1. From thence I proceeded to another spot, where I saw on the west a
great and lofty mountain, a strong rock, and four delightful places.
2. Internally it was deep, capacious, and very smooth; as smooth as if
it had been rolled over: it was both deep and dark to behold.
3. Then Raphael, one of the holy angels who were with me, answered and
said, These are the delightful places where the spirits, the souls of
the dead, will be collected; for them were they formed; and here will be
collected all the souls of the sons of men.
4. These places, in which they dwell, shall they occupy until the day of
judgment, and until their appointed period.
5. Their appointed period will be long, even until the great judgment.
And I saw the spirits of the sons of men who were dead; and their voices
reached to heaven, while they were accusing.[67]
6. Then I inquired of Raphael, an angel who was with me, and said, Whose
spirit is that, the voice of which reaches _to heaven_, and accuses?
7. He answered, saying, This is the spirit of Abel, who was slain by
Cain his brother; and who will accuse that brother,[68] until his seed
be destroyed from the face of the earth;