002以诺书

The Books of Enoch

Introduction to The Second Book

of Enoch:

Slavonic Enoch

As part of the Enochian literature, The Second Book of Enoch is included in the pseudepigraphal corpus.

Pseudepigrapha I ,sood;)’pigr;)f;) I Spurious or pseudonymous writings, especially Jewish writings ascribed to various biblical patriarchs and prophets but composed within approximately 200

years of the birth of Jesus Christ.

In 1773, rumors of a surviving copy of an ancient book dr.ew Scottish explorer James Bruce to distant Ethiopia. Th.ere, h.e found the “First Book of Enoch.” Later, another ” Book of Enoch” surfaced. The text, which is known as “Second Enoch,” was discovered in 1886 by Professor Sokolov in the archives of the B.elgrade Public Library. The Second Book of Enoch was written in the latter half of the first century A.D. The text was preserved only in Slavonic and consequently bears the designation, “Slavonic Enoch.” The text has also been known by the titles of “2 Enoch”, and l i The Secr.ets of Enoch.” 2 Enoch is basically an expansion of Genesis 5:21-32, taking 2 19

Joseph B. Lumpkin

the reader from the time of Enoch to the onset of the great flood of Noah’s day.

The main theme of the book is the ascension of Enoch progressively through multiple heavens. During the ascension Enoch is transfigured into an angel and granted access to the secrets of creation. Enoch is then given a 30 day grace period to return to earth and instruct his sons and all the members of his household regarding everything God had revealed to him. The text reports that after period of grace an angel will then come to retrieve him to take him from the earth.

Many credible versions end with chapter 68, however there is a longer version of 2 Enoch, which we will examine. In this version the wisdom and insights given to the family of Enoch is passed from family members to Melchizedek, whom God raises up as an archpriest. Melchizedek then fulfills the function of a prophet-priest.

To pave the way to Melchizedek, Methuselah functions as a priest for ten years and then passed his station on to Nir, Noah’s younger brother. Nir’s wife, Sopanim, miraculously conceives without human intercourse while about to die and posthumously gives birth to Melchizedek, who is born with the appearance and maturity of a three-year old child and the symbol of the priesthood on his chest.

The world is doomed to suffer the flood but Michael the archangel promises Melchizedek salvation. This establishes his priesthood for 220

The Books of Enoch

all of eternity. The text goes on to report that in the last generation, there will be another Melchizedek who will be “the head of all, a great archpriest, the Word and Power of God, who will perform miracles, greater and more glorious than all the previous ones”.

The manuscripts, which contain and preserve this document, exist only in Old Slavonic. Of the twenty or more manuscripts dating from the 13th century A.D. no single one contains the complete text of 2

Enoch. When pieced together there appears to be two versions.

These we will refer to as the long and short version.

The difference in length between the two is due to two quite different features. There are blocks of text found only in the longer manuscripts; but even when the passages are parallel, the longer manuscripts tend to be more full and detailed. At the same time there is so much verbal similarity when the passages correspond that a common source must be supposed.

The form of 2 Enoch is what one finds in Jewish Wisdom literature and Jewish Apocalyptic literature. It has been suggested that the longer version is characterized by editorial expansions and Christian interpolations. Hence, the shorter version contains fewer Christian elements. The author of 2 Enoch speaks much of the Creator and final judgment, but he speaks very little about redemption, which seems to be absent from the thoughts of the author. Indeed, there 221

Joseph B. Lumpkin

seems to be a total lack of a Savior or Redeemer in 2 Enoch. What is noteworthy is that 2 Enoch has no reference to the mercy of God.

In the long version presented here, it appears that the last portion of the text was added as an afterthought. It contains the rise of Me1chizedek. The appearance of Me1chizedek ties 2 Enoch to several other texts forming a Me1chizedkian tradition. The author of 2 Enoch follows a tradition in which an aged mother, who had been barren up to her deathbed, miraculously conceived Me1chizedek without human intervention. Before she was able to give birth to the baby she died. The baby then emerged from her dead body with the maturity of a three-year-old boy. His priesthood will be perpetuated throughout the generations until II another Me1chizedek” appears. If the last Me1chizedek serves as the archpriest for the last generation, it indicates that in the mind of this Jewish writer, the Temple was to be rebuilt and would be the place were God would meet His people when the heathen nations were destroyed. The continuation and victory of the Jews as the selected and blessed people of God is implied. In this vein, 2 Enoch follows certain apocalyptic writings.

(For more information on apocalyptic writings see End of Days” by JoseplJ Lumpkin.) U

The Slavonic version is translated from a Greek source. Most scholars agree that there was either a Hebrew or Aramaic original lying behind the Greek source from which the Slavonic manuscripts were produced. The Hebrew origins are indicated by “Semitisms” in the 222

J

The Books of Enoch

work, but there are also Greek words and expressions, such as the names of the planets in chapter 30.

Proof that The Slavonic Enoch was first written in Greek is shown by the derivation of Adam’s name, and by several coincidences with the Septuagint. The origin of the story is perhaps based on Hebrew traditions and certain Semitic turns of language show up in the text.

This tends to indicate that there was at one time a Hebrew or Aramaic text that preceded the Greek. From the Greek it was translated into Slavonic. Of this version there are five manuscripts or pieces thereof found.

The short version or the Slavonic Enoch was probably written by a single author in an attempt to bring all the current traditions about Enoch of his time into a central storyline and system. The schema to accomplish the unity of traditions implements Enoch’s ascension through multiple heavens. This author was probably a Jew living in Egypt. There are several elements in the book, which indicate Egyptian origin. The longer version of 2 Enoch was seeded with Christian elements and appended with an ending that does not fit well, illuminating the fact that there were several authors involved in the longer version.

Parts of the book was probably written in the late first century A.D.

The first date is a limit set by the fact that Ethiopic Enoch, Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom of Solomon are used as sources or 223

Joseph B. Lumpkin

references within the text; the second date is a limit set by the fact that the destruction of the Temple is not mentioned at all. However, it must be added that apocalyptic literature bloomed after the destruction of the temple, especially between late first century and throughout the second century A.D.

The Slavonic Enoch furnishes new material for the study of religious thought in the beginning of the Common Era. The ideas of the millennium and of the multiple heavens are the most important in this connection. Another very interesting feature is the presence of evil in heaven, the fallen angels in the second heaven, and hell in the third. The idea of evil in heaven may be a nod to the book of Job and the dialog between God and Satan, who was coming and going between heaven and earth. The idea of hell in the third heaven may have been derived from ideas expressed in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, which mentions that the sufferings of the wicked will be witnessed by the righteous in paradise.

Chapter 21 and forward for several chapters shows a heavy influence of Greek mythology. The Zodiac is mentioned along with celestial bodies with names such as Zeus, Cronus, Aphrodite, and others. The part of the text containing names and astrological descriptions could have been tampered with as late as the seventh century A.D.

By far, the most interesting and confusing section begins around chapter 25 and runs for several chapters. Here the text takes a turn 224

The Books of Enoch

toward Gnostic theology and cosmology. The Gnostics were a Christian sect, which formed and grew in the first century AD. and thrived in the second century AD.

Although Gnostic borrowed from Plato’s (428 B.C. – 348 B.C.) creation myth, the maturity and construction of the story shows it to be of Gnostic Christian origin, placing it no earlier than the last part of the first century AD. and no later than the end of the Second century. Add to the dating question the fact that the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem is not mentioned, which leads to a date just before 70 AD., if one assumes the Gnostic flavor was not added later.

The history of the text is obviously long and varied. It probably began as a Jewish oral tradition with pieces taken from several Enochian stories. Although the foundation of the story was first penned in Hebrew or Aramaic around the first or second centuries AD. the date of the version of the text here is unknown. Later, the story was expanded and embellished by Greek influences. Lastly, Christians and Gnostics commandeered the book and added their own matter. Thus 2 Enoch exhibits a kaleidoscope of cultural and religious contributions over a great scope of time from the first century B.C. (assuming it came after 1 Enoch) and ending as late as the seventh century AD. These additions would allow any serious student insight into how ancient texts evolve.

225

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Second Enoch was rediscovered and published in the early 19th century A.D The text before you uses the R. H. Charles and W. R.

Morfill translation of 1896 with additions from other sources. Archaic terms and sentence structure were revised or explained to convey a more modern rendering for the twenty-first century readers.

226

The Books of Enoch

2 Enoch

Slavonic Enoch

The Book of the Secrets of Enoch

Chapter 1

1 There was a wise man and a great craftsman, and the Lord formed a love for him and received him, so that he should see the highest dwellings and be an eye-witness of the wise and great and inconceivable and unchanging realm of God Almighty, and of the very wonderful and glorious and bright and manifold vision of the position of the Lord’s servants, and of the inaccessible throne of the Lord, and of the degrees and manifestations of the spiritual (nonphysical) hosts, and of the unspeakable ministration of the multitude of the elements, and of the various apparition and singing of the host of Cherubim which is beyond description, and of the limitless light.

2 At that time, he said, when my one hundred and sixty-fifth year was completed, I begat my son Methuselah.

3 After this I lived two hundred years and finished of all the years of my life three hundred and sixty-five years.

4 On the first day of the month I was in my house alone and was resting on my bed and slept.

227

Joseph B. Lumpkin

5 And when I was asleep, great distress came up into my heart, and I was weeping with my eyes in sleep, and I could not understand what this distress was, or what was happening to me.

6 And there appeared to me two very large men, so big that I never saw such on earth. Their faces were shining like the sun, their eyes were like a burning light, and from their lips fire was coming out.

They were singing. Their clothing was of various kinds in appearance and was purple. Their wings were brighter than gold, and their hands whiter than snow.

7 They were standing at the head of my bed and began to call me by my name.

8 And I arose from my sleep and clearly saw the two men standing in front of me.

9 And I greeted them and was seized with fear and the appearance of my face was changed to terror, and those men said to me: 10 Enoch, have courage and do not fear. The eternal God sent us to you, and you shall ascend today with us into heaven, and you shall tell your sons and all your household all that they shall do without you on earth in your house, and let no one seek you until the Lord returns you to them.

11 And I hurried to obey them and went out of my house, and went to the doors, as I was ordered, and I summoned my sons Methuselah and Regim and Gaidad and explained to them all the marvels the men had told me.

228

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 2

1 Listen to me, my children, I do not know where I will go, or what will befall me. So now, my children, I tell you, do not turn from God in the face of that which is empty or prideful, which did not make heaven and earth, for these shall perish along with those who worship them, and may the Lord make your hearts confident in the fear (respect) of him. And now, my children, let no one consider seeking me, until the Lord returns me to you.

Chapter 3

1 (It came to pass, when Enoch had finished speaking to his sons, that the angels took him on to their wings and lifted him up on to the first heaven and placed him on the douds.) And there I (Enoch) looked, and again I looked higher, and saw the ether, and they placed me on the first heaven and showed me a very large sea, bigger than the earthly sea. (See 2 Cor 12:22) Chapter 4

1 They brought the elders and rulers of the stellar orders in front of me, and showed me two hundred angels, who rule the stars and services of the stars to the heavens, and fly with their wings and come round all those who sail.

229

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Chapter S

1 And here I looked down and saw the storehouses of snow, and the angels who keep their amazing storehouses, and the clouds where they come out of and into which they go.

Chapter 6

1 They showed me the storehouse of the dew, like olive oil in its appearance and its form, as of all the flowers of the earth. And they also showed me many angels guarding the storehouses of these things, and how they are made to shut and open.

Chapter 7

1 And those men took me and led me up on to the second heaven, and showed me darkness, greater than earthly darkness, and there I saw prisoners hanging, watched, (guarded,) awaiting the great and limitless judgment, and the spirits were dark in appearance, more than earthly darkness, and perpetually weeping through all hours.

2 And I said to the men who were with me: Why are these being unceasingly tortured? They answered me: These are God’s apostates, who did not obey God’s commands, but took counsel with their own will, and turned away with their prince, who is also held captive in the fifth heaven.

3 And I felt great pity for them, and they greeted me, and said to me: Man of God, pray to the Lord for us. And I answered them: I am just a mortal man. Who am I that I should pray for spirits? Who knows where I go or what will become of me? Or who will pray for me?

230

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 8

1 And those men took me from there and led me up on to the third heaven, and placed me there. I looked down and saw what this place produces and that it was so good that such as has never been known.

2 And I saw all the sweet, flowering trees and I saw their fruits, which were sweet smelling, and I saw all the foods that came from them and that the food was bubbling with fragrant vapors.

3 And in the middle of the trees was the tree of life, in that place where the Lord rests when he goes up into paradise. And this tree is of indescribable goodness and fragrance, and adorned more than anything existing. And all sides of its form were golden and brilliant red and fire-like and it was completely covered, and it produced all fruits. (See Rev. 22:2)

4 Its root is in the garden at the earth’ s end.

S And paradise resides between spiritual and physical.

6 And two springs come out which send forth honey and milk, and their springs send forth oil and wine, and they separate into four parts, and flow quietly around, and go down into the paradise of Eden, between the mutable and the eternal. (See Gen. 2:11-14) 7 And there they go forth along the earth, and have a circular flow even as other elements.

8 And there is no unfruitful tree here, and every place is blessed.

9 Three hundred angels, which are very bright, are there to keep the garden, and with incessant sweet singing with voices, which are never silent, serve the Lord throughout all the hours of days.

231

Joseph B. Lumpkin

10 And I said: How very sweet is this place, and those men said to me:

Chapter 9

1 This place, 0 Enoch, is prepared for the righteous, who endure all manner of offence from those that exasperate their souls, who avert their eyes from iniquity, and make righteous judgment, and give bread to the hungering, and cover the naked with clothing, and raise up the fallen, and help injured orphans, and who walk without fault before the face of the Lord, and serve him alone, and for them is prepared this place for eternal inheritance.

Chapter 10

1 And those two men led me up on to the Northern side, and showed me there a very terrible place, and there were every kind of tortures in that place: cruel darkness and gloom, and there was absolutely no light at all there, but murky fire constantly flaming above, and there is a fiery river coming out, and everywhere in that entire place is fire, and everywhere there is frost and ice, thirst and shivering, while the physical restraints are very cruel, and the spirits were fearsome and merciless, bearing angry weapons, torturing without mercy.

2 And I said: Woe, woe! This place is so terrible.

3 And those men said to me: This place, 0 Enoch, is prepared for those who dishonor God, who on earth practice sin against nature, which is sodomy of a child, corruption of children, performing magic, enchantments and devilish witchcrafts, and who boast of their 232

The Books of Enoch

wicked deeds, stealing, lying, slander, envy, resentment, fornication, murder, and who are accursed and steal the souls of men, and those who see the poor and still take away their goods so they grow rich, and injure them for other men’s goods. And this is reserved for those who, to satisfy their own emptiness made the hungering die; those who clothe themselves by stripping the naked; and who did not know their creator, but instead bowed to lifeless gods who have no soul who cannot see nor hear, who are empty, and who built carved images and bow down to unclean fashioning of useless gods, this place is prepared for these as an eternal inheritance.

Chapter 11

1 Those men took me, and led me up on to the fourth heaven, and showed me the entire succession of activities, and all the rays of the light of sun and moon.

2 And I measured their progression, and compared their light, and saw that the sun’s light is greater than the moon’s.

3 Its circle and the wheels on which it goes always is like the wind passing with very amazing speed with no rest day or night.

4 Its egress and ingress are accompanied by four huge stars, and each star has a thousand stars under it, to the right of the sun’s wheel there are four thousand stars and to the left are four thousand, altogether eight thousand, going out with the sun continually.

5 And by day fifteen groups of ten thousand angels attend it, and by night there were a thousand.

233

Joseph B. Lumpkin

6 And six-winged ones go fourth with the angels before the sun’s wheel into the fiery flames, and a hundred angels kindle the sun and set it alight.

Chapter 12

1 And I looked and saw other flying elements of the sun, whose names are Phoenixes and Chalkydri, which are marvelous and wonderful, with feet and tails of a lion, and a crocodile’s head, they appear to be purple in color like that in the rainbow; their size is nine hundred measures, their wings are like those of angels, each has twelve wings, and they attend and accompany the sun, bearing heat and dew, as it is ordered them from God.

(Note: The word CHALKYDRI means ” serpents ” . It appears that the Slavonic translators rendered the Hebrew word SERAPHIM differently in various places in the text. The word was translated ” Serpent” in some places and SERAPHIM in others. Seraph means, “to burn. “) 2 This is how the sun revolves and goes, and rises under the heaven, and its course goes under the earth with the light of its rays continually.

Chapter 13

1 Then those men carried me away to the east, and placed me at the sun’s gates, where the sun has egress according to the seasons circuit 234

J

The Books of Enoch

and regulation of the months of the whole year, and the number of the hours day and night.

2 And I saw six gates open, each gate having sixty-one stadia (185

meters) and A quarter of one stadium (46.25 meters), and I measured them accurately, and knew their size. Through the gates the sun goes out, and goes to the west, and is made even, and rises throughout all the months, and turns back again from the six gates according to the succession of the seasons. In this way the period of the entire year is finished after the return of the four seasons.

(Note: 6 X 61 =366 With the quarter day added, this is the length of the leap year.)

Chapter 14

1 And again those men led me away to the western parts, and showed me six great open gates corresponding to the eastern gates, opposite to where the sun sets, according to the number of the days three hundred and sixty-five and a quarter.

(Note that this is a solar calendar of the same length as our modern calendar.)

2 Again it goes down to the western gates, and diminishes (pulls away) its light with the prominent brightnessl under the earth. The crown of its glory is in heaven with the Lord, and it is guarded by four hundred angels while the sun goes round on wheel under the 235

Joseph B. Lumpkin

earth. And it stands seven great hours in night, and spends half its course under the earth. And when it comes to the eastern approach in the eighth hour of the night it brings its lights and the crown of glory, and the sun burns (flames) outwardly more than fire.

Chapter 15

1 Then the elements of the sun, called Phoenixes and Chalkydri (Seraphim) break into song, therefore every bird flutters its wings, rejoicing at the giver of light, and they brake into song at the command of the Lord. (The Kadosh – Holy, Holy, Holy) 2 The giver of light comes to illuminate the entire world, and the morning guard takes shape, which is the rays of the sun, and the sun of the earth goes out, and receives its luminance to light up the entire face of the earth, and they showed me this calculation of the sun’s going.

3 And the great gates, which it enters into, are for the calculation of the hours of the year. For this reason the sun is a great creation, whose circuit lasts twenty-eight years, and begins again from the beginning.

(Note: For 29 February, which is the leap year day, to fall on a particular weekday, there is a 28-year (2 x 14 year) cycle. This forms a hJpe of perpetual calendar.)

236

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 16

1 Those men showed me the great course of the moon. There are twelve great gates that are crowned from west to east by which the moon comes and goes in its customary times.

2 It goes in at the first gate to the western places of the sun, by the first gates with thirty-one days exactly, by the second gates with thirty-one days exactly, by the third with thirty days exactly, by the fourth with thirty days exactly, by the fifth with thirty-one days exactly, by the sixth with thirty-one days exactly, by the seventh with thirty days exactly, by the eighth with thirty-one days perfectly, by the ninth with thirty-one days exactly, by the tenth with thirty days perfectly, by the eleventh with thirty-one days exactly, by the twelfth with twenty-eight days exactly.

(Note: The sum of the days total 365 with the year beginning in March.) 3 And it goes through the western gates in the order and number of the eastern, and accomplishes the three hundred and sixty-five and a quarter days of the solar year, while the lunar year has three hundred fifty-four, and there twelve days lacking of the solar circle, which are the lunar epacts of the whole year.

(Note: epact I epakt I The number of days by which the solar year differs from the lunar year.

• the number of days into the moon ‘ s phase cycle at the begin ning of the 237

Joseph B. Lumpkin

solar (calendar) year.

Origin – mid 16th century. (Denoting the age of the moon in days at the beginning of the calendar year): from French epacte, via late Latin from Greek epaktai (hemerai) ‘intercalated (days).

4 The great circle also contains five hundred and thirty-two years.

(Note: The 532-year cycle is calculated from the creation of Adam, which, as we know, took place on Friday, March 1, 5508 B . C., which is the base date on which the entire calendar system of the Orthodox Church is founded. The cycles are laid out in the final sections of the Typikon, which is the book that dictates the services, and are the Paschalion Calendar sections.

There are tables reflecting the 532 year cycle of the Church services, which consists of 1 9-year solar cycles multiplied by 28-day lunar cycles. There is a table that consists of 1 9 columns by 28 rows, giving the Paschal Key number or letter for each of the years of the 532-year cycle. Once you know the Paschal Key, you look up the details in the following section, which consists of 35 brief calendar synopses, one for each possible day that Pascha can fall. Each of these synopses actually consists of two services; one for regular years, and one for leap years.

5 The quarter (of a day) is omitted for three years, the fourth fulfills it exactly.

6 Because of this, they are taken outside of heaven for three years and are not added to the number of days, because they change the time of 238

The Books of Enoch

the years to two new months toward completion, to two others toward the decrease.

7 And when the course through the western gates is finished, it returns and goes to the eastern to the lights, and goes this way day and night in its heavenly circles, below all circles, swifter than the heavenly winds, and spirits and elements and flying angels. Each angel has six wings.

8 In nineteen years it travels the course seven times.

Chapter 17

1 In the midst of the heavens I saw armed soldiers, serving the Lord, with drums and organs, with constant voice, with sweet voice, with sweet and unceasing voice and various singing, which it is impossible to describe, and which astonishes every mind, so wonderful and marvelous is the singing of those angels, and I was delighted listening to it.

