Book of Enoch

By Bible Reads

ABOUT THE BOOK OF ENOCH


The Book of Enoch is an ancient Hebrew apocalyptic and pseudepigraphal text attributed to Enoch, the father of Methuselah and the great-grandfather of Noah. This is a book of apocalyptic visions with great significance in Judaism and Christianity.

Introduction:
The Book of Enoch, an intriguing ancient Hebrew text, holds a unique place in the religious heritage of both Christians and Jews. Attributed to the patriarch Enoch, this apocalyptic work offers profound insights into the spiritual realm, the fallen angels, and the path to judgment day. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the mysteries of Enoch, uncover its historical roots, and explore its enduring relevance for believers today.

The Origins of Enoch:
The Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphal work, meaning it's attributed to Enoch but not considered canonical by mainstream religious traditions. This ancient text is believed to have originated during the Second Temple period and is part of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, offering a unique perspective on Enoch's teachings.

Enoch and Methuselah:
Enoch, the protagonist of this book, was the father of Methuselah and the great-grandfather of Noah. His lineage ties the text closely to the biblical narrative and gives it historical significance. The Book of Enoch provides a glimpse into the pre-Flood era and the spiritual wisdom passed down through generations.

The Fallen Angels and the Watchers:
A central theme in the Book of Enoch revolves around the fallen angels, often referred to as "Watchers." These celestial beings descended to Earth, sharing forbidden knowledge with humanity. Enoch documents their deeds, consequences, and God's response, shedding light on the battle between good and evil.

Apocalyptic Visions and Judgment Day:
Enoch's visionary experiences form a pivotal part of the text, unveiling apocalyptic prophecies and offering insights into judgment day. These visions provide a unique perspective on eschatology, the study of the end times, and the ultimate fate of humanity.

The Work of R.H. Charles:
Renowned scholar R.H. Charles made the Book of Enoch more accessible by translating the Ethiopic version in the early 20th century. His contributions, including commentary, have been invaluable in understanding Enoch's teachings and their significance in religious discourse. Numerous online resources offer the text for download in PDF format, but here is provided a paperback format for maximum reading experience.

Enoch in Contemporary era
Despite its ancient origins, the Book of Enoch continues to captivate religious scholars. Its teachings and themes inspire discussions about spirituality, morality, and the mysteries of the cosmos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: FaithWalk Press
• Release date: Oct 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9791222464268

Book preview

Book of Enoch (Complete)

Prophet Enoch

Bible Reads

FaithWalk Press

Copyright © 2023 FaithWalk Press

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CANONICITY IN JUDAISM

Section I. Chapters I-XXXVI  Book of The Watchers

Section II. Chapters XXXVII  The Parables

Section III. Chapters LXXII-LXXXII  The Book of the Heavenly Luminaries

Section IV. Chapters LXXXIIIXC.  The Dream-Visions.

Section V. XCI-CIV A Book of Exhortation and

Fragment of the Book of Noah

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Enoch (also 1 Enoch) is an ancient Jewish religious work, ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. It is not regarded as scripture by Jews or any Christian group, apart from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which to this day regards it to be canonical.

Western scholars currently assert that its older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) date from about 300 BC and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably was composed at the end of the 1st century BC. However, Ethiopian scholars generally hold that Ge'ez is the language of the original from which the Greek and Aramaic copies were made, pointing out that it is the only language in which the complete text has yet been found.

It is wholly extant only in the Ge'ez language, with Aramaic fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls and a few Greek and Latin fragments. There is no consensus among Western scholars about the original language: some propose Aramaic, others Hebrew, while the probable thesis according to E. Isaac is that 1 Enoch, as Daniel, was composed partially in Aramaic and partially in Hebrew.

A short section of 1 Enoch (1En1:9) is quoted in the New Testament (Letter of Jude 1:14-15), and there apparently attributed to Enoch the Seventh from Adam (1En60:8). It is argued that all the writers of the New Testament were familiar with it and were influenced by it in thought and diction.

The first part of the Book of Enoch describes the fall of the Watchers, the angels who fathered the Nephilim. The remainder of the book describes Enoch's visits to Heaven in the form of travels, visions and dreams, and his revelations.

The book consists of five quite distinct major sections (see each section for details):

The Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1 – 36)

The Book of Parables of Enoch (1 Enoch 37 – 71) (Also called the Similitudes of Enoch)

The Astronomical Book (1 Enoch 72 – 82) (Also called the Book of the Heavenly

Luminaries or Book of Luminaries.)

The Book of Dream Visions (1 Enoch 83 – 90) (Also called the Book of Dreams)

The Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 91 – 108)

The shared view is that these five sections were originally independent works (with different dates of composition), themselves a product of much editorial arrangement, and were only later redacted into what we now call 1 Enoch. This view is now opposed only by a few authors who maintain the literary integrity of the Book of Enoch, one of the most recent (1990) being the Ethiopian Wossenie Yifru. Józef Milik has suggested that the Book of Giants found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls should be part of the collection, appearing after the Book of Watchers in place of the Book of Parables, but for various reasons Milik's theory has not been widely accepted.

CANONICITY IN JUDAISM

Although evidently widely known at the time of the Development of the Jewish Bible canon, 1Enoch was excluded from both the formal canon of the Tanakh and the typical canon of the Septuagint and therefore also the writings known today as the Apocrypha. One possible reason for Jewish rejection of the book might be the textual nature of several early sections of the book which make use of material from the Torah, for example 1En1 is a midrash of Deuteronomy 33. The content, particularly detailed description of fallen angels, would also be a reason for rejection from the Hebrew canon at this period - as illustrated by the comments of Trypho the Jew when debating with Justin Martyr on this subject. Trypho: The utterances of God are holy, but your expositions are mere contrivances, as is plain from what has been explained by you; nay, even blasphemies, for you assert that angels sinned and revolted from God. (Dialogue 79)

Section I. Chapters I-XXXVI

Book of The Watchers

1.1 These are the words of the blessing of Enoch; according to which he blessed the chosen and righteous who must be present on the day of distress, which is appointed, for the removal of all the wicked and impious.

1.2 And Enoch began his story and said:

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There was a righteous man whose eyes were opened by the Lord, and he saw a Holy vision in the Heavens, which the Angels showed to me. And I heard everything from them, and I understood what I saw: but not for this generation, but for a distant generation that will come.

1.3 Concerning the Chosen I spoke; and I uttered a parable concerning them: The Holy and Great One will come out of his dwelling.

1.4 And the Eternal God will tread from there upon Mount Sinai, and he will appear with his Host, and will appear in the strength of his power from Heaven.  

1.5 And all will be afraid, and the Watchers will shake, and fear and great trembling will seize them, up to the ends of the earth.

1.6 And the high mountains will be shaken; and the high hills will be laid low and will melt like wax in a flame.

1.7 And the earth will sink, and everything that is on the earth will be destroyed, and there will be judgment upon all, and upon all the righteous.

1.8 But for the righteous: He will make peace, and He will keep safe the

Chosen, and mercy will be upon them. They will all belong to God, and will prosper and be blessed, and the light of God will shine on them.

1.9 And behold! He comes with ten thousand Holy Ones; to execute judgment upon them and to destroy the impious, and to contend with all flesh concerning everything that the sinners and the impious have done and wrought against Him.

2.1 Contemplate all the events in the sky; how the lights in the sky do not change their courses, how each rises and sets in order, each at its proper time, and they do not transgress their law.

2.2 Consider the earth and understand from the work that is done upon it, from the beginning to the end, that no work of God changes as it becomes manifest.

2.3 Consider the summer and the winter; how the whole earth is full of water and the clouds and dew and rain rest upon it.

3.1 Contemplate and see how all the trees appear withered and all their leaves are stripped - with the exception of the fourteen trees, which are not stripped, which remain with the old leaves until the new come after two or three years.

4.1 And, again, contemplate the days of summer; how at its beginning the Sun is above it. You seek shelter and shade because of the heat of the Sun and the earth burns with scorching heat, and you cannot tread upon the earth or upon a rock, because of its heat.

5.1 Contemplate how the trees are covered with green leaves and bear fruit. And understand, in respect of everything, and perceive how He Who Lives Forever made all these things for you.

5.2 And how His works are before Him in each succeeding year, and all His works serve Him and do not change; but as God has decreed - so everything is done.

5.3 And consider how the seas and rivers together complete their tasks.

5.4 But you have not persevered in, nor observed, the Law of the Lord. But you have transgressed and have spoken proud and hard words with your unclean mouth against his majesty. You heard of heart! You will not have peace!

5.5 And because of this you will curse your days, and the years of your life you will destroy. And the eternal curse will increase, and you will not receive mercy.

5.6 In those days, you will transform your name into an eternal curse to all the righteous. And they will curse you sinners forever.

5.7 For the chosen; there will be light, joy, and peace, and they will inherit the earth. But for you, the impious, there will be a curse.

5.8 When wisdom is given to the chosen they will all live, and will not again do wrong, either through forgetfulness, or through pride. But those who possess wisdom will be humble.

5.9 They will not again do wrong, and they will not be judged in all the days of their life, and they will not die of wrath or anger. But they will complete the number of the days of their life. And their life will grow in peace, and the years of their joy will increase in gladness and eternal peace; all the days of their life.

6.1 And it came to pass, when the sons of men had increased, that in those days there were born to them fair and beautiful daughters.

6.2 And the Angels, the sons of Heaven, saw them and desired them. And they said to one another: Come, let us choose for ourselves wives, from the children of men, and let us beget, for ourselves, children.

6.3 And Semyaza, who was their leader, said to them:

I fear that you may not wish this deed to be done and that I alone will pay for this great sin.

6.4 And they all answered him, and said:

"Let us all swear an oath, and bind oneanother with curses, so not to alter this plan, but to carry out this plan

effectively."

6.5 Then they all swore together and all bound one another with curses to it.

6.6 And they were, in all, two hundred and they came down on Ardis, which is the summit of Mount Hermon. And they called the mountain Hermon because on it they swore and bound one another with curses.

6.7 And these are the names of their leaders:

Semyaza, who was their leader, Urakiba

(Araqiel), Rameel, Kokabiel, Tamiel, Ramiel, Daniel, Ezeqiel, Baraqiel, Asael, Armaros, Batariel, Ananel, Zaqiel, Samsiel, Satariel, Turiel, Yomiel, Sariel. (see Ch 8 & Ch 69)

6.8 These are the leaders of the two hundred Angels and of all the others with them.

7.1 And they took wives for themselves, and everyone chose for himself one each. And they began to go into them and were promiscuous with them. And they taught them charms and spells, and they showed them the cutting of roots and trees.

7.2 And they became pregnant and bore large giants. And their height was three thousand cubits.

7.3 These devoured all the toil of men; until men were unable to sustain them.

7.4 And the giants turned against them in order to devour men.

7.5 And they began to sin against birds, and against animals, and against reptiles, and against fish, and they devoured one another's flesh, and drank the blood from it.

7.6 Then the Earth complained about the lawless ones.

8.1 And