The old traditional Jehovah of Jewish hearts was no more; his was the all-embracing One, who carried the heavens and the earth in his hand, who called to the children of men: Return! and who stooped down to every seedling in order to awaken it.

He himself became conscious of God--and after that, what could befall him?
One day he descended between the rocky stones to the coast of the Dead Sea that lay dark and still, little foam-tipped waves breaking on the shore.

The expanse of water was lost in darkness in the distance, and stretched away heavy and lifeless.

Cleft blocks of stone were scattered along the beach, and their tops glowed as red as iron in the forge.

It was the hour of sunset.