The Book of Avior

Chapter 1

 * 1) Now in the days of Elisha, a man of Levi lived in Manessah, and he was Avior.
 * 2) He was borne unto Resheph, and he was wed unto Revaya, and he was childless.
 * 3) (Resheph was borne unto Lea, a prostitute; and when he was borne, she cried out, "Who was it that placed this fire in my loins, that I scream in agony?" And so he was called Resheph.)
 * 4) And Satan approached The LORD and said,
 * 5) "What has Avior done unto Thee, that Thou wouldst leave him childless, and his wife barren?
 * 6) "Let me but give him a child, that he might be happy."
 * 7) But The LORD said,
 * 8) "It is not of man or angel to question the ways of The LORD, for I shall yet make of Avior a great beacon of light to illumine the darkness, and his lineage shall be great."
 * 9) So Satan replied,
 * 10) "But is it not right for woman to be with child, and for man to raise sons?"
 * 11) Spake The LORD,
 * 12) "Then go, that his wife may be with child, and that he may raise a son."
 * 13) So Satan went.
 * 14) But the ways of Satan were wicked, and he heard The LORD say,
 * 15) "His lineage shall be great,"
 * 16) so Satan resolved to bring misery upon Avior.

Chapter 2

 * 1) Immediately, Satan approached Revaya, and he took the guise of a handsome man of the North,
 * 2) and he said unto her,
 * 3) "Fair maiden, I am weary, and I have travelled for many miles;
 * 4) "Might I come into your tent, that I might rest, and I might eat?"
 * 5) Revaya spake,
 * 6) "No maiden am I, but a wife of a priest of Israel,
 * 7) "but as my husband is away, and as you are so faint and weak, let me tend your wounds and feed you, that you might be on your way in safety and health."
 * 8) (She said this for Satan's guise was as one who was faint and weak, and who had suffered many wounds.)
 * 9) Then the two entered into the tent of Avior, and Satan laid himself down.
 * 10) But Satan entranced Revaya, and she knew his nakedness.
 * 11) Immediately, Satan vanished from that place.
 * 12) That evening, Avior returned from his journey, and he knew his wife.
 * 13) And Revaya became with child.

Chapter 3

 * 1) When Avior was told that Revaya was with child, he burst into song, and danced through the village, singing,
 * 2) "How great and mighty is The LORD!
 * 3) "How exellent are His ways, and how glorious is His Name!
 * 4) "For he has heard me in my distress;
 * 5) "I cried out to him and said,
 * 6) "'Where, O LORD, is my heir? Where, O LORD, is my son?'
 * 7) "But to me has been given a child, and to me has been given an heir.
 * 8) "I will exult in my God and my Rock,
 * 9) "And forever shall I praise the Name of the Most High!"
 * 10) And Revaya was greatly distressed,
 * 11) for in the night there came to her a vision,
 * 12) and she saw the messenger of The LORD who spoke, saying,
 * 13) "The child in you is not of Avior, but of Satan,
 * 14) "for it was the adversary who visited you as though wounded, and from the North."
 * 15) But she resolved not to tell Avior.

Chapter 4

 * 1) Now the day came for Revaya to give birth,
 * 2) and Satan approached unto The LORD, saying,
 * 3) "Behold, for the woman is with child, and Avior is to have a son."
 * 4) And The LORD said,
 * 5) "Indeed, the woman is with child, but Avior is not to have a son.
 * 6) "For rather, it is thou who art to have a son,
 * 7) "And he is to be of the Nephilim,
 * 8) "Of whom the world has not known since the days of Noah,
 * 9) "And on whose account I flooded the earth."
 * 10) And Satan was terrified of the knowledge of The LORD, and so he fled.
 * 11) As Revaya bore the child, she cried out in pain, saying,
 * 12) "The Fire of The LORD is punishing me for my iniquities!"
 * 13) So the child she bore was named Yosiah.
 * 14) And Revaya died giving birth,
 * 15) and Yosiah was borne still.
 * 16) And Avior looked upon Yosiah and saw that he was as one of the North,
 * 17) so he rent his clothes, crying out,
 * 18) "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
 * 19) "My LORD, my LORD, why hast thou abandoned me?
 * 20) "My wife is given over to adultery,
 * 21) "And she has given her body over to fornication.
 * 22) "She lies dead before me,
 * 23) "And before me lies my son, deceased."
 * 24) Then Avior fell upon his sword.
 * 25) And The LORD said unto Avior, "Behold, for you are named, 'My father is light,' and as a son of the light, so shall ye be light."
 * 26) And The LORD sent Gabriel to touch the lips of Avior, and lo! he was as of the light, and he arose from death.
 * 27) So Avior sped into the shadows to dispel them, therein finding Satan.
 * 28) And Satan was frightened, so he entered into Yosiah.
 * 29) Yosiah arose from death, and he vanished.
 * 30) So to this day, Avior pursues Satan, in the hopes of reclaiming Yosiah, as the Dawn pursues the Dusk.