, who created us, to deliver us +out of his hands." + + + +Chapter LVIII - "About sunset on the 53rd day. . ." + + +1 Then Adam and Eve spread their hands before God, +praying and begging Him to drive Satan away from them so +that he can't harm them or force them to deny God. + +2 Then God sent to them at once, His angel, who drove +away Satan from them. This happened about sunset, on the +fifty-third day after they had come out of the garden. + +3 Then Adam and Eve went into the cave, and stood up +and turned their faces to the ground, to pray to God. + +4 But before they prayed Adam said to Eve, "Look, you +have seen what temptations have befallen us in this land. +Come, let us get up, and ask God to forgive us the sins we +have committed; and we will not come out until the end of +the day next to the fortieth. And if we die in here, He +will save us." + +5 Then Adam and Eve got up, and joined together in +entreating God. + +6 They continued praying like this in the cave; +neither did they come out of it, by night or by day, until +their prayers went up out of their mouths, like a flame of fire. + + + +Chapter LIX - Eighth apparition of Satan of Satan to Adam and Eve. + + +1 But Satan, the hater of all good, did not allow them +to finish their prayers. For he called to his hosts, and +they came, all of them. Then he said to them, "Since Adam +and Eve, whom we deceived, have agreed together to pray to +God night and day, and to beg Him to deliver them, and +since they will not come out of the cave until the end of +the fortieth day. + +2 And since they will continue their prayers as they +have both agreed to do, that He will deliver them out of +our hands, and restore them to their former state, see what +we shall do to them." And his hosts said to him, "Power is +thine, O our lord, to do what you list." + +3 Then Satan, great in wickedness, took his hosts and came into +the cave, in the thirtieth night of the forty days and one; +and he beat Adam and Eve, until he left them dead. + +4 Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, who raised +them from their suffering, and God said to Adam, +"Be strong, and be not afraid of him who has just come to you." + +5 But Adam cried and said, "Where were you, O my God, +that they should punish me with such blows, and that this +suffering should come over us; over me and over Eve, +Your handmaiden?" + +6 Then God said to him, "O Adam, see, he is lord and master +of all you have, he who said, he would give you divinity. +Where is this love for you? And where is the gift he promised? + +7 Did it please him just once, O Adam, to come to you, +comfort you, strengthen you, rejoice with you, or send his +hosts to protect you; because you have obeyed him, and have +yielded to his counsel; and have followed his commandment +and transgressed Mine?" + +8 Then Adam cried before the Lord, and said, "O Lord +because I transgressed a little, You have severely punished +me in return for it, I ask You to deliver me out of his +hands; or else have pity on me, and take my soul out of my +body now in this strange land." + +9 Then God said to Adam, "If only there had been this +sighing and praying before, before you transgressed! Then +would you have rest from the trouble in which you are now." + +10 But God had patience with Adam, and let him and Eve +remain in the cave until they had fulfilled the forty days. + + +11 But as to Adam and Eve, their strength and flesh +withered from fasting and praying, from hunger and thirst; +for they had not tasted either food or drink since they +left the garden; nor were the functions of their bodies yet +settled; and they had no strength left to continue in +prayer from hunger, until the end of the next day to the +fortieth. They were fallen down in the cave; yet what +speech escaped from their mouths, was only in praises. + + + +Chapter LX - The Devil appears like an old man. +He offers "a place of rest." + + +1 Then on the eighty-ninth day, Satan came to the +cave, clad in a garment of light, and girt about with a +bright girdle. + +2 In his hands was a staff of light, and he looked most awful; +but his face was pleasant and his speech was sweet. + +3 He thus transformed himself in order to deceive Adam +and Eve, and to make them come out of the cave, before they +had fulfilled the forty days. + +4 For he said within himself, "Now that when they had +fulfilled the forty days' fasting and praying, God would +restore them to their former state; but if He did not do +so, He would still be favorable to them; and even if He had +not mercy on them, would He yet give them something from +the garden to comfort them; as already twice before." + +5 Then Satan drew near the cave in this fair +appearance, and said: -- + +6 "O Adam, get up, stand up, you and Eve, and come +along with me, to a good land; and don't be afraid. I am +flesh and bones like you; and at first I was a creature +that God created. + +7 And it was so, that when He had created me, He placed me +in a garden in the north, on the border of the world. + +8 And He said to me, 'Stay here!' And I remained there +according to His Word, neither did I transgress His commandment. + +9 Then He made a slumber to come over me, and He brought you, +O Adam, out of my side, but did not make you stay with me. + +10 But God took you in His divine hand, and placed you +in a garden to the eastward. + +11 Then I worried about you, for that while God had +taken you out of my side, He had not let you stay with me. + +12 But God said to me: 'Do not worry about Adam, whom +I brought out of your side; no harm will come to him. + +13 For now I have brought out of his side a help-meet* +for him; and I have given him joy by so doing.' " + +14 Then Satan said again, "I did not know how it is +you are in this cave, nor anything about this trial that +has come over you -- until God said to me, 'Behold, Adam +has transgressed, he whom I had taken out of your side, and +Eve also, whom I took out of his side; and I have driven +them out of the garden; I have made them live in a land of +sorrow and misery, because they transgressed against Me, +and have obeyed Satan. And look, they are in suffering +until this day, the eightieth.' + +15 Then God said to me, 'Get up, go to them, and make +them come to your place, and suffer not that Satan come +near them, and afflict them. For they are now in great +misery; and lie helpless from hunger.' + +16 He further said to me, 'When you have taken them to +yourself, give them to eat of the fruit of the Tree of +Life, and give them to drink of the water of peace; and +clothe them in a garment of light, and restore them to +their former state of grace, and leave them not in misery, +for they came from you. But grieve not over them, nor +repent of that which has come over them. + +17 But when I heard this, I was sorry; and my heart +could not patiently bear it for your sake, O my child. + +18 But, O Adam, when I heard the name of Satan, I was afraid, +and I said within myself, I will not come out because he might +trap me as he did my children, Adam and Eve. + +19 And I said, 'O God, when I go to my children, +Satan will meet me in the way, and war against me, +as he did against them.' + +20 Then God said to me, 'Fear not; when you find him, +hit him with the staff that is in thine hand, and don't be +afraid of him, for you are of old standing, and he shall +not prevail against you.' + +21 Then I said, 'O my Lord, I am old, and cannot go. +Send Your angels to bring them.' + +22 But God said to me, 'Angels, verily, are not like +them; and they will not consent to come with them. But I +have chosen you, because they are your offspring and are +like you, and they will listen to what you say.' + +23 God said further to me, 'If you don't have enough +strength to walk, I will send a cloud to carry you and set +you down at the entrance of their cave; then the cloud will +return and leave you there. + +24 And if they will come with you, I will send a cloud +to carry you and them.' + +25 Then He commanded a cloud, and it bear me up and +brought me to you; and then went back. + +26 And now, O my children, Adam and Eve, look at my +old gray hair and at my feeble state, and at my coming