Chapter 18

1 The men took me on to the fifth heaven and placed me, and there I saw many and countless soldiers, called Grigori, of human appearance, and their size (was) greater than that of great giants and their faces withered, and the silence of their mouths perpetual, and their was no service on the fifth heaven, and I said to the men who were with me:

239

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(Note: The Greek transliteration egegoroi are the Watchers; a group of fallen angels who mated with mortal women and produced the Nephilim mentioned in the books of Jubilees, l Enoch, and Genesis 6:4.) 2 Why are they so very withered and their faces melancholy, and their mouths silent, and why is there no service in this heaven?

3 And they said to me: These are the Grigori, who with their prince Satanail (Satan) rejected the Lord of Light. After them are those who are held in great darkness in the second heaven, and three of them went down on to earth from the Lord’s throne, to the place Erman, and broke through their vows on the shoulder of the hill Erman and saw the daughters of men how good they are, and took to themselves wives, and fouled the earth with their deeds, who broke the law and mixing (with the women), giants are born and amazingly large men with great hatred.

(Note: The Hill of Ermon could be Mount Hermon, which is men tioned over a dozen times in the Bible.

4 And therefore God judged them with great judgment, and they weep for their brethren and they will be punished on the Lord’s great day.

S And I said to the Grigori: I saw your brethren and their works, and their great torments, and I prayed for them, but the Lord has condemned them to be under earth until this heaven and this earth shall end for ever.

240

The Books of Enoch

6 And I said: Why do you stand there, brethren, and do not serve before the Lord’s face, and have not put your services before the Lord’s face? You could anger your Lord completely.

7 And they listened to my advice, and spoke to the four ranks in heaven. As I stood with those two men four trumpets sounded together with a loud voice, and the Grigori broke into song with one voice, and their voice went up before the Lord pitifully and touchingly.

Chapter 19

1 From there, those men took me and lifted me up on to the sixth heaven, and there I saw seven bands of angels, very bright and very glorious, and their faces shining more than the sun’s shining, glistening, and there is no difference in their faces, or behavior, or manner of dress; and these make the orders, and learn the goings of the stars, and the alteration of the moon, or revolution of the sun, and the good administration of the world.

2 And when they see evildoing they make commandments and instruction, and make sweet and loud singing, and all (songs) of praise.

3 These are the archangels who are above angels, and they measure all life in heaven and on earth, and the angels who are (appointed) over seasons and years, the angels who are over rivers and sea, and who are over the fruits of the earth, and the angels who are over every grass, giving food to every and all living things, and the angels who write down all the souls of men, and all their deeds, and their 241

Joseph B. Lumpkin

lives before the Lord’s face. In their midst are six Phoenixes and six Cherubim and six six-winged ones continually singing with one voice, and it is not possible to describe their singing, and they rejoice before the Lord at his footstool.

Chapter 20

1 And those two men lifted me up from there on to the seventh heaven, and I saw there a very great light, and fiery troops of great archangels, incorporeal forces, and dominions, orders and governments, Cherubim and Seraphim, thrones and many-eyed ones, nine regiments, the Ioanit stations of light, and I became afraid, and began to tremble with great terror, and those men took me, and led me after them, and said to me:

2 Have courage, Enoch, do not fear, and showed me the Lord from afar, sitting on His very high throne. For what is there on the tenth heaven, since the Lord dwells there?

3 On the tenth heaven is God, in the Hebrew tongue he is called Aravat.

(Note: The meaning of Ioanit is not clear. However, it may be derived from the transliteration of the name John. John means, “The Lord is Gracious. “

The meaning of Aravat is equally unclear but seems to mean, ‘fFather of Creation. “

Each level of heaven represents or demonstrates a personality or part of the Godhead. One of the highest demonstrations of Godfs power and divinity is the power of Creation. It is found on the tenth level of heaven.) 242

The Books of Enoch

4 And all the heavenly soldiers would come and stand on the ten steps according to their rank, and would bow down to the Lord, and would then return to their places in joy and bliss, singing songs in the unlimited light with soft and gentle voices, gloriously serving him.

(Note: Strong and fierce soldiers sing with soft, gentle voices, bowing and serving in bliss.)

Chapter 21

1 And the Cherubim and Seraphim standing around the throne, and the six-winged and many-eyed ones do not depart, standing before the Lord’s face doing his will, and cover his whole throne, singing with gentle voice before the Lord’s face: Holy, holy, holy, Lord Ruler of Sabaoth (Host / army), heavens and earth are full of Your glory.

2 When I saw all these things, the men said to me: Enoch, thus far we were commanded to journey with you, and those men went away from me and after that I did not see them.

3 And I remained alone at the end of the seventh heaven and became afraid, and fell on my face and said to myself: Woe is me. What has befallen me?

4 And the Lord sent one of his glorious ones, the archangel Gabriel, and he said to me: “Have courage, Enoch, do not fear, arise before the Lord’s face into eternity, arise and come with me,”

243

Joseph B. Lumpkin

5 And I answered him, and said within myself: My Lord, my soul has departed from me due to terror and trembling, and I called to the men who led me up to this place. I relied on them, and it is with them that I can go before the Lord’s face.

(Note: When speaking to God, Enoch “said within himself ” He did not have to speak aloud.)

6 And Gabriel lifted me up like a leaf caught up by the wind, and he placed me before the Lord’s face.

7 And I saw the eighth heaven, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Muzaloth (Zodiac), the changer of the seasons, of drought, and of wet, and of the twelve constellations of the circle of the firmament, which are above the seventh heaven.

S And I saw the ninth heaven, which is called in Hebrew Kuchavim, where are the heavenly homes of the twelve constellations of the circle of the firmament.

Chapter 22

1 On the tenth heaven, which is called Aravoth, I saw the appearance of the Lord’s face, like iron made to glow in fire, and it shone forth and casted out, emitting sparks, and it burned.

(Note: One possible meaning of Aravoth is “three times holyJf or “holy, holy, holy. “

244

The Books of Enoch

2 In a moment of eternity I saw the Lord’s face, but the Lord’s face is indescribable, marvelous and very amazing, and very, very terrible.

3 And who am I to tell of the Lord’s unspeakable being, and of his very wonderful face? I cannot tell the amount of his instructions, and the variety of voices. The Lord’s throne is very great and not made with hands, and I cannot tell the number of those standing around him. There were troops of Cherubim and Seraphim, and they sang unceasingly. I cannot tell of his unchanging beauty. Who shall tell of the unpronounceable greatness of his glory?

4 And I fell prone and bowed down to the Lord, and the Lord with his lips said to me:

5 Have courage, Enoch, do not fear, arise and stand before my face into eternity (stand before my face eternally / stand before my eternal face.)

(Note: Enoch is out of and above time-space. Eternity is now and he can feel the timelessness of where he is. The language struggles to convey this fact. ) 6 And the archangel Michael lifted me up, and led me to the Lord’s face.

7 And the Lord said to his servants, testing them: Let Enoch stand before my face into eternity, and the glorious ones bowed down to the Lord, and said: Let Enoch go according to Your word.

S And the Lord said to Michael: Go and take Enoch and remove his earthly garments, and anoint him with my sweet ointment, and put him into the garments of My glory.

245

Joseph B. Lumpkin

9 And Michael did as the Lord told him. He anointed me, and dressed me, and the appearance of that ointment is more than the great light, and his ointment is like sweet dew, and its smell mild, shining like the sun’s ray, and I looked at myself, and I was transformed into one of his glorious ones.

(Note: The number symbolism of ten is that of new starts at a higher level, new beginnings, and re-creation.)

10 And the Lord summoned one of his archangels, whose name is Pravuil, whose knowledge was quicker in wisdom than the other archangels, who wrote all the deeds of the Lord; and the Lord said to Pravuil: Bring out the books from my store-houses, and a reed of quick-writing, and give it to Enoch, and deliver to him the best and comforting books out of your hand.

(Note: Enoch is now an angel. He now has access to the heavenly records and the understanding to use the knowledge. A reed was used in writing much like a quill was used.)

Chapter 23

1 And he was explaining to me all the works of heaven, earth and sea, and all the elements, their passages and goings, and the sounding of the thunders, the sun and moon, the progression and changes of the stars, the seasons, years, days, and hours, as well as the risings of the wind, the numbers of the angels, and the formation 246

The Books of Enoch

of their songs, and all human things, the tongue of every human song and life, the commandments, instructions, and sweet-voiced singings, and all things that are fitting to learn.

2 And Pravuil told me: All the things that I have told you, we have written. Sit and write all the souls of mankind, however many of them are born, and the places prepared for them to eternity. And he said, all souls are prepared for eternity, before the formation of the world.

3 And for both thirty days and thirty nights, and I wrote out all things exactly, and wrote three hundred and sixty-six books.

(Note: If all things were created in six days, then the souls of all people were created at that time. In Jewish mythology, the place that the souls were houses until birth was called the Cuf (Cuph). Each soul was created for a certain place, time, and destiny. A ccording to one version of the myth, when the Cuf (Cup) is emptied of souls, time ceases. In another version, when the last soul dies and returns to Cod, time will end. Enoch wrote 366 book in a 720 hour period containing information on all things, including, “all souls who are prepared for eternity, before the formation of the world. “) Chapter 24

1 And the Lord summoned me, and said to me: Enoch, sit down on my left with Gabriel.

2 And I bowed down to the Lord, and the Lord spoke to me: Enoch, beloved, all that you see, all things that are standing finished, I tell you even before the very beginning, I created all things from non-247

Joseph B. Lumpkin

being. I created the visible, physical things from the invisible, spiritual (world).

3 Hear, Enoch, and take in my words, for I have not told My angels My secret, and I have not told them their rise (beginnings), nor My endless realm, nor have they understood my creating, which I tell you today.

4 For before all things were visible (physical), I alone used to go about in the invisible, spiritual things, like the sun from east to west, and from west to east.

5 But even the sun has peace in itself, while I found no peace, because I was creating all things, and I conceived the thought of placing foundations, and of creating the visible, physical creation.

(Note: Overview of the heavens:

First heaven – , Enoch arrives on angel’s wings. There are storehouses of snow and dew.

Second heaven – , Enoch finds a group of fallen angels. There is darkness and torture.

Third heaven – There are sweet flowers, trees, and fruit.

Fourth heaven – There are soldiers, heaven’s army, and the progression of sun and moon.

Fifth heaven – The leaders of the fallen angels, the ” Grigori ” (Greek

” Gregoroi, ” translating Mearim, the Hebrew word for watchers.) Three of them went down and had intercourse with the daughters of men, yielding giants, who became the source of enmity on earth.

Sixth heaven – Seven bands of angels and the ordering of the stars.

248

The Books of Enoch

Seventh heaven, shows something unusual happening to Enoch when Gabriel puts Enoch in front of the throne of the Lord.

The Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Heavens are thought to be later additions and not part of the original text.

Eighth heaven – ” Muzaloth ” — Zodiac Ninth heaven – ” Kuchavim ” — heavenly bodies (stars).

Tenth heaven – “Aravoth ” — descriptions of God’s face like that of iron made to glow in fire.

Enoch sees the ” appearance of the Lord’s face, ” but describes it as indescribable.

PravuiI, the archangel, is commanded to write down secret information about astronomy, climate, and language and give it over to Enoch. In other Enochian writings the same angel, also spelled ” Penemue “, is criticized for teaching humans to write.

Chapter 25

1 I commanded in the very lowest parts, that the visible, physical things should come down from the invisible, spiritual (realm), and Adoi! came down very great, and I beheld him, and he had a belly of great light.

2 And I said to him: Become undone, Adoil, and let the visible, physical (universe) come out of you.

3 And he came undone, and a great light came out. And I was in the midst of the great light, and as there is born light from light there 249

Joseph B. Lumpkin

came forth a great age (eon / space of time), and showed all creation, which I had thought to create.

4 And I saw that it was good.

5 And I placed for myself a throne, and took my seat on it, and said to the light: Go up higher from here and station yourself high above the throne, and be a foundation to the highest things.

6 And above the light there is nothing else, and then I rose up and looked up from my throne.

(Note: Beginning with chapters 25 and 26, the book of 2 Enoch takes a rather Gnostic diversion. The Gnostics were a Christian sect that flourished around the 3rd century A.D. The Gnostic view of the Godhead borrowed heavily from the creation saga preached by Plato (circa 428 B . C. to 348

B. c.) The story of Adoil and the emanation of pure light from God, which brings about creation of the physical world, is similar to other Gnostic works. Gnosticism teaches that in the beginning a Supreme Being called The Father, The Divine An The Origin, The Supreme God, or The Fullness, emanated the element of existence, both visible and invisible. His intent was not to create but, just as light emanates from a flame, so did creation shine forth from God. This manifested the primal element needed for creation.

This was the creation of Barbelo, who is the “Thought of God. “

The Father’s thought performed a deed and she was created from it. It is she who had appeared before him in the shining of his light. This is the first power which was before all of them and which was created from his mind.

She is the Thought of the All and her light shines like his light. It is the 250

The Books of Enoch

perfect power, which is the visage of the invisible. She is the pure, undefiled Spirit who is perfect. She is the first power. Adoil has that place is this myth.

It could be said that Barbelo was the creative emanation and, like the Divine All, is both male and female. It was the U agreement” of Barbelo and the Divine All, representing the union of male and female, that created the Christ Spirit and all the Aeons. In some renderings the word ” Aeon ” is used to designate an ethereal realm or kingdom. In other versions H Aeon”

indicates the ruler of the realm. The Aeons of this world are merely reflections of the Aeons of the eternal realm. The reflection is always inferior to real.

In several Gnostic cosmologies the “living” world is under the control of entities called Aeons, of which Sophia is head. This means the Aeons influence or control the soul, life force, intelligence, thought, and mind.

Control of the mechanical or inorganic world is given to the Archons.

The Archons were created by Sophia. Sophia, probably out of pride, tried to emulate the creative force of God by created an image of herself Meaning that she wanted to produce an offspring, without either consort or the approval of her Father, God. As an aeon, she did have the power to do so, but she wasn ‘ t perfect like the Great Spirit, or like the other two perfect aeons, Barbelo and the Autogenes. Nevertheless, in her arrogance, she attempted to create and failed. She was horrified when she saw her creation, imperfect, bruthish creature with a lion-faced serpent with eyes of fire, whom she called Yaldabaoth.

25 1

Joseph 8. Lumpkin

Sophia cast her offspring out of pleroma (heaven), and hid her child within a thick cloud from the other aeons, because of her embarrassment and shame.

Yaldabaoth was the first of the archon (” ruler”) and he stole his mother’ s power, s o that she wasn ‘ t able t o escape from the cloud. Despite gaining Sophia ‘ s aeonic power, he was weak, bu t prideful, ambitious and power hungry.

Since the archons, including Yaldabaoth, were androgynous beings, Yaldabaoth fathered twelve archons, giving each a bit of his power. They were named Athoth, Harmas, Kalila-Oumbri, Yabel, Adonaiou (or Sabaoth), Cain, Abel, A brisene, Yobel, Armoupieel, Melceir-Adonein and Belias.

Seven archons would rule seven heavens and five in the abyss, which Yaldabaoth and the archons created. Each archon would rule a heaven (or the abyss), and created 365 angels to help them.

The archons rule the physical aspects of systems, regulation, limits, and order in the world. Both the ineptitude and cruelty of the Archons are reflected in the chaos and pain of the material realm.

(See the book, The Gnostic Scriptures, by Joseph Lumpkin, published by Fifth Estate.)

Although the above may be a digression from the text of2 Enoch, it adds insight into the time frame and origins of its production. Gnostic influences were felt from the late first century to the early fourth century A.D. If the writer of this section of 2 Enoch was exposed to the Gnostic sect, it would conclusively make 2 Enoch a text with Christian influences.) 252

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 26

1 And I summoned the very lowest a second time, and said: Let Archas come forth hard, and he came forth hard from the invisible, spiritual.

2 And Archas came forth, hard, heavy, and very red.

3 And I said: Be opened, Archas, and let there be born from you, and he came apart, and an age came forth, very great and very dark, bearing the creation of all lower things, and I saw that it was good and said to him:

4 Go down below, and make yourself solid, and be a foundation for the lower things, and it happened and he went down and stationed himself, and became the foundation for the lower things, and below the darkness there is nothing else.

(Note: Hard and heavy could be terms for “gravid” or pregnant, with birth being imminent. Archas could equate to “The Archons. “) Chapter 27

1 And I commanded that there should be taken from light and darkness, and I said: Be thick, and it became thick, and I spread it out with the light, and it became water, and I spread it out over the darkness, below the light, and then I made firm the waters, that is to say the bottomless (abyss), and I made foundation of light around the water, and created seven circles from inside, and made the water look like crystal, wet and dry, so it was like glass, and the circles 253

Joseph B. Lumpkin

were around the waters and the other elements, and I showed each one of them its path, and the seven stars each one of them in its heaven, that they go the correct way, and I saw that it was good.

2 And I made separations between light and darkness in the midst of the water here and there, and I said to the light, that it should be the day, and to the darkness, that it should be the night, and there was evening and there was morning on the first day.

(Note: The foundation of light around the water that is like crystal is likely a reference to the sky. One belief at the time of writing was that the sky was an expanse of water like an endless sea.)

Chapter 28

1 And then I made firm the heavenly circle, and made that the lower water which is under heaven collect itself together into one whole (piece), and that the chaos become dry, and it became so.

2 Out of the waves I created hard and large rock, and from the rock I piled up the dry (land), and the dry (land) I called earth, and the middle of the earth I called the abyss, or the bottomless. I collected the sea in one place and bound it together with a yoke. (Note: This is the bank or shoreline.)

3 And I said to the sea: Behold I give you eternal limits, and you shall not break loose from your integral parts.

4 Thus I made the firmament hold together. This day I called the first-created, Sunday. (This, I call the first day of creation.) 254

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 29

1 And for all the heavenly soldiers I made them the image and essence of fire, and my eye looked at the very hard, firm rock, and from the gleam of my eye the lightning received its wonderful nature, (which) is both fire in water and water in fire, and one does not put out the other, nor does the one dry up the other, therefore the lightning is brighter than the sun, softer than water and firmer than hard rock.

(Note: If the sky is made of water and lightning, which is fire, issues from the sky, then water and fire must exist together in a heavenly form.) 2 And from the rock I cut off a great fire, and from the fire I created the orders of the incorporeal (spiritual / non-physical) ten troops of angels, and their weapons are fiery and their raiment a burning flame, and I commanded that each one should stand in his order.

3 And one from out the order of angels, having violated the command he was given, conceived an impossible thought, to place his throne higher than the clouds above the earth so that he might become equal in rank to my power.

4 And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the bottomless (abyss) .

(Note: We assume this ends the second day, although it is 110t mentioned.) 255

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Chapter 30

1 On the third day I commanded the earth to make and grow great and fruitful trees, and hills, and seeds to sow, and I planted Paradise, and enclosed it, and placed armed guards in the form of my flaming angels, and in this way I created renewal.

2 Then came evening, and morning came of the fourth day.

3 On Wednesday, the fourth day, I commanded that there should be great lights on the heavenly circles.

4 On the first uppermost circle I placed the stars, Cronus, and on the second Aphrodite, on the third Ares, on the fifth Zeus, on the sixth Ermis (Hermes), on the seventh lesser the moon, and adorned it with the lesser stars.

(Note: The fourth heavenly circle is vacant. The Greek names for the heavenly bodies leave no doubt as to the influence of Greek words and ideas within this section of the text.)

5 And on the lower (parts) I placed the sun for the illumination of day, and the moon and stars for the illumination of night.

6 (And I set) the sun that it should go according to each of the twelve constellations , and I appointed the succession of the months and their names and lives, their thundering, and how they mark the hours, and how they should proceed.

7 Then evening came and morning came of the fifth day.

256

The Books of Enoch

8 On Thursday, the fifth day, I commanded the sea, that it should bring forth fishes, and feathered birds of many varieties, and all animals creeping over the earth, going forth over the earth on four legs, and soaring in the air, of male and female sex, and every soul breathing the spirit of life.

(Note: Verse eight proclaims the creation of all souls breathing (inspired by) the spirit of life. The next verse proclaims the creation of man. This day filled the Cuf and incarnation begins in next.)

9 And there came evening, and there came morning of the sixth day.

10 On Friday, the sixth day, I commanded my wisdom to create man from seven consistent applications: one, his flesh from the earth; two, his blood from the dew; three, his eyes from the sun; four, his bones from stone; five, his intelligence from the swiftness of the angels and cloud; six, his veins and his hair from the grass of the earth; seven, his soul from my breath and from the wind.

11 And I gave him seven natures: to the flesh – hearing, the eyes for sight, to the soul – smell, the veins for touch, the blood for taste, the bones for endurance, to the intelligence – enjoyment.

12 I created a saying (speech) from knowing. I created man from spiritual and from physical nature, from both come his death and life and appearance. He knows speech like some created thing. He is small in greatness and great in smallness, and I placed him on earth, like a second angel, to be honorable, great and glorious. And I 257

Joseph B. Lumpkin

appointed him as ruler to rule on earth and to have my wisdom, and there was none like him on earth of all my existing creatures.

13 And I appointed him a name made from the four components, from east, from west, from south, and from north. And I appointed for him four special stars, and I called his name Adam, and showed him the two ways, the light and the darkness, and I told him: 14 This is good, and that bad, so that I should learn whether he has love towards me, or hatred, and so that it would be clear who in his race loves me.

