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1st
Enoch: Chapters 1-16
The Ethiopian Enoch
Chapter
1
1)The
word of the blessing of Enoch, how he blessed the elect and the righteous, who
were to exist in the time of trouble; rejecting all the wicked and ungodly.
Enoch, a righteous man, who was (1) with God, answered and
spoke, while his eyes were open, and while he saw a holy vision in the
heavens. This the angels showed me.
(1)N.B. The italicized words supply a gap in the text.
2) From them I heard all things, and understood
what I saw; that which will not take place in this generation, but in a
generation which is to succeed at a distant period, on account of the elect.
3) Upon their account I spoke and conversed with
him, who will go forth from his habitation, the Holy and Mighty One, the God of
the world:
4) Who will hereafter tread upon Mount Sinai;
appear with his hosts; and be manifested in the strength of his power from
heaven.
5) All shall be afraid, and the Watchers be
terrified.
6) Great fear and trembling shall seize them, even
to the ends of the earth. The lofty mountains shall be troubled, and the
exalted hills depressed, melting like a honeycomb in the flame. The earth shall
be immerged, and all things which are in it perish; while judgment shall come
upon all, even upon all the righteous:
7) But to them shall he give peace: he shall
preserve the elect, and towards them exercise clemency.
8) Then shall all belong to God; be happy and
blessed; and the splendor of the Godhead shall illuminate them.
1) Behold, he comes with ten thousands of his
saints, to execute judgment upon them, and destroy the wicked, and reprove all
the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed
against him. (2)
(2) Quoted by Jude, vss. 14,
15.
1) All who are in the heavens know what is
transacted there.
2) They know that the heavenly luminaries
change not their paths; that each rises and sets regularly, every one at its
proper period, without transgressing the commands, which they have received.
They behold the earth, and understand what is there transacted, from the
beginning to the end of it.
3) They see that every work of God is
invariable in the period of its appearance. They behold summer and winter: perceiving
that the whole earth is full of water; and that the cloud, the dew, and the
rain refresh it.
Chapter 4
1)They consider and behold every tree, how it
appears to wither, and every leaf to fall off, except of fourteen trees, which
are not deciduous; which wait from the old, to the appearance of the new leaf,
for two or three winters.
Chapter 5
1)Again they consider the days of summer, that the
sun is upon it at its very beginning; while you seek for a covered and shady
spot on account of the burning sun; while the earth is scorched up with fervid
heat, and you become incapable of walking either upon the ground or upon the
rocks in consequence of that heat.
Chapter 6
1) They consider how the trees, when they put forth
their green leaves, become covered, and produce fruit; understanding
everything, and knowing that He who lives for ever does all these things for
you:
2) That the works at the beginning of every
existing year, that all his works, are subservient to him, and invariable; yet
as God has appointed, so are all things brought to pass.
3) They see, too, how the seas and the rivers
together complete their respective operations:
4) But you endure not patiently, nor fulfill
the commandments of the Lord; but you transgress and calumniate his greatness;
and malignant are the words in your polluted mouths against his Majesty.
5) You withered in heart, no peace shall be to you!
6) Therefore your days shall you curse, and the
years of your lives shall perish; perpetual execration shall be multiplied, and
you shall not obtain mercy.
7) In those days shall you resign your peace with
the eternal maledictions of all the righteous, and sinners shall perpetually
execrate you;
8) Shall execrate you with the ungodly.
9) The elect shall possess light, joy, and peace;
and they shall inherit the earth.
10) But you, you unholy, shall be accursed.
11) Then shall wisdom be given to the elect, all of
whom shall live, and not again transgress by impiety or pride; but shall humble
themselves, possessing prudence, and shall not repeat transgression.
12) They shall not be condemned the whole period of
their lives, not die in torment and indignation; but the sum of their days
shall be completed, and they shall grow old in peace; while the years of their
happiness shall be multiplied with joy, and with peace, for ever, the whole
duration of their existence.
1) It happened after the sons of men had multiplied
in those days, that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful.
2) And when the angels, (3) the sons of
heaven, beheld them, they became enamoured of them, saying to each other, Come,
let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget
children.
(3) An Aramaic text reads
"Watchers" here (J.T. Milik, Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4
[Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1976], p. 167).
3) Then their leader Samyaza said to them; I fear
that you may perhaps be indisposed to the performance of this enterprise;
4) And that I alone shall suffer for so grievous a
crime.