from +that distant place. Come, come with me, to a place of rest." + +27 Then he began to cry and to sob before Adam and +Eve, and his tears poured on the ground like water. + +28 And when Adam and Eve raised their eyes and saw his +beard, and heard his sweet talk, their hearts softened +towards him; they obeyed him, for they believed he was true. + +29 And it seemed to them that they were really his +offspring, when they saw that his face was like their own; +and they trusted him. + +* The existence of the two words helpmeet and helpmate, +meaning exactly the same thing, is a comedy of errors. +God's promise to Adam, as rendered in the King James +version of the Bible, was to give him an help meet for +him (that is, a helper fit for him). In the 17th century +the two words help and meet in this passage were mistaken +for one word, applying to Eve, and thus helpmeet came to +mean a wife. Then in the 18th century, in a misguided +attempt to make sense of the word, the spelling helpmate +was introduced. Both errors are now beyond recall, and both +spellings are acceptable. + + + + +Chapter LXI - They begin to follow Satan. + + +1 Then he took Adam and Eve by the hand, and began to +bring them out of the cave. + +2 But when they had come a little ways out of it, God +knew that Satan had overcome them, and had brought them out +before the forty days were ended, to take them to some +distant place, and to destroy them. + +3 Then the Word of the Lord God again came and cursed +Satan, and drove him away from them. + +4 And God began to speak to Adam and Eve, saying to +them, "What made you come out of the cave, to this place?" + +5 Then Adam said to God, "Did you create a man before +us? For when we were in the cave there suddenly came to us +a friendly old man who said to us, 'I am a messenger from +God to you, to bring you back to some place of rest.' + +6 And we believed, O God, that he was a messenger from +you; and we came out with him; and knew not where we should +go with him." + +7 Then God said to Adam, "See, that is the father of +evil arts, who brought you and Eve out of the Garden of +Delights. And now, indeed, when he saw that you and Eve +both joined together in fasting and praying, and that you +came not out of the cave before the end of the forty days, +he wished to make your purpose vein, to break your mutual +bond; to cut off all hope from you, and to drive you to +some place where he might destroy you. + +8 Because he couldn't do anything to you unless he +showed himself in the likeness of you. + +9 Therefore he came to you with a face like your own, +and began to give you tokens as if they were all true. + +10 But because I am merciful and am favorable to you, +I did not allow him to destroy you; instead I drove him +away from you. + +11 Now, therefore, O Adam, take Eve, and return to +your cave, and remain in it until the morning after the +fortieth day. And when you come out, go towards the +eastern gate of the garden." + +12 Then Adam and Eve worshipped God, and praised and +blessed Him for the deliverance that had come to them from +Him. And they returned towards the cave. This happened in +the evening of the thirty-ninth day. + +13 Then Adam and Eve stood up and with a fiery passion, +prayed to God, to give them strength; for they had become +weak because of hunger and thirst and prayer. But they +watched the whole of that night praying, until morning. + +14 Then Adam said to Eve, "Get up, let us go towards +the eastern gate of the garden as God told us." + +15 And they said their prayers as they were accustomed +to do every day; and they left the cave to go near to the +eastern gate of the garden. + +16 Then Adam and Eve stood up and prayed, and appealed +to God to strengthen them, and to send them something to +satisfy their hunger. + +17 But after they finished their prayers, they were +too weak to move. + +18 Then came the Word of God again, and said to them, +"O Adam, get up, go and bring the two figs here." + +19 Then Adam and Eve got up, and went until they came +near to the cave. + + + +Chapter LXII - Two fruit trees. + + +1 But Satan the wicked was envious, because of the +consolation God had given them. + +2 So he prevented them, and went into the cave and +took the two figs, and buried them outside the cave, so +that Adam and Eve should not find them. He also had in his +thoughts to destroy them. + +3 But by God's mercy, as soon as those two figs were +in the ground, God defeated Satan's counsel regarding them; +and made them into two fruit trees, that overshadowed the +cave. For Satan had buried them on the eastern side of it. + +4 Then when the two trees were grown, and were covered +with fruit, Satan grieved and mourned, and said, "It would +have been better to have left those figs where they were; +for now, behold, they have become two fruit trees, whereof +Adam will eat all the days of his life. Whereas I had in +mind, when I buried them, to destroy them entirely, and to +hide them forever. + +5 But God has overturned my counsel; and would not +that this sacred fruit should perish; and He has made plain +my intention, and has defeated the counsel I had formed +against His servants." + +6 Then Satan went away ashamed because he hadn't +thought his plans all the way through. + + + +Chapter LXIII - The first joy of trees. + + +1 But Adam and Eve, as they got closer to the cave, +saw two fig trees, covered with fruit, and overshadowing +the cave. + +2 Then Adam said to Eve, "It seems to me that we have +gone the wrong way. When did these two trees grow here? +It seems to me that the enemy wishes to lead us the wrong +way. Do you suppose that there is another cave besides +this one in the earth? + +3 Yet, O Eve, let us go into the cave, and find in it +the two figs; for this is our cave, in which we were. But +if we should not find the two figs in it, then it cannot be +our cave." + +4 They went then into the cave, and looked into the +four corners of it, but found not the two figs. + +5 And Adam cried and said to Eve, "Did we go to the +wrong cave, then, O Eve? It seems to me these two fig +trees are the two figs that were in the cave." And Eve +said, "I, for my part, do not know." + +6 Then Adam stood up and prayed and said, "O God, You +commanded us to come back to the cave, to take the two figs, +and then to return to you. + +7 But now, we have not found them. O God, have you +taken them, and sown these two trees, or have we gone +astray in the earth; or has the enemy deceived us? If it +be real, then, O God, reveal to us the secret of these two +trees and of the two figs." + +8 Then came the Word of God to Adam, and said to him, +"O Adam, when I sent you to fetch the figs, Satan went +before you to the cave, took the figs, and buried them +outside, eastward of the cave, thinking to destroy them; +and not sowing them with good intent. + +9 Not for his mere sake, then, have these trees grown +up at once; but I had mercy on you and I commanded them to +grow. And they grew to be two large trees, that you be +overshadowed by their branches, and find rest; and that I +made you see My power and My marvelous works. + +10 And, also, to show you Satan's meanness, and his +evil works, for ever since you came out of the garden, he +has not ceased, no, not one day, from doing you some harm. +But I have not given him power over you." + +11 And God said, "From now on, O Adam, rejoice on +account of the trees, you and Eve; and rest under them when +you feel weary. But do not eat any of their fruit or come +near them." + +12 Then Adam cried, and said, "O God, will You again +kill us, or will You drive us away from before Your face, +and cut our life from off the face of the earth? + +13 O God, I beg you, if You know that there be in +these trees either death or some other evil, as at the +first time, root them up from near our cave, and with them; +and leave us to die of the heat, of hunger and of thirst. + +14 For we know Your marvelous works, O God, that they +are great, and that by Your power You can bring one thing +out of another, without one's wish. For Your power can +make rocks to become trees, and trees to become rocks." + + + +Chapter LXIV - Adam and Eve partake of the first earthly food. + + +1 Then God looked at Adam and at his strength of mind, +at his endurance of hunger and thirst, and of the heat. +And He changed the two fig trees into two figs, as they +were at first, and then said to Adam and to Eve, "Each of +you may take one fig." And they took them, as the Lord +commanded them. + +2 And He said to them, "You must now go into the cave +and eat the figs, and satisfy your hunger, or else you will die." + +3 So, as God commanded them, they went into the cave +about sunset. And Adam and Eve stood up and prayed during +the setting sun. + +4 Then they sat down to eat the figs; but they knew +not how to eat them; for they were not accustomed to eat +earthly food. They were afraid that if they ate, their +stomach would be burdened and their flesh thickened, and +their hearts would take to liking earthly food. + +5 But while they were thus seated, God, out of pity +for them, sent them His angel, so they wouldn't perish of +hunger and thirst. + +6 And the angel said to Adam and Eve, "God says to you +that you do not have the strength that would be required to +fast until death; eat, therefore, and strengthen your +bodies; for you are now animal flesh and cannot subsist +without food and drink." + +7 Then Adam and Eve took the figs and began to eat of +them. But God had put into them a mixture as of savory +bread and blood. + +8 Then the angel went from Adam and Eve, who ate of +the figs until they had satisfied their hunger. Then they +put aside what was left; but by the power of God, the figs +became whole again, because God blessed them. + +9 After this Adam and Eve got up, and prayed with a +joyful heart and renewed strength, and praised and rejoiced +abundantly the whole of that night. And this was the end +of the eighty-third day. + + + +Chapter LXV - Adam and Eve acquire digestive organs. +Final hope of returning to the Garden is lost. + + +1 And when it was day, they got up and prayed, after +their custom, and then went out of the cave. + +2 But they became sick from the food they had eaten +because they were not used to it, so they went about in the +cave saying to each other: -- + +3 "What has our eating caused to happen to us, that we +should be in such pain? We are in misery, we shall die! +It would have been better for us to have died keeping our +bodies pure than to have eaten and defiled them with food." + +4 Then Adam said to Eve, "This pain did not come to us +in the garden, neither did we eat such bad food there. Do +you think, O Eve, that God will plague us through the food +that is in us, or that our innards will come out; or that +God means to kill us with this pain before He has fulfilled +His promise to us?" + +5 Then Adam besought the Lord and said, "O Lord, let +us not perish through the food we have eaten. O Lord, +don't punish us; but deal with us according to Your great +mercy, and forsake us not until the day of the promise You +have made us." + +6 Then God looked at them, and then fitted them for +eating food at once; as to this day; so that they should +not perish. + +7 Then Adam and Eve came back into the cave sorrowful +and crying because of the alteration of their bodies. +And they both knew from that hour that they were altered +beings, that all hope of returning to the garden was now +lost; and that they could not enter it. + +8 For that now their bodies had strange functions; and +all flesh that requires food and drink for its existence, +cannot be in the garden. + +9 Then Adam said to Eve, "Behold, our hope is now +lost; and so is our trust to enter the garden. We no +longer belong to the inhabitants of the garden; but from +now on we are earthy and of the dust, and of the +inhabitants of the earth. We shall not return to the +garden, until the day in which God has promised to save us, +and to bring us again into the garden, as He promised us." + +10 Then they prayed to God that He would have mercy on +them; after which, their mind was quieted, their hearts +were broken, and their longing was cooled down; and they +were like strangers on earth. That night Adam and Eve +spent in the cave, where they slept heavily by reason of +the food they had eaten. + + + +Chapter LXVI - Adam does his first day's work. + + +1 When it was morning, the day after they had eaten +food, Adam and Eve prayed in the cave, and Adam said to +Eve, "Look, we asked for food of God, and He gave it. But +now let us also ask Him to give us a drink of water." + +2 Then they got up, and went to the bank of the stream +of water, that was on the south border of the garden, in +which they had before thrown themselves. And they stood on +the bank, and prayed to God that He would command them to +drink of the water. + +3 Then the Word of God came to Adam, and said to him, +"O Adam, your body has become brutish, and requires water +to drink. Take some and drink it, you and Eve, then give +thanks and praise." + +4 Adam and Eve then went down to the stream and drank +from it, until their bodies felt refreshed. After having +drunk, they praised God, and then returned to their cave, +after their former custom. This happened at the end of +eighty-three days. + +5 Then on the eighty-fourth day, they took the two +figs and hung them in the cave, together with the leaves +thereof, to be to them a sign and a blessing from God. And +they placed them there so that if their descendants came +there, they would see the wonderful things God had done for +them. + +6 Then Adam and Eve again stood outside the cave, and +asked God to show them some food with which they could +nourish their bodies. + +7 Then the Word of God came and said to him, "O Adam, +go down to the westward of the cave until you come to a +land of dark soil, and there you shall find food." + +8 And Adam obeyed the Word of God, took Eve, and went +down to a land of dark soil, and found there wheat* growing +in the ear and ripe, and figs to eat; and Adam rejoiced +over it. + +9 Then the Word of God came again to Adam, and said to +him, "Take some of this wheat and make yourselves some +bread with it, to nourish your body therewith." And God +gave Adam's heart wisdom, to work out the corn until it +became bread. + +10 Adam accomplished all that, until he grew very +faint and weary. He then returned to the cave; rejoicing +at what he had learned of what is done with wheat, until it +is made into bread for one's use. + + +* In this book, the terms 'corn' and 'wheat' are used +interchangeably. The reference is possibly used to +indicate a type of ancient grain resembling Egyptian Corn +also known as Durra. Durra is a wheat-like cereal grain +frequently cultivated in dry regions such as Egypt. + + + + +Chapter LXVII - "Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve. . . ." + + +1 When Adam and Eve went down to the land of black mud +and came near to the wheat God had showed them and saw that +it was ripe and ready for reaping, they did not have a +sickle to reap it with. So they readied themselves, and +began to pull up the wheat by hand, until it was all done. + +2 Then they heaped it into a pile; and, faint from +heat and from thirst, they went under a shady tree, where +the breeze fanned them to sleep. + +3 But Satan saw what Adam and Eve had done. And he +called his hosts, and said to them, "Since God has shown to +Adam and Eve all about this wheat, wherewith to strengthen +their bodies -- and, look, they have come and made a big +pile of it, and faint from the toil are now asleep -- come, +let us set fire to this heap of corn, and burn it, and let +us take that bottle of water that is by them, and empty it +out, so that they may find nothing to drink, and we kill +them with hunger and thirst. + +4 Then, when they wake up from their sleep, and seek +to return to the cave, we will come to them in the way, and +will lead them astray; so that they die of hunger and +thirst; when they may, perhaps, deny God, and He destroy +them. So shall we be rid of them." + +5 Then Satan and his hosts set the wheat on fire and +burned it up. + +6 But from the heat of the flame Adam and Eve awoke +from their sleep, and saw the wheat burning, and the bucket +of water by them, poured out. + +7 Then they cried and went back to the cave. + +8 