And as they went up from the fields, they came to a cypress-tree growing by the wayside; and as they passed by it there came from it a human voice, which said, “Holy is the Lord who calleth to Himself them that love Him.”  Now this happened by the commandment of God, to be a sign to Abraham, and he marvelled; but when he looked at his companion and saw that he seemed to take no notice of it, he said nothing, thinking that only he had heard the voice.  Soon after they came to the house, and Isaac and Sarah came to greet them, and they sat down in the courtyard of the house.  But Isaac said to his mother Sarah, “Mother, I am sure that the man who is sitting with my father is not of the race of men that live on the earth.”  Just then Abraham called to Isaac, “Isaac, my son, draw water from the well, and bring it to me in a basin, that we may wash the stranger’s feet, for he has come a long journey.”  So Isaac ran and fetched the water to his father; and Abraham said to him secretly, “My child, something says to me that this will be the last time that I shall wash the feet of any stranger coming to this house.”  And Isaac was greatly distressed and said, “What mean you, father, by these words?” Abraham said nothing, but stooped down and began to wash the feet of Michael; and Isaac wept.  Abraham too shed tears, and Michael seeing it, was moved with pity, and wept also; and his tears fell into the basin of water and became precious pearls.  When Abraham saw that, he marvelled; but he gathered up the pearls secretly and said nothing.

After that he told Isaac to go and prepare the banqueting-room, spread two couches, light the lamps, burn sweet odours, and fetch fragrant herbs and flowers from the garden.  “For,” said he, “this man who is come to us is worthy of all the honour we can do him.”  So Isaac went to make ready the room, and Sarah also set about preparing a feast.  Then, while they were all busying themselves with preparation, the sun began to set, and the hour came at which all the angels appear before God and worship Him; and Michael also flew up into the heavens in the twinkling of an eye, and stood before the Lord.  And when all the angels had done their worship and gone forth again, Michael remained and said to the Lord, “Lord, I cannot speak to Abraham about his death; for I have never seen his like upon the earth, kind, courteous, hospitable, fearing God, and keeping himself pure from all evil.  I cannot grieve his heart by telling him that he is to die.”  And the Lord said, “Go down again to my friend Abraham, and whatsoever he would have thee do, do it; and I will put the thought of his death into the mind of his son Isaac in a dream.  Then Isaac shall tell the dream, and thou shalt interpret it, and so Abraham shall be certified of his death.”

So Michael returned to Abraham’s house, and sat at meat with him, and Isaac waited on them; and after supper, Abraham offered up prayer as he was wont, and the archangel prayed with him, and they went to their beds.  Isaac also asked his father if he might sleep with them, for he desired exceedingly to be near the wonderful stranger and to hear his words; but Abraham said, “Nay, my son, lest we be burdensome to the stranger.”  Therefore Isaac bowed down and received his father’s blessing, and went to his own chamber.