The Testament of Abraham

Then the Most High said, “Call for me here Death, the one called ‘shameless face’ and ‘pitiless gaze.’ ”

And Michael, the bodiless one, went and said to Death, “Come, the Master of creation, the immortal King, calls you.”

When Death heard, he shuddered and trembled, seized by much fear, and coming with much fear he stood before the invisible Father, shuddering, groaning, and trembling, awaiting the Master’s command.

Therefore the invisible God says to Death, “Come, bitter and savage name of the world, hide your savagery, cover your rottenness, and cast away your bitterness from yourself, and clothe yourself in your beauty and all your glory,

and descend to my friend Abraham and take him and bring him to me. But even now I say to you that you are not to terrify him, but receive him with flattery, for he is my genuine friend.”

Having heard these things, Death went out from the presence of the Most High and clothed himself in a most brilliant garment and made his appearance like the sun and became fair and beautiful beyond the sons of men, arrayed in the form of an archangel, with his cheeks flashing with fire, and he went to Abraham.

But the righteous Abraham went out from his chamber and sat under the oaks of Mamre, holding his jaw with his hand and awaiting the arrival of the archangel Michael.

And behold, an odor of fragrance came to him, and a radiance of light; and Abraham turned and saw Death coming to him in great glory and beauty; and Abraham rose and met him, supposing him to be the chief commander of God.

And when Death saw him, he prostrated himself to him, saying, “Hail, honored Abraham, righteous soul, genuine friend of the Most High God, and fellow-dweller of the holy angels.”

But Abraham said to Death, “Hail, sun-seen one, sun-formed one, most glorious helper, light-bearer, marvelous man, from where does your glory come to us, and who are you, and from where have you come?”

Therefore Death says, “Abraham, righteousness, behold, I tell you the truth: I am the bitter cup of death.”

Abraham says to him, “No, but you are the beauty of the world, you are the glory and the comeliness of angels and of men, you are more beautiful than every form, and you say, ‘I am the bitter cup of death,’ and do you not say rather, ‘I am more beautiful than every good thing’?”

But Death said, “For I tell you the truth: what God named me, that also I tell you.”

But Abraham said, “For what have you come here?”

But Death said, “I have come for your holy soul.”

Therefore Abraham says, “I know what you are saying, but I will not follow you.” But Death, becoming silent, did not answer him a word.