(Note: The Hebrew name oj Adam means “man.) 15 For I have seen his nature, but he has not seen his own nature, and therefore by not seeing it he will sin worse, and I said, fI After sin is there nothing but death?”

16 And I put sleep into him and he fell asleep. And I took from him a rib, and created him a wife, so that death should come to him by his wife, and I took his last word and called her name mother, that is to say, Eve.

Chapter 31

1 Adam has life on earth, and I created a garden in Eden in the east, so that he should observe the testament and keep the command.

2 I made the heavens open to him, so that he would see the angels singing the song of victory, and the light without shadow.

258

The Books of Enoch

3 And he was continuously in paradise, and the devil understood that I wanted to create another world, because Adam was lord on earth, to rule and control it.

4 The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, he made himself a fugitive from the heavens as the devil and his name was Satan. Thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did not change his intelligence as it applied to his understanding of righteous and sinful things.

5 And he understood his condemnation and the sin that he had committed before. Therefore he devised a thought against Adam, in which he entered and seduced Eve, but did not touch Adam.

6 But I cursed ignorance. However, what I had blessed before I did not curse. I did not curse man, nor the earth, nor other creatures. But I cursed man’s evil results, and his works.

Chapter 32

1 I said to him: You are earth (dirt), and into the earth from where I took you, you shall go, and I will not destroy you, but send you back from where I took you.

2 Then I can again receive you at My second presence.

3 And I blessed all my creatures, both physical and spiritual. And Adam was five and half hours in paradise.

4 And I blessed the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, on which he rested from all his works.

259

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(Note: The five and a half hours is tied to the 5500 years of punishment mentioned in the Books of Adam and Eve. See “The First and Second Books of Adam and Eve” by Joseph Lumpkin.)

Chapter 33

1 And I appointed the eighth day also, that the eighth day should be the first-created after my work, and that the first seven revolve in the form of the seventh thousand, and that at the beginning of the eighth thousand there should be a time of not-counting, endless, with neither years nor months nor weeks nor days nor hours.

(Note: A day is as a thousand years. This is a prophecy seems to indicate that after six thousand years there will be a thousand years of rest, then there will be timelessness.)

2 And now, Enoch, all that I have told you, all that you have understood, all that you have seen of heavenly things, all that you have seen on earth, all that I have written in books by my great wisdom, and all these things I have devised and created from the uppermost foundation to the lower and to the end, and there is no counselor nor inheritor to my creations.

3 I am eternal unto myself, not made with hands, and without change.

4 My thought is my own counselor, my wisdom and my word creates, and my eyes observe how all things stand here and tremble with terror.

260

The Books of Enoch

5 If I turn away my face, then all things will be destroyed.

6 Apply your mind, Enoch, and know him who is speaking to you, and take the books there, which you yourself have written.

7 I give you Samuil and Raguil, who led you upward with the books, and go down to earth, and tell your sons all that I have told you, and all that you have seen, from the lower heaven up to my throne, and all the troops.

8 For I created all forces, and there is none that resists me and none that does not subject himself to me. For all subject themselves to my kingdom, and labor for my complete rule.

9 Give them the books of the handwriting, and they will read them and will know that I am the creator of all things, and will understand how there is no other God but me.

10 And let them distribute the books of your handwriting from children to children, generation to generation, nation to nation.

11 And Enoch, I will give you, my intercessor, the archangel Michael, for the writings of your fathers Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahaleleel, and Jared your father.

Chapter 34

1 They have rejected my commandments and my yoke, therefore worthless seed has come up, not fearing God, and they would not bow down to me, but have begun to bow down to empty gods, and rejected my unity (oneness I sovereignty), and have piled the whole earth up with lies, offences, abominable lust with one another, and 261

Joseph B. Lumpkin

all manner of other unclean wickedness, which are disgusting to even mention.

2 And therefore I will bring down a deluge upon the earth and will destroy all men, and the whole earth will crumble together into great darkness.

Chapter 35

1 You will see that from their seed shall arise another generation, long afterward, but of them many will be full of very strong desires that are never satisfied.

2 He who raises that generation shall reveal the books of your writing of your fathers to them. And He must point out the guardianship of the world to the faithful men and workers of my pleasure, who do not acknowledge my name in empty words.

3 And they shall tell another generation, and those others who, having read, shall afterward be glorified more than the first.

Chapter 36

1 Now, Enoch, I give you a period of thirty days to spend in your house, and tell your sons and all your household, so that all may hear from you what was spoken by my face, so that they may read and understand that there is no other God but me.

2 And that they may always keep my commandments, and begin to read and absorb the books of your writing.

3 And after thirty days I shall send my angel for you, and he will take you from earth and from your sons and bring you to me.

262

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 37

1 And the Lord called upon one of the older angels who was terrible and menacing, and He placed him by me. He appeared white as snow, and his hands were like ice, having the appearance of great frost, and he froze my face, because I could not endure the terror of the Lord, just as it is not possible to endure a stove’s fire or the sun’s heat, or the frost of the air.

2 And the Lord said to me: Enoch, if your face is not frozen here, no man will be able to look at your face.

Chapter 38

1 And the Lord said to those men who first led me up: “Let Enoch go down on to earth with you, and await him until the determined day.”

2 And by night they placed me on my bed.

3 But Methuselah was expecting my return and was keeping watch at my bed by day and night. And he was filled with awe when he heard my return, and I told him, “Let all my household come together, so that I may tell them everything.”

Chapter 39

1 Oh my children, my loved ones, hear the advice of your father, as much as is according to the Lord’s will.

263

Joseph B. Lumpkin

2 I have been allowed to come to you today, and preach to you, not from my lips, but from the Lord’s lips, all that is now, and was, and all that will be until judgment day.

3 For the Lord has allowed me to come to you so that you could hear the words of my lips, a man who made great for you. But I am one who has seen the Lord’s face, and it was like iron made to glow from fire it sends forth sparks and burns.

4 You look upon my eyes now. They are the eyes of a man enlarged with meaning for you, but I have seen the Lord’s eyes, shining like the sun’s rays and filling the eyes of man with awe.

S You see now, my children, the right hand of a man that helps you, but I have seen the Lord’s right hand filling heaven as he helped me.

6 You see the scope of my work is like your own, but I have seen the Lord’s limitless and perfect scope, which has no end.

7 You hear the words of my lips, as I heard the words of the Lord, and they are like constant and great thunder with hurling of clouds.

8 And now, my children, hear the lecture of the father of the earth. I will tell you how fearful and awful it is to come before the face of the ruler of the earth, and how much more terrible and awful it is to come before the face of the ruler of heaven, who is the judge of the quick and the dead, and of the controller of the heavenly troops. Who (of us) can endure that endless pain?

Chapter 40

1 And now, my children, I know all things, for this is from the Lord’s lips, and my eyes have seen this, from beginning to end.

264

The Books of Enoch

2 I know all things, and have written all things in the books, the heavens and their end, and their abundance, and all the armies and their marching.

3 I have measured and described the stars, the great innumerable multitude of them.

4 What man has seen their revolutions and their entrances? For not even the angels see their number, but I have written all their names.

5 And I measured the sun’s circumference, and measured its rays, and counted the hours. I also wrote down all things that go over the earth. I have written down the things that are nourished, and all seed sown and unsown, which the earth produces, and all plants, and every grass and every flower, and their sweet smells, and their names, and the dwelling-places of the clouds, and their composition, and their wings, and how they carry rain and raindrops.

6 And I investigated all things, and described the road of the thunder and of the lightning, and they showed me the keys and their guardians, their rise, and the way they precede. They are let out gradually, in measure, by a chain. If they were not let out at a measured rate by a heavy chain their violence would hurl down the angry clouds and destroy all things on earth.

7 I described the treasure houses of the snow, and the storehouses of the cold and the frosty airs, and I observed the key-holders of the seasons. He fills the clouds with them, and it does not exhaust the treasure houses.

8 And I wrote down the resting places of the winds and observed and saw how their key-holders bear weighing-scales and measures.

265

Joseph B. Lumpkin

First, they put them in one side of the weighing-scale, then in the other side they place the weights and let them out according to measure skillfully, over the whole earth, to keep the heavy winds from making the earth rock. (The wind blows and makes the earth hard and rock.)

9 And I measured out the whole earth, its mountains, and all hills, fields, trees, stones, rivers, all existing things I wrote down, the height from earth to the seventh heaven, and downwards to the very lowest hell, and the judgment-place, and the very great, open and weeping (gaping) hell.

10 And I saw how the prisoners are in pain, expecting the limitless judgment.

11 And I wrote down all those being judged by the judge, and all their judgment and sentences and all their works.

Chapter 41

1 And I saw throughout all time all the forefathers from Adam and Eve, and I sighed and broke into tears and spoke of the ruin and their dishonor.

2 And I sad, “Woe is me for my infirmity and for that of my forefathers,” and thought in my heart and said: 3 ” Blessed is the man who has not been born or who has been born and shall not sin before the Lord’s face, because he will not come into this place, nor bear the yoke of this place on himself.

266

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 42

1 I saw the key-holders and guards of the gates of hell standing like great serpents. And their faces were glowing like extinguishing lamps, and I saw their eyes of fire, and their sharp teeth. And I saw all of the Lord’s works, how they are right, while some of the works of man are of limited good, and others bad, and in their works are those who are known to speak evil lies.

Chapter 43

1 My children, I measured and wrote out every work and every measure and every righteous judgment.

2 As one year is more honorable than another, so is one man more honorable than another. Some men are honored for great possessions, some for wisdom of heart, some for particular intellect, some for skillfulness, one for silence of lip, another for cleanliness, one for strength, another for beauty, one for youth, another for sharp wit, one for shape of body, another for sensibility, but let it be heard everywhere: There is none better than he who fears God. He shall be more glorious in time to come.

Chapter 44

1 The Lord created man with his hands in the likeness of his own face. The Lord made him small and great.

2 Whoever reviles the ruler’s face hates the Lord’ s face, and has contempt for the Lord’s face, and he who vents anger on any man 267

Joseph B. Lumpkin

without having been injured by him, the Lord’s great anger will cut him down, he who spits on the face of man reproachfully will be cut down at the Lord’s great judgment.

3 Blessed is the man who does not direct his heart with malice against any man, and helps the injured and condemned, and raises up the broken down, and does charity to the needy, because on the day of the great judgment every weight, every measure and every makeweight will be as in the market, so they are hung on scales and stand in the market, and every one shall learn his own measure, and according to his measure shall take his reward.

(Note: Makeweight is something put on a scale to make up the required weight for a more precise measurement.)

Chapter 45

1 Whoever hurries to make offerings before the Lord’s face, the Lord will hasten that offering by giving of His work.

2 But whoever increases his lamp before the Lord’s face and makes a judgment that is not true, the Lord will not increase his treasure in the realm of the highest.

(Note: Whoever makes himself out to be more than he is and whoever judges others without truth or cause, the Lord will not reward in heaven.) 268

The Books of Enoch

3 When the Lord demands bread, or candles, or the flesh of beasts, or any other sacrifice, it is nothing; but God demands pure hearts, and with all He does it is only the tests of man’s heart.

Chapter 46

1 Hear, my people, and take in the words of my lips.

2 If any one brings any gifts to an earthly ruler, and has disloyal thoughts in his heart, and the ruler know this, will the ruler not be angry with him, and refuse his gifts, and give him over to judgment?

3 Or if one man makes himself appear good to another by deceit of the tongue, but has evil in his heart, then will the other person not understand the treachery of his heart, and condemned him, since his lie was plain to all?

4 And when the Lord shall send a great light, then there will be judgment for the just and the unjust, and no one shall escape notice.

Chapter 47

1 And now, my children, with your minds and your hearts, mark well the words of your father, which all have come to you from the Lord’s lips.

2 Take these books of your father’s writing and read them.

3 For there are many books, and in them you will learn all the Lord’s works, all that has been from the beginning of creation, and will be until the end of time.

269

Joseph B. Lumpkin

4 And if you will observe my writing, you will not sin against the Lord; because there is no other except the Lord in heaven, nor in earth, nor in the very lowest places, nor in the foundation.

S The Lord has placed the foundations in the unknown, and has spread out heavens, both physical and spiritual; he anchored the earth on the waters, and created countless creatures. Who has counted the water and the foundation of the mutable (changeable, corruptible), or the dust of the earth, or the sand of the sea, or the drops of the rain, or the morning dew, or the wind’s blowing (breathing)? Who has filled earth and sea, and the indestructible winter?

6 I (The Lord) cut the stars out of fire, and decorated heaven, and put it in their midst.

Chapter 48

1 The sun goes along the seven heavenly circles, which are the appointment of one hundred and eighty-two thrones. It goes down on a short day, and again one hundred and eighty-two. It goes down on a long day, and he has two thrones on which he rests, revolving here and there above the thrones of the months, from the seventeenth day of the month Tsivan it goes down to the month Thevan, from the seventeenth of Thevan it goes up.

(Note: The words Tsivan and Thevan refer to the summer and winter solstice, dividing the lengthening and shortening of days.

270

The Books of Enoch

The sun goes in a sinusoidal wave, decreasing daylight time for 1 82 days and growing longer in daylight hours for 182 days, with an extra day, which is a long day. The total is 365 days.) 2 When it goes close to the earth, then the earth is glad and makes its fruits grow, and when it goes away, then the earth is sad, and trees and all fruits will not flower.

3 All this He measured, with good measurement of hours, and predetermined a measure by his wisdom, of the physical and the spiritual (realms).

4 From the spiritual realm he made all things that are physical, himself being spiritual.

5 So I teach you, my children, and tell you to distribute the books to your children, into all your generations, and among the nations who shall have the sense to fear God. Let them receive them, and may they come to love them more than any food or earthly sweets, and read them and apply themselves to them.

6 And those who do not understand the Lord, who do not fear God, who do not accept, but reject, who do not receive the books, a terrible judgment awaits these.

7 Blessed is the man who shall bear their yoke and shall drag them along, for he shall be released on the day of the great judgment.

Chapter 49

1 I swear to you, my children, but I do not swear by any oath, neither by heaven nor by earth, nor by any other creature created by God.

27 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

2 The Lord said: “There is no oath in Me, nor injustice, but only truth.”

3 But there is no truth in men, so let them swear by the words, Yea, yea, or else, Nay, nay.

4 And I swear to you, yea, yea, that every man that has been in his mother’s womb has had a place prepared for the repose of that soul, and a measure predetermined of how much it is intended that a man be tried (tested) in this world.

5 Yea, children, do not deceive yourselves, for there has been a place previously prepared for the soul of every man. (A statement of predestination.)

Chapter 50

1 I have put every man’s work in writing and none born on earth can remain hidden nor his works remain concealed.

2 I see all things.

3 Therefore, my children, spend the number of your days in patience and meekness so that you may inherit eternal life.

4 For the sake of the Lord, endure every wound, every injury, every evil word, and every attack.

5 If your good deeds are not rewarded but returned for ill to you, do not repay them to neither neighbor nor enemy, because the Lord will return them for you and be your avenger on the day of great judgment, so that there should be no vengeance here among men.

6 Whoever of you spends gold or silver for his brother’s sake, he will receive ample treasure in the world to come.

272

The Books of Enoch

7 Do not injure widows or orphans or strangers, for if you do God’s wrath will come upon you.

Chapter 51

1 Stretch out your hands to the poor according to your strength.

2 Do not hide your silver in the earth.

3 Help the faithful man in affliction, and affliction will not find you in the time of your trouble.

4 And bear every grievous and cruel yoke that comes upon you, for the sake of the Lord, and thus you will find your reward in the Day of Judgment.

5 1t is good to go morning, midday, and evening into the Lord’s house, for the glory of your creator.

6 Because every breathing thing glorifies him, and every creature, both physical and spiritual, gives him praise. (Gives His praise back to Him.)

Chapter 52

1 Blessed is the man who opens his lips in praise of God of Sabaoth (Host / army) and praises the Lord with his heart.

2 Cursed is every man who opens his lips for the purpose of bringing contempt and slander to (of) his neighbor, because he brings God into contempt.

3 Blessed is he who opens his lips blessing and praising God.

4 Cursed before the Lord all the days of his life, is he who opens his lips to curse and abuse.

273

Joseph B. Lumpkin

5 Blessed is he who blesses all the Lord’s works.

6 Cursed is he who brings the Lord’s creation into contempt.

7 Blessed is he who looks down and raises the fallen.

S Cursed is he who looks to and is eager for the destruction of what is not his.

9 Blessed is he who keeps the foundations of his fathers that were made firm from the beginning.

10 Cursed is he who corrupts the doctrine of his forefathers.

11 Blessed is he who imparts peace and love.

12 Cursed is he who disturbs those that love their neighbors.

13 Blessed is he who speaks with humble tongue and heart to all.

14 Cursed is he who speaks peace with his tongue, while in his heart there is no peace but a sword.

15 For all these things will be laid bare in the scales of balance and in the books, on the day of the great judgment.

Chapter 53

1 And now, my children, do not say: “Our father is standing before God, and is praying for our sins. For there is there no helper for any man who has sinned.

2 You see how I wrote down all of the works of every man, before his creation, all that is done among all men for all time, and none can tell or relate my writing, because the Lord sees all imaginings of man, and how they are empty and prideful, where they lie in the treasure houses of the heart.

274

The Books of Enoch

3 And now, my children, mark well all the words of your father that I tell you, or you will be regretful, saying: Why did our father not tell us?

(Note: although chapters 51 and 52 seem similar to the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 53 offers no balance between mercy and justice. “There is no helper for any man who has sinned, ” is a statement excluding a savior.

Scholars point to this verse to conclude 2 Enoch is a Jewish text. As stated before, 2 Enoch seems to be a Jewish text that was Christianized by additions and embellishment of the core text. Chapter 53 is part of the core Jewish text, likely written before the Christian sect. Verse 2 is a statement of predestination or foreknowledge.)

Chapter 54

1 Let these books, which I have given you, be for an inheritance of your peace in that time that you do not understand things.

2 Hand them to all who want them, and instruct them, that they may see the Lord’s very great and marvelous works.

Chapter 55

1 My children, behold, the day of my determined period (term and time) has approached.

2 For the angels who shall go with me are standing before me and urge me to my departure from you. They are standing here on earth, awaiting what has been told them.

275

Joseph B. Lumpkin

3 For tomorrow I shall go up to heaven, to the uppermost Jerusalem, to my eternal inheritance.

4 Therefore I bid you to do the Lord’s good pleasure before his face at all times.

(Note: The Jerusalem spoken of here is the spiritual Jerusalem, spoken of by John, coming down from heaven. The name, “Jerusalem” refers to the components of the actual name, which break down to mean “provision ” and

“peace”‘)

Chapter 56″

1 Methuselah answered his father Enoch, and said: What (food) is agreeable to your eyes, father, that I may prepare before your face, that you may bless our houses, and your sons, and that your people may be made glorious through you, and then that you may depart, as the Lord said 7″

2 Enoch answered his son Methuselah and said: “Hear me, my child.

From the time when the Lord anointed me with the ointment of his glory, there has been no food in me, and my soul remembers not earthly enjoyment, neither do I want anything earthly.”

Chapter 57

1 My child Methuselah, summon all your brethren and all of your household and the elders of the people, that I may talk to them and depart, as is planned for me.

276

The Books of Enoch

2 And Methuselah hurried, and summoned his brethren, Regim, Riman, Uchan, Chermion, Gaidad, and all the elders of the people before the face of his father Enoch; and he blessed them, and said to them:

Chapter 58

1 “Listen to me, my children, today.

2 In those days when the Lord came down to earth for Adam’s sake, and visited all his creatures, which he created himself, after all these he created Adam, and the Lord called all the beasts of the earth, all the reptiles, and all the birds that soar in the air, and brought them all before the face of our father Adam.

3 And Adam gave names to all things living on earth.

4 And the Lord appointed him ruler over all, and subjected all things to him under his hands, and made them dumb and made them dull that they would be commanded by man, and be in subjection and obedience to him.

5 The Lord also created every man lord over all his possessions.

6 The Lord will not judge a single soul of beast for man’s sake, but He judges the souls of men through their beasts in this world, for men have a special place.

7 And as every soul of man is according to number, similarly beasts will not perish, nor all souls of beasts which the Lord created, until the great judgment, and they will accuse man, if he did not feed them well.

277

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Chapter 59

1 Whoever defiles the soul of beasts, defiles his own soul.

2 For man brings clean animals to make sacrifice for sin, that he may have cure for his soul.

3 And if they bring clean animals and birds for sacrifice, man has a cure. He cures his soul.

4 All is given you for food, bind it by the four feet, to make good the cure.

5 But whoever kills beast without wounds, kills his own souls and defiles his own flesh.

6 And he who does any beast any injury whatsoever, in secret, it is an evil practice, and he defiles his own soul.

(Note: To kill without a wound is to inflict blunt force trauma – to beat them to death.)

Chapter 60

1 He who works the killing of a man’s soul (he who murders), kills his own soul, and kills his own body, and there is no cure for him for all time.

2 He who puts a man in any snare (moral entrapment), shall stick himself in it, and there is no cure for him for all time.

3 He who puts a man in any vessel, his retribution will not be wanting at the great judgment for all time.

4 He who works dishonestly or speaks evil against any soul, will not make justice for himself for all time.

278

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 61

1 And now, my children, keep your hearts from every injustice, which the Lord hates. Just as a man asks something for his own soul from God, so let him do the same to every living soul, because I know all things, how in the great time to come there is a great inheritance prepared for men, good for the good, and bad for the bad, no matter the number.

