of a cloud of fire, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And I said,
"Behold, here am I!" And He said, "In the thought of thy heart thou
seekest after the God of Gods and the Maker of all things: I am He.
Depart from thy father Terah and go out of his house, lest thou be
consumed in his wickedness." And I went out; and it came to pass, as
I came to the door of the house, that there fell a noise of a great
thundering, and the fire fell and burnt up my father Terah and his
house and all that was therein.

This is the story of the beginning of the life of Abraham; and that
which is told about the end of his life is as follows:

Abraham had lived out the measure of his days. He was now a hundred
and seventy-five years old, and all the days of his life he had lived
in kindness and meekness and uprightness: and especially was he
hospitable and courteous to strangers. He dwelt by the cross-roads
near the oak of Mamre, and entertained all the wayfarers who came
that way, rich and poor, lame and sound, friends or strangers. But at
last to him, as to all other men, there came the bitter cup of death,
which none can put away. So when the time was come, the Most High
called to him the archangel Michael and said to him, "Michael, prince
of the host, go down to Abraham and speak to him concerning his
death, that he may set his house in order: for his possessions are
great. Announce to him therefore that he is to depart speedily out of
the earthly life, and come to his Lord in peace and happiness."

Michael therefore went forth from the presence of the Lord and went
down to Abraham at the oak of Mamre, and found him in the fields hard
by, watching his husbandmen ploughing with their oxen. And Abraham
lifted up his eyes and saw Michael coming towards him in the dress