by James, _Texts and Studies_, ii. 2. Its editor is of opinion that it
was written by a Jewish Christian in Egypt in the 2nd century A.D., but
that it embodies legends of an earlier date, and that it received its
present form in the 9th or 10th century. It treats of Michael being sent
to announce to Abraham his death: of the tree speaking with a human
voice (iii.), Michael's sojourn with Abraham (iv.-v.) and Sarah's
recognition of him as one of the three angels, Abraham's refusal to die
(vii.), and the vision of judgment (x.-xx.).

_Oracles of Hystaspes._--This eschatological work ([Greek: Chreseis
Hystaspon]: so named by the anonymous 5th-century writer in Buresch,
_Klaros_, 1889, p. 95) is mentioned in conjunction with the Sibyllines
by Justin (_Apol._ i. 20), Clement of Alexandria (_Strom._ vi. 5), and
Lactantius (_Inst._ VII. xv. 19; xviii. 2-3). According to Lactantius,
it prophesied the overthrow of Rome and the advent of Zeus to help the
godly and destroy the wicked, but omitted all reference to the sending
of the Son of God. According to Justin, it prophesied the destruction of
the world by fire. According to the _Apocryph of Paul_, cited by
Clement, Hystaspes foretold the conflict of the Messiah with many kings
and His advent. Finally, an unknown 5th-century writer (see Buresch,
_Klaros_, 1889, pp. 87-126) says that the _Oracles of Hystaspes_ dealt
with the incarnation of the Saviour. The work referred to in the last
two writers has Christian elements, which were absent from it in
Lactantius's copy. The lost oracles were therefore in all probability
originally Jewish, and subsequently re-edited by a Christian.

_Vision of Isaiah._--This writing has been preserved in its entirety in
the _Ascension of Isaiah_, of which it constitutes chaps, vi.-xi. Before
its incorporation in the latter work it circulated independently in
Greek. There are independent versions of these chapters in Latin and
Slavonic. (See ISAIAH, ASCENSION OF.)

_Shepherd of Hermas._--In the latter half of the 2nd century this book
enjoyed a respect bordering on that paid to the writings of the New
Testament. Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and Origen quote it as
Scripture, though in Africa it was not held in such high consideration,
as Tertullian speaks slightingly of it. The writer belongs really to the
prophetic and not to the apocalyptic school. His book is divided into
three parts containing visions, commands, similitudes. In incidental
al