5) But they answered him and said; We all swear;
6) And bind ourselves by mutual execrations, that
we will not change our intention, but execute our projected undertaking.
7) Then they swore all together, and all bound
themselves by mutual execrations. Their whole number was two hundred, who
descended upon Ardis, (4) which is the top of mount Armon.
(4) Upon Ardis. Or, "in the days of
Jared" (R.H. Charles, ed. and trans., The Book of Enoch [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893], p. 63).
8)That mountain therefore was called Armon, because
they had sworn upon it, (5) and bound themselves by mutual
execrations.
(5) Mt. Armon, or Mt. Hermon, derives its name
from the Hebrew word herem, a
curse (Charles, p. 63).
9) These are the names of their chiefs: Samyaza,
who was their leader, Urakabarameel, Akibeel, Tamiel, Ramuel, Danel, Azkeel,
Saraknyal, Asael, Armers, Batraal, Anane, Zavebe, Samsaveel, Ertael, Turel,
Yomyael, Arazyal. (6) These were the prefects of the two hundred
angels, and the remainder were all with them.
(6) The Aramaic texts preserve an earlier list
of names of these Watchers: Semihazah; Artqoph; Ramtel; Kokabel; Ramel;
Danieal; Zeqiel; Baraqel; Asael; Hermoni; Matarel; Ananel; Stawel; Samsiel;
Sahriel; Tummiel; Turiel; Yomiel; Yhaddiel (Milik, p. 151).
10) Then they took wives, each choosing for
himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching
them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees.
11) And the women conceiving brought forth giants, (7)
(7) The Greek texts vary considerably from the
Ethiopic text here. One Greek manuscript adds to this section, "And they
[the women] bore to them [the Watchers] three races–first, the great giants.
The giants brought forth [some say "slew"] the Naphelim, and the
Naphelim brought forth [or "slew"] the Elioud. And they existed,
increasing in power according to their greatness." See the account in the
Book of Jubilees.
12) Whose stature was each three hundred cubits.
These devoured all which the labor of men produced; until it became
impossible to feed them;
13) When they turned themselves against men, in
order to devour them; (8)
14) And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles,
and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, (8) and to drink
their blood.
(8) Their flesh one after another. Or,
"one another’s flesh." R.H. Charles notes that this phrase may refer
to the destruction of one class of giants by another (Charles, p. 65).
15) Then the earth
reproved the unrighteous.
1) Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords,
knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship
of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the
use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so
that the world became altered.
2) Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and
they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.
3) Amazarak taught all the sorcerers, and dividers
of roots:
4) Armers taught the solution of sorcery;
5) Barkayal taught the observers of the
stars, (9)
(9) Observers of the stars. Astrologers
(Charles, p. 67).
6) Akibeel taught signs;
7) Tamiel taught astronomy;
8) And Asaradel taught the motion of the moon,
9) And men, being destroyed, cried out; and their
voice reached to heaven.
1) Then Michael and Gabriel, Raphael, Suryal, and
Uriel, looked down from heaven, and saw the quantity of blood which was shed on
earth, and all the iniquity which was done upon it, and said one to another, It
is the voice of their cries;
2) The earth deprived of her children has
cried even to the gate of heaven.
3) And now to you, O you holy one of heaven, the
souls of men complain, saying, Obtain Justice for us with (10) the
Most High. Then they said to their Lord, the King, You are Lord of
lords, God of gods, King of kings. The throne of your glory is for ever and
ever, and for ever and ever is your name sanctified and glorified. You are
blessed and glorified.
(10) Obtain justice for us with. Literally,
"Bring judgment to us from." (Richard Laurence, ed. and trans., The Book of Enoch the Prophet
[London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., 1883], p. 9).
4) You have made all things; you possess power over
all things; and all things are open and manifest before you. You behold all
things, and nothing can be concealed from you.
5) You have seen what Azazyel has done, how he has
taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all
the secret things which are done in the heavens.
6) Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom you
have given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone
together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;
7) And have discovered crimes (11) to
them.
(11) Discovered crimes. Or, "revealed these
sins" (Charles, p. 70).
8) The women likewise have brought forth giants.
9) Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood
and with iniquity.
10) And now behold the souls of those who are dead,
cry out.
11) And complain even to the gate of heaven.
12) Their groaning ascends; nor can they escape
from the unrighteousness which is committed on earth. You know all things,
before they exist.
13) You know these things, and what has been done
by them; yet you do not speak to us.
