The First Book Of Adam And Eve
1926 anthology, complete selected publisher reading text
Rutherford H. Platt
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, thou hast determined beforehand the days in which sufferings shall come upon 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 oblation, all the days of thy life.”
24 Then God withdrew His Word from Adam.
25 But Adam continued to offer this oblation 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 wont, and he and Eve took it and came to the altar before God, as He had taught them.
CHAP. LXIX.
Twelfth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve, while Adam was praying over the offering upon the altar; when Satan smote him.
THEN Satan, the hater of all good, envious of Adam and of his offering through which he found favour with God, hastened and took a sharp stone from among 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 unto God.
3 Then Satan hastened with the sharp iron-stone he had with him, and with it pierced Adam on the right side, when flowed blood and water, then Adam fell upon 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, weeping over him; while a stream of blood flowed from Adam’s side upon his offering.
5 But God looked upon the death of Adam. He then sent His Word, and raised him up and said unto him, “Fulfil thy offering, for indeed, Adam, it is worth much, and there is no shortcoming in it.”
6 God said further unto Adam, “Thus will it also happen to Me, on the earth, when I shall be pierced and blood shall flow blood and water 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 wont.
11 But when there a multitude of beasts came all round them. It was Satan’s doing, in his wickedness; in order to wage war against Adam through marriage.
CHAP. LXX.
Thirteenth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve, to make war against him, through his marriage with Eve.
AFTER this Satan, the hater of all good, took the form n 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 guile.
3 But when Adam and Eve saw their comely mien, 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 upon him from them, peace and joy, through their bringing him good tokens; so Adam thought that they were come a second time to give him other tokens for him to rejoice withal. For he did not know it was Satan; therefore did he receive them with joy and companied with them.
5 Then Satan, the tallest of them, said, “Rejoice, O Adam, and be glad. Lo, God has sent us to thee to tell thee something.”
6 And Adam said, “What is it?” Then Satan answered, “It is a light thing, yet it is a word of God, wilt thou hear it from us and do it? But if thou hearest not, we will return to God, and tell Him that thou wouldest not receive His word.”
And Satan said again to Adam, “Fear not, neither let a trembling come upon thee; dost not thou know us?”
8 But Adam said, “I know you not.”
9 Then Satan said to him, “I am the angel who brought thee gold, and took it to the cave; this other one is he who brought thee incense; and that third one, is he who brought thee myrrh when thou wast on the top of the mountain, and who carried thee 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 suffice.’”
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 unto him “Swear, and promise me that thou wilt receive it.”
13 Then Adam said, “I know not how to swear and promise.”
14 And Satan said to him, “Hold out thy hand, and put it inside my hand.”
15 Then Adam held out his hand, and put it into Satan’s hand; when Satan said unto him, “Say, now--so true as God is living, rational, and speaking, who raised the heavens in the space, and established the earth upon 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, “Lo, it is now some time since thou camest out of the garden, and thou knowest neither wickedness nor evil. But now God s says to thee, to take Eve who came out of thy side, and to wed her, that she bear thee children, to comfort thee, and to drive from thee trouble and sorrow; now this thing is not difficult, neither is there any scandal in it to thee.”