The Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts Page 10

  Author’s note: Jewish law says the woman is unclean for a time after giving birth. The act, having human blood present, makes the place unclean. The first cave served as home and temple. The second cave served as a place of safety and shelter.

  It will be noted the each time Eve gave birth she did so with twins, symbolizing the replenishing or replacing of Adam and Eve.

  Chapter LXXV

  1 Then Adam prepared an offering. He and Eve brought it to the altar they had built at first and offered it up for their children. 2 And Adam offered up the offering, and asked God to accept his offering. 3 Then God accepted Adam's offering, and sent a light from heaven that shined down on the offering. Adam and his son drew near to the offering, but Eve and the daughter did not approach it. 4 Adam and his son were joyful as they came down from the altar. Adam and Eve waited until the daughter was eighty days old and then Adam prepared an offering and took it to Eve and to the children. They went to the altar where Adam offered it up, as he was accustomed, asking the Lord to accept his offering. 5 And the Lord accepted the offering of Adam and Eve. Then Adam, Eve, and the children gathered together and came down from the mountain, rejoicing. 6 But they did not return to the cave in which they were born. Instead they went to the Cave of Treasures, so that the children should live in it and be blessed with the tokens brought from the garden. 7 But after they had been blessed with the tokens they went back to the cave in which they were born. 8 But, before Eve had offered up the offering, Adam had taken her to the river of water in which they threw themselves at first. There they washed themselves. Adam washed his body and Eve washed hers clean also, after the suffering and distress that had come over them. 9 But after washing themselves in the river of water, Adam and Eve returned every night to the Cave of Treasures, where they prayed and were blessed, and then went back to their cave where their children were born. 10 Adam and Eve did this until the children had been weaned. After they were weaned, Adam made an offering for the souls of his children in addition to the three times every week he made an offering for them. 11 When the children were weaned, Eve conceived again, and when her pregnancy came to term, she gave birth to another son and daughter. They named the son Abel and the daughter Aklia. 12 Then at the end of forty days, Adam made an offering for the son, and at the end of eighty days he made another offering for the daughter, and treated them as he had previously treated Cain and his sister Luluwa. 13 He brought them to the Cave of Treasures, where they received a blessing and then returned to the cave where they were born. After these children were born, Eve stopped having children.

  Author’s note: To compare the purification ritual recounted here to those of the Old Testament we look to the book of the law. Leviticus 12 (RSV) 1 The LORD said to Moses, 2"Say to the people of Israel, If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying; she shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days. 6 "And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering , 7 and he shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her; then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. 8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean."

  Chapter LXXVI

  1 As the children began to grow stronger and taller, Cain grew hard-hearted, and he ruled over his younger brother. 2 Often, when his father made an offering, Cain would remain behind and not go with them to make the offering. 3 But Abel had a meek heart, and was obedient to his father and mother. He frequently influenced them to make an offering because he loved it. He prayed and fasted much. 4 Then this sign came to Abel. As he was coming into the Cave of Treasures he saw the golden rods, the incense and the myrrh and he asked his parents, Adam and Eve, to tell him about them. Abel asked, "Where did you get these from?" 5 Then Adam told him all that had befallen them. And Abel felt deeply about what his father told him. 6 Then his father, Adam, told him about the works of God and of the garden. After hearing these things, Abel remained behind after his father left and stayed the entire of that night in the Cave of Treasures. 7 And that night, while he was praying, Satan appeared to him in the form of a man. And Satan said to him, "Often you have moved your father into making offerings, and to fast and pray. Because of this, I will kill you and make you perish from this world." 8 But Abel prayed to God and drove away Satan, and he did not believe the words of the devil. Then when it was day, an angel of God appeared to him, who said to him, "Do not stop your fasting, prayer, or offering to your God. For, look, the Lord has accepted your prayer. Be not afraid of the form which appeared to you in the night, and who cursed you to death." Then the angel departed from him. 9 Then Abel came to Adam and Eve when it was day, and told them about the vision he had seen. When they heard it they worried about it very much, but said nothing to him about it. They only comforted him. 10 But Satan came to the hard-hearted Cain by night and showed himself and said to him, "Since Adam and Eve love your brother Abel so much more than they love you, they wish to join him in marriage to your beautiful sister because they love him. However, they wish to join you in marriage to his ugly sister, because they hate you. 11 Now before they do that, I am telling you that you should kill your brother. That way your sister will be left for you and you can throw his sister away." 12 And Satan departed from him. But the devil remained behind in Cain's heart, and frequently prompted his ambition to kill his brother.

  Author’s note: Since the children were born in pairs, it seems more reasonable to have those that were not twins marry.

  Note the word used in reference to Cain’s heart. He was hard-hearted and the devil gave him ambition – or hope – or aspiration to kill. As if this were something to achieve as a noble end.