2 Blessed are those who enter the good houses, for in the bad houses there is no peace or return from them.

3 Hear, my children, small and great! When man puts a good thought in his heart, it brings gifts from his labors before the Lord’s face. But if his hands did not make them, then the Lord will turn away his face from the labor of his hand, and (that) man cannot find the labor of his hands.

4 And if his hands made it, but his heart murmurs (complains), and his heart does not stop murmurs incessantly, he does not have (gain) any advantage.

Chapter 62

1 Blessed is the man who, in his patience, brings his gifts with faith before the Lord’s face, because he will find forgiveness of sins.

2 But if he takes back his words before the time, there is no repentance for him; and if the time passes and he does not of his own will perform what is promised, there is no repentance after death.

279

Joseph B. Lumpkin

3 Because every work which man does before the time (outside the time he has promised it), is all deceit before men, and sin before God.

Chapter 63

1 When man clothes the naked and fills the hungry, he will find reward from God.

2 But if his heart complains, he commits a double evil; ruin of himself and of that which he gives; and for him there will be no finding of reward because of that.

3 And if his own heart is filled with his food and his own flesh is clothed with his own clothing, he commits contempt, and will forfeit all his endurance of poverty, and will not find reward of his good deeds. (If he is selfish and does not add to the economy of others . . . ) 4 Every proud and pontificating man is hateful to the Lord, and every false speech is clothed in lies. It will be cut with the blade of the sword of death, and thrown into the fire, and shall burn for all time.

Chapter 64

1 When Enoch had spoken these words to his sons, all people far and near heard how the Lord was calling Enoch. They took counsel together:

2 Let us go and kiss Enoch, and two thousand men came together and came to the place called Achuzan, where Enoch was with his sons.

280

The Books of Enoch

3 And the elders of the people with the entire assembly came and bowed down and began to kiss Enoch and said to him: 4 “Our father Enoch, may you be blessed by the Lord, the eternal ruler, and now bless your sons and all the people, that we may be glorified today before your face.

5 For you shall be glorified before the Lord’s face for eternity, since the Lord chose you from among all men on earth, and designated you as the writer of all his creation, both physical and spiritual, and you are redeemed from the sins of man, and are the helper of your household.”

Chapter 65

1 And Enoch said to all his people: “Hear me, my children. Before all creatures were created, the Lord created the physical and spiritual things.

2 And then a long term passed. Then after all of that he created man in the likeness of his own form, and put eyes into him to see, and ears into him to hear, and a heart to reflect, and intellect to enable him to deliberate.

3 And the Lord saw all the works of man, and created all his creatures, and divided time. From time he determined the years, and from the years he appointed the months, and from the months he appointed the days, and of days he appointed seven.

4 And in those he appointed the hours, measured them out exactly, that man might reflect on time and count years, months, and hours, as they alternate from beginning to end, so that he might count his 28 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

own life from the beginning until death, and reflect on his sin and write his works, both bad and good. No work is hidden from the Lord, so that every man might know his works and never transgress all his commandments, and keep my writing from generation to generation.

S When all creation, both physical and spiritual, as the Lord created it, shall end, then every man goes to the great judgment, and then all time shall be destroyed along with the years. And from then on there will be neither months nor days nor hours. They will run together and will not be counted.

6 There will be one eon (age), and all the righteous who shall escape the Lord’s great judgment, shall be collected in the great eon (age).

For the righteous the great eon will begin, and they will live eternally, and there will be no labor, nor sickness, nor humiliation, nor anxiety, nor need, nor brutality, nor night, nor darkness, but great light among them.

7 And they shall have a great indestructible wall, and a paradise that is bright and eternal, for all mortal things shall pass away, and there will be eternal life.

(Note: an eon is one billion years but is used to mean a very tong but indefinite period of time. The word “eternal” means “unchanging, incorruptible, immortal. ” The word used for “mortal” is the opposite of

“eternal “, thus, “mortal, corruptible, changing. “) 282

The Books of Enoch

Chapter 66

1 And now, my children, keep your souls from all injustice the Lord hates.

2 Walk before his face with great fear (respect) and trembling and serve him only.

3 Bow down to the true God, not to dumb idols, but bow down to his likeness, and bring all just offerings before the Lord’s face. The Lord hates what is unjust.

(Note: This is an odd command issued by Enoch, that the people are not to bow to dumb idols but are to bow to the likeness or similitude of God. This was likely added by Christians around the third or fourth centuries A.D.) 4 For the Lord sees all things; when man takes thought in his heart, then he counsels the intellects, and every thought is always before the Lord, who made firm the earth and put all creatures on it.

S If you look to heaven, the Lord is there; if you take thought of the sea’s depth and all under the earth, the Lord is there.

6 For the Lord created all things. Bow not down to things made by man, leaving the Lord of all creation, because no work can remain hidden before the Lord’s face.

7 Walk, my children, in long-suffering, in meekness, honesty, in thoughtfulness, in grief, in faith and in truth. Walk in (rely on) promises, in (times of) illness, in abuse, in wounds, in temptation, in nakedness, in privation, loving one another, until you go out from this age of ills, that you become inheritors of endless time.

283

Joseph B. Lumpkin

8 Blessed are the just who shall escape the great judgment, for they shall shine forth more than the sun sevenfold, for in this world the seventh part is taken off from all, light, darkness, food, enjoyment, sorrow, paradise, torture, fire, frost, and other things; he put all down in writing, that you might read and understand.

Chapter 67

1 When Enoch had talked to the people, the Lord sent out darkness on to the earth, and there was darkness, and it covered those men standing with Enoch, and they took Enoch up on to the highest heaven, where the Lord is. And there God received him and placed him before His face, and the darkness went off from the earth, and light came again.

2 And the people saw and did not understand how Enoch had been taken, and they glorified God, and found a scroll in which was written liThe God of the Spiritual.” Then all went to their dwelling places.

Chapter 68

1 Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month Tsivan (the first month of the year), and lived three hundred and sixty-five years.

2 He was taken up to heaven on the first day of the month Tsivan and remained in heaven sixty days.

3 He wrote all these signs of all creation, which the Lord created, and wrote three hundred and sixty-six books, and handed them over to his sons and remained on earth thirty days, and was again taken up 284

The Books of Enoch

to heaven on the sixth day of the month Tsivan, on the very day and hour when he was born.

4 As every man’s nature in this life is dark, so are also his conception, birth, and departure from this life.

S At what hour he was conceived, at that hour he was born, and at that hour also he died.

6 Methuselah and his brethren, all the sons of Enoch, made haste, and erected an altar at that place called Achuzan, where Enoch had been taken up to heaven.

7 And they took sacrificial oxen and summoned all people and sacrificed the sacrifice before the Lord’s face.

8 All people, the elders of the people and the whole assembly came to the feast and brought gifts to the sons of Enoch.

9 And they made a great feast, rejoicing and making merry three days, praising God, who had given them such a sign through Enoch, who had found favor with him, and that they should hand it on to their sons from generation to generation, from age to age. Amen.

(Note: Enoch was born on the 6th day of Tsivan. Tsi7.mn is the first month of the year. The sum is seven, one of the holy numbers. He lived 365 years.

One year of years. He remained in heaven 60 days. Six is the number of man, which always falls short of God.)

The Short Version Ends Here

The wife of Nir was Sopanim. She was sterile and never had at any 285

Joseph B. Lumpkin

time given birth to a child by Nir.

Sopanim was in her old age and in the last days (time) of her death.

She conceived in her womb, but Nir the priest had not slept with her from the day that that the Lord had appointed him to conduct the liturgy in front of the face of the people.

When Sopanim saw her pregnancy, she was ashamed and embarrassed, and she hid herself during all the days until she gave birth. Not one of the people knew about it. When 282 days had been completed, and the day of birth had begun to approach, Nir thought about his wife, and he called her to come to him in his house, so that he might converse with her. (282 days is 9.4 of 30-day-months.) Sopanim came to Nir, her husband; and, behold, she was pregnant, and the day appointed for giving birth was drawing near. Nir saw her and became very ashamed. He said to her, “What is this that you have done, 0 wife? Why have you disgraced me in front of the face of these people? Now, depart from me and go back to where you began this disgrace of your womb, so that I might not defile my hands in front of The Face of The Lord on account of you and sin.”

Sopanim spoke to her husband, Nir, saying, “0 my lord! Look at me.

lt is the time of my oId age, the day of my death has arrived. I do not understand how my menopause and the barrenness of my womb have been reversed.” But Nir did not believe his wife, and for the second time he said to her, “Depart from me, or else I might assault 286

The Books of Enoch

you, and commit a sin in front of the face of The Lord.”

And after Nir had spoken to his wife, Sopanim, she fell down at Nir’s feet and died. Nir was extremely distressed and said to himself,

“Could this have happened because of my words? And now, merciful is The Eternal Lord, because my hand was not upon her.”

The archangel Gabriel appeared to Nir, and said to him, “Do not think that your wife Sopanim has died due to your error? This child, which is to be born from her, is a righteous fruit, and one whom I shall receive into paradise so that you will not be the father of a gift of God.”

Nir hurried and shut the door of his house. He went to Noah, his brother, and he reported to him everything that had happened in connection with his wife. Noah hurried to the room of his brother.

The appearance of his brother’s wife was as if she were dead but her womb was at the same time giving birth.

Noah said to Nir, “Don’t let yourself be sorrowful, Nir, my brother!

Today the Lord has covered up our scandal, because nobody from the people knows this. Now let us go quickly and bury her, and the Lord will cover up the scandal of our shame.” They placed Sopanim on the bed, wrapped her around with black garments, and shut the door. They dug a grave in secret.

287

Joseph B. Lumpkin

When they had gone out toward the grave, a child came out from Sopanim’s dead body and sat on the bed at her side. Noah and Nir came in to bury Sopanim and they saw the child sitting beside Sopanim’s dead body and he was wiping his clothing. Noah and Nir were very terrified with a great fear, because the child was physically fully developed. The child spoke with his lips and blessed The Lord.

Noah and Nir looked at him closely, saying, “This is from the Lord, my brother.” The badge of priesthood is on his chest, and it is glorious in appearance. Noah said to Nir, “God is renewing the priesthood from blood related to us, just as He pleases.”

Noah and Nir hurried and washed the child, they dressed him in the garments of the priesthood, and they gave him bread to eat and he ate it. And they called him Melchizedek.

Noah and Nir lifted up the body of Sopanim, and took the black garment off of her and washed her. They clothed her in exceptionally bright garments and built a grave for her. Noah, Nir, and Melchizedek came and they buried her publicly. Then Noah said to his brother Nir, “Take care of this child in secret until the proper time comes, because all of the people on earth will become treacherous and they will begin to turn away from God. Having become completely ignorant (of God), when they see him, they will put him to death in some way.”

Then Noah went away to his own place, and there came great 288

The Books of Enoch

lawlessness that began to become abundant over all the earth in the days of Nir. And Nir began to worry greatly about the child saying,

“What will I do with him?” And stretching out his hands toward heaven, Nir called out to The Lord, saying, ” It is miserable for me, Eternal Lord, that all of this lawlessness has begun to become abundant over all the earth in my lifetime! I realize how much nearer our end is because of the lawlessness of the people. And now, Lord, what is the vision about this child, and what is his destiny, or what will I do for him, so that he will not be joined along with us in this destruction ?”

The Lord took notice of Nir and appeared to him in a night vision.

And He said to him, “Nir, the great lawlessness which has come about on the earth I shall not tolerate anymore. I plan to send down a great destruction onto the earth. But do not worry about the child, Nir. In a short while I will send My archangel Gabriel and he will take the child and put him in the paradise of Edem. He will not perish along with those who must perish. As I have revealed it, Melchizedek will be My priest to all holy priests, I will sanctify him and I will establish him so that he will be the head of the priests of the future. “

(Note: Edem means, “God will save. ” I t is assumed Edem is Eden.) Then Nir arose from his sleep and blessed The Lord, who had appeared to him saying: “Blessed be The Lord, The God of my 289

Joseph 8. Lumpkin

fathers, who has approved of my priesthood and the priesthood of my fathers, because by His Word, He has created a great priest in the womb of 50panim, my wife. For I have no descendants. So let this child take the place of my descendants and become as my own son.

You will count him in the number of your servants.”

“Therefore honor him together with your servants and great priests and me your servant, Nir. And behold, Melchizedek will be the head of priests in another generation. I know that great confusion has come and in confusion this generation will come to an end, and everyone will perish, except that Noah, my brother, will be preserved for procreation. From his tribe, there will arise numerous people, and Melchizedek will become the head of priests reigning over a royal people who will serve you, 0 Lord.”

It happened when the child had completed 40 days in Nir’s tent, The Lord said to the archangel Gabriel, “Go down to the earth to Nir the priest, and take the child Melchizedek, who is with him. Place him in the paradise of Edem for preservation. For the time is already approaching, and I will pour out all the water onto the earth, and everything that is on the earth will perish. And I will raise it up again, and Melchizedek will be the head of the priests in that generation.” And Gabriel hurried, and came flying down when it was night when Nir was sleeping on his bed that njght.

Gabriel appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord says: “Nir!

290

The Books of Enoch

Restore the child to me whom I entrusted to you.” But Nir did not realize who was speaking to him and he was confused. And he said,

“When the people find out about the child, they will seize him and kill him, because the heart of these people are deceitful before The Lord.” And he answered Gabriel and said, “The child is not with me, and I don’t know who is speaking to me. “

Gabriel answered him, ” Nir, d o not be afraid. I am the archangel Gabriel. The Lord sent me to take your child today. I will go with him and I will place him in the paradise of Edem.” Then Nir remembered the first dream and believed it. He answered Gabriel,

” Blessed be The Lord, who has sent you to me today! Now bless your servant Nir! Take the child and do to him all that has been said to you.” And Gabriel took the child, Melchizedek on his wings in that same night, and he placed him in the paradise of Edem. Nir got up in the morning, and he went into his tent and did not find the child.

There was great joy and grief for Nir because he felt the child had the place of a son.

The Lord said to Noah, “Make an ark that is 300 cubits in length, 50

cubits in width and in 30 cubits height. Put the entrance to the ark in its side; and make it with two stories in the middle” The Lord God opened the doors of heaven. Rain came onto the earth and all flesh died.

Noah fathered 3 sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. He went into the ark 291

Joseph B. Lumpkin

in his six hundredth year. After the flood, he lived 350 years. He lived in all 950 years, according to The Lord our God.

To our God be Glory always, now and eternally. AMEN.

292

The Books of Enoch

Intro duction of 3 Enoch

Author’s Note: The Hebrew Book of Enoch, or 3 Enoch was very difficult to find in its entirety. It was likely written by a highly educated Rabbi around 300 to 400 A.D. and preserved only in fragments, here and there. Then, in 1 928 Dr. Hugo Odeberg PhD. gathered the various fragmentary sources and published the first full translation along with copious scholarly notes and the source Hebrew material. The University Press at Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, published his work. A photocopy of the book made its way to the United State and into the University of Chicago library, where it was kept for many years. It was from this body of work and from this photocopied and preserved manuscript that some of the Hebrew language source material was compiled. The Hebrew source from the work at Cambridge was compared to and supplemented with various articles, fragments, quotes, and commentaries from dozens of other sources and references to produce the work before you.

3 Enoch purports to have been written around 100 AD., but its origins can only be traced to the late fourth or early fifth centuries.

Other names for 3 Enoch include “The Third Book of Enoch” and

“The Book of the Palaces.”

The book is rife with Hebrew words, which have no single English equivalent. Even though care was taken to define the majority of these words when first they appear in the text the reader should 293

Joseph B. Lumpkin

expect only keywords to replace or augment meanings thereafter. To do otherwise would either leave the reader to remember the meanings of all Hebrew words or bloat the book to the point of making it difficult for the reader to follow.

Modern scholars describe this book as belonging to a body of work called the pseudepigraphia. 3 Enoch claims to be written by a Rabbi, who became a ‘high priest’ after he had visions of an ascension to Heaven, 90 AD – 135 AD. Rabbi Ishmael is a leading figure of Merkabah literature; however, a number of scholars suggest that it was in fact written by a number of people over a prolonged period of time.

Merkabah writings had to do with the theme of ascension into heaven. The name is derived from a Hebrew word meaning 1/ chariot,” referring to Ezekiel’s vision beginning in Ezekiel 1 :4.

Enoch’s contents and ideas are unique and newer than those shown in other Merkabah texts, suggesting the book may be among the first in the Merkabah movement or that it is derived through unique influences.

As the book’s other name, The Book of the Palaces, implies, 3

Enoch is part of the Temple or Hekalot body of literature in which the “Palace” or “Temple” of heaven is described.

As with 1 Enoch, the exact dating of this book is a difficult task, but some scholars believe it was completed around the time of the Babylonian Talmud, which was around the early 5th 294

The Books of Enoch

century A.D.

3 Enoch was originally written in Hebrew, although it contains a number of words from both Greek and Latin. Parts of the book seem to have been influenced by 1 Enoch, showing the author was familiar with the Mystical Enochian Tradition.

Similar points appearing in 1 Enoch and 3 Enoch are: Enoch ascends to Heaven in a storm chariot (3 Enoch 6:1; 7:1) Enoch is translated into an angel (3 Enoch 9:1-5; 15:1-2) Enoch, as an angel, is given authority in Heaven (3 Enoch 10:1-3; 16:1)

Enoch receives an explanation or vision of creation and cosmology. (3 Enoch 13:1-2)

Enoch sees a hostile angel named Azazel (3 Enoch 4:6; 5:9) The main theme, throughout the book is the

“transubstantiation” of Enoch into the angel Metatron.

Metatron appears in various Jewish, Christian, and Islamic works but was a central focus in medieval Jewish mystical texts and occult sources. Rabbinical texts point to Metatron as the angel who stilled the hand of Abraham, preventing him from sacrificing Isaac.

The place and authority of Metatron has been hotly debated, as is seen even within the book. He is seen as sitting in heaven.

295

Joseph B. Lumpkin

This is only permitted if one is a deity. He is referred to in the text as “The Lesser YHWH.”

YHWH makes up the Tetragrammaton forming the name we pronounce as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.” The four letters making up the divine name are Yodh, He Waw, He, having the sounds of “Y”, “H”, “W, 0, U or a place holder”, and “H.”

When “He” ends a word it is often silent. Due to the fact that German theologians were heavily involved in theological research and study, one may also find the Tetragrammaton rendered as YHVH, since the V in German has a W sound.

There is a very personal attack within the text, which should be explained. A curse is placed on a man known only as Acher. In Hebrew the name means, “the other,” and is used as a term of alienation from the rabbinic community. The Talmud tells us that Elisha be Abuyah entered Paradise in a vision and saw Metatron sitting down (an action that in heaven is permitted only to God himself). Elishah ben Abuyah therefore looked to Metatron as a deity and proclaimed, “There are indeed two powers in heaven! ” The other rabbis explain that Metatron was allowed to sit because he was the Heavenly Scribe, writing down the deeds of Israel (Babylonian Talmud, Hagiga 15a).

The intense hatred for any idea hinting at dualism or polytheism, as opposed to monotheism, caused such a reaction within the Rabbinical community that they labeled Elisha be Abuyah a heretic. In 3 Enoch this point is driven home when 296

The Books of Enoch

the entire nation of Israel is to be reconciled to God, except for Acher, whose name is blotted out.

In spite of the disagreements within the ancient Jewish community, the reader is still left to wonder what position Metatron occupies in heaven. Metatron is described in two ways: as a primordial angel (9:2-13:2) and as the transformation of Enoch after he was assumed into Heaven, and he is called “The Lesser YHWH.”

Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. [Genesis 5:24 NIV.]

This Enoch, whose flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire, his eye-lashes to flashes of lightning, his eye-balls to flaming torches, and whom God placed on a throne next to the throne of glory, received after this heavenly transformation the name Metatron. [3 Enoch]

As the Christian community came in contact with the Jewish book of 3 Enoch, they had little trouble reconciling the names and position of Metatron. To those Christians a person who may sit in heaven and who judges, and who is called by the same name taken by God must be Yeshua (Jesus.) It may be of help if the meaning of the name, Metatron, could be ascertained, but it is not clear. Suggestions are that the name originated from the root words of such phrases as, “keeper of 297

Joseph B. Lumpkin

the watch,” “guard,” “to protect,” “one who serves behind the throne,” “one who occupies the throne next to the throne of glory,” “to lead,” or ‘� to measure.” None of these suggestions can be proven. From the text itself we know only that Metatron is referred to as “the youth/’ likely because he would be the newest and youngest angel. He is also called, “the prince of the presence (of God).” His purpose in heaven was to be a witness against mankind.

A type of numerology is used and referred to within the text.

Temurah is one of the three ancient methods used by Cabbalist to rearrange words and sentences in the Torah, in the belief that by this method they can derive the deeper, hidden spiritual meaning of the words. Temurah may be used to change letters in certain words to create a new meaning for a Biblical statement. Another method is called Gematria. In this method letters are substituted for numbers and the meaning of words with the same value are compared along with the numerical meaning of the words.

A preparatory summery of the first section of the book may be framed as a revelation from Metatron, or the Prince of the Presence, to Rabbi IshmaeL Metatron, as it turns out, is Enoch and this is why the title of this book has come to be called, “3 Enoch.” Any question as to who Metatron may be is answered clearly in CHAPTER IV, where it is written, “Rabbi Ishmael said: I asked Metatron and said to him: ” why are you called by the name of your Creator, by seventy 298

The Books of Enoch

names? You are greater than all the princes, higher than all the angels, beloved more than all the servants, honored above all the mighty ones in kingship, greatness and glory: why do they call you

‘Youth’ in the high heavens?” He answered and said to me: “Because I am Enoch, the son of Jared. For when the generation of the flood sinned and were confounded in their deeds, saying unto God: Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of your ways (Job 21:14), then the Holy One, blessed be He, removed me from their midst to be a witness against them in the high heavens to all the inhabitants of the world, that they may not say: ‘The Merciful One is cruel’.

The following text begins the book of 3 Enoch. Notes and explanations are italicized. Words placed in parentheses are alternate renderings of a word or phrase.

299

Joseph B. Lumpkin

BOOK OF 3 ENOCH

or the Hebrew Book of Enoch

By Rabbi ISHMAEL BEN ELISHA

THE HIGH PRIEST

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION: Rabbi Ishmael ascends to heaven to witness the vision of the Merkaba (chariot). He is given to Metatron AND ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD: AND HE WAS NOT; FOR GOD TOOK HIM.

(1) I ascended on high to witness the vision of the Merkaba (the divine chariot) and I had entered the six Halls, which were situated within one another.

The halls were in concentric circles, one within the other.

(2) As soon as I reached the door of the Seventh Hall I stood still in prayer before the Holy One, blessed be He. I lifted up my eyes on high towards the Divine Majesty and I said: (3) “

Lord of the Universe, I pray you, that the worthiness of Aaron, 300

The Books of Enoch

the son of Amram, who loves and pursues peace, and who received the crown of priesthood from Your Glory on Mount Sinai, be upon me in this hour, so that Khafsiel, (Qafsiel) the prince, and the angels with him may not overcome (overpower) me nor cast me down from the heavens.”

Qafsiel or Qaphsiel is an angel of a high order set to guard the seventh hall of heaven

(4) At that moment the Holy One, blessed be He, sent Metatron, his Servant, also called Ebed, to me. He is the angel, the Prince of the Presence. With great joy he spread his wings as he came to meet me in order to save me from their hand. (5) And by his hand he took me so that they could see us, and he said to me:

“Enter in peace before the high and exalted King and see the picture of Merkaba (chariot).”

Merkaba (chariot) – Chariot of fire, Chariot of light – Pulled by four Chayot or living creatures, each of which has four wings and the four faces of a man, lion, ox, and eagle .. See Ezekiel 1 :4-26. The Bible makes mention of three types of angel found in the Merkaba (chariot) .

The first is the “Seraphim” (lit. ” burning”) angels. These angels appear like flashes of fire continuously ascending and descending.

These ” Seraphim ” angels powered the movement of the chariot. In the 30 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

hierarchy of these angels, ” Seraphim ” are the highest, that is, closest to God, followed by the ” Chayot”, which are followed by the

” Ophanim. ” The chariot is in a constant state of motion, and the energy behind this movement runs according to this hierarchy. The movement of the ” Ophanim ” are controlled by the ” Chayot” while the movement of the ” Chayot” is controlled by the ” Seraphim. ” The movement of all the angels of the chariot are controlled by the

” Likeness of a Man ” on the Throne.

(6) Then I entered the seventh Hall, and he led me to the camps of Shekina (understanding) and stood me in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, to see the Merkaba (chariot) .

Shekina – Shekhinah is derived from a Hebrew verb literally meaning

“to settle, inhabit, or dwell. ” (See Exodus 40:35, “Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, for the cloud rested [shakhanJ upon it, and the glonj of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. ” See also Genesis 9:2 7, 14:13, Psalms 3 7:3, Jeremiah 33:16), as well as the ‘weekly Shabbat blessing recited in the Temple (“May He who causes His name to dwell [shochanJ in this House, cause to dwell among you love and brotherliness, peace and friendship”). Also see Talmud Ketubot 85b).

Shekina can also mean royalty or royal residence. Shekina has come to mean the effect or manifestation caused by the presence or 302

The Books of Enoch

inhabitation of God. The manifestation is glonJ, creativity, and understanding. These words may be used to explain “She kina. “

(7) As soon as the princes of the Merkaba (chariot) and the flaming Seraphim knew I was there, they fixed their gaze on me. Trembling and shuddering seized me at once and I fell down and was numbed by the brightness of the vision of their faces; until the Holy One, blessed be He, chastised them, saying: (8)” My servants, my Seraphim, my Cherubim and my Ophannim! Cover your eyes before Ishmael, my son, my friend, my beloved one and (my) glory, so that he ceases trembling and shaking! JJ

The root of Seraphim comes either from the Hebrew verb saraph e ta burn ‘) or the Hebrew noun saraph (a fiery, flying serpent). Because the term appears several times with reference to the serpents encountered in the wilderness (Num. 21.8, Oeut. 8.15; Isa. 14.29; 30.6), it has often been understood to refer to “fiery serpents. ” From this it has also often been proposed that the seraphim were serpentine in form and in some sense “fiery” creatures or associated with fire.

It is said that whoever lays eyes on a Seraph, l1e “would instantly be incinerated due to the immense brightness of the Seraph.

Cherubs are described as winged beings. The biblical prophet Ezekiel describes the cherubim as a tetrad of living creatures, each having 303

Joseph B. Lumpkin

four faces: of a lion, an ox, an eagle, and a man. They are said to have the stature and hands of a man, the feet of a calf, and four wings. Two of the wings extended upward, meeting above and sustaining the throne of God; while the other two stretched downward and covered the creatures themselves.

Ophanim are described in 1 Enoch as never sleeping. They watch and guard the throne of God. The word ophan means “wheel” in Hebrew.

For this reason the Ophanim have been associated with the chariot in Ezekiel and Daniel. It is mentioned as gagal, traditionally ” the wheels of gagallin”, in “fienj flame” and ” burning fire ” of the four, eyecovered wheels, each composed of two nested wheels, that move next to the winged Cherubim, beneath the throne of God. The four wheels move with the Cherubim because the spirit of the Cherubim is in them. These are also referred to as the ” many-eyed ones ” in 2 Enoch.

The Ophanim are also equated as the ” Thrones “, and associated with the ” Wheels “, in the vision of Daniel 7:9. They carn} the throne of God, hence the name.

This may be a good time to explain the singular and plural in Hebrew. Whereas in English we add an “s” to denote a plural, in Hebrew an “im” is added. Thus, there is one Cherub but many Cherubim. There is one Seraph but many Seraphim. Knowing this fact may make the text easier to follow.

304

The Books of Enoch

(9) Then Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, came and placed my spirit in me again and he stood me up on my feet. (10) After that (moment) for an hour I did not have enough strength to sing a song before the Throne of Glory of the Glorious King, the mightiest of all kings, the most excellent of all princes. (11) After an hour had passed the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the gates of Shekina (understanding) to me. These are the gates of Peace, and of Wisdom, and of Strength, and of Power, and of Speech (Dibbur), and of Song, and of Kedushah (Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy), and the gates of Chanting. (12) And he opened and shined His light in my eyes and my heart by words of psalm, song, praise, exaltation, thanksgiving, extolment, glorification, hymn and eulogy (to speak well of).

And as I opened my mouth, singing a song before the Holy One, blessed be He the Holy Chayoth beneath and above the Throne of Glory answered and said (chanted the prayer):

“HOL Yl” “BLESSED BE THE GLORY OF YHWH FROM HIS

PLACE!.”

The Chayot (or Chayyot) are a class of Merkabah, or Jewish Mystical Angels, reported in Ezekeil’s vision of the Merkabah and its surrounding angels as recorded in the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel describing his vision by the river Chebar.

305

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Kedushnh (Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy) is a call to greet and glorifij God. KODOISH, KODOISH, KODOISH ADONAI 1 TSEBA YOTH: 11 Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God of Hos ts. 11

This is the Sacred Salutation, the Kedushah (Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy) , which is used by all the heavenly hosts to worship The Father before His Throne.

CHAPTER 2

The highest classes of angels make inquiries about Rabbi Ishmael, which are answered by Metatron

Rabbi Ishmael said:

(1) Within the hour the eagles of The Chariot (Merkaba), the flaming Ophannim and the Seraphim of consuming fire asked Metatron: (2) “Youth! Why do you permit one born of woman to enter and see the chariot (Merkaba)? From which nation and from which tribe is this one? What is his nature?” (3) Metatron answered and said to them: “From the nation of Israel whom the Holy One, blessed be He, chose for his people from among seventy tongues (nations of the world). He is from the tribe of Levi, whom He set aside as a contribution to his name. He is from the seed of Aaron whom the Holy One, blessed be He, 306

The Books of Enoch

chose for his servant and He put upon him the crown of priesthood on Sinai.” (4) Then they spoke and said: “Happy is the people (nation) that is in that position!” (Ps. 144:15).

CHAPTER 3

Metatron has 70 names, but God calls him ‘Youth’

Rabbi Ishmael said:

(1) In that hour I asked Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence: “What is your name?” (2) He answered me: “I have seventy names, corresponding to the seventy nations of the world and all of them are based upon the name Metatron, angel of the Presence; but my King calls me ‘Youth’ (Naar).”

Seventy tongues represent the seventy nations or the entirety of the known world.

It is likely the word “youth” is used because Metatron is the newest and youngest being in heaven.

The seventy names are derived from the divine name or the Tetragrammaton – YHWH. Yah is a shortened version of this, meaning “God. “

307

Joseph B. Lumpkin

CHAPTER 4

Metatron is Enoch who was translated to heaven at the time of the flood.

Rabbi Ishmael said:

(1) I asked Metatron and said to him: “why does your Creator call you by seventy names? You are greater than all the princes, higher than all the angels, beloved more than all the servants, honored above all the mighty ones in kingship, greatness and glory, so why do they in the high heavens call you ‘Youth’? (2) He answered and said to me: ” Because I am Enoch, the son of Jared. (3) When the generation of the flood sinned and were twisted and contorted in their deeds, saying unto God: “Depart from us! We do not want the knowledge of your ways,” (See Job 21:14), then the Holy One, blessed be He, removed me from their midst so that I could be a witness against them in the high heavens to all the inhabitants of the world, so that they can not say: ‘The Merciful One is cruel’. (4)

“What sin did all those throngs of their wives, their sons and their daughters, their horses, their mules and their cattle and their property, and all the birds of the world commit so that the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed the world, together with them in the waters of the flood?” They cannot say: “What in the 308

The Books of Enoch

generation of the flood sinned and what sin did they do so that the beasts and the birds should perish with them?” (5) Then the Holy One, blessed be He, lifted me up in their lifetime in their sight to be a witness against them to the future world. And the Holy One, blessed be He, assigned me to be a prince and a ruler among the ministering angels.

This chapter lays out the purpose of 3 Enoch and ‘why it is so named.

Metatron confirms that he is indeed Enoch, who was taken to heaven, translated into the being, Metatron, His primanJ purpose was to be a witness against man’s sin on earth. When man or angel asked what sin was committed that all on earth should be destroyed, Enoch, now known as Metatron, would be a witness.

(6) In that hour three of the ministering angels, UZZA, ‘AZZA and AZZAEL came out and accused me in the high heavens in front of the Holy One, blessed be He: And they said, “The Progenitors, The Ancient Ones, said before You with justification: Do not create man! The Holy One, blessed be He, answered and said unto them: “I have made and I will bear, and yes, I will carry and will deliver.” (7) As soon as they saw me, they said before Him: “Lord of the Universe! What is this one that he should ascend to the highest heights? Is he not one from among the sons of those who perished in the days of the 309

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Flood? What is he doing in the Raqia (firmament / heavens).”

What business does he have being in heaven?

Some sources have the names of the angels include Mal’ aki or Mamlaketi. Azzael is one of the ten heads of the heavenly Sanhedrin.

Rabbinical sources have Azza and Azzael as giants. All three are said to be agents of evil who accuse man of sins. These are the fallen angels. Another theory is that Azza and Azzael are not individual angels but are orders of angels.

Raquia is a key Hebrew word in Genesis 1:6-8a. It is translated

“firmament” in the King James Version and “expanse” in most Hebrew dictionaries and modern translations. Raqa means to spread out, beat out, or hammer as one would a malleable metal. It can also mean “plate. ” The Greek Septuagint translated raqia 1 6 out of 1 7

times with the Greek word stereoma, which means a firm or solid II

structure. ” The Latin Vulgate (A.D. 382) used the Latin term

“firmamentum, ” which also denotes solidness and firmness. The King James translators coined the word ‘firmament” because there was no single word equivalent in English. Today, ‘firmament” is usually used poetically to mean sky, atmosphere, or heavens. In modern Hebrew, raqia means sky or heavens. However, originally it probably meant something solid or firm that was spread out.

Azzael is likely the same being as Azazel, the accuser angel who was 3 10

The Books of Enoch

the leader of the fallen ones. Etymologlj connects the word with the mythological ” Uza ” and “Azael”, the fallen angels, to whom a reference is believed to be found in Gen. 6:2,4. In accordance with this etymologlj, the sacrifice of the goat atones for the sin of fornication of which those angels were guilty. (See 1 Enoch.) Leviticus 1 6:8-10:

“and Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord, and offer it as a sin offering; but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. “

(8) Again, the Holy One, blessed be He, answered and said to them: “What are you, that you enter and speak in my presence? I delight more in this one than in all of you put together, and therefore he will be a prince and a ruler over you in the high heavens.” (9) Then they all stood up and went out to meet me, and bowed themselves down before me and said:

“Happy are you and happy is your father for your Creator favors you.” (10) And because I am small and a youth among them in days, months and years, therefore they call me “Youth”

(Na’ar).

3 1 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

CHAPTER S

The idolatry of the generation of Enosh causes God to remove the Shekina from earth. Idolatry was inspired by Azza, Uzza and Azzael

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, said to me:

(1) From the day when the Holy One, blessed be He, evicted the first Adam from the Garden of Eden, and continuing from that day, the Shekina (glory) was dwelling upon a Cherub under the Tree of Life. (2) And the ministering angels were gathering together and going down from heaven in groups.

From the Raqia (heaven) they went in companies from the heavens in camps to perform His will in the entire world. (3) And the first man and his children were sitting outside the gate of the Garden to see the glowing, bright appearance of the Shekina (glory). (4) For the splendor of the Shekina (glory) enfolds the world from end to end with its splendor 365,000

times that of the orb of the sun. And everyone who made use of the splendor of the Shekina, on him no flies and no gnats lit, and he was not ill and he suffered no pain. No demons could overpower him, neither were they able to injure him. (5) When 312

The Books of Enoch

the Holy One, blessed be He, went out and went in from the Garden to Eden, from Eden to the Garden, from the Garden to Raqia (heaven) and from Raqia (heaven) to the Garden of Eden then everything and everyone saw His magnificent Shekina and they were not injured; (6) until the time of the generation of Enosh who was the head of all idol worshippers of the world.

The Shekina was an energy or substance that was protecting those who used it from illness, demons, and even bugs.

(7) And what did the generation of Enosh do? They went from one end of the world to the other, and each person brought silver, gold, precious stones and pearls in heaps the size of mountains and hills to make idols out of them throughout the entire world. And they erected the idols in every corner of the world: the size of each idol was 1000 parasangs.

The generations of Enoch are as follows: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch.

The highest (worst) sins, according to Rabbis, are idolatry, adultery, bloodshed, and sorcen) and calling God’s name in zJain.

A parasang is a length or measurement of distance used in ‘what is now Iran. It varied according to the region. The north-eastern 313

Joseph B. Lumpkin

parasang was about 15,000 paces, the north-western parasang was 18, 000 paces, and the one of the south-west was merely 6,000 paces.

The measurement called the ” true parasang” was about 9,000 paces.

(8) And they brought down the sun, the moon, planets and constellations, and placed them in front of the idols on the right side and on the left side of the idols, to attend to them just like they attend the Holy One, blessed be He, for it is written (I Kings 22:19): ” And all the hosts of heaven were standing by him on his right hand and on his left.” (9) What power was in them to enable to bring them down? They would not have been able to bring them down, if it had not been for the fact that UZZA, and AZZIEL (other sources have Azzael) taught them sorceries by which they brought them down and enslaved them.

It is obvious that the actual sun and stars were not brought down, but the angelic powers controlling them were summoned. Also, keep in mind that some cultures thought stars to be evil angels ‘who flew across the sky. These agents were summoned and used.

(10) In that time the ministering angels accused them before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: “Master of the World! Why do you bother with the children of men? As it is written (Ps.

3 14

The Books of Enoch

8:4) ‘What is man (Adam) that you are mindful of him?’ But it was not about Adam that this was written but about Enosh, for he is the head of the idol worshippers. (11) Why have you left the highest of the high heavens which are filled with the majesty of your glory and are high, lifted up, and exalted on the high and exalted throne in the Raqia (heaven) of Araboth (highest heaven) and are gone and dwell with the children of men who worship idols and equate you to (place you on the same level as) the idols.

The word “Araboth (highest heaven) ” occurs in Psalm 68:4 ‘Extol him who rides upon the Araboth (highest heaven) I in which it is usually translated simply as the highest heaven. In the case of 3

Enoch, this would be the throne of God. In the Zoharic commentary on Exodus it is referred to thus: ‘Be glad in the presence of him who rides upon that concealed heaven which is supported by the Chayoth.

The Zohar also interprets the word to mean ‘mixture’ because, it says, this heaven is a mixture of fire and ‘water. This is a mystical statement of a place containing opposites, and thus e7.1enJthing.

(12) Now you are on earth just like the idols, What have you to do with the inhabitants of the earth who worship idols? (13) Then the Holy One, blessed be He, lifted up His Shekina from the earth, from their midst (14) In that moment the ministering 315

Joseph B. Lumpkin

angels came. They are troops of the host and the armies of Araboth (highest heaven) in thousand camps and ten thousand host. They brought trumpets and took the horns in their hands and surrounded the Shekina with all kinds of songs. And He ascended to the high heavens, for it is written (Ps. 47:5) “God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.”

Here the presence and dwelling of God is the Shekina. When the Shekina was taken, God himselfleft them and took his glory because of idolatry.

CHAPTER 6

Enoch is lifted up to heaven together with the Shekina.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me:

(1) When the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to lift me up on high, He first sent Anaphiel YHWH, the Prince, and he took me from their company out of their sight and carried me away in great glory on a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire, and servants of glory. And he lifted me up to the high heavens 316

The Books of Enoch

together with the Shekina. (2) As soon as I reached the high heavens, the Holy Chayoth, the Ophannim, the Seraphim, the Cherubim, the Wheels of the Merkaba (chariot) (the Galgallim), and the ministers of the consuming fire, all smelled my scent from a distance of 365,000 myriads of parasangs, and said: “What smells like one born woman and what tastes like a white drop? Who is this that ascends on high. He is merely a gnat among those who can divide flames of fire?”

Chayot are considered angels of fire, who hold up the throne of God and the earth itself

The angel smells the scent of human, which he finds revolting. He can taste it is the air. The white drop refers to semen. This is an extremely hateful and distasteful statement for the angel to make.

The Holy One, blessed be He, answered and spoke to them:

“My servants, my host, my Cherubim, my Ophannim, my Seraphim! Do not be displeased on account of this! Since all the children of men have denied me and my great Kingdom and have all gone worshipping idols, I have removed my Shekina from among them and have lifted it up on high. But this one whom I have taken from among them is an Elect One among (the inhabitants of) the world and he is equal to all of them (put together) in his faith, righteousness and perfection of 317

Joseph B. Lumpkin

deed and I have taken him as a tribute from my world under all the heavens.

The statement of “taking a tribute” can be better understood if one looks at Enoch as the best mankind has to offer and God took him as a an act of admiration indicating the intended worth of mankind, had they not turned away from him. The term “Elect One” is venJ

important. It occurs in 1 Enoch and in certain scripture regarding Christ.

CHAPTER 7

Enoch is raised upon the wings of Shekina to the place of the Throne

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: When the Holy One, blessed be He, took me away from the generation of the Flood, he lifted me on the wings of the wind of Shekina (his glory/ understanding) to the highest heaven and brought me to the great palaces of the Araboth (highest heaven) in Raqia (heaven), where the glorious Throne of Shekina, the Merkaba (chariot), the troops of anger, the armies of vehemence, the fiery Shin’anim (accusers), and 3 18

The Books of Enoch

the flaming Cherubim, the burning Ophanim, the flaming servants, the flashing Chashmallin, the lightning Seraphim live.

And he placed me (there) to attend daily to the Throne of Glory.

In some Jewish mystical writings the attributes of Elijah and those of Enoch are interchangeable. Here Enoch takes the same trip to heaven on a fiery chariot.

Here we have various classes of angels, on which we have little information. The Chashmallin are one of the ten classes, which are sometimes silent for a time in heaven. They cease speaking or singing when “The Word” emanates from the throne.

Shin’ anim are a class of angel seen in lists of angelic orders. Their name seems to come from a word for accuser” and thus could be the FI

satans in heaven.

