Sacred Texts Bible Apocrypha Index Previous Next
Buy this Book at Amazon.com
The Forgotten Books of Eden, by Rutherford H. Platt, Jr., [1926], at sacred-texts.com
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.'
23 "God said further to me, 'If thou hast not strength to walk, I will send a cloud to carry thee and alight thee at the entrance of their cave; then the cloud will return and leave thee there.
24 "'And if they will come with thee, I will send a cloud to carry thee and them.'
25 "Then He commanded a cloud, and it bare me up and brought me to you; and then went back.
26 "And now O my children, Adam and Eve, look at my hoar hairs and at my feeble estate, and at my coming from that distant place. Come, come with me, to a place of rest."
27 Then he began to weep and to sob before Adam and Eve, and his tears poured upon the earth 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 hearkened unto him, for they believed he was true.
29 And it seemed to them that they really were his offspring, when they saw that his face was like their own; and they trusted him.