When the worm was silent, God said to Moses: “Thou seest that I do not fail to consider and provide for a little worm in a rock of which men know not, far in the depths of the sea; and shall I forget thy children, who know Me?”
Moses returned with shame to his home, comforted his wife and children, and went alone to the mountain where he was to die.[578]
And when he had gone up the mountain, he met three men who were digging a grave; and he asked them, “For whom do you dig this grave?”
They answered, “For a man whom God will call to be with Him in Paradise.”
Moses asked permission to lend a hand to dig the grave of such a holy man. When it was completed, Moses asked, “Have you taken the measure of the deceased?”
“No; we have quite forgotten to do so. But he was of thy size; lie down in it, and God will reward thee, when we see if it be likely to suit.”
Moses did so.[579]
The three men were the three angels Michael, Gabriel, and Sagsagel. The angel Michael, had begun the grave, the angel Gabriel had spread the white napkin for the head, the angel Sagsagel that for the feet.
Then the angel Michael stood on one side of Moses, the angel Gabriel on the other side, the angel Sagsagel at the feet, and the Majesty of God appeared above his head.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Close thine eyelids.” He obeyed.