The First Book Of Adam And Eve
1926 anthology, complete selected publisher reading text
Rutherford H. Platt
4 But ere they prayed Adam said unto Eve, “Lo, thou hast seen what temptations have befallen us in this land. Come, let us arise, 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 herein, He will save us.”
5 Then Adam and Eve arose, and joined together in entreating God.
6 They abode thus praying 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.
CHAP. LIX.
Eighth apparition of Satan to Adam and Eve.
BUT Satan, the hater of all good, did not allow them to end their prayers. For he called to his hosts, and they came, all of them. He then said to them, “Since Adam and Eve, whom we beguiled, have agreed together to pray to God night and day, and to entreat 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 unto them.” And his hosts said unto him, “Power is thine, O our Lord, to do what thou listest.”
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 smote Adam and Eve, until he left them dead.
4 Then came the Word of God unto Adam and Eve, who raised them from their suffering, and God said unto Adam, “Be strong, and be not afraid of him who has just come to thee.”
5 But Adam wept and said, “Where wast Thou, O my God, that they should smite me with such blows, and that this suffering should come upon us; upon me and upon Eve, Thy handmaid?”
6 Then God said unto him, “O Adam, see, he is lord and master of all thou hast, he who said, he would give thee divinity. Where is this love for thee? And where is the gift he promised?
7 “For once has it pleased him, O Adam, to come to thee, to comfort thee, and to strengthen thee, and to rejoice with thee, and to send his hosts to guard thee; because thou hast hearkened to him, and hast yielded to his counsel; and hast transgressed My commandment but has followed his behest?”
8 Then Adam wept before the Lord, and said, “O Lord because I transgressed a little, Thou hast sorely plagued me in return for it, I ask Thee 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 unto Adam, “If only there had been this sighing and praying before, ere thou didst transgress! Then wouldst thou have rest from the trouble in which thou art 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.
CHAP. LX.
The Devil appears like an old man. He offers “a place of rest.”
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, ere 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 estate; but if He did not do so, He would still be favourable 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, rise ye, stand up, thou and Eve, and come along with me, to a good land; and fear not. 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, ‘Abide here!’ And I abode there according to His Word, neither did I transgress His commandment.
9 “Then He made a slumber to come over me, and He brought thee, O Adam, out of my side, but did not make thee abide by me.
10 “But God took thee in His divine hand, and placed thee in a garden to the eastward.
11 “Then I grieved because of thee, for that while God had taken thee out of my side, He had not let thee abide with me.
12 “But God said unto me: ‘Grieve not because of Adam, whom I brought out of thy 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 ye are in this cave, nor anything about this trial that has come upon you-until God said to me, ‘Behold, Adam has transgressed, he whom I had taken out of thy side, and Eve also, whom I took out of his side; and I have driven them out of the garden; I have made them dwell in a land of sorrow and misery, because they transgressed against Me, and have hearkened to Satan. And lo, they are in suffering unto this day, the eightieth.’
15 “Then God said unto me, ‘Arise, go to them, and make them come to thy 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 thou hast taken them to thyself, 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 thee. But grieve not over them, nor repent of that which has come upon them.’
17 “But when I heard this, I was sorry; and my heart could not patiently bear it for thy 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, lest he ensnare 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 unto me, ‘Fear not; when thou findest him, smite him with the staff that is in thine hand, and be not afraid of him for thou art of old standing, and he shall not prevail against thee.’
21 “Then I said, ‘O my Lord, I am old, and cannot go. Send Thy angels to bring them.’
22 “But God said unto me, ‘Angels, verily, are not like them; and they will not consent to come with them. But I have chosen thee, because they are thy offspring, and like thee, and will hearken to what thou sayest.’