CHAPTER S

The gates of heaven opened to Metatron

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the presence, said to me:

3 19

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(1) Before he appointed me to attend the Throne of Glory, the Holy One, blessed be He, opened to me

three hundred thousand gates of Understanding three hundred thousand gates of Wisdom

three hundred thousand gates of Life

three hundred thousand gates of Grace and Loving-kindness three hundred thousand gates of Love

three hundred thousand gates of The Torah

three hundred thousand gates of Meekness

three hundred thousand gates of Steadfastness three hundred thousand gates of Mercy

three hundred thousand gates of Respect for heaven Other readings add three hundred thousand gates of Shekina, three hundred thousand gates of fear of sin, three hundred thousand gates of power. The gates of steadfastness is also rendered as maintenance and refers to the sustenance to maintain life. All of man’s needs come from heaven. Subtlety is rendered as wisdom but includes diplomacy, and craftiness.

(2) Within the hour the Holy One, blessed be He, gave me additional wisdom and to wisdom He added understanding unto understanding, cunning unto cunning, knowledge unto knowledge, mercy unto mercy, instruction unto instruction, 320

The Books of Enoch

love unto love, loving-kindness unto loving-kindness, goodness unto goodness, meekness unto meekness, power unto power, strength unto strength, might unto might, brightness unto brightness, beauty unto beauty, splendor unto splendor, and I was honored and adorned with all these good praiseworthy things more than all the children of heaven.

Enoch has become more blessed or equipped than “all the children of heaven. Loving-kindness equates to “Grace” of the New Testament.

CHAPTER 9

Enoch receives blessings from the Most High and is adorned with angelic attributes

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) After all these things the Holy One, blessed be He, put His hand on me and blessed me with 5360 blessings. (2) And I was raised up and grew to the size of the length and width of the world. (3) And he caused 72 wings to grow on me, 36 on each side. And each wing covered the entire world. (4) And He attached to me 365 eyes: each eye was as the great luminary (moon?). (5) And He left no kind of splendor, 321

Joseph B. Lumpkin

brilliance, radiance, beauty of all the lights of the universe that He did not affix to me.

There is no direct correlation for the number 5360. It is not evenly divisible by any other number in the chapter, but i t is thought to reflect the number 365, the number of days in a solar year. The number 72 is used to reflect the number of the nations of the world and represents the known world. This is backed up by the phrase stating the wings cover the world.

CHAPTER 10

God places Metatron on a throne as ruler in the seventh Hall.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) All these things the Holy One, blessed be He, made for me. He made me a Throne, similar in form and substance to the Throne of Glory. And He spread a curtain of magnificently bright appearance over me. And it was of beauty, grace, and mercy, similar to the curtain of the Throne of the Glory; and on it were affixed all kinds of lights in the universe.

322

The Books of Enoch

The idea of a curtain could represent the divine secrets and processes unknown and not available to others.

(2) And He placed the curtain at the door of the Seventh Hall and sat me down on it. (3) And the announcement went forth into every heaven, saying: “This is Metatron, my servant. I have made him a prince and ruler over all the princes of my kingdoms and over all the children of heaven, except the eight great, honored, and revered princes who are the ones called YHWH, by the name of their King.”

The eight beings who are called YHWH may refer to those angels who have the Tetragrammaton as part of their name. These are highly ranked angels that are outside the normal system of authority. They are the ones God uses as his counsel.

(4) “And every angel and prince who has a word to speak to me shall now go before him and they shall speak to him instead of Me. (5) And every command that he speaks to you in my name, you will obey, carry out, and fulfill. (Some sources add

“Beware of him and do not provoke him.”) For the Prince of Wisdom and the Prince of Understanding have I committed to him to instruct him in the wisdom of heavenly things and earthly things, in the wisdom of this world and of the world to 323

Joseph B. Lumpkin

come. (6) Moreover, I have set him over all the storehouses of the palaces of Araboth (highest heaven) and over all the storehouses (reserves) of life that I have in the high heavens.”

CHAPTER 11

God reveals all of the great mysteries to Metatron Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me:

(1) The Holy One, blessed be He, began revealing to me all the mysteries of Torah and all the secrets of wisdom and the deep mysteries of the Perfect Law. He revealed the thoughts of all living beings and their feelings and all the secrets of the universe and all the secrets of creation. All these were revealed to me just as they are known to the Maker of Creation. (2) And I watched intently to see and understand the secrets and depths of the wonderful mystery. Before a man thought a thought in secret, I saw it and before a man made a thing I watched it. (3) And there was nothing on high or in the depth of the world that was hidden from me.

324

The Books of Enoch

Here Metatron is given the omniscient power of God.

CHAPTER 12

God puts a crown on him and calls him “the Lesser YHWH”

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Because of the love that the Holy One, blessed be He, loved me with, was more than all the children of heaven, He made me a garment of glory on which were affixed lights of all varieties, and He clothed me in it. (2) And He made me a robe of honor on which were affixed beauty, magnificent brilliance and majesty of all sorts. (3) And he made me a crown of royalty on which were affixed forty-nine stones of worth, which were like the light of the orb of the sun.

Forty-nine is a mystical number of seven sevens. The number seven represents spiritual perfection.

(4) Its splendor went out into the four coners of the Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven), and through the seven heavens, and throughout the four comers of the world. He 325

Joseph B. Lumpkin

placed it on my head. (5) And He called me THE LESSER

YHWH in the presence of all His heavenly household; for it is written (Ex. 22: 21): ” For my name is in him.”

Without delving too deeply into Jewish mysticism, it should be pointed out that the numerical value (gematria) of the name Metatron and that of Shahhdai are the same.

CHAPTER 13

God writes with a flaming pen on Metatron’s crown the letters by which heaven and earth were created

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Glory of all heavens and the Prince of the Presence, , said to me: (1) Holy One, blessed be He, loved and cherished me with great love and mercy, more than all the children of heaven. Thus, He wrote with his finger with a flaming pen on the crown upon my head the letter by which heaven and earth, the seas and rivers, the mountains and hills, the planets and constellations, the lightning, winds, earthquakes and thunders, the snow and hail, the wind of the storm and the tempest were created. These are the letters by which all the needs of the world and all the 326

The Books of Enoch

orders of Creation were created. (2) And every single letter flashed out time after time like lightning, and time after time like lanterns, time after time like flames of fire, time after time rays like those of the rising of the sun and the moon and the planets.

There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. It is thought that all things were created when God spoke the words in the Hebrew tongue.

These words are symbolized by the combinations of the 22 letters.

CHAPTER 14

All the highest of the princes and lowest angels fear and tremble at the sight of Metatron crowned.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) When the Holy One, blessed be He, put this crown on my head, all the Princes of Nations who are in the height of Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) and all the host of every heaven and even the prince of the Elim, the princes of the ‘Er’ ellim and the princes of the Tafsarim, who are greater than all the ministering angels who minister before the 327

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Throne of Glory, trembled before me. They shook, feared and trembled before me when they looked at me.

This is a venJ interesting list of angels and princes. According to Jewish mystical sources, such as the Zohar, there are ten classes of angels under Mikael (Michael). The Er’ellim denotes a general class of angels, while the Elim minster before God in the high heavens. The Tafsarim are the princes of the Elim.

(2) Even Sammael, the Prince of the Accusers, who is greater than all the princes of Nations on high, feared me and shook before me.

Sammael is the head of the satans or accusers. He is also the ruling angel over Rome, the archenemy of Israel.

(3) And even the angel of fire, and the angel of hail, and the angel of wind, and the angel of the lightning, and the angel of wrath, and the angel of the thunder, and the angel of the snow, and the angel of the rain; and the angel of the day, and the angel of the night, and the angel of the sun, and the angel of the moon, and the angel of the planets, and the angel of the constellations whose hands rule the world, all of them feared and shook and were frightened when they looked at me. (4) 328

The Books of Enoch

These are the names of the rulers of the world: Gabriel, the angel of fire, Baradi-el, the angel who controls hail, Ruchi-el who controls the wind, Baraqi-el who controls the lighting, Zahafi-el who controls the winds of the storm, Rahami-el who controls the thunders, Rahashi-el who controls the earthquake, Shalgiel who controls the snow, Matari-el who controls the rain, Shimshi-el who controls the planets, Rahati-el who controls the constellations. (5) And they all fell to the ground and bowed, when they saw me. And they were not able to look at me because of the majestic glory of the crown on my head.

CHAPTER 15

Metatron is transformed into fire

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, and the Glory of all heavens, said to me: (1) As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, took me into (His) service to attend the Throne of Glory and the Wheels (Galgallim) of the Merkaba (chariot) and the service of Shekina, suddenly my flesh was changed into flames, my muscles into flaming fire, my bones into coals of juniper wood, the light of my eye-lids 329

Joseph B. Lumpkin

into hot flames, and all of my limbs into wings of burning fire and my entire body into glowing fire.

Galgallim (sometimes spelled Galgalim) are a high-ranking order of angels, the equivalent of Seraphim. They are metaphorically called

” the wheels of the Merkabah” (the ‘ divine chariot’ used to connect people to the divine) and are considered the equivalent of the Orphanim (Cherubim). Galgalim is Hebrew for ” wheels. “

(2) And on my right flames were burning and dividing, on my left staves of wood (burning staves) were burning, around me the winds of storms and tempests were blowing and in front of me and behind me was roaring thunder accompanied by earthquakes.

CHAPTER 15 B

–

This chapter does not occur in all manuscripts. It seems to be a later addition.

Rabbi Ishmael said me: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence and the prince ruling over all the princes, stands before Him who is greater than all the Elohim. And he enters in under the 330

The Books of Enoch

Throne of Glory. And he has a great dwelling of light on high.

And he brings into existence the fire of deafness and places it in the ears of the Holy Chayoth, so that they cannot hear the voice of the Word that sounds from the mouth of the Divine Majesty.

This may indicate that he goes into the holy of holies where he worships and has his own sanctuanj.

The idea of more than one Elohim is not new. It is addressed in Psalm 82:

1, The Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the council of the gods; he judges among the gods. 2. How long will you judge unjustly, and show preference to the wicked? Selah. 3. Judge the poor and the orphans; do righteousness to the afflicted and dispossessed. 4. Deliver the poor and oppressed; save them from the hand of the evil. 5. They do not know and they have no understanding; they walk about in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6. I said, “You are gods, and children of Elyon, even) one of you.” 7. But you will die like mortals, and fall like one of the princes. 8. Rise up, 0 God, and judge the earth, for you have inherited all the nations.

This section seems to preserve a fragment of a book called, “The Ascension of Moses. ” The chashmal is the highest point of heaven. It is like a zenith line out of which a window opens.

331

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(2) And when Moses ascended on high, he fasted 121 fasts, until the places where the chashmal live were opened to him; and he saw that the place was as white as a Lion’s heart and he saw the companies of the host round about him, which could not be counted. And they wished to burn him. But Moses prayed for mercy, first for Israel and then for himself: and He who was sitting on the Merkaba (chariot) opened the windows above the heads of the Cherubim. And a host of 1800 helpers along with the Prince of the Presence, Metatron, all went out to meet Moses. They took the prayers of Israel and placed them like a crown on the head of the Holy One, blessed be He.

(3) The they said (Deut. 6:4): “Hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.” And their face were shining and they rejoiced over Shekina and they said to Metatron: “What are these? And to whom do they give all honor and glory?” And they answered: “To the Glorious Lord of Israe1.” And they spoke: Hear, 0 Israel: the Lord, our God is one Lord. To Who else shall be given this abundance of honor and majesty but to You YHWH, the Divine Majesty, the King, the living and eternal one.” (4) In that moment Akatriel Ya Yehod Sebaoth (a name of the most high) spoke and said to Metatron, the Prince of the Presence and said, “Let no prayer that he prays before me return to him empty (not done). Hear his prayer and fulfill his desire whether it is great or small (5) Then Metatron, the Prince 332

The Books of Enoch

of the presence, said to Moses, “Son of Amram! Do not be afraid. God delights in you. He asks you what you desire from the Glory and Majesty. Your face shines from one end of the world to the other.” But Moses answered him: “I fear that I should bring guiltiness upon myself.” Metatron said to him,

“Receive the letters of the oath, which makes a covenant that cannot be broken.”

Metatron is moving through time to and from the time of Moses.

The letters make up the divine names, which are eternal.

CHAPTER 16

This continues the additional material.

His privilege of presiding on a Throne are taken.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, the Glory of all heaven, said to me: (1) At first I was sitting on a large Throne at the door of the Seventh Hall. There, by authority of the Holy One, blessed be He, I was judging the children of heaven and the servants on high. And I judged Greatness, Kingship, Dignity, Rulership, Honor and Praise, and the Diadem and Crown of Glory for all the princes of 333

Joseph B. Lumpkin

kingdoms. While I was presiding in the Court of the Sky (Yeshiba), the princes of nations were standing before me, on my right and on my left, by authority of the Holy One, blessed be He. (2) But when Acher came to see the vision of the Merkaba (chariot) and locked his eyes on me, he was afraid and shook before me so much that his soul was departing from him, because of fear, horror and dread of me, when he saw me sitting upon a throne like a king with all the ministering angels standing by my side serving me and all the princes of kingdoms adorned with crowns all around me. (3) At that moment he opened his mouth and said, “Surely there are two Divine Powers in heavenl” (4) Then the Divine Voice went out from heaven from the Shekina and said: “Return, you backsliding children (Jer.3:22), except for Acher!” (5) Then Anieyel came (Other sources have ” Anaphiel YHWH), the Prince, the honored, glorified, beloved, wonderful, revered and fearful one, as ordered by the Holy One, blessed be He and beat me sixty times with whips of fire and made me stand to my feet.

Anieyel , or Anaphiel YHWH is higher in status than Metatron. It is possible the Anieyel is the angel who punishes. The purpose of this chapter is to refute the heresy of the Rabbi called Acher, ‘who believed that there were now two deities in heaven, God and Metatron. To 334

The Books of Enoch

show Metatron is not a deity God sends in a higher angel to take him offhis throne and beat him, proving Metatron is not God, nor is he a god. The chapter goes on to call all of Israel to return to God, except for Acher, who has committed an unforgivable sin against the monotheists and against God.

CHAPTER 17

The princes of the seven heavens, and of the sun, moon, planets and constellations.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angeC the Prince of the Presence, the glory of all heavens, said to me: (1) The number of princes are seven. They are the great, beautiful, wonderful, honored, and revered ones. They are assigned over the seven heavens, And these are they: MIKAEL (Michael), GABRIEL, SHATQIEL, BAKARIEL, BADARIEL, PACHRIEL. (Some sources omit Parchriel and add Sidriel.) (2) And every one of them is the prince of the host of one heaven. And each one of them is accompanied by 496,000 groups of ten-thousand ministering angels.

335

Joseph B. Lumpkin

496 is the numerical value of the word Malkut (kingdom). These 496,000 angels are the ones who sing of the glory of God, singing

“Holy, Holy. Holy. “

(3) MIKAEL is the great prince assigned to ruler over the seventh heaven, the highest one, which is in the Araboth (highest heaven). Gabriel is the prince of the host assigned to rule over the sixth heaven which is in Makon. SHATAQIEL is the prince of the host assigned to rule over the fifth heaven which is in Makon. SHAHAQIEL is the prince of the host assigned to rule over the fourth heaven which is in Zebul.

BAD ARIEL is the prince of the host assigned to rule over the third heaven which is in Shehaqim. BARAKIEL is the prince of the host assigned to rule over the second heaven which is in the height of Raqia (heaven). P AZRIEL is the prince of the host assigned to rule over the first heaven which is in Wilon (or Velum, as the first heaven is called), which is in Shamayim. (4) Under them in GALGALLIEL, the prince who is assigned as ruler over the orb (gal gal) of the sun, and with him are 96 great and revered angels who moves the sun in Raqia (heaven) a distance of 365,000 parasangs each day. (5) Under them is OPHANNIEL, the prince who is set the globe (Ophan) of the moon. And with him are 88 (some have it as 68) angels who move the globe of the moon 354 thousand parasangs every 336

The Books of Enoch

night at the time when the moon stands in the East at its turning point. And the moon is situated in the East at its turning point in the fifteenth day of every month. (6) Under them is RAHATIEL, the prince who is appointed to rule over the constellations. He is accompanied by 72 great and revered angels. And why is he called RAHATIEL? Because he makes the stars run (marhit) in their orbits and courses, which is 339

thousand parasangs every night from the East to West, and from West to East. The Holy One, blessed be He, has made a tent for all of them, for the sun, the moon, the planets and the stars, and they travel in it at night from the West to the East. (7) Under them is KOKBIEL, the prince who is assigned to rule over all the planets. And with him are 365,000 groups of tenthousand ministering angels, great and revered ones who move the planets from city to city and from province to province in Raqia (the heaven) of heavens. (8) And ruling over them are seventy-two princes of nations (kingdoms) on high corresponding to the 72 nations of the world. And all of them are crowned with crowns of royalty and clothed in royal clothes and wrapped in royal robes. And all of them are riding on royal horses and holding royal scepters in their hands. In front of each of them when he is traveling in Raqia (heaven), royal servants are running with great glory and majesty just as on earth the Princes are traveling in chariots with horsemen 337

Joseph B. Lumpkin

and great armies and in glory and greatness with praise, song and honor.

CHAPTER 18

The order of ranks of the angels is established by the homage.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, the glory of all heaven, said to me: (1) THE ANGELS

OF THE FIRST HEAVEN, when (ever) they see their prince, they dismount from their horses and bow themselves. And THE PRINCE OF THE FIRST HEA VEN, when he sees the prince of the second heaven, he dismounts, removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground.

AND THE PRINCE OF THE SECOND HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of the third heaven, he removes the glorious crown form his head and bows himself to the ground. AND THE

PRINCE OF THE THIRD HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of the fourth heaven, he removes the glorious crown form his head and bows himself to the ground. AND THE PRINCE OF

THE FOURTH HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of the fifth heaven, he removes the glorious crown form his head and bows himself to the ground. AND THE PRINCE OF THE

338

The Books of Enoch

FIFTH HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of the sixth heaven, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. AND THE PRINCE OF THE SIXTH HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of the seventh heaven he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground.

(2) AND THE PRINCE OF THE SEVENTH HEAVEN, when he sees THE SEVENTY-TWO PRINCES OF KINGDOMS, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground.

The number 70 appears as does the number 72. It is possible the difference can be explained by the 70 angels along with two leaders, such as Mikael (Michael) and Sammael. In the following section the names of the angels do not follow their junction, as in the prior portion of the book. The names are obscure and it is difficult to understand their meanings. The expression “bows himself to the ground” and “bow themselves” likely indicates a complete kneeling position with the head touching the earth.

(3) And the seventy two princes of kingdoms, when they see The door keepers of the first hall in the ARABOTH RAQIA in the highest heaven, they remove the royal crown from their head and bow themselves. And The door keepers of the first hall, when they see the doorkeepers of the second Hall, they 339

Joseph B. Lumpkin

remove the glorious crown form their head and bow themselves. The door keepers of the second hall, when they see the door keepers of the third hall, they remove the glorious crown from their head and bow themselves. The door keepers of the third hall, when they see the door keepers of the fourth Hall, they remove the crown from their head and bow themselves. The door keepers of the fourth hall, when they see the door keepers of the fifth Hall, they remove the glorious crown from their head and bow themselves. The door keepers of the fifth hall, when they see the doorkeepers of the sixth Hall, they remove the crown from their head and fall to their face. The door keepers of the sixth hall, when they see the The door keepers of the seventh hall, they remove the glorious crown from their head and bow themselves. (4) And the door keepers of the seventh Hall, when they see The Four Great Princes, the honored ones, who are appointed over the four Camps Of SHEKIN A, they remove the crowns of glory from their head and bow themselves. (5) And the four great prince, when they see T AGHAS, the prince, great and honored with song (and) praise, at the head of all the children of heaven, they remove the glorious crown from their head and bow themselves. (6) And Taghas, the great and honored prince, when he sees BARATTIEL, the great prince of three fingers in 340

The Books of Enoch

the height of Araboth, the highest heaven, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground.

Three fingers in height – Hold your hand out at arm’s length with three fingers held out horizontally in front of your eyes. This is the measurement.

(7) And Barattiel, the great prince, when he sees HAMON, the great prince, the fearful and honored, beautiful and terrible, he who makes all the children of heaven to shake, when the time draws near that is set for the saying of the ‘Thrice Holy’, he removes the glorious crown form his head and bows himself to the ground. For it is written (Isa.33:3): ” At noise of the confusion at the anxious preparation of the salutation of “Holy, Holy, Holy” the people are fled; at the lifting up of yourself the nations are scattered,” (8) And Hamon, the great prince, when he sees TUTRESSIEL, the great prince he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (9) And Tutresiel YHWH, the great prince, when he sees ATRUGIEL, the great prince, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (10) And Aatrugiel the great prince, when he sees NA’ ARIRIEL YHWH, the great prince, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (11) And Na’aririel YHWH, the great prince when 341

Joseph B. Lumpkin

he see SAANIGIEL, the great prince, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (12) And Sasnigiel YHWH, when he sees ZAZRIEL YHWH, the great prince, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (13) And Zazriel YHWH, the prince, when he sees GEBURATIEL YHWH, the prince, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (14) And Geburatiel YHWH, the prince, when he sees ARAPHIEL YHWH, the prince, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (15) And Araphiel YHWH, the prince, when he sees ASHRUYLU, the prince, who presides in all the sessions of the children of heaven, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (16) And Ashruylu YHWH, the prince, when he sees GALLISUR YHWH, THE PRINCE, WHO

REVEALS ALL THE SECRETS OF THE LAW (Torah), he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. (17) And Gallisur YHWH, the prince, when he sees ZAKZAKIEL YHWH , the prince who is appointed to write down the merits of Israel on the Throne of Glory, he removes the glorious crown form his head and bows himself to the ground. (18) And Zakzakiel YHWH, the great prince, when he sees ANAPHIEL YHWH, the prince who keeps the keys of the heavenly Halls, he removes the glorious crown from his head 342

The Books of Enoch

and bows himself to the ground. Why is he called by the name of Anaphiel? Because the shoulders of his honor and majesty and his crown and his splendor and his brilliance overshadows all the chambers of Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) on high even as the Maker of the World overshadows them.

