Abraham, book of (Hastings' Dictionary)
A work, consisting of SOO ittIxoi,, bearing this name, is found in a list of Jewish apocryjilial writings, preserved from a much earlier period, in an api>endix to the Chronuyraphia Compendiarid of Nicephorus (c. 800 A.n.) This list is printed in Credner's (iexch. des Kanons, 1847, as well as in Scliiirer's H,/P II. iii. 12(5. The so- called Synop.iis Athanaaii presents the same list, omitting, however, the number of ffrlxot, which is attached to each book in the Stichometry of Nicephorus.
It is likely that this is the book from which Origen quotes as to a contest between the angels of righteou.sness and iniquity with reganl to the salvation of Abraham (In Lite. Hom. ;;5); and .lames is prob. correct in identifying this Book with the Testament of A. {Texts and Studies, ii. 2, p. 27 ff.) An Apoc. of A. is mentioned by Epi- phaiiius as used by the ()philes. J. T. MAIteiHAI.L.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia