said, "I hear what you say, but I shall not come with you." But
Death was silent and answered him not a word.

Then Abraham rose up and went towards his house: and Death followed
him. And he went up into his chamber: and Death went with him; and he
laid himself on his bed: and Death came and sat by his feet. And
Abraham said, "Go, depart from me: I wish to rest here on my couch."
Death answered, "I shall not depart till I have taken thy soul from
thy body." Abraham said, "I adjure thee by the living God: art thou
in very truth Death?" He said, "I am." Then said Abraham, "Comest
thou to all men in such a beautiful shape as this?" He said, "Nay,
my lord Abraham; it is thy righteousness and thy good deeds which
make as it were a crown of glory upon my head; it is only to such as
thou art that I come thus peaceably, but to sinners I show myself
much otherwise." "Show me then," said Abraham, "in what form thou
comest to them: let me see all thy fierceness and bitterness."
"No," said Death, "for thou couldst not bear to look upon it."
"Verily, I am able to bear it," he said, "for the strength of the
God of heaven is with me."

Then Death let fall from him all his beauty, and Abraham saw him as
he was. And where there had been a shining angel, he saw a cloud of
darkness, and in it the shapes of horrible wild beasts and all
unclean creatures; and he saw the heads of fiery dragons, and flames
of consuming fire darting out; and he seemed to see a dreadful
precipice before him, and then a rushing river, and flashes of
lightning, and crackling of thunder, and thereafter a tempestuous
raging sea; and again weapons brandished, and venomous basilisks and
serpents, and bowls of poison; and there came a horrible odour, so
that all the servants of Abraham that were in the chamber fainted and