Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/321

XXXII.] angel Gabriel on the other side, the angel Sagsagel at the feet, and the Majesty of God appeared above his head.

And the Lord said to Moses, "Close thine eyelids." He obeyed.

Then the Lord said, "Press thy hand upon thy heart." And he did so.

Then God said, "Place thy feet in order." He did so.

Then the Lord God addressed the spirit of Moses, and said, "Holy soul, my daughter! For a hundred and twenty years hast thou inhabited this undefiled body of dust. But now thine hour is come; come forth and mount to Paradise!"

But the soul answered, trembling and with pain, "In this pure and undefiled body have I spent so many years, that I have learned to love it, and I have not the courage to desert it."

"My daughter, come forth! I will place thee in the highest heaven beneath the Cherubim and Seraphim who bear up My eternal throne."

Yet the soul doubted and quaked.

Then God bent over the face of Moses, and kissed him. And the soul leaped up in joy, and went with the kiss of God to Paradise.

Then a sad cloud draped the heavens, and the winds wailed, "Who lives now on earth to fight against sin and error?"

And a voice answered, "Such a prophet never arose before."

And the Earth lamented, "I have lost the holy one!"

And Israel lamented, "We have lost the Shepherd!"

And the angels sang, "He is come in peace to the arms of God!"

But the Mussulmans narrate the last scene differently.

They say that the Angel of Death stood over Moses, as he lay in the grave, and said, "Prophet of God, I must take thy soul."

"How wilt thou take it?"

"From thy mouth."

"Thou canst not, for my mouth hath spoken with God."

"Then from thine eyes."

"Thou canst not, for my eyes have seen the uncreated Light of God."

"Then from thy ears."

"Thou canst not, for my ears have heard the Voice of God."