But as they were going up from below the mountain +where they were, Satan and his hosts met them in the form +of angels, praising God. + +9 Then Satan said to Adam, "O Adam, why are you so +pained with hunger and thirst? It seems to me that Satan +has burnt up the wheat." And Adam said to him, "Yes." + +10 Again Satan said to Adam, "Come back with us; we +are angels of God. God sent us to you, to show you another +field of corn, better than that; and beyond it is a +fountain of good water, and many trees, where you shall +live near it, and work the corn field to better purpose +than that which Satan has consumed." + +11 Adam thought that he was true, and that they were +angels who talked with him; and he went back with them. + +12 Then Satan began to lead astray Adam and Eve eight +days, until they both fell down as if dead, from hunger, +thirst, and faintness. Then he fled with his hosts, and +left them. + + + +Chapter LXVIII - How destruction and trouble is of Satan +when he is the master. Adam and Eve establish the custom +of worship. + + +1 Then God looked at Adam and Eve, and at what had +come over them from Satan, and how he had made them perish. + +2 God, therefore, sent His Word, and raised up Adam +and Eve from their state of death. + +3 Then, Adam, when he was raised, said, "O God, You +have burnt and taken from us the corn You have given us, +and You have emptied out the bucket of water. And You have +sent Your angels, who have caused us to lose our way from +the corn field. Will You make us perish? If this be from +you, O God, then take away our souls; but punish us not." + +4 Then God said to Adam, "I did not burn down the +wheat, and I did not pour the water out of the bucket, and +I did not send My angels to lead you astray. + +5 But it is Satan, your master who did it; he to whom +you have subjected yourself; my commandment being meanwhile +set aside. He it is, who burnt down the corn, and poured +out the water, and who has led you astray; and all the +promises he has made you were just a trick, a deception, +and a lie. + +6 But now, O Adam, you shall acknowledge My good deeds +done to you." + +7 And God told His angels to take Adam and Eve, and to +bear them up to the field of wheat, which they found as +before, with the bucket full of water. + +8 There they saw a tree, and found on it solid manna; +and wondered at God's power. And the angels commanded them +to eat of the manna when they were hungry. + +9 And God admonished Satan with a curse, not to come +again, and destroy the field of corn. + +10 Then Adam and Eve took of the corn, and made of it +an offering, and took it and offered it up on the mountain, +the place where they had offered up their first offering of +blood. + +11 And they offered this offering again on the altar +they had built at first. And they stood up and prayed, and +besought the Lord saying, "Thus, O God, when we were in the +garden, our praises went up to you, like this offering; +and our innocence went up to you like incense. But now, O +God, accept this offering from us, and don't turn us away, +deprived of Your mercy." + +12 Then God said to Adam and Eve, "Since you have made +this offering and have offered it to Me, I shall make it My +flesh, when I come down on earth to save you; and I shall +cause it to be offered continually on an altar, for +forgiveness and for mercy, for those who partake of it +duly." + +13 And God sent a bright fire over the offering of +Adam and Eve, and filled it with brightness, grace, and +light; and the Holy Ghost came down on that offering. + +14 Then God commanded an angel to take fire tongs, +like a spoon, and with it to take an offering and bring it +to Adam and Eve. And the angel did so, as God had +commanded him, and offered it to them. + +15 And the souls of Adam and Eve were brightened, and +their hearts were filled with joy and gladness and with the +praises of God. + +16 And God said to Adam, "This shall be to you a +custom, to do so, when affliction and sorrow come over you. +But your deliverance and your entrance in to the garden, +shall not be until the days are fulfilled as agreed between +you and Me; were it not so, I would, of My mercy and pity +for you, bring you back to My garden and to My favor for +the sake of the offering you have just made to My name." + +17 Adam rejoiced at these words which he heard from +God; and he and Eve worshipped before the altar, to which +they bowed, and then went back to the Cave of Treasures. + +18 And this took place at the end of the twelfth day +after the eightieth day, from the time Adam and Eve came +out of the garden. + +19 And they stood up the whole night praying until +morning; and then went out of the cave. + +20 Then Adam said to Eve, with joy of heart, because +of the offering they had made to God, and that had been +accepted of Him, "Let us do this three times every week, on +the fourth day Wednesday, on the preparation day Friday, +and on the Sabbath Sunday, all the days of our life." + +21 And as they agreed to these words between +themselves, God was pleased with their thoughts, and with +the resolution they had each taken with the other. + +22 After this, came the Word of God to Adam, and said, +"O Adam, you have determined beforehand the days in which +sufferings shall come over Me, when I am made flesh; for +they are the fourth Wednesday, and the preparation day +Friday. + +23 But as to the first day, I created in it all +things, and I raised the heavens. And, again, through My +rising again on this day, will I create joy, and raise them +on high, who believe in Me; O Adam, offer this offering, +all the days of your life." + +24 Then God withdrew His Word from Adam. + +25 But Adam continued to offer this offering thus, +every week three times, until the end of seven weeks. And +on the first day, which is the fiftieth, Adam made an +offering as he was accustomed, and he and Eve took it and +came to the altar before God, as He had taught them. + + + +Chapter LXIX - Twelfth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve, +while Adam was praying over the offering on the altar; when +Satan beat him. + + +1 Then Satan, the hater of all good, envious of Adam +and of his offering through which he found favor with God, +hastened and took a sharp stone from among the sharp iron +stones; appeared in the form of a man, and went and stood +by Adam and Eve. + +2 Adam was then offering on the altar, and had begun +to pray, with his hands spread before God. + +3 Then Satan hastened with the sharp iron stone he had +with him, and with it pierced Adam on the right side, from +which flowed blood and water, then Adam fell on the altar +like a corpse. And Satan fled. + +4 Then Eve came, and took Adam and placed him below +the altar. And there she stayed, crying over him; while a +stream of blood flowed from Adam's side over his offering. + +5 But God looked at the death of Adam. He then sent +His Word, and raised him up and said to him, "Fulfil your +offering, for indeed, Adam, it is worth much, and there is +no shortcoming in it." + +6 God said further to Adam, "Thus will it also happen +to Me, on the earth, when I shall be pierced and blood and +water shall flow from My side and run over My body, which +is the true offering; and which shall be offered on the +altar as a perfect offering." + +7 Then God commanded Adam to finish his offering, and +when he had ended it he worshipped before God, and praised +Him for the signs He had showed him. + +8 And God healed Adam in one day, which is the end of +the seven weeks; and that is the fiftieth day. + +9 Then Adam and Eve returned from the mountain, and +went into the Cave of Treasures, as they were used to do. +This completed for Adam and Eve, one hundred and forty days +since their coming out of the garden. + +10 Then they both stood up that night and prayed to +God. And when it was morning, they went out, and went down +westward of the cave, to the place where their corn was, +and there rested under the shadow of a tree, as they were +accustomed. + +11 But when there a multitude of beasts came all +around them. It was Satan's doing, in his wickedness; in +order to wage war against Adam through marriage. + + + +Chapter