Regarding the Maker of the world, it is written that His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. The honor and majesty of Anaphiel cover all the glories of Araboth (highest heaven) the highest.

Araphiel means “Neck or Strength of God. ” Ashruylu means “To cause to rest / dwell. ” It is one of the names of the Godhead. Gallisur means, “reveal the secrets of the Law. ” He reveals the reasons and secrets of the Creator. Raziel means, “Secrets of God. ” He hears the divine decrees. Anaphiel means “Branch of God. ” Zakzakiel means,

“Merit of God. ” The glorious crowns signify honor and status.

(19) And when he sees SOTHER ASHIEL YHWH, the prince, the great, fearful and honored one, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. Why is he called Sother Ashiel? Because he is assigned to rule over the four heads of the river of fire, which are beside the Throne of Glory; and every single prince who goes out or enters before the Shekina, goes out or enters only by his permission. For the 343

Joseph B. Lumpkin

seals of the river of fire are entrusted to him. And furthermore, his height is 7000 groups of ten-thousand parasangs. And he stirs up the fire of the river; and he goes out and enters before the Shekina to expound what is recorded concerning the inhabitants of the world. According for it is written (Dan. 7:10): lithe judgment was set, and the books were opened.” (20) And Sother Ashiel the prince, when he sees SHOQED CHOZI, the great prince, the mighty, terrible and honored one, he removes the glorious crown from his head and falls upon his face. And why is he called Shoqed Chozi? Because he weighs all the merits of man on a scale in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He. (21) And when he sees ZEHANPURYU YHWH, the great prince, the mighty and terrible one, honored, glorified and feared in the entire heavenly household, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground.

Why is he called Zehanpuryu? Because he commands the river of fire and pushes it back to its place. (22) And when he sees AZBUGA YHWH, the great prince, glorified, revered, honored, adorned, wonderful, exalted, loved and feared among all the great princes who know the mystery of the Throne of Glory, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. Why is he called Azbuga? Because in the future he will clothe the righteous and pious of the world with garments of life and wrap them in the cloak of life, so that they can live 344

The Books of Enoch

an eternal life in them. (23) And when he sees the two great princes, the strong one and the glorified one who are standing above him, he removes the glorious crown from his head and bows himself to the ground. And these are the names of the two princes: SOPHERIEL YHWH (Sopheriel YHWH the Killer), the great prince, the honored, glorified, blameless, venerable, ancient and mighty one. (24) Why is he called Sop he riel YHWH

who kills (Sopheriel YHWH the Killer)? Because he is assigned to control the books of the dead, so that everyone, when the day of his death draws near, is written by him in the books of the dead. Why is he called Sopheriel YHWH who makes alive (Sopheriel YHWH the Lifegiver)? Because he is assigned control over the books of life, so that every one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring into life, he writes him in the book of life, by authority of The Divine Majesty. Perhaps he might say: “Since the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting on a throne, they are also sitting when writing.” The Scripture teaches us ( I Kings 22:19, 2 Chron. 28:18): “And all the host of heaven are standing by him.” They are called “The host of heaven” in order to show us that even the Great Princes and all like them in the high heavens, fulfill the requests of the Shekina in no other way than standing. But how is it possible that they are able to write, when they are standing?

345

Joseph B. Lumpkin

This section is very important to Jewish mystics and Cabbalists in that it sets the balance within the act ofjudgment between mercy and justice. If one were to strip down to the barest essentials the spiritual life of a person some may conclude it is to find balance bet’ween mercy and justice. The books of life and death are records of the birth and death of individuals. This is not the same as the Book of Life referred to in the Bible, which contains the names of the righteous.

(25) It is done thusly. One is standing on the wheels of the tempest and the other is standing on the wheels of the wind of the storm. The one is clothed in kingly garments, the other is clothed in kingly garments. The one is wrapped in a mantle of majesty and the other is wrapped in a mantle of majesty. One is crowned with a royal crown, and the other is crowned with a royal crown. The one’s body is full of eyes, and the other’s body is full of eyes. One looks like lightning, and the other looks like lightning. The eyes of the one are like the sun in its power, and the eyes of the other are like the sun in its power.

The one’s height is the height of the seven heavens, and the other’s height is the height of the seven heavens. The wings of the one are as many as the days of the year, and the wings of the other are as many as the days of the year. The wings of one reach over the width of Raqia (heaven), and the wings of the other reach over the width of Raqia (heaven). The lips of one 346

The Books of Enoch

look like the gates of the East, and the lips of the other look like the gates of the East. The tongue of the one is as high as the waves of the sea, and the tongue of the other is as high as the waves of the sea. From the mouth of the one a flame proceeds, and from the mouth of the other a flame proceeds. From the mouth of the one lightning is emitted and from the mouth of the other lightning is emitted. From the sweat of one fire is kindled, and from the sweat of the other fire is kindled. From the one’s tongue a torch is burning, and from the tongue of the other a torch is burning. On the head of the one there is a sapphire stone, and upon the head of the other there is a sapphire stone. On the shoulders of the one there is a wheel of a swift cherubim, and on the shoulders of the other there is a wheel of a swift cherubim. One has in his hand a burning scroll; the other has in his hand a burning scroll. The length of the scroll is 3000 times ten-thousand parasangs; the size of the pen is 3000 times ten-thousand of parasangs; the size of every single letter that they write is 365 parasangs.

Sopheriel is the prince appointed over the book aflife. The name means Scribe of God. ” Azbuga is a messenger. The name denoted U

strength, as many angelic names do. Zehanpunju means “the face of fear. ” To be full of eyes is a symbol of omniscience, Eastern gates were 347

Joseph B. Lumpkin

large, tall structures. The two symbolic uses of fire are destruction and purification.

CHAPTER 19

Rikbiel, the prince of the wheels of the Merkaba (chariot). And the Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Above these three angels, who are these great princes, there is one Prince, distinguished, revered, noble, glorified, adorned, fearful, fearless, mighty, great, uplifted, glorious, crowned, wonderful, exalted, blameless, loved, like a ruler, he is high and lofty, ancient and mighty, there is none among the princes like him. His name is RIKBIEL

YHWH, the great and revered prince who is standing by Merkaba (chariot). (2) And why is he called RIKBIEL? Because he is assigned to rule over the wheels of the Merkaba (chariot), and they are given to his authority. (3) And how many are the wheels? Eight; two in each direction. And there are four winds compassing them round about. And these are their names: “the Winds of the Storm”, “the Tempest”, “the Strong Wind”, and lithe Wind of Earthquake.” (4) And under them four rivers of 348

The Books of Enoch

fire are constantly running and there is one river of fire on each side. And around them, between the rivers, four clouds are affixed. They are /I clouds of fire”, “clouds of torches”, /I clouds of coal”, “clouds of brimstone” and they are standing by their wheels.

There is much number symbolism here. Some Eastern cultures believe there are only eight possible directions of movement. They could be looked at as north, south, east, west, up, down, in, out. Anything else must be a combination of these. Four is the number of limits and testing. Two is the number of assistance, witness, or duplicih).

(5) And the feet of the Chayoth are resting on the wheels. And between two wheels an earthquake is roaring and thunder is sounding. (6) And when the time draws near for the recital of the Song, numerous wheels are moved, the numerous clouds tremble, all the chieftains (shallishim) become afraid, and all the horsemen (parashim) become angry, and all the mighty ones (gibborim) are excited, all the host (seba’im) are frightened, and all the troops (gedudim) are fearfuC all the appointed ones (memunnim) hurry away, all the princes (sarim) and armies (chayelim) are confused, all the servants (mesharetim) faint and all the angels (mal’ akim) and divisions (degalim) suffer with pain. (7) And one wheel makes a sound 349

Joseph B. Lumpkin

to be heard by the other and one Cherub speaks to another, one Chayya to another, one Seraph to another (saying) (Ps. 68:5)

“Extol to him that rides in Araboth (highest heaven), by his name Jah (Yah) and rejoice before him!”

The name Jah (Yah) is a shortened and “speakable” version of YHWH

or Jehovah.

CHAPTER 20

CHA YYUEL, the prince of the Chayoth

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Above these there is one great and mighty prince. His name is CHA YYUEL YHWH, a noble and honorable prince, a prince before whom all the children of heaven tremble, a prince who is able to swallow up the entire earth in one moment at a single mouthful. (2) And why is he called CHA YYLIEL YHWH? Because he is assigned to rule over the Holy Chayoth and he strikes the Chayoth with lashes of fire: and glorifies them, when they give praise and glory and rejoicing and he causes them to hurry and say “Holy” “Blessed be the Glory of YHWH from His place!” (The Kedushah –

Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy).

350

The Books of Enoch

CHAPTER 21

The Chayoth

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) The Four Chayoth correspond to the four winds. Each Chayya is as big as the space of the entire world. And each one has four faces; and each face is like the face of the East (sunrise). (2) Each one has four wings and each wing is like the tent (ceiling) of the universe. (3) And each one has faces in the middle of faces and wings in the middle of wings. The size of the faces is 248 faces, and the size of the wings is 365 wings. (4) And every one is crowned with 2000

crowns on his head. And each crown is like the rainbow in the cloud. And its splendor is like the magnificence of the circle of the sun. And the sparks that go out from every one are like the glory of the morning star (planet Venus) in the East.

CHAPTER 22

KERUBIEL, the Prince of the Cherubim.

Description of the Cherubim

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Above these there is one prince, noble, 35 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

wonderful, strong, and praised with all kinds of praise. His name is CHERUBIEL YHWH, a mighty prince, full of power and strength, a prince of highness, and Highness (is) with him, a righteous Prince, and Righteousness (is) with him, a holy prince, and holiness (is) with him, a prince of glorified in (by) thousand host, exalted by ten thousand armies (2) At his anger the earth trembles, at his anger the camps (of armies) are moved, from fear of him the foundations are shaken, at his chastisement the Araboth (highest heaven) trembles. (3) His stature is full of (burning) coals. The height is that of the seven heavens and the breadth of his stature is like the sea. (4) The opening of his mouth is like a lamp of fire. His tongue is a consuming fire. His eyebrows are like the splendor of the lightning. His eyes are like sparks of bright light. His face is like a burning fire. (5) And there is a crown of holiness upon his head on which the Explicit Name is graven, and lightning proceeds from it. And the bow of the Shekina is between his shoulders. And his sword is like lightning; and on his thighs there are arrows like flames, and upon his armor and shield there is a consuming fire, and on his neck there are coals of burning juniper wood and (also) around him (there are coals of burning juniper).

352

The Books of Enoch

The bow can represent a rainbow but it is certainly a weapon of great power. Juniper is a symbol of strength and longevity. It was said to shelter the prophet Elijah from Queen Jezebel ‘ s pursuit. Tales in the apocnJphal books tell of how the infant Jesus and his parents were hidden from King Herod’s soldiers by a juniper during their flight into EgtJpt.

(7) And the splendor of Shekina is on his face; and the horns of the majesty on his wheels; and a royal diadem upon his head.

(8) And his body is full of eyes. And wings are covering the entire of his high stature (lit. the height of his stature is all wings). (9) On his right hand a flame is burning, and on his left a fire is glowing; and coals are burning from it. And burning staves go forth from his body. And lightning is projected from his face. With him there is always thunder within thunder, and by his side there is a never ending earthquake within an earthquake. (10) And the two princes of the Merkaba (chariot) are together with him. (11) Why is he called CHERUBIEL

YHWH, the Prince. Because he is assigned to rule over the chariot of the Cherubim. And the mighty Cherubim are subject to his authority. And he adorns the crowns on their heads and polishes the diadem upon their heads (skulls). (12) He increases the glory of their appearance. And he glorifies the beauty of their majesty. And he expands the greatness of their honor. He 353

Joseph B. Lumpkin

makes their songs of praise to be sung. He makes the strength of their beauty increase. He causes the brightness of their glory to shine forth. He makes their goodness, mercy, and lovingkindess to grow. He separates their radiance so it show even more. He makes the beauty of their mercy even more beautiful. He glorifies their upright majesty. He sings the order of their praise to establish the dwelling place of Him who dwells on the Cherubim. (13) And the Cherumim are standing by the Holy Chayoth, and their wings are raised up to their heads (are as the height of their heads) and Shekina is (resting) upon them and the bright Glory is upon their faces and songs of praise are in their mouth and their hands are under their wings and their feet are covered by their wings and horns of glory are upon their heads and the splendor of Shekina on their face and Shekina is resting on them and sapphire stones surround them and columns of fire are on their four sides and columns of burning staves are beside them. (14) There is one sapphire on one side and another sapphire on the other side and under the sapphires there are coals of burning juniper wood. (15) And a Cherub is standing in each direction but the wings of the Cherubim surround each other above their heads in glory; and they spread them to sing with them a song to him that inhabits the clouds and to praise the fearful majesty of the king of kings with their wings.

354

The Books of Enoch

The sound coming from their wings is heard as a song. This hearkens back to a description of Lucifer, before the fall. It was said that his body had instruments made within it, which made beautiful music.

(16) And CHERUBIEL YHWH, is the prince who is assigned to rule over them. He arrays them in proper, beautiful and pleasant orders and he exalts them in all manner of exaltation, dignity and glory. And he hurries them in glory and might to do the will of their Creator every moment. Above their high heads continually dwells the glory of the high king “who dwells on the Cherubim.”

Names in this section are related to the station of the angels.

Chayyliel is the prince of the Chayyoth, Cherubiel or Kerubiel is the prince of the Kerubim or Cherubim, and so on.

CHAPTER 22-B

Rabbi Ishmael said to me: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) How are the angels standing on high?

He said: A bridge is placed from the beginning of the doorway 355

Joseph B. Lumpkin

to the end, like a bridge that is placed over a river for every one to pass over it. And three ministering angels surround it and sing a song before YHWH, the God of Israel. And standing before it are the lords of dread and captains of fear, numbering a thousand times thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand, and they sing praises and hymns before YHWH, the God of Israel. (3) Many bridges are there. There are bridges of fire and many bridges of hail. Also many rivers of hail, numerous storehouses of snow, and many wheels of fire. (4) And how many are the ministering angels are there? 12,000

times ten-thousand: six-thousand time ten-thousand above and six (thousand times ten-thousand) below. And 12,000 are the storehouses of snow, six above and six below. And 24 times ten-thousand wheels of fire, 12 times ten-thousand above and 12 times ten-thousand below. And they surround the bridges and the rivers of fire and the rivers of hail. And there are numerous ministering angels, forming entries, for all the creatures that are standing in the midst thereof, over against the paths of Raqia (heaven) Shamayim. (5) What does YHWH, the God of Israel, the King of Glory do? The Great and Fearful God, mighty in strength, covers His face. (6) In Araboth (highest heaven) are 660,000 times ten-thousand angels of glory standing over against the Throne of Glory and the divisions of flaming fire. And the King of Glory covers His face; for else the 356

The Books of Enoch

Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) would be torn apart from its center because of the majesty, splendor, beauty, radiance, loveliness, brilliancy, brightness and Excellency of the appearance of (the Holy One,) blessed be He. (7) There are innumerable ministering angels carrying out his will, many kings and princes in the Araboth (highest heaven) of His delight. They are angels who are revered among the rulers in heaven, distinguished, adorned with song and they bring love to the minds of those who are frightened by the splendor of Shekina, and their eyes are dazzled by the shining beauty of their King, their faces grow black and their strength fails. (8) There are rivers of joy, streams of gladness, rivers of happiness, streams of victory, rivers of life, streams of friendship and they flow over and go out from in front of the Throne of Glory and grow large and wend their way through the gates on the paths to Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) at the voice of shouting and music of the CHA YYOTH, at the voice of the rejoicing of the cymbals of his OPHANNIM and at the melody of the cymbals of His Cherubim. And they grow great and go out with noise and with the sound of the hymn: “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD OF HOST; THE WHOLE EARTH

IS FULL OF HIS GLORY!”

357

Joseph B. Lumpkin

CHAPTER 22 -C

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence said to me: (1) What is the distance between one bridge and another?

Tens of thousands of parasangs. They rise up tens of thousands of parasangs , and the go down tens of thousands of parasangs.

(2) The distance between the rivers of dread and the rivers of fear is 22 times ten-thousand parasangs; between the rivers of hail and the rivers of darkness 36 times ten-thousand paragangs; between the chambers of lightnings and the clouds of compassion 42 times ten-thousand parasangs; between the clouds of compassion and the Merkaba (chariot) 84 times tenthousand parasangs; between the Merkaba (chariot) and the Cherubim 148 times ten-thousand parasangs; between the Cherubim and the Ophannim 24 times ten-thousand parasangs; between the chambers of chambers and the Holy Chayoth 40,000 times ten-thousand parasangs; between one wing (of the Chayoth) and another 12 times ten-thousand parasangs; and the breadth of each one wing is of that same measure; and the distance between the Holy Chayoth and the Throne of Glory is 30,000 times ten-thousand parasangs. (3) And from the foot of the Throne to the seat there are 40,000 times ten-thousand parasangs. And the name of Him that sits on it: let the name be sanctified! (4) And the arches of the Bow are set above the 358

The Books of Enoch

Araboth (highest heaven), and they are 1000 thousands and 10,000 times ten thousands of parasangs high. Their measure is after the measure of the ‘Irin and Qaddishin (the Watchers and the Holy Ones). As it is written, (Gen. 9:13) “My bow I have set in the cloud.” It is not written here “I will set” but “I have set,”

that is to say; I have already set it in the clouds that surround the Throne of Glory. As His clouds pass by, the angels of hail turn into burning coal. (5) And a voice of fire goes down from the Holy Chayoth. And because of the breath of that voice they run (Ezek. 1 :14) to another place, fearing that it could command them to go; and they return for fear that it may injure them from the other side. Therefore “they run and return.” (6) And these arches of the Bow are more beautiful and radiant than the radiance of the sun during the summer solstice. And they are brighter (whiter) than a flaming fire and they are large and beautiful. (7) Above the arches of the Bow are the wheels of the Ophannim. Their height is 1000 thousand and 10,000 times 10,000 units of measure after the measure of the Seraphim and the Troops (Gedudim).

The Irin and Qaddishin are the highest ranked of all the angels. They constitute the supreme council of heaven. These angels are the twin sentinels. The Irin decrees while the Qaddishin sentences every case in the court of heaven. In Daniel 4:14 we find references. “By decree 359

Joseph B. Lumpkin

of the sentinels is this decided, by order of the holy ones, this sentence, that all who live may know that the most High rules over the kingdom of men: he can give it to whom he will, or set over it the lowliest of men. For the words rendered, “of the holy god, II we read in Chaldee (in which Daniel was composed) the words elain cadisin (‘ -l-h-y-n qd-y-sh-y-n) [vocalized this would be ‘elahin qaddishinJ, which means

” holy gods, ” not ” holy God, ” (St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel (1 958). pp. 15-157)

CHAPTER 23

The winds are blowing under the wings of the Cherubim Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) There are numerous winds blowing under the wings of the Cherubim. There blows ” the Brooding Wind”, for it is written (Gen. 1 : 2): “and the wind of God was brooding upon the face of the waters.” (2) There blows “the Strong Wind”, as it is said (Ex.14: 21): “and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night.” (3) There blows “the East Wind” for it is written (Ex. 10: 13): “the east wind brought the locusts.” (4) There blows ” the Wind of Quails for it is written (Num. 9: 31): And there went forth a wind II

from the Lord and brought quails.” (5) There blows ” the Wind 360

The Books of Enoch

of Jealousy” for it is written (Num. 5:14): “And the wind of jealousy came upon him.” (6) There blows the “Wind of Earthquake” and it is written ( I Kings. 19: 11): “and after that the wind of the earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake.” (7) There blows the “Wind of YHWH” for it is written (Ex. 37: 1): “and he carried me out by the wind of YHWH and set me down.” (8) There blows the “Evil Wind” for it is written (I Sam. 14: 23): “and the evil wind departed from him.” (9) There blows the “Wind of Wisdom” and the “Wind of Understanding” and the “Wind of Knowledge” and the “Wind of the Fear of YHWH” for it is written (Is. 11: 2): /I And the wind of YHWH shall rest upon him; the wind of wisdom and understanding, the wind of counsel and might, the wind of knowledge and the fear of YHWH.” (10) There blows the

“Wind of Rain”, for it is written (Prov. 25: 23) “the north wind brings forth rain.” (11) There blows the “Wind of Lightning”, for it is written (Jer. 10: 13): “he makes lightning for the rain and brings forth the wind out of his storehouses.” (12) There blows the “Wind, Which Breaks the Rocks”, for it is written (1

Kings 19: 11): “the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind (rent the mountains and break in pieces the rocks before the Lord.) (13) There blows the Wind of Assuagement of the Sea”, for it is written (Gen. 7:1): “and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged.” (14) There blows the 361

Joseph B. Lumpkin

“Wind of Wrath”, for it is written (Job1 : 19) : ‘and behold there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and it fell.” (15) There blows the “Wind of Storms”, for it is written (Ps. 148: 8): “Winds of the storm, fulfilling his word.” (16) And Satan is standing among these winds, for “the winds of the storm” is nothing else but “Satan”

and all these winds do not blow but under the wings of Cherubim, for it is written (Ps. 18.11): “and he rode upon a cherub and £lew, yes, and he £lew with speed upon wings of the wind.” (17) And where do all these winds go? The Scripture teaches us, that they go out from under the wings of the Cherubim and descend on the globe of the sun, for it is written (EceI. 1 :6): “The wind goes toward the south and turns around to the north; it turns around over and over in its course and the wind returns again to its route.” And from the orb of the sun they return and go down on to the rivers and the seas, then up on the mountains and up on the hills, for it is written (Am.