14) What on account of these things ought we to do
to them?
1) Then the Most High, the Great and Holy One
spoke,
2) And sent Arsayalalyur (12)
to the son of Lamech,
(12) Arsayalalyur. Here one Greek text reads
"Uriel."
3) Saying, Say to him in my name, Conceal yourself.
4) Then explain to him the consummation which is
about to take place; for all the earth shall perish; the waters of a deluge
shall come over the whole earth, and all things which are in it shall be
destroyed.
5) And now teach him how he may escape, and how his
seed may remain in all the earth.
6) Again the Lord said to Raphael, Bind Azazyel
hand and foot; cast him into darkness; and opening the desert which is in
Dudael, cast him in there.
7) Throw upon him hurled and pointed stones,
covering him with darkness;
8) There shall he remain for ever; cover his face,
that he may not see the light.
9) And in the great day of judgment let him be cast
into the fire.
10) Restore the earth, which the angels have
corrupted; and announce life to it, that I may revive it.
11) All the sons of men shall not perish in consequence
of every secret, by which the Watchers have destroyed, and which they
have taught, their offspring.
12) All the earth has been corrupted by the effects
of the teaching of Azazyel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime.
13) To Gabriel also the Lord said, Go to the
biters, (13) to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and
destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among
men; bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by mutual
slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.
(13) Biters. More accurately,
"bastards" (Charles, p. 73; Michael A. Knibb, ed. and trans., The Ethiopic Book of Enoch [Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1978], p. 88).
14) They shall all entreat you, but their fathers
shall not obtain their wishes respecting them; for they shall hope for
eternal life, and that they may live, each of them, five hundred years.
15) To Michael likewise the Lord said, Go and
announce his crime to Samyaza, and to the others who are with him, who
have been associated with women, that they might be polluted with all their
impurity. And when all their sons shall be slain, when they shall see the
perdition of their beloved, bind them for seventy generations underneath the
earth, even to the day of judgment, and of consummation, until the judgment, the
effect of which will last for ever, be completed.
16) Then shall they be taken away into the lowest
depths of the fire in torments; and in confinement shall they be shut up for
ever.
17) Immediately after this shall he, (14)
together with them, burn and perish; they shall be bound until the consummation
of many generations.
(14) He. I.e., Samyaza.
18) Destroy all the souls addicted to dalliance, (15)
and the offspring of the Watchers, for they have tyrannized over mankind.
(15) Dalliance. Or, "lust" (Knibb, p.
90; cp. Charles, p. 76).
19) Let every oppressor perish from the face of the
earth;
20) Let every evil work be destroyed;
21) The plant of righteousness and of rectitude
appear, and its produce become a blessing.
22) Righteousness and rectitude shall be for ever
planted with delight.
23) And then shall all the saints give thanks, and
live until they have begotten a thousand children, while the whole
period of their youth, and their sabbaths shall be completed in peace. In those
days all the earth shall be cultivated in righteousness; it shall be wholly
planted with trees, and filled with benediction; every tree of delight shall be
planted in it.
24) In it shall vines be planted; and the vine
which shall be planted in it shall yield fruit to satiety; every seed, which
shall be sown in it, shall produce for one measure a thousand; and one measure
of olives shall produce ten presses of oil.
25) Purify the earth from all oppression, from all
injustice, from all crime, from all impiety, and from all the pollution which
is committed upon it. Exterminate them from the earth.
26) Then shall all the children of men be
righteous, and all nations shall pay me divine honours, and bless me; and all
shall adore me.
27) The earth shall be cleansed from all
corruption, from every crime, from all punishment, and from all suffering;
neither will I again send a deluge upon it from generation to generation for
ever.
28) In those days I will open the treasures of
blessing which are in heaven, that I may cause them to descend upon earth, and
upon all the works and labour of man.
29) Peace and equity shall associate with the sons
of men all the days of the world, in every generation of it.
1) Before all these things Enoch was concealed; nor
did any one of the sons of men know where he was concealed, where he had been,
and what had happened.
2) He was wholly engaged with the holy ones, and
with the Watchers in his days.
3) I, Enoch, was blessing the great Lord and King
of peace.
4) And behold the Watchers called me Enoch the scribe.
5) Then the Lord said to me: Enoch, scribe
of righteousness, go tell the Watchers of heaven, who have deserted the lofty
sky, and their holy everlasting station, who have been polluted with
women.
