After that I sent Ephippas to fetch to me the demon that is in the Red Sea, and commanded them to bring with them the great Pillar; and after a while I saw the Pillar being borne through the air, and was astonished at the strength of the two demons.  And when I considered with myself how mighty they were, and how they could shake the whole world in a moment of time, I feared to let them go; I made therefore a circle about them in the air with my ring, and said, “Stay there!” And the demons stayed, holding the Pillar sloping between heaven and earth; and there they are to this day.  And if any one looks, he can see the Pillar sloping in the heavens, but the demons he cannot see.  But when they let fall the Pillar, then will be the end of the world.1

1 I believe that the Pillar is the Milky Way:  it is certainly meant to be one of the constellations.

Then I questioned the demon of the Red Sea and he told me how in old times he resisted Moses in Egypt, and helped Jannes and Jambres, the two wizards who fought against Moses; and how when Pharaoh followed after the children of Israel he went with him; and when the sea returned back and drowned the Egyptians, he was overtaken by it and shut up in the depths, and he remained there until Ephippas came and brought him to me.

Thus I, Solomon, had power over the spirits of the earth, and of the air, and of the water, and made them serve me; and my kingdom was exalted, and there was peace in my days.  But when I became mighty my heart was lifted up, and I committed foolishness; for I saw the daughter of a certain Jebusite, and loved her exceedingly, and asked for her in marriage.  But her kinsfolk said, “You shall not take her to be your wife except you worship our gods, even the great gods Remphan and Moloch.”  Then I said, “I cannot worship strange gods; why would you that I should do this?” They said, “Because they are the gods of our fathers.”  And I refused.  Then I went to the maiden and entreated her; and she also said, “I will not hearken to you, except you worship my gods.”  So I departed from her.  But after a little, she sent me five locusts by the hand of a messenger, saying, “Take these five locusts and crush them in the name of the god Moloch, and I will be your wife.”  And I did so.  And forthwith my glory departed from me, and I forgot my wisdom, and became weak and foolish in my mind; and the heathen woman compelled me to build temples to the false gods, to Baal, and Remphan, and Moloch; and my spirit was darkened within me, and I became a byword among men and demons.

Therefore have I written this testament, that men might remember me, and think of their latter end as well as of their beginning.

The story of Ebedmelech the
Ethiopian, and of the death
of Jeremiah