Legends of the Patriarchs and Prophets: And Other Old Testament Characters from Various SourcesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
Legends of the Patriarchs and Prophets: And Other Old Testament Characters from Various Sources
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Bible. Old Testament -- Legends
Here follows in the Mussulman account the story of Nimrod’s attempt
to reach heaven in a box, to which were attached four vultures. His
object was, says Tabari, to kill the God of Abraham. He went up along
with his vizir. After a night and day in the air, the king said to
his vizir, “Open the window of the box towards the earth and tell me
what you see.” He did so, and replied, “I see the earth.” After another
day and night, he again looked out and saw the earth still; on the
third day, at the king’s command he looked out and saw nothing. Then
said Nimrod, “Open the window towards heaven and look out.” He did so
and saw nothing. Then Nimrod shot three arrows into the sky, and they
fell back with blood on them. So Nimrod said, “I have killed the God
of Abraham.” But whence the blood came is unsettled. Some say that the
arrows hit a bird which flew higher than the vultures; but others, with
more probability, say they struck a fish, which was being carried by
the wind, that had caught it up with the rain out of the sea.[303]
Abraham now married the daughter of his brother Haran, named Sarai
or Jisha, “the seeress,” because she was endowed with the spirit of
prophecy, say some, or, say others, because she was so beautiful that
every one wanted to see her. At the time of his marriage, Abraham was
aged fifty; others, however, suggest twenty-five.
Two years later, Nimrod was visited with a dream. He saw himself and
all his army in a valley, near the furnace into which he had cast
Abraham. A man resembling the latter stepped out of the furnace and
approached the king, holding a naked sword. When Nimrod recoiled, the
man cast an egg at his head; the egg broke and became a mighty river,
which swept all his hosts away, saving only three men; and on looking
at them, the king saw that they wore royal robes, and exactly resembled
himself. Then the stream retreated into the egg, and when all the water
was gathered into it, from the egg hopped out a chicken, which seated
itself on Nimrod’s head, and pecked out one of his eyes.
Next morning the king sent for his soothsayers to explain the dream,
and this was their interpretation; “Hear, O king! this dream presages
to thee great misfortune, which Abraham and his posterity shall bring
upon thee. The time will come when he will war with his forces against
thee and thy forces, and will overcome them and put them to the sword.
Thou alone wilt escape with three of thy confederates; but a messenger
of Abraham will cause thy death. Therefore, O king! remember that thy
council of wise men foretold this fifty-two years ago, in the stars
at Abraham’s birth. As long as Abraham lives thou art in jeopardy.
Wherefore could he be suffered to live any longer?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account