Apocalypse of Abraham

1 When I, Abraham, heard such words from my father, I [both] laughed in my mind and [yet] groaned in the bitterness and anger of my soul. 6:2 And I said, “How can a statue made by my father [ever] be his helper? 6:3 Or would he have subordinated his body to his soul, his soul to his spirit, then his spirit—to folly and ignorance?” 6:4 And I said, “Must one put up with evil? Let me risk my life for purity and I shall put forth my own clear thinking before him!” 6:5 I declared and said, “Father Terah, whichever of these gods you praise, you err in your thinking. 6:6 Behold, my brother Nahor’s gods standing in the holy temple are more honored than yours. 6:7 For behold, Zoukh, my brother Nahor’s god, is more honored than your god Mar-Umath, since he is made of gold sold by men. 6:8 And if he becomes worn out with the years, he will be remade, whereas Mar-Umath, if he is changed or broken, will not be remade, since he is of stone. 6:9 [And] what about Yoavon, a god who is in the power of another god, who stands beside Zoukh? Since [even] he is more honored than the god Bar-Eshath who is made of wood, while [Yoavon is] forged of silver. And being better proportioned, he is sold by men in order to show him. 6:10 But Bar-Eshath , your god, before he was made had been rooted in the ground. 6:11 Being great and wondrous, with branches, flowers and [various] beauties. 6:12 And you cut him with an ax, and by your skill the god was made. 6:13 And behold, he has dried up, and his sap is gone. 6:14 He fell from the heights to the ground, and he went from greatness to insignificance, 6:15 and his appearance has faded. 6:16 [Now] he himself has been burned up by the fire, 6:17 and he turned into ashes and is no more. 6:18 Yet you say: “Today I shall make another one, and tomorrow he will make my food.” 6:19 [But] he retained no strength utterly perishing!