LXX - Thirteenth apparition of Satan, to trick Adam +into marrying Eve. + + +1 After this Satan, the hater of all good, took the +form of an angel, and with him two others, so that they +looked like the three angels who had brought to Adam gold, +incense, and myrrh. + +2 They passed before Adam and Eve while they were +under the tree, and greeted Adam and Eve with fair words +that were full of deceit. + +3 But when Adam and Eve saw their pleasant expression, +and heard their sweet speech, Adam rose, welcomed them, and +brought them to Eve, and they remained all together; Adam's +heart the while, being glad because he thought concerning +them, that they were the same angels, who had brought him +gold, incense, and myrrh. + +4 Because, when they came to Adam the first time, +there came over him from them, peace and joy, through their +bringing him good tokens; so Adam thought that they had +come a second time to give him other tokens for him to +rejoice therewith. For he did not know it was Satan; +therefore he received them with joy and consorted with +them. + +5 Then Satan, the tallest of them, said, "Rejoice, O +Adam, and be glad. Look, God has sent us to you to tell +you something." + +6 And Adam said, "What is it?" Then Satan answered, +"It is a simple thing, yet it is the Word of God, will you +accept it from us and do it? But if you will not accept +it, we will return to God, and tell Him that you would not +receive His Word." + +7 And Satan said again to Adam, "Don't be afraid and +don't tremble; don't you know us?" + +8 But Adam said, "I do not know you." + +9 Then Satan said to him, "I am the angel that brought +you gold, and took it to the cave; this other angel is the +one that brought you incense; and that third angel, is the +one who brought you myrrh when you were on top of the +mountain, and who carried you to the cave. + +10 But as to the other angels our fellows, who bare +you to the cave, God has not sent them with us this time; +for He said to us, 'You will be enough'. " + +11 So when Adam heard these words he believed them, +and said to these angels, "Speak the Word of God, that I +may receive it." + +12 And Satan said to him, "Swear, and promise me that +you will receive it." + +13 Then Adam said, "I do not know how to swear and +promise." + +14 And Satan said to him, "Hold out your hand, and put +it inside my hand." + +15 Then Adam held out his hand, and put it into +Satan's hand; when Satan said to him, "Say, now -- So true +as God is living, rational, and speaking, who raised the +stars in heaven, and established the dry ground on the +waters, and has created me out of the four elements*, and +out of the dust of the earth -- I will not break my +promise, nor renounce my word." + +16 And Adam swore thus. + +17 Then Satan said to him, "Look, it is now some time +since you came out of the garden, and you know neither +wickedness nor evil. But now God says to you, to take Eve +who came out of your side, and to marry her so that she +will bear you children, to comfort you, and to drive from +you trouble and sorrow; now this thing is not difficult, +neither is there any scandal in it to you. + + +* See the previous footnote in chapter XXXIV regarding +the 'four elements'. + + + +Chapter LXXI - Adam is troubled by the thought of marrying Eve. + + +1 But when Adam heard these words from Satan, he +sorrowed much, because of his oath and of his promise, and +said, "Shall I commit adultery with my flesh and my bones, +and shall I sin against myself, for God to destroy me, and +to blot me out from off the face of the earth? + +2 Since, when at first, I ate of the tree, He drove me +out of the garden into this strange land, and deprived me +of my bright nature, and brought death over me. If, then, +I should do this, He will cut off my life from the earth, +and He will cast me into hell, and will plague me there a +long time. + +3 But God never spoke the words that you have said; +and you are not God's angels, and you weren't sent from +Him. But you are devils that have come to me under the +false appearance of angels. Away from me; you cursed of +God!" + +4 Then those devils fled from before Adam. And he and +Eve got up, and returned to the Cave of Treasures, and went +into it. + +5 Then Adam said to Eve, "If you saw what I did, don't +tell anyone; for I sinned against God in swearing by His +great name, and I have placed my hand another time into +that of Satan." Eve, then, held her peace, as Adam told +her. + +6 Then Adam got up, and spread his hands before God, +beseeching and entreating Him with tears, to forgive him +what he had done. And Adam remained thus standing and +praying forty days and forty nights. He neither ate nor +drank until he dropped down on the ground from hunger and +thirst. + +7 Then God sent His Word to Adam, who raised him up +from where he lay, and said to him, "O Adam, why have you +sworn by My name, and why have you made agreement with +Satan another time?" + +8 But Adam cried, and said, "O God, forgive me, for I +did this unwittingly; believing they were God's angels." + +9 And God forgave Adam, saying to him, "Beware of +Satan." + +10 And He withdrew His Word from Adam. + +11 Then Adam's heart was comforted; and he took Eve, +and they went out of the cave, to prepare some food for +their bodies. + +12 But from that day Adam struggled in his mind about +his marrying Eve; afraid that if he was to do it, God would +be angry with him. + +13 Then Adam and Eve went to the river of water, and +sat on the bank, as people do when they enjoy themselves. + +14 But Satan was jealous of them; and planned to destroy them. + + + +Chapter LXXII - Adam's heart is set on fire. +Satan appears as beautiful maidens. + + +1 Then Satan, and ten from his hosts, transformed +themselves into maidens, unlike any others in the whole +world for grace. + +2 They came up out of the river in presence of Adam +and Eve, and they said among themselves, "Come, we will +look at the faces of Adam and Eve, who are of the men on +earth. How beautiful they are, and how different is their +look from our own faces." Then they came to Adam and Eve, +and greeted them; and stood wondering at them. + +3 Adam and Eve looked at them also, and wondered at +their beauty, and said, "Is there, then, under us, another +world, with such beautiful creatures as these in it?" + +4 And those maidens said to Adam and Eve, "Yes, +indeed, we are an abundant creation." + +5 Then Adam said to them, "But how do you multiply?" + +6 And they answered him, "We have husbands who have +married us, and we bear them children, who grow up, +and who in their turn marry and are married, and also +bear children; and thus we increase. And if so be, O Adam, +you will not believe us, we will show you our husbands +and our children." + +7 Then they shouted over the river as if to call their +husbands and their children, who came up from the river, +men and children; and every man came to his wife, his +children being with him. + +8 But when Adam and Eve saw them, they stood dumb, and +wondered at them. + +9 Then they said to Adam and Eve, "See all our husbands +and our children? You should marry Eve, as we have married +our husbands, so that you will have children as we have." +This was a device of Satan to deceive Adam. + +10 Satan also thought within himself, "God at first +commanded Adam concerning the fruit of the tree, saying to +him, 'Eat not of it; else of death you shall die.' But +Adam ate of it, and yet God did not kill him; He only +decreed on him death, and plagues and trials, until the day +he shall come out of his body. + +11 Now, then, if I deceive him to do this thing, and to marry +Eve without God's permission, God will kill him then." + +12 Therefore Satan worked this apparition before Adam +and Eve; because he sought to kill him, and to make him +disappear from off the face of the earth. + +13 Meanwhile the fire of sin came over Adam, and he +thought of committing sin. But he restrained himself, +fearing that if he followed this advice of Satan, God would +put him to death. + +14 Then Adam and Eve got up, and prayed to God, while +Satan and his hosts went down into the river, in presence +of Adam and Eve; to let them see