6) And have done as the sons of men do, by taking
to themselves wives, and who have been greatly corrupted on the earth;
7) That on the earth they shall never obtain peace
and remission of sin. For they shall not rejoice in their offspring; they shall
behold the slaughter of their beloved; shall lament for the destruction of
their sons; and shall petition for ever; but shall not obtain mercy and peace.
1) Then Enoch, passing on, said to Azazyel: You
shalt not obtain peace. A great sentence is gone forth against you. He shall
bind you;
2) Neither shall relief, mercy, and supplication be
yours, on account of the oppression which you have taught;
3) And on account of every act of blasphemy,
tyranny, and sin, which you have discovered to the children of men.
4) Then departing from him I spoke to them
all together;
5) And they all became terrified, and trembled;
6) Beseeching me to write for them a memorial of
supplication, that they might obtain forgiveness; and that I might make the
memorial of their prayer ascend up before the God of heaven; because they could
not themselves thenceforwards address him, nor raise up their eyes to heaven on
account of the disgraceful offence for which they were judged.
7) Then I wrote a memorial of their prayer and
supplications, for their spirits, for everything which they had done, and for
the subject of their entreaty, that they might obtain remission and rest.
8) Proceeding on, I continued over the waters of
Danbadan, (16) which is on the right to the west of Armon, reading
the memorial of their prayer, until I fell asleep.
(16) Danbadan. Dan in Dan (Knibb, p. 94).
9) And behold a dream came to me, and visions
appeared above me. I fell down and saw a vision of punishment, that I might relate
it to the sons of heaven, and reprove them. When I awoke I went to them. All
being collected together stood weeping in Oubelseyael, which is situated
between Libanos and Seneser, (17) with their faces veiled.
(17) Libanos and Seneser. Lebanon and Senir
(near Damascus).
10) I related in their presence all the visions
which I had seen, and my dream;
11) And began to utter these words of
righteousness, reproving the Watchers of heaven.
1)This is the book of the words of righteousness,
and of the reproof of the Watchers, who belong to the world, (18)
according to that which He, who is holy and great, commanded in the vision. I
perceived in my dream, that I was now speaking with a tongue of flesh, and with
my breath, which the Mighty One has put into the mouth of men, that they might
converse with it.
(18) Who belong to the world. Or, "who
(are) from eternity" (Knibb, p. 95).
2) And understand with the heart. As he has created
and given to men the power of comprehending the word of understanding,
so has he created and given to me the power of reproving the Watchers,
the offspring of heaven. I have written your petition; and in my vision it has
been shown me, that what you request will not be granted you as long as the
world endures.
3) Judgment has been passed upon you: your
request will not be granted you.
4) From this time forward, never shall you ascend
into heaven; He has said, that on the earth He will bind you, as long as the
world endures.
5) But before these things you shall behold the
destruction of your beloved sons; you shall not possess them, but they shall
fall before you by the sword.
6) Neither shall you entreat for them, not for
yourselves;
7) But you shall weep and supplicate in silence.
The words of the book which I wrote. (19)
(19) But you shall weep…I wrote. Or,
"Likewise despite your tears and prayers you will receive nothing whatever
contained in the writing which I have written" (Charles, p. 80).
8) A vision thus appeared to me.
9) Behold, in that vision clouds and a mist
invited me; agitated stars and flashes of lightning impelled and pressed me
forwards, while winds in the vision assisted my flight, accelerating my
progress.
10)
They elevated me aloft to heaven. I proceeded, until I arrived at a wall built
with stones of crystal. A vibrating flame (20) surrounded it, which
began to strike me with terror.
(20) Vibrating flame. Literally, "a tongue
of fire"
11) Into this vibrating flame I entered;
12) And drew nigh to a spacious habitation built
also with stones of crystal. Its walls too, as well as pavement, were formed
with stones of crystal, and crystal likewise was the ground. Its roof had the
appearance of agitated stars and flashes of lightning; and among them were
cherubim of fire in a stormy sky. (21) A flame burned around its
walls; and its portal blazed with fire. When I entered into this dwelling, it was hot as fire and cold as ice. No trace
of delight or of life was there. Terror overwhelmed me, and a fearful shaking
seized me.
(21) In a stormy sky. Literally, "and their
heaven was water" (Charles, p. 81).
13) Violently agitated and trembling, I fell upon
my face. In the vision I looked.
14) And behold there was another habitation more
spacious than the former, every entrance to which was open before me,
erected in the midst of a vibrating flame.
