Publisher's Synopsis
This book tells much that will be new to most readers-was probably written in Arabic in Egypt; whence it was taken farther south, and translated into Ethiopic. At all events no Greek or Egyptian original of it, is, as yet, known to exist; neither does it betray the least vestige of Hellenism.
The Ethiopic text is irregularly divided in sections, -some of great length, owing to the subject in hand, -I thought more convenient to divide my translation into Books, and chapters, some of which have the same headings as those given in the text.
- Book 1-Takes in the whole life of Adam and Eve, from the day they left Eden; their dwelling in the Cave of Treasures; their trials and temptations; Satan's manifold apparitions to them, and the Word of God coming to comfort and help them. Then the birth of Cain, of Abel, and of their twin sisters; Cain's love for his own twin sister, Luluwa, whom Adam and Eve wished to join to Abel; hence Cain's hatred and murder of his brother; and Adam's sorrow and death.
- Book 2-Gives the history of the patriarchs who lived before the Flood; the dwelling of the children of Seth on the Holy Mountain-Mount Hermon-until they were lured by Genun and by the daughters of Cain, to come down from the mountain; and as "fallen angels," to lose God's love for them. Then Cain's death, when slain by Lamech the blind; and the lives of the other patriarchs, until the birth of Noah.
- Book 3-Gives the history of the building of the ark; of the Flood, of the settlement of Noah and his family; and of the carrying of the body of Adam to "the Middle of the Earth;" the growth of idolatry under Nimrod; the destruction of idols; and the call of Abraham.
- Book 4-Gives a short history of the patriarchs, judges and kings, from Abraham to the coming of Christ.