that they were going back +to their own world. + +15 Then Adam and Eve went back to the Cave of +Treasures, as they usually did; about evening time. + +16 And they both got up and prayed to God that night. +Adam remained standing in prayer, yet not knowing how to +pray, by reason of the thoughts in his heart regarding his +marrying Eve; and he continued so until morning. + +17 And when light came up, Adam said to Eve, "Get up, +let us go below the mountain, where they brought us gold, +and let us ask the Lord concerning this matter." + +18 Then Eve said, "What is that matter, O Adam?" + +19 And he answered her, "That I may request the Lord +to inform me about marrying you; for I will not do it +without His permission or else He will make us perish, you +and me. For those devils have set my heart on fire, with +thoughts of what they showed us, in their sinful +apparitions. + +20 Then Eve said to Adam, "Why need we go below the +mountain? Let us rather stand up and pray in our cave to +God, to let us know whether this counsel is good or not." + +21 Then Adam rose up in prayer and said, "O God, you +know that we transgressed against you, and from the moment +we transgressed, we were stripped of our bright nature; and +our body became brutish, requiring food and drink; and with +animal desires. + +22 Command us, O God, not to give way to them without +Your permission, for fear that You will turn us into +nothing. Because if you do not give us permission, we +shall be overpowered, and follow that advice of Satan; and +You will again make us perish. + +23 If not, then take our souls from us; let us be rid +of this animal lust. And if You give us no order +respecting this thing, then sever Eve from me, and me from +her; and place us each far away from the other. + +24 Then again, O God, if You separate us from each +other, the devils will deceive us with their apparitions +that resemble us, and destroy our hearts, and defile our +thoughts towards each other. Yet if it is not each of us +towards the other, it will, at all events, be through their +appearance when the devils come to us in our likeness." +Here Adam ended his prayer. + + + +Chapter LXXIII - The marriage of Adam and Eve. + + +1 Then God considered the words of Adam that they were +true, and that he could long await His order, respecting +the counsel of Satan. + +2 And God approved Adam in what he had thought +concerning this, and in the prayer he had offered in His +presence; and the Word of God came to Adam and said to him, +"O Adam, if only you had had this caution at first, before +you came out of the garden into this land!" + +3 After that, God sent His angel who had brought gold, +and the angel who had brought incense, and the angel who +had brought myrrh to Adam, that they should inform him +respecting his marriage to Eve. + +4 Then those angels said to Adam, "Take the gold and +give it to Eve as a wedding gift, and promise to marry her; +then give her some incense and myrrh as a present; and be +you, you and she, one flesh." + +5 Adam obeyed the angels, and took the gold and put it +into Eve's bosom in her garment; and promised to marry her +with his hand. + +6 Then the angels commanded Adam and Eve to get up and +pray forty days and forty nights; when that was done, then +Adam was to have sexual intercourse with his wife; for then +this would be an act pure and undefiled; so that he would +have children who would multiply, and replenish the face of +the earth. + +7 Then both Adam and Eve received the words of the +angels; and the angels departed from them. + +8 Then Adam and Eve began to fast and pray, until the +end of the forty days; and then they had sexual +intercourse, as the angels had told them. And from the +time Adam left the garden until he wedded Eve, were two +hundred and twenty-three days, that is seven months and +thirteen days. + +9 Thus was Satan's war with Adam defeated. + + + +Chapter LXXIV - The birth of Cain and Luluwa. +Why they received those names. + + +1 And they lived on the earth working in order to keep +their bodies in good health; and they continued so until +the nine months of Eve's pregnancy were over, and the time +drew near when she must give birth. + +2 Then she said to Adam, "The signs placed in this +cave since we left the garden indicate that this is a pure +place and we will be praying in it again some time. It is +not appropriate then, that I should give birth in it. Let +us instead go to the sheltering rock cave that was formed +by the command of God when Satan threw a big rock down on +us in an attempt to kill us with it. + +3 Adam then took Eve to that cave. When the time came +for her to give birth, she strained a lot. Adam felt +sorry, and he was very worried about her because she was +close to death and the words of God to her were being +fulfilled: "In suffering shall you bear a child, and in +sorrow shall you bring forth a child." + +4 But when Adam saw the distress in which Eve was, he +got up and prayed to God, and said, "O Lord, look at me +with the eye of Your mercy, and bring her out of her +distress." + +5 And God looked at His maid-servant Eve, and +delivered her, and she gave birth to her first-born son, +and with him a daughter. + +6 The Adam rejoiced at Eve's deliverance, and also +over the children she had borne him. And Adam ministered +to Eve in the cave, until the end of eight days; when they +named the son Cain, and the daughter Luluwa. + +7 The meaning of Cain is "hater," because he hated his +sister in their mother's womb; before they came out of it. +Therefore Adam named him Cain. + +8 But Luluwa means "beautiful," because she was more +beautiful than her mother. + +9 Then Adam and Eve waited until Cain and his sister +were forty days old, when Adam said to Eve, "We will make +an offering and offer it up in behalf of the children." + +10 And Eve said, "We will make one offering for the first-born son +and then later we shall make one for the daughter." + + + +Chapter LXXV - The family revisits the Cave of Treasures. +Birth of Abel and Aklia. + + +1 Then Adam prepared an offering, and he and Eve +offered it up for their children, and brought it to the +altar they had built at first. + +2 And Adam offered up the offering, and asked God to +accept his offering. + +3 Then God accepted Adam's offering, and sent a light +from heaven that shown on the offering. Adam and his son +drew near to the offering, but Eve and the daughter did not +approach it. + +4 Adam and his son were joyful as they came down from +on the altar. Adam and Eve waited until the daughter was +eighty days old, then Adam prepared an offering and took it +to Eve and to the children. They went to the altar, where +Adam offered it up, as he was accustomed, asking the Lord +to accept his offering. + +5 And the Lord accepted the offering of Adam and Eve. +Then Adam, Eve, and the children, drew near together, and +came down from the mountain, rejoicing. + +6 But they returned not to the cave in which they were +born; but came to the Cave of Treasures, in order that the +children should go around in it, and be blessed with the +tokens brought from the garden. + +7 But after they had been blessed with these tokens, +they went back to the cave in which they were born. + +8 However, before Eve had offered up the offering, +Adam had taken her, and had gone with her to the river of +water, in which they threw themselves at first; and there +they washed themselves. Adam washed his body and Eve hers +also clean, after the suffering and distress that had come +over them. + +9 But Adam and Eve, after washing themselves in the +river of water, returned every night to the Cave of +Treasures, where they prayed and were blessed; and then +went back to their cave, where their children were born. + +10 Adam and Eve did this until the children had been +weaned. After they were weaned, Adam made an offering for +the souls of his children in addition to the three times +every week he made an offering for them. + +11 When the children were weaned, Eve again conceived, +and when her pregnancy came to term, she gave birth to +another son and daughter. They named the son Abel and the +daughter Aklia. + +12 Then at the end of forty days, Adam