15) So greatly did it excel in all points, in
glory, in magnificence, and in magnitude, that it is impossible to describe to
you either the splendour or the extent of it.
16) Its floor was on fire; above were lightnings
and agitated stars, while its roof exhibited a blazing fire.
17) Attentively I surveyed it, and saw that it
contained an exalted throne;
18) The appearance of which was like that of frost;
while its circumference resembled the orb of the brilliant sun; and there
was the voice of the cherubim.
19) From underneath this mighty throne rivers of
flaming fire issued.
20) To look upon it was impossible.
21) One great in glory sat upon it:
22) Whose robe was brighter than the sun, and
whiter than snow.
23) No angel was capable of penetrating to view the
face of Him, the Glorious and the Effulgent; nor could any mortal behold Him. A
fire was flaming around Him.
24) A fire also of great extent continued to rise
up before Him; so that not one of those who surrounded Him was capable of
approaching Him, among the myriads of myriads
(22) who were before Him. To Him holy
consultation was needless. Yet did not the sanctified, who were near Him,
depart far from Him either by night or by day; nor were they removed from Him.
I also was so far advanced, with a veil on my face, and trembling. Then the
Lord with his own mouth called
me, saying, Approach hither,
Enoch, at my holy word.
(22) Myriads of myriads. Ten thousand times ten
thousands (Knibb, p. 99).
25) And He raised me up, making me draw near even
to the entrance. My eye was directed to the ground.
1) Then addressing me, He spoke and said, Hear,
neither be afraid, O righteous Enoch, you scribe of righteousness: approach
hither, and hear my voice. Go, say to the Watchers of heaven, who have sent you
to pray for them, You ought to pray for men, and not men for you.
2) Wherefore have you forsaken the lofty and holy
heaven, which endures for ever, and have lain with women; have defile
yourselves with the daughters of men; have taken to yourselves wives; have
acted like the sons of the earth, and have begotten an impious offspring? (23)
(23) An impious offspring.
Literally, "giants" (Charles, p. 82; Knibb, p. 101).
3) You being spiritual, holy, and possessing a life
which is eternal, have polluted yourselves with women; have begotten in carnal
blood; have lusted in the blood of men; and have done as those who are flesh
and blood do.
4) These however die and perish.
5) Therefore have I given to them wives, that they
might cohabit with them; that sons might be born of them; and that this might
be transacted upon earth.
6) But you from the beginning were made spiritual,
possessing a life which is eternal, and not subject to death for ever.
7) Therefore I made not wives for you, because,
being spiritual, your dwelling is in heaven.
8) Now the giants, who have been born of spirit and
of flesh, shall be called upon earth evil spirits, and on earth shall be their
habitation. Evil spirits shall proceed from their flesh, because they were
created from above; from the holy Watchers was their beginning and primary foundation.
Evil spirits shall they be upon earth, and the spirits of the wicked shall they
be called. The habitation of the spirits of heaven shall be in heaven; but upon
earth shall be the habitation of terrestrial spirits, who are born on earth. (24)
(24) Note the many implications of vss. 3-8
regarding the progeny of evil spirits.
9) The spirits of the giants shall be like clouds, (25)
which shall oppress, corrupt, fall, content, and bruise upon earth.
(25) The Greek word for "clouds" here,
nephelas, may disguise a more
ancient reading, Napheleim (Nephilim).
10) They shall cause lamentation. No food shall
they eat; and they shall be thirsty; they shall be concealed, and shall not (26)
rise up against the sons of men, and against women; for they come forth during
the days of slaughter and destruction.
(26) Shall not. Nearly all
manuscripts contain this negative, but Charles, Knibb, and others believe the
"not" should be deleted so the phrase reads "shall rise
up."
1) And as to the death of the giants, wheresoever
their spirits depart from their bodies, let their flesh, that which is
perishable, be without judgment. (27) Thus shall they perish, until
the day of the great consummation of the great world. A destruction shall take
place of the Watchers and the impious.
(27) Let their flesh…be
without judgment. Or, "their flesh shall be destroyed before the
judgment" (Knibb, p. 102).
2) And now to the Watchers, who have sent you to
pray for them, who in the beginning were in heaven,
3) Say, In heaven have you been; secret
things, however, have not been manifested to you; yet have you known a
reprobated mystery.
4) And this you have related to women in the
hardness of your heart, and by that mystery have women and mankind multiplied
evils upon the earth.
5Say to them, Never therefore shall you obtain
peace.
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