  Chapter LXXVII

  1 But when Adam saw that the older brother hated the younger brother, he attempted to soften their hearts. He said to Cain, "My son, take some of the fruits of your sowing and make an offering to God, so that He might forgive you for your wickedness and your sin." 2 He said also to Abel, "Take some of the fruit of your sowing and make an offering and bring it to God, so that He might forgive you for your wickedness and your sin." 3 Then Abel obeyed his father and took some of his sowing, and made a good offering, and said to his father, Adam, "Come with me and show me how to offer it up." 4 And they went, Adam and Eve with him, and they showed him how to offer up his gift on the altar. Then after that they stood up and prayed that God would accept Abel's offering. 5 Then God looked at Abel and accepted his offering. And God was more pleased with Abel than He was with his offering, because of his good heart and pure body. There was no trace of guile in him. 6 Then they came down from the altar and went to the cave in which they lived. But because of his joy felt at making his offering, Abel repeated it three times a week, following the example of his father Adam. 7 But Cain did not want to make an offering, but after his father became very angry, he offered up a gift once. He took the smallest of his sheep for an offering and when he offered it up, his eyes were on the lamb. 8 Because of this, God did not accept his offering, because his heart was full of murderous thoughts. 9 And they all lived together like this in the cave in which Eve had given birth, until Cain was fifteen years old, and Abel twelve years old.

  Chapter LXXVIII

  1 Then Adam said to Eve, "The children have grown
up. We must think of finding wives for them." 2 Then Eve answered, "How can we do that?" 3 Then Adam said to her, "We will join Abel's sister in marriage to Cain, and Cain's sister to Abel. 4 Then Eve said to Adam, "I do not like Cain because he is hard-hearted. So, let them stay with us until we offer up (an offering) to the Lord in their behalf." 5 And Adam said no more. 6 Meanwhile Satan came to Cain in the form of a man of the field, and said to him, "Look. Adam and Eve have discussed together about the marriage of you two, and they have agreed to marry Abel's sister to you, and your sister to Abel. 7 But if it were not that I love you, I would not have told you this thing. So, if you will take my advice and obey me, I will bring beautiful robes, plenty of gold and silver, and my relations will attend you on your wedding day." 8 Then Cain said with joy, "Where are your relations?" 9 And Satan answered, "My relations are in a garden in the north, where I once meant to bring your father Adam, but he would not accept my offer. 10 But if you will receive my words and if you will come to me after your wedding, you shall rest from the misery in which you are; and you shall rest and be better off than your father Adam." 11 At these words, Satan got Cain’s attention (opened his ears), and Cain inclined toward Satan to listen (leaned towards his speech). 12 After this, he did not remain in the field, but he went to Eve, his mother, and beat her and cursed her, and said to her, "Why are you planning to take my sister to marry her to my brother? Am I dead?" 13 But his mother quieted him and sent him back to the field where he had been. 14 Then when Adam came, she told him of what Cain had done. 15 Adam was very worried, but held his peace, and did not say a word. 16 Then, the next morning Adam said to Cain his son, "Take of your young and good sheep and offer them up to your God, and I will speak to your brother and have him make an offering of corn to his God." 17 They both obeyed their father Adam, and they took their offerings, and offered them up on the mountain by the altar. 18 But Cain behaved arrogantly (haughtily) toward his brother, and he shoved him from the altar, and would not let him offer up his gift on the altar, but he offered his own offering on it with a proud heart, full of guile and fraud. 19 But Abel set up stones that were near at hand and on that, he offered up his gift with a heart humble and free from guile. 20 Cain was then standing by the altar on which he had offered up his gift and he cried to God to accept his offering, but God did not accept it from Cain, nor did a divine fire come down to consume his offering. 21 But he remained standing over against the altar out of meanness, to make fun of his brother, and he glared at his brother Abel to see if God would accept his offering or not. 22 And Abel prayed to God to accept his offering. Then a divine fire came down and consumed his offering. And God smelled the sweet savor of his offering, because Abel loved Him and rejoice in Him. 23 And because God was well pleased with him, He sent him an angel of light in the form of a man to partake of his offering, because He had smelled the sweet savor of his offering, and he comforted Abel and strengthened his heart. 24 But Cain was looking on all that took place at his brother's offering, and was angry because of it. 25 Then he opened his mouth and blasphemed God because He had not accepted his offering. 26 But God said to Cain, "Why do you look sad? Be in right standing with Me so that I may accept your offering. You have not murmured against Me, but against yourself. 27 And God said this to Cain in rebuke, and because He hated him and his offering. 28 And Cain came down from the altar and his color changed and he had a sad face. And he came to his father and mother and told them all that had happened to him. And Adam grieved much because God had not accepted Cain's offering. 29 But Abel came down rejoicing, and with a glad heart, and told his father and mother how God had accepted his offering. And they rejoiced at it and kissed his face. 30 And Abel said to his father, "Because Cain shoved me from the altar, and would not allow me to offer my gift on it, I made an altar for myself and offered my gift on it."