55:13): “For 10, he that forms the mountains and creates the wind.” (18) And from the mountains and the hills they return and go down again to the seas and the rivers; and from the seas and the rivers they return and go up to the cities and provinces: and from the cities and provinces they return and go down into the Garden, and from the Garden they return and descend to Eden, for it is written (Gen. 3: 8) “walking in the Garden in the 362

The Books of Enoch

wind (cool) of day.” In the middle of the Garden they come together and blow from one side to the other. In the Garden they are perfumed with spices from the Garden in its most remote parts, until the winds again separate from each other.

Filled with the odor of the pure spices, the winds bring the aroma from the most remote parts of Eden. They carry the spices of the Garden to the righteous and godly who in time to come will inherit the Garden of Eden and the Tree of life, for it is written (Cant 45: 16): “Awake, 0 north wind; and come you south; blow upon my garden and eat his precious fruits.”

The same word used for “wind” is also used for “spirit. ” It is interesting to read the same verses using the word ” spirit. ” It should also be noted that when certain attributes are associated with “wind, “

such as the wind of jealousy, it could be seen to be an agent of God, such as an angel or demon.

CHAPTER 24

The different chariots of the Holy One, blessed be He Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, the glory of all heaven, said to me: (1) The Holy One blessed be He, has innumerable chariots. He has the ” Chariots 363

Joseph B. Lumpkin

of the Cherubim”, for it is written (Ps. 18:11, 2 Sam 22: 11): “

And he rode upon a cherub and did fly.” (2) He has the

“Chariots of Wind”, for it is written: “and he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind.” (3) He has the “Chariots of the Swift Cloud”, for it is written (ls.19:1): “Behold, the Lord rides upon a swift cloud:. (4) He has “Chariots of Clouds”, for it is written (Ex. 19:9): “Lo, I come unto you in a cloud.” (5) He has the

“Chariots of the Altar”, for it is written, ” I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar.” (6) He has the “Chariots of Ribbotaim”, for it is written (Ps. 68:18): “The chariots of God are Ribbotaim; thousands of angels.”

Ribbotaim appear to be used as the chariot and are a type of Cherub.

(7) He has the “Chariots of the Tent”, for it is written (Deut.

31:15): “And the Lord appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud.” (8) He has the “Chariots of the Tabernacle”, for it is written (Lev. 1:1): “And the Lord spoke unto him out of the tabernacle.” (9) He has the ” Chariots of the Mercy-Seat”, for it is written (Num. 7:89): “then he heard the Voice speaking unto him from upon the mercy-seat.” (10) He has the “Chariots of Sapphire”, for it is written (Ex. 24:10): “and there was under his feet a paved street of sapphires.” (11) He has the “Chariots of Eagles”, for it is written (Ex. 19:4): “I bare you on eagles’

364

The Books of Enoch

wings.” It is not Eagles that are not meant here but “they that fly as swiftly as the eagles.” (12) He has the “Chariots of a Shout”, for it is written: “God is gone up with a shout.” (13) He has the “Chariots of Araboth (highest heaven),” for it is written (Ps 68 :5): ” Praise Him that rides upon the Araboth (highest heaven).” (14) He has the “Chariots of Thick Clouds”, for it is written (Ps. 106:3): “who makes the thick clouds His chariot.”

(15) He has the “Chariots of the Chayoth,” for it is written (Ezek. 1 :14): “and the Chayoth ran and returned./f They run by permission and return by permission, for Shekina is above their heads. (16) He has the “Chariots of Wheels (Galgallim)” , for it is written (Ezek. 10: 2): ” And he said: Go in between the whirling wheels.” (17) He has the “Chariots of a Swift Cherub,”

for it is written, “riding on a swift cherub.” And at the time when He rides on a swift cherub, as he sets one of His feet upon his back, and before he sets the other foot upon his back, he looks through eighteen thousand worlds at one glace. And he perceives and understands and sees into them all and knows what is in all of them, and then he sets down the other foot upon the cherub, for it is written (Ezek. 48:35): ” Round about eighteen thousand.” How do we know that He looks through every one of them every day? It is written (Ps. 14: 2): “He looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that understand, that seek after God.” (18) He 365

Joseph B. Lumpkin

has the “Chariots of the Ophannim”, for it is written (Ezek.

10:12): “and the Ophannim were full of eyes round about.” (19) He has the “Chariots of His Holy Throne”, for it is written (Ps.

67:8): “God sits upon his holy throne” (20) He has the “Chariots of the Throne of Yah (Jah)” , for it is written (Ex. 17:16):

“Because a hand is lifted up upon the Throne of Jah (Yah).” (21) He has the ” Chariots of the Throne of Judgment,” for it is written (Is. 5: 16): “but the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment.” (22) He has the “Chariots of the Throne of Glory”, for it is written (Jer. 17:12) : “The Throne of Glory, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.” (23) He has the “Chariots of the High and exalted Throne”, for it is written (Is. 6: 1): “I saw the Lord sitting upon the high and exalted throne.”

CHAPTER 25

Ophphanniel, the Prince of the Ophannim and a description of the Ophannim

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Above these there is one great prince, highly honored, fit to rule, fearful, ancient and powerful.

OPHAPHANNIEL YHWH is his name. (2) He has sixteen 366

The Books of Enoch

faces, four faces on each side, also a hundred wings on each side. And he has 8466 eyes, corresponding to the days of the year and sixteen on each side. (Other sources have it as: corresponding to the hours in a year.)

The number of 8466 is difficult to understand in a 365 day year. The lunar year was calculated to be 352.5 days at the time of the righting of 3 Enoch. 8466 is the number of hours in a lunar year. This makes sense and makes the alternate rendering the correct one. However, other places in the texts may refer to the number 8766, which is exact number of hours is a solar year of 365.25 days.

(3) And in those two eyes of his face, in each one of them lightning is flashing, and from each one of them burning staves are burning; and no creature is able to look at them: for anyone who looks at them is burned up instantly. (4) His height is the distance of 2500 years’ journey. No eye can see and no mouth can tell of the mighty power of his strength except the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. He alone can tell.

The number 2500 yields the number 7, as the digits are added together. This pattern will occur again is these types of measurements. It is a way Jewish mystics re-enforce the perfection of the template of heaven.

367

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(5) Why is he called OPHPHANNIEL? Because he rules over the Ophannim and the Ophannim are given over to his authority. He stands every day and attends to them and makes them beautiful. And he raises them up and determines their activity. He polishes the place where they stand and makes their dwelling place bright. He even makes the corners of their crowns and their seats spotless. And he waits upon them early and late, by day and by night, in order to increase their beauty and make their dignity grow. He keeps them diligent in the praise of their Creator. (6) And all the Ophannim are full of eyes, and they are full of brightness; seventy-two sapphires are fastened to their garments on their right side and seventy-two sapphire are fastened to their garments on their left side.

Note the number 72 again, representing the nations of the world.

(7) And four carbuncle stones are fastened to the crown of every single one, the splendor of which shines out in the four directions of Araboth (the highest heaven) even as the splendor of the orb of the sun shines out in all the directions of the universe. And why is it called Carbuncle (Bare’ qet)? Because its splendor is like the appearance of a lightning (Baraq). And tents of splendor, tents of brilliance, tents of brightness as of 368

The Books of Enoch

sapphire and carbuncle enclose them because of the shining appearance of their eyes.

Carbuncle is an archaic name given to red garnet. The word occurs in four places in most English translations of the Bible. Each use originates from the Greek term Anthrax – meaning coat in reference to the color of burning coal. A carbuncle is usually taken to mean a gem, particularly a deep-red garnet, which has no facet and is convex.

In the same place in the masoretic text is the Hebrew word “nofech (no ‘-fekh). /I In Exdodus 28:1 7 and again is Exodus 39:10 the carbuncle is used as the third stone in the breastplate of the Hoshen.

Ezekiel 28:13 refers to the carbuncle ‘ s presence in the Garden of Eden.

CHAPTER 26

The Prince of the Seraphim.

Description of the Seraphim

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Over them there is one prince, who is wonderful, noble, of great honor, powerful and terrible, a chief leader and a fast scribe. He is glorified, honored and loved. (2) He is completely filled with splendor, and full of praise. He shines and he is totally full of the brightness of light and 369

Joseph B. Lumpkin

beauty. He is full of goodness and greatness. (3) His face is identical to that of angels, but his body is like an eagle’s body.

(4) His is magnificent like lightning, his appearance like burning staves. His beauty like sparks. His honor burns bright like glowing coal. His majesty like chashmals, His radiance like the light of the planet Venus. His image is like the Sun. His height is as high as the seven heavens. The light from his eyebrows is seven times as bright.

Chasmal is the fiery substance, which makes up the pillars on which the world rests. It is a mysterious substance or entity illuminating the heart of Ekekiel’ s chariot vision. Midrash Konen designated chashmal another class of angelic being.

(5) The sapphire on his head is as large as the entire universe and as splendid as the great heavens in radiance. (6) His body is full of eyes like the stars of the sky, innumerable and cannot be known. Every eye is like the planet Venus. But there are some of them like the Moon and some of them like the Sun.

From His ankles to his knees they are like stars twinkling (of lightning). From his knees to his thighs is like the planet Venus, across his thighs like the moon, from his thighs to his neck is like the sun. From his neck to his head is like the Eternal Light.

(7) The crown on his head is like the splendor of the Throne of 370

The Books of Enoch

Glory. The size of the crown is the distance of 502 years’

journey. There is no kind of splendor, no kind of brilliance, no kind of radiance, no kind of light in the universe that is not affixed to the crown.

As in the prior chapter, the number seven is the result of the addition of the digits in the measurement, which in this case is 502.

(8) The name of that prince is SERAPHIEL YHWH. And the crown on his head, its name is lithe Prince of Peace.” And why is he called by the name of SERAPHIEL YHWH? Because he is assigned to rule over the Seraphim. And the flaming Seraphim are under his authority. And he presides over them by day and night and teaches them to sing, praise, and proclaim the beauty, power and majesty of their King. They proclaim the beauty of their King through all types of Praise and Sanctification. (Kedushah – Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy). (9) How many Seraphim are there? Four, equating to the four winds of the world. And how many wings have each one of them? Six, relating to the six days of Creation. And how many faces do they have? Each one of them have four faces.

(10) The height measurement of the Seraphim is the height of the seven heavens. The size of each wing is like the span of all Raqia (heaven). The size of each face is like the face of the East.

371

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(11) And each one of them gives out light, adding to the splendor of the Throne of Glory, so that not even the Holy Chayoth, the honored Ophannim, nor the majestic Cherubim are able to look on it. Anyone who gazes at it would be blinded because of its great splendor. (12) Why are they called Seraphim? Because they burn (saraph) the writing tables of Satan: Every day Satan sits together with SAMMAEL, the Prince of Rome, and with DUBBIEL, the Prince of Persia, and they write down the sins of Israel on their writing tables, which they hand over to the Seraphim, so that the Seraphim can present them to the Holy One, blessed be He, so that He should eliminate (destroy) Israel from the world. But the Seraphim know the secrets of the Holy One, blessed be He. They know that He does not want the people Israel to perish. What do the Seraphim do about this? Every day they receive the tablets from the hand of Satan and they burn them in the burning fire, which is near the high and exalted Throne. They do this in order that the tablet should not come before the Holy One, blessed be He, when he is sitting upon the Throne of Judgment, judging the entire world in truth.

Satan and Sammael are not allowed to approach the throne of God, but their accusations are taken by a Seraph, who destroys the tablet with the accusations against Israel and burns it. The tablet is not 372

The Books of Enoch

given to God, who ‘would have to judge Israel, since the Seraph knows God does not wish to judge or punish Israel.

Dubbiel is the guardian angel of Persia and one of the special accusers of Israel. Dubbiel is an angel who was ranked among angels who were said to act as guardians over the seventy nations. Dubbiel was counted as the protector of Persia and as such defended its interests against its enemy Israel, a role that naturally put him at odds with the Chosen People and their special patron, St. Michael the Archangel. Sammael is an angel whose name has been interpreted as meaning “angel ” or Ilgod” (el) of “poison ” (sam). He is the guardian angel of Ramel another enemy of Israel. He is considered in legend a member of the heavenly host who fell. He is equated with Satan and the chief of the evil spirits. He is the angel of death In this capacity he is a fallen angel but remains the Lord’s semant or at least under His control. As a good angel, Sammael resided in the seventh heaven, although he is declared to be the chief angel of the fifth heaven.

Seraphim are among the highest and most splendid of the nine accepted angelic orders as developed by the sixth-century theologian Dionysius. They are the closest in all ofheaven to the throne of God.

They are said to glow as if they are on fire so brig/llly they no mortal can endure the sight..

373

Joseph 8. Lumpkin

CHAPTER 27

RADWERIEL, the keeper of the Book of Records.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel of YHWH, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Above the Seraphim there is one prince, exalted above all princes. He is more wonderful than all the servants. His name is RADWERIEL YHWH who is assigned to rule over the treasuries of the books.

Radweriel is appointed over the treasunJ of book of records or remembrances. (See Ma1.3:1 6). He is an angelic scribe, fluent in reading and writing. He reads the records in the Beth Din, (house/court) of justice. This is another name for the Sanhedrin.

(2) He couriers the Case of Writings, which has the Books of Records in it, and he brings it to the Holy One, blessed be He.

And he breaks the seals of the case, opens it, and takes out the books and delivers them before the Holy One, blessed be He.

And the Holy One, blessed be He, receives them out of his hand and gives them to the Scribes to see so they may read them in the Great Beth (house) Din in the height of Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven), before the household of heaven. (3) And why is he called RADWERIEL? Because from every word going out of his mouth an angel is created. He 374

The Books of Enoch

stands in the service of the company of the ministering angels and sings a song before the Holy One, blessed be He, as the time draws near for the recitation of the Thrice Holy One.

CHAPTER 28

The ‘Irin and Qaddishin (Watchers and Holy Ones) Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Above all these there are four great princes. Their names are Irin and Qaddishin. They are highly honored, revered, loved, wonderfully glorious, and greater than any of the heavenly children. There is none like them among all the princes of heaven (sky). There are none equal to them among any Servants. Each one is equal to all the rest of the heavenly servants put together. (2) And their dwelling is near the Throne of Glory and their standing place near the Holy One, blessed be He. The brightness of their dwelling is a reflection from the brightness from the Throne of Glory. Their face is magnificent and is a reflection of the magnificence of Shekina. (3) They are elevated by the glory of the Divince Majesty (Gebura) and praised by (through) the praise of Shekina. (4) And not only that, but the Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing in his world without first consulting them.

375

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Only after He consults them does He perform it. As it is written (Dan. 4: 17): “The sentence is by the decree of the Irin and the demand by the word of the Qaddishin.” (5) The Irin are two (twins) and the Qaddishin are two (twins). In what fashions standing before the Holy One, blessed be He? We should understood, that one Ir is standing on one side and the other ‘Ir on the other side. Also, one Qaddish is standing on one side and the other on the other side. (6) And they exalt the humble forever, and they humble and bring to the ground those that are proud. They exalt to the heights those that are humble. (7) And every day, as the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting upon the Throne of Judgment and judges the entire world, and the Books of the Living and the Books of the Dead are opened in front of Him all the children of heaven are standing before Him in fear and dread. They are in awe and they shake. When the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting on the Throne of Judgment to execute His judgment , His garment is white as snow, the hair on his head is like pure wool and the His entire cloak is shining with light. He is covered with righteousness all over, like He is wearing a coat of mail. (8) And those Irin and Qaddishin (Watchers and Holy Ones) are standing before Him like court officers before the judge. And constantly they begin and argue a case and close the case that comes before the Holy One, blessed be He, in judgment, according for it is written 376

The Books of Enoch

(Dan. 4. 17): “The sentence is by the decree of the ‘Irin and the demand by the word of Qaddishin.”

This section explains the function of the Irin and Qaddishin. They are two pairs of angels forming the apex of angelic po’wer. They are the holy councilors and they have authority over all things terrestrial.

They are judge and executioner. Another tradition has the Irin and Qaddishin as two classes of angels but many in number. Yet, they seem to come in sets of two each, like twins, Again, this may represent the balance of merClJ and justice always sought in hea’lIen.

(9) Some of them argue the case and others pass the sentence in the Great Beth Din (Great House of the Sanhedrin) in Araboth (the highest heaven). Some of them make requests in the presence of the Divine Majesty and some close the cases before the Most High. Others finish by going down and confirming the judgement and executing the sentences on earth below, According for it is written (Dan. 4. 13, 14): “Behold an Ir and a Qaddish came down from heaven and cried aloud and said ,

“Chop down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts escape from under it, and the fowls from his branches.” (10) Why are they called Irin and Qaddishin (Watchers and Holy Ones)? Because they sanctify the body and the spirit with beatings with fire on the 377

Joseph B. Lumpkin

third day of the judgment, for it is written (Has. 6: 2): After

“

two days will he revive us: on the third he will raise us up, and we shall live before him.”

Irin and Qaddishin or ministering spirits receive men from the angel of death. They judge him with angels arguing for him. This takes two days. On the third day they pass judgment. The sentence is based on the man’s character and how closely he followed the Torah. They beat them accordingly.

CHAPTER 29

Description of a class of angels

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Each one of the Angels has seventy names corresponding to the seventy languages (nations) of the world. And all of them are based upon the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. And every several name is written with a flaming pen of iron on the Fearful Crown (Kether Nora), which is on the head of the high and exalted King.

Metatron was said to have names based upon the narnes of God.

Fearful Crown refers to the crown of a sitting king, thus God.

378

The Books of Enoch

(2) And each one of them projects sparks and lightning. Each one of them is covered with horns of splendor all over. Lights shine from each of them, and each one is surrounded by tents of brilliance so that not even the Seraphim and the Chayoth who are greater than all the children of heaven are able to look at them.

CHAPTER 30

The 72 princes of Kingdoms and the Prince of the World are at the Great Sanhedrin.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Whenever the Great Beth Din (House of the Sanhedrin) is seated in the Araboth (highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) there no one speaks. No mouth opens for anyone in the world except those great princes who are called YHWH by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. (2) How many are those Princes are there? Seventy-two princes of the kingdoms of the world besides the Prince of the World who pleads in favor of the world before the Holy One, blessed be He. Every day at the appointed hour the book with the records 379

Joseph B. Lumpkin

of all the deeds of the world is opened. For it is written (Dan.

7:10): ” The judgment was set and the books were opened.”

The highest classes of angels are marked with the Tetragrammaton.

Each nation has its own angel appointed to guard and plea for its cause. What is odd about this is the equal and universal appeal to justice. There is no difference in how the court is conducted between Gentile or Jew. In this scenario, Metatron is the Prince of the world.

CHAPTER 31

The attributes of Justice, Mercy and Truth Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting on the Throne of Judgment, Justice is standing on His right and Mercy on His left and Truth in front of His face, (2) then man (Some sources say “wicked man” but this is to be read as mankind) enters before Him for judgment, then , a staff comes out from the splendor of Mercy towards him and it stands in front of the man. Then man falls upon his face, and all the angels of destruction are fearful and they shake before him. For it is written (Is. 16:5): ” And with mercy shall the throne be established, and he shall sit upon it in truth.”

380

The Books of Enoch

The fundamental balance of justice and merC1J is only possible through truth, including the truth of what the real intent of the person being judged was. This is only possible with God. The angels of destruction are there to execute man but Mercy stops them and makes the angels fear. The wording of the verse makes this point unclear.

CHAPTER 32

The execution of judgment on the wicked. God’s sword Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) When the Holy One, blessed be He, opens the Book, half of it is fire and half of it is flames. Then the angels of destruction go out from Him continually to execute the judgment on the wicked by His sword, which is drawn from its sheath and it shines like magnificent lightning and pervades the world from one end to the other. For it is written (Is. 66:16): “For by fire will the Lord plead by His sword with all flesh.” (2) And all those who come into the world fear and shake before Him, when they behold His sharpened sword like lightning from one end of the world to the other, and sparks and flashes of the size of the stars of Raqia (heaven) going out 381

Joseph B. Lumpkin

from it; according for it is written (Deut. 32: 41) : If I whet the lightning of my sword.”

CHAPTER 33

The angels of Mercy, of Peace, and of Destruction are by the Throne of Judgment.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting on the Throne of Judgment, then the angels of Mercy are standing on His right, the angels of Peace are standing on His left and the angels of Destruction are standing in front of Him. (2) And there is one scribe standing beneath Him, and another scribe standing above Him. (3) And the glorious Seraphim surround the Throne on all four of its sides with walls of lightning. And the Ophannim surround them with burning staves all around the Throne of Glory. And clouds of fire and clouds of flames surround them to the right and to the left. The Holