1 Enoch

The Hermeneia Translation

George W. E. Nickelsburg, James C. VanderKam

• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780800699109
• eBook ISBN: 9781451424379
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

2

The Book of Parables

(Chapters 37–71)

Superscription and Introduction (Chapter 37)

37:1 ^[1]The vision of wisdom that Enoch saw—the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam.

2 This is the beginning of the words of wisdom,

which I took up to recount to those who dwell on the earth.^[2]

Listen, O ancients, and look, you who come after—

the words of the Holy One,^[3] which I speak in the presence of the Lord of Spirits.

3 It is profitable to speak these things at first,

and from those who come after, let us not withhold the beginning of wisdom.

4 Until now there had not been given from the presence of the Lord of Spirits

such wisdom as I have received according to my insight,

according to the good pleasure of the Lord of Spirits,

by whom the lot of everlasting life was given to me.

5 Three parables were (imparted) to me,

and I took (them) up and spoke to those who dwell on the earth.

The First Parable (Chapters 38–44)

The Coming Judgment of the Wicked

38:1 The First Parable.

When the congregation of the righteous appears,

the sinners are judged for their sins,

and from the face of the earth they are driven;

2 And when the Righteous One^[4] appears in the presence of the righteous,

whose chosen works depend on the Lord of Spirits,

and light appears to the righteous and chosen who dwell on the earth;

Where (will be) the dwelling place of the sinners,

and where (will be) the resting place of those who have denied the Lord of Spirits?

It would have been better for them, if they had not been born.

3 When his hidden things are revealed to the righteous,

the sinners will be judged,

and the wicked will be driven from the presence of the righteous and chosen.

4 And thereafter, it will not be the mighty and exalted who possess the land,^[5]

and they will not be able to look at the face of the holy,

for the light of the Lord of Spirits will have appeared on the face of the holy, righteous, and chosen.

5 And then the kings and mighty will perish,

and they will be given into the hand of the righteous and holy,

6 and from then on, no one will seek mercy for them from the Lord of Spirits,

for their life will be at an end.

The Descent of the Angels

39:1 In those days, sons of the chosen and holy were descending from the highest heaven,

and their seed was becoming one with the sons of men.

2 In those days Enoch received books of jealous wrath and rage

and books of trepidation and consternation.^[6]

Enoch’s Ascent to Heaven

3 And in those days^[7] a whirlwind snatched me up from the face of the earth

and set me down within the confines of the heavens.

The Dwellings of the Righteous

4 And there I saw another vision—the dwellings of the holy ones,

and the resting places of the righteous.

5 There my eyes saw their dwellings with his righteous angels

and their resting places with the holy ones.

And they were petitioning and interceding

and were praying for the sons of men.

And righteousness was flowing like water before them,

and mercy like dew upon the earth;

thus it is among them forever and ever.

The Dwelling of the Chosen One

6 And in that place^[8] my eyes saw the Chosen One^[9] of ­righteousness and faith,

and righteousness will be his days,

and the righteous and chosen will be without number before him forever and ever.

7 And I saw his dwelling^[10] beneath the wings of the Lord of Spirits,

and all the righteous and chosen were mighty before him like fiery lights.

And their mouths were full of blessing,

and their lips praised the name of the Lord of Spirits.

And righteousness did not fail before him,

nor did truth fail before him.^[11]

8 There I wished to dwell,

and my spirit longed for that dwelling.

There my lot had been before,

for thus it has been established concerning me in the ­presence of the Lord of Spirits.

Enoch Praises God

9 In those days I praised and exalted the name of the Lord of Spirits with blessing and praise,

for he has established me for blessing and praise according to the good pleasure of the Lord of Spirits.

10 And for a long time, my eyes looked at that place,

and I blessed him and praised him, saying,

“Blessed is he, and may he be blessed from the beginning and forever.”

11 In his presence there is no limit;

He knew before the age was created what would be forever,

and for all the generations that will be.

The Watchers Praise God

12 Those who sleep not bless you,

and they stand in the presence of your glory;

And they bless and praise and exalt, saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Spirits,

he fills the earth with spirits.”

13 And there my eyes saw all who sleep not;

they stand in his presence,

and they bless and say,

“Blessed are you, and blessed is the name of the Lord forever and ever.”

14 And my face was changed,

for^[12] I was unable to see.

The Four Archangels

40:1 And after this I saw thousands of thousands

and ten thousand times ten thousand

—they were innumerable and incalculable—

who were standing in the presence of the glory of the Lord of Spirits.

2 I looked, and on the four sides of the Lord of Spirits, I saw four figures different from those who sleep not. And I learned their names, because the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things made their names known to me.

3 And I heard the voices of those four figures

uttering praise in the presence of the Lord of Glory.

4 The first voice blesses the Lord of Spirits forever and ever.

5 And the second voice I heard blessing the Chosen One

and the chosen ones who depend on the Lord of Spirits.

6 And the third voice I heard petitioning and praying for those who dwell on the earth,

and interceding in the name of the Lord of Spirits.

7 And the fourth voice I heard driving away the satans,

and he did not let them co...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Table Of Contents
• Preface
• Abbreviations and Sigla
• Introduction
• The Book of the Watchers
• The Book of Parables
• The Book of the Luminaries
• Enoch’s Dream Visions
• A Narrative Bridge
• The Epistle of Enoch
• The Birth of Noah
• A Final Book by Enoch