made an +offering for the son, and at the end of eighty days he made +another offering for the daughter, and treated them, as he +had previously treated Cain and his sister Luluwa. + +13 He brought them to the Cave of Treasures, where +they received a blessing, and then returned to the cave +where they were born. After these children were born, Eve +stopped having children. + + + +Chapter LXXVI - Cain becomes jealous of Abel because of his sisters. + + +1 And the children began to grow stronger and taller; +but Cain was hard-hearted, and ruled over his younger brother. + +2 Often when his father made an offering, Cain would +remain behind and not go with them, to offer up. + +3 But, as to Abel, he had a meek heart, and was obedient +to his father and mother. He frequently moved them +to make an offering, because he loved it. He prayed +and fasted a lot. + +4 Then came this sign to Abel. As he was coming into +the Cave of Treasures, and saw the golden rods, the incense +and the myrrh, he asked his parents, Adam and Eve, to tell +him about them and asked, "Where did you get these from?" + +5 Then Adam told him all that had befallen them. And +Abel felt deeply about what his father told him. + +6 Furthermore his father, Adam, told him of the works +of God, and of the garden. After hearing that, Abel +remained behind after his father left and stayed the whole +of that night in the Cave of Treasures. + +7 And that night, while he was praying, Satan appeared +to him under the figure of a man, who said to him, "You +have frequently moved your father into making offerings, +fasting and praying, therefore I will kill you, and make +you perish from this world." + +8 But as for Abel, he prayed to God, and drove away +Satan from him; and did not believe the words of the devil. +Then when it was day, an angel of God appeared to him, who +said to him, "Do not cut short either fasting, prayer, or +offering up an offering to your God. For, look, the Lord +had accepted your prayer. Be not afraid of the figure +which appeared to you in the night, and who cursed you to +death." And the angel departed from him. + +9 Then when it was day, Abel came to Adam and Eve, and +told them of the vision he had seen. When they heard it, +they grieved much over it, but said nothing to him about +it; they only comforted him. + +10 But as to the hard-hearted Cain, Satan came to him +by night, showed himself and said to him, "Since Adam and +Eve love your brother Abel so much more than they love you, +they wish to join him in marriage to your beautiful sister +because they love him. However, they wish to join you in +marriage to his ugly sister, because they hate you. + +11 Now before they do that, I am telling you that you +should kill your brother. That way your sister will be left +for you, and his sister will be cast away." + +12 And Satan departed from him. But the devil +remained behind in Cain's heart, and frequently aspired to +kill his brother. + + + +Chapter LXXVII - Cain, 15 years old, and Abel 12 years old, grow apart. + + +1 But when Adam saw that the older brother hated the +younger, he endeavored to soften their hearts, and said to +Cain, "O my son, take of the fruits of your sowing and make +an offering to God, so that He might forgive you for your +wickedness and sin." + +2 He said also to Abel, "Take some of your sowing and +make an offering and bring it to God, so that He might +forgive you for your wickedness and sin." + +3 Then Abel obeyed his father's voice, took some of +his sowing, and made a good offering, and said to his +father, Adam, "Come with me and show me how to offer it +up." + +4 And they went, Adam and Eve with him, and they +showed him how to offer up his gift on the altar. Then +after that, they stood up and prayed that God would accept +Abel's offering. + +5 Then God looked at Abel and accepted his offering. +And God was more pleased with Abel than with his offering, +because of his good heart and pure body. There was no +trace of guile in him. + +6 Then they came down from the altar, and went to the +cave in which they lived. But Abel, by reason of his joy +at having made his offering, repeated it three times a +week, after the example of his father Adam. + +7 But as to Cain, he did not want to make an offering, +but after his father became very angry, he offered up a +gift once. He took the smallest of his sheep for an +offering and when he offered it up, his eyes were on the +lamb. + +8 Therefore God did not accept his offering, because +his heart was full of murderous thoughts. + +9 And they all thus lived together in the cave in +which Eve had brought forth, until Cain was fifteen years +old, and Abel twelve years old. + + + +Chapter LXXVIII - Jealousy overcomes Cain. +He makes trouble in the family. +How the first murder was planned. + + +1 Then Adam said to Eve, "Behold the children are +grown up; we must think of finding wives for them." + +2 Then Eve answered, "How can we do it?" + +3 Then Adam said to her, "We will join Abel's sister +in marriage to Cain, and Cain's sister to Abel. + +4 The said Eve to Adam, "I do not like Cain because he +is hard-hearted; but let them stay with us until we offer +up to the Lord in their behalf." + +5 And Adam said no more. + +6 Meanwhile Satan came to Cain in the figure of a man +of the field, and said to him, "Behold Adam and Eve have +taken counsel together about the marriage of you two; and +they have agreed to marry Abel's sister to you, and your +sister to him. + +7 But if it was not that I love you, I would not have +told you this thing. Yet if you will take my advice, and +obey me, I will bring to you on your wedding day beautiful +robes, gold and silver in plenty, and my relations will +attend you." + +8 Then Cain said with joy, "Where are your relations?" + +9 And Satan answered, "My relations are in a garden in +the north, where I once meant to bring your father Adam; +but he would not accept my offer. + +10 But you, if you will receive my words and if you +will come to me after your wedding, you shall rest from the +misery in which you are; and you shall rest and be better +off than your father Adam." + +11 At these words of Satan Cain opened his ears, and +leaned towards his speech. + +12 And he did not remain in the field, but he went to +Eve, his mother, and beat her, and cursed her, and said to +her, "Why are you planning to take my sister to wed her to +my brother? Am I dead?" + +13 His mother, however, quieted him, and sent him to +the field where he had been. + +14 Then when Adam came, she told him of what Cain had +done. + +15 But Adam grieved and held his peace, and said not a +word. + +16 Then on the next morning Adam said to Cain his son, +"Take of your sheep, young and good, and offer them up to +your God; and I will speak to your brother, to make to his +God an offering of corn." + +17 They both obeyed their father Adam, and they took +their offerings, and offered them up on the mountain by the +altar. + +18 But Cain behaved haughtily towards his brother, and +shoved him from the altar, and would not let him offer up +his gift on the altar; but he offered his own on it, with a +proud heart, full of guile, and fraud. + +19 But as for Abel, he set up stones that were near at +hand, and on that, he offered up his gift with a heart +humble and free from guile. + +20 Cain was then standing by the altar on which he had +offered up his gift; and he cried to God to accept his +offering; but God did not accept it from him; neither did a +divine fire come down to consume his offering. + +21 But he remained standing over against the altar, +out of humor and meanness, looking towards his brother +Abel, to see if God would accept his offering or not. + +22 And Abel prayed to God to accept his offering. +Then a divine fire came down and consumed his offering. +And God smelled the sweet savor of his offering; because +Abel loved Him and rejoice in Him. + +23 And because God was well pleased with him, He sent +him an angel of light in the figure of a man who had +partaken of his offering, because He had smelled the sweet +savor of his offering, and they comforted Abel and +strengthened his heart. + +24 But Cain was looking on all that took place at