Abraham First to Receive the Crown of Old Age

[And Abraham was old.] Come and see: from Adam until Abraham there are twenty generations, yet old age is written of none of them except him. They would father children and grandchildren, and one could not tell which was the son and which was the father; and the children would strike their fathers without knowing it, as it is said (Psalms 78:33): "So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror" — for they were all alike, until Abraham came. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him this crown, which is an adornment for a person when he grows old. And when did it come upon him? When he did righteousness, as it is said (Proverbs 16:31): "Gray hair is a crown of glory." And where do you find it? (As the verse continues:) "It is found in the way of righteousness." Who was this? Abraham, of whom it is written (Genesis 18:19): "For I have known him, so that he may charge [his children and his household after him]." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, you are worthy of old age. Therefore it is said: "And Abraham was old." And David too received this crown, as it is said (I Kings 1:1): "And King David was old." Why? Because he acted by the measure of Abraham, as it is said (II Samuel 8:15): "And David did justice and righteousness for all his people." Therefore it is said: "Gray hair is a crown of glory."