8“Behold, the fire is more worthy of honour than 9all things formed because even that which is not subjected is subjected unto it, and things easily perishable are mocked by its flames. 9 10But even more worthy of hon our is the water, 10 because it conquereth the fire and satisfieth the earth.11 But even it I do not call God, because 12it is subjected to the earth under which the water inclineth.12 But I call the earth much more worthy of honour, because it overpowereth the nature (and the fulness)13 of the water. Even it (viz. the earth), how ever, I do not call god, [because]14 it, too, is dried up by the sun, [and] 14 is apportioned to man to be tilled.15[I call the sun more worthy of honour than the earth,]16 because it with its rays illumineth the whole world 17and the different atmospheres.17 [But]14 even it I do not call god, because at night 18and by clouds its course is obscured.18 Nor, again, do I call the moon or the stars
So S; A, Joauv; K, Joav; R, Jav. The lon g passage in bracke t s w h i c h h e r e f o llows is extant in A and K, but is wanting in S. It consists of a long comparison between the gods Joauv (Joavon) and Barisat, and is very obscure. It is probably a later interpolation. 4 Lit. that. ? read rooted. i.e. while it was growing as a tree. Lit. and he. Hath he not abandoned this (once for all) by perishing to utter destruction? A (K). A K i n sert at the beginning of this chapter: Having thought thus, Abraham came to his father, sa yi n g: “Father Terah,” forgetting that A braham was already speaking to him. The sen tence is wan ting in S. So S; for this A K have thy honoured gods of gold, silver, stone, and wood, because it bur n eth up thy gods; yea, thy gods are burnt up in subjection to the fire, while the fire mocked them, devouring thy gods. A K r e a d: B u t that (viz. the fire) I do not call god, because it hath been subjected to the water, while the water is more worthy of honour than it (i. e. the fire). A K, maketh the fruits of the earth sweet. A K, the water inclineth under the earth. 14 So S; but A K omit—it is probably a gloss. S omits. Lit. for work (= Heb. la‘ |bÇd). Omitted by S; but it must have belonged to the original text. It is attested by A K. So S; A K omit: atmospheres (? lower and upper) = ’XDgH; cf. 4 Ezra vi. 4, altitudines aerum. A K, it is obscured by the darkness.
god, because they also in their season obscure [their] 1 light at night. 2 [But]1 hear [this],1 Terah my father; for 3I will make known to thee3 the God who hath made everything, not these we consider as gods. Who then is He? or what is He? Who hath crimsoned the heavens, and made the sun golden, And the moon lustrous, and with it the stars; And hath made the earth dry in the midst of many waters, And set thee in4.... 5[and tested me in the confusion of my thoughts ]5 “Yet may God reveal Himself to us through Himself!”