  31 But when Adam heard this he was very sorry because it was the altar he had built at first, and on which he had offered his own gifts. 32 Cain was so resentful and so angry that he went into the field. There, Satan came to him and said to him, "Your brother Abel has taken refuge with your father Adam, because you shoved him from the altar. They have kissed his face and they rejoice over him far more than over you." 33 When Cain heard these words of Satan he was filled with rage but he let no one know. But he was laying in wait to kill his brother, until he brought him into the cave, and then said to him: 34 "Brother, the country is so beautiful and there are such beautiful and pleasurable trees in it, and charming to look at! But brother, you have never been one day in the field to take your pleasure in that place. 35 Today, my brother, I wish very much that you would come into the field with me, to enjoy yourself and to bless our fields and our flocks, for you are righteous, and I love you much, O my brother! But you have alienated yourself from me." 36 Then Abel agreed to go with his brother Cain into the field. 37 But before going out, Cain said to Abel, "Wait for me and I will fetch a staff because of wild beasts." 38 Then Abel stood innocently waiting. But Cain, the presumptuous, got a staff and went out. 39 And Cain and his brother Abel began to walk in the path. Cain was talking to him, and comforting him, to make him forget everything.

  Chapter LXXIX

  1 And so they walked on until they came to a place they were alone where there were no sheep. Then Abel said to Cain, "Look, my brother, we are tired from walking. We see none of the trees, or fruits, or the growing green plants, or the sheep, or any of the things of which you told me. Where are those sheep of yours that you told me to bless?" 2 Then Cain said to him, "Come on, and you shall see many beautiful things very soon, but go before me until I catch up to you." 3 Then Abel went on but Cain stayed behind him. 4 And Abel was innocently walking, without suspecting any craftiness, not thinking that his brother would kill him. 5 Then Cain came up to him, comforted him with his words while walking a little behind him. Then he ran up to him and beat him with the staff, blow after blow, until he was dazed. 6 But when Abel fell down on the ground and saw that his brother meant to kill him, he said to Cain, "O, my brother, have pity on me. By the breasts we have sucked, do not hit me! By the womb that bore us and that brought us into the world, do not beat me to death with that staff! If you are set on killing me, take one of these large stones and kill me outright." 7 Then Cain, the hard-hearted, and cruel murderer, took a large stone, and beat his brother's head with it until his brains oozed out, and he wallowed in his blood, before him. 8 And Cain was not sorry for what he had done. 9 But when the blood of righteous Abel fell on the earth, it trembled as it drank his blood, and would have destroyed Cain because of it. 10 And the blood of Abel cried mysteriously to God to avenge him of his murderer. 11 Then Cain began to dig furiously at the ground to bury his brother, because he was shaking from fear that came over him when he saw the earth tremble because of him. 12 He then threw his brother into the hole he made, and covered him with dust. But the ground would not receive him and it threw him up at once. 13 Again Cain dug the ground and covered his brother in it, but again the ground threw him up. Three times the ground threw up the body of Abel on itself. 14 The muddy ground threw him up the first time because he was not the first creation. It threw him up the second time and would not receive him because he was righteous and good and was killed without a cause. The ground threw him up the third time and would not receive him so that there might remain before his brother a witness against him. 15 And so the earth mocked Cain until the Word of God came to him concerning his brother. 16 Then God was angry and very much displeased at Abel's death. And He thundered from heaven, and lightning went out from Him, and the Word of the Lord God came from heaven to Cain, and said to him, "Where is Abel, your brother?" 17 Then Cain answered with a proud heart and a gruff voice, "How am I to know, O God? Am I my brother's keeper?" 18 Then God said to Cain, "Cursed be the earth that has drunk the blood of Abel, your brother. And as for you, you will always be trembling and shaking, and this will be a mark on you so that whoever finds you will kill you." 19 But Cain cried because God had said those word
s to him. And Cain said to Him, "O God, whosoever finds me shall kill me, and I shall be blotted out from the face of the earth." 20 Then God said to Cain, "Whoever finds you will not kill you," because before this, God had been saying to Cain, "I shall put seven punishments on anyone that kills Cain." For the word of God to Cain was, "Where is your brother?" God said it in mercy to him, to try and make him repent. 21 And if Cain had repented at that time, and had said, "O God, forgive me my sin, and the murder of my brother," God would then have forgiven him his sin. 22 But God said to Cain, "Cursed be the ground that has drunk the blood of your brother" That also, was God's mercy on Cain, because God did not curse him, but He cursed the ground, although it was not the ground that had killed Abel, and committed a wicked sin. 23 But it was fitting that the curse should fall on the murderer, and yet, in mercy did God managed His thoughts so that no one should know the extent of His anger for He turned it away from Cain. 24 And He said to him, "Where is your brother?" To which he answered and said, "I know not." Then the Creator said to him, "Be trembling and quaking." 25 Then Cain trembled and became terrified, and through this sign God made him an example before all the creation to show him as the murderer of his brother. Also God brought trembling and terror over him so that he might see the peace he had before and also see the trembling and terror he endured at the end, so that he might humble himself before God and repent of his sin, and seek the peace that he enjoyed at first. 26 The word of God said, "I will put seven punishments on anyone who kills Cain." So, God was not seeking to kill Cain with the sword, but He sought to make him die of fasting, and praying, and crying by His discipline, until the time that he was delivered from his sin. 27 And the seven punishments are the seven generations during which God awaited Cain for the murder of his brother. 28 But, ever since he had killed his brother, Cain could find no rest in any place, so he went back to Adam and Eve, trembling, terrified, and defiled with blood.