What Is the Role of Testament in the Testament of Abraham?

The pseudepigraphical work, The Testament of Abraham (TA), by its title and contents sets a problem to the reader--the work is called a testament, yet it does not contain a testament. Two answers have been given to this problem. One is the suggestion that the work, The Testament of Abraham, is a prelude to a testament now lost. More recently, it has been argued that the work as it now stands may rightly be called by its title because it contains the information necessary for and preforms the functions of a testament. The above answers are quite correct in their analysis both that the normal structure of comparable works is, first a presentation like TA and, then, an actual testamental presentation and that TA has all the information necessary for a testament and performs the functions of a testament. However, they have missed one point. There is a tradition that Abraham did not give a testament. Indeed, the stories of both the TA and the Testament of Isaac hinge on the point that Abraham did not make a testament.