his +brother's offering, and was angry because of it. + +25 Then he opened his mouth and blasphemed God, +because He had not accepted his offering. + +26 But God said to cain, "Why do you look sad? Be +righteous, that I may accept your offering. Not against Me +have you murmured, but against yourself. + +27 And God said this to Cain in rebuke, and because He +abhorred him and his offering. + +28 And Cain came down from the altar, his color +changed and with a sad face, and came to his father and +mother and told them all that had befallen him. And Adam +grieved much because God had not accepted Cain's offering. + +29 But Abel came down rejoicing, and with a gladsome +heart, and told his father and mother how God had accepted +his offering. And they rejoiced at it and kissed his face. + +30 And Abel said to his father, "Because Cain shoved +me from the altar, and would not allow me to offer my gift +on it, I made an altar for myself and offered my gift on +it." + +31 But when Adam heard this he was very sorry, because +it was the altar he had built at first, and on which he had +offered his own gifts. + +32 As to Cain, he was so resentful and so angry that +he went into the field, where Satan came to him and said to +him, "Since your brother Abel has taken refuge with your +father Adam, because you shoved him from the altar, they +have kissed his face, and they rejoice over him, far more +than over you." + +33 When Cain heard these words of Satan, he was +filled with rage; and he let no one know. But he was +laying wait to kill his brother, until he brought him into +the cave, and then said to him: -- + +34 "O brother, the country is so beautiful, and there +are such beautiful and pleasurable trees in it, and +charming to look at! But brother, you have never been one +day in the field to take your pleasure in that place. + +35 Today, O, my brother, I very much wish you would +come with me into the field, to enjoy yourself and to bless +our fields and our flocks, for you are righteous, and I +love you much, O my brother! But you have alienated +yourself from me." + +36 Then Abel consented to go with his brother Cain +into the field. + +37 But before going out, Cain said to Abel, "Wait for +me, until I fetch a staff, because of wild beasts." + +38 Then Abel stood waiting in his innocence. But +Cain, the forward, fetched a staff and went out. + +39 And they began, Cain and his brother Abel, to walk +in the way; Cain talking to him, and comforting him, to +make him forget everything. + + + +Chapter LXXIX - A wicked plan is carried to a tragic conclusion. +Cain is frightened. "Am I my brother's keeper?" +The seven punishments. Peace is shattered. + + +1 And so they went on, until they came to a lonely +place, where there were no sheep; then Abel said to Cain, +"Behold, my brother, we are tired from walking; for we see +none of the trees, nor of the fruits, nor of the +flourishing green plants, nor of the sheep, nor any one of +the things of which you told me. Where are those sheep of +thine you told me to bless?" + +2 Then Cain said to him, "Come on, and you shall see +many beautiful things very soon, but go before me, until I +catch up to you." + +3 Then went Abel forward, but Cain remained behind him. + +4 And Abel was walking in his innocence, without guile; +not believing his brother would kill him. + +5 Then Cain, when he came up to him, comforted him with his talk, +walking a little behind him; then he ran up to him and beat him +with the staff, blow after blow, until he was stunned. + +6 But when Abel fell down on the ground, seeing that +his brother meant to kill him, he said to Cain, "O, my +brother, have pity on me. By the breasts we have sucked, +don't hit me! By the womb that bore us and that brought us +into the world, don't beat me to death with that staff! +If you will kill me, take one of these large stones +and kill me outright." + +7 Then Cain, the hard-hearted, and cruel murderer, +took a large stone, and beat his brother's head with it, +until his brains oozed out, and he wallowed in his blood, +before him. + +8 And Cain repented not of what he had done. + +9 But the earth, when the blood of righteous Abel fell +on it, trembled, as it drank his blood, and would have +destroyed Cain because of it. + +10 And the blood of Abel cried mysteriously to God, to +avenge him of his murderer. + +11 Then Cain began at once to dig the ground wherein +to lay his brother; for he was trembling from the fear that +came over him, when he saw the earth tremble on his account. + +12 He then cast his brother into the pit he made, and +covered him with dust. But the ground would not receive +him; but it threw him up at once. + +13 Again Cain dug the ground and hid his brother in it; +but again the ground threw him up on itself; until three times +the ground thus threw up on itself the body of Abel. + +14 The muddy ground threw him up the first time, +because he was not the first creation; and it threw him up +the second time and would not receive him, because he was +righteous and good, and was killed without a cause; and the +ground threw him up the third time and would not receive +him, that there might remain before his brother a witness +against him. + +15 And so the earth mocked Cain, until the Word of +God, came to him concerning his brother. + +16 Then was God angry, and much displeased at Abel's +death; and He thundered from heaven, and lightnings went +before Him, and the Word of the Lord God came from heaven +to Cain, and said to him, "Where is Abel your brother?" + +17 Then Cain answered with a proud heart and a gruff +voice, "How, O God? Am I my brother's keeper?" + +18 Then God said to Cain, "Cursed be the earth that +has drunk the blood of Abel your brother; and as for you, +you will always be trembling and shaking; and this will be +a mark on you so that whoever finds you, will kill you." + +19 But Cain cried because God had said those words to him; +and Cain said to Him, "O God, whosoever finds me shall kill me, +and I shall be blotted out from the face of the earth." + +20 Then God said to Cain, "Whoever finds you will not kill you;" +because before this, God had been saying to Cain, +"I shall put seven punishments on anyone that kills Cain." +For as to the word of God to Cain, "Where is your brother?" +God said it in mercy for him, to try and make him repent. + +21 For if Cain had repented at that time, and had +said, "O God, forgive me my sin, and the murder of my +brother," God would then have forgiven him his sin. + +22 And as to God saying to Cain, "Cursed be the ground +that has drunk the blood of your brother" That also, was +God's mercy on Cain. For God did not curse him, but He +cursed the ground; although it was not the ground that had +killed Abel, and committed a wicked sin. + +23 For it was fitting that the curse should fall on +the murderer; yet in mercy did God so manage His thoughts +as that no one should know it, and turn away from Cain. + +24 And He said to him, "Where is your brother?" +To which he answered and said, "I know not." +Then the Creator said to him, "Be trembling and quaking." + +25 Then Cain trembled and became terrified; and +through this sign did God make him an example before all +the creation, as the murderer of his brother. Also did God +bring trembling and terror over him, that he might see the +peace in which he was at first, and see also the trembling +and terror he endured at the last; so that he might humble +himself before God, and repent of his sin, and seek the +peace that he enjoyed at first. + +26 And in the word of God that said, "I will put seven +punishments on anyone who kills Cain," God was not seeking +to kill Cain with the sword, but He sought to make him die +of fasting, and praying and crying by hard rule, until the +time that he was delivered from his sin. + +27 And the seven punishments are the seven generations +during which God awaited Cain for the murder of his brother. + +28 But as to Cain, ever since he had killed his +brother, he could find no rest in any place; but went back +to Adam and Eve, trembling, terrified, and defiled with blood. . . . + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of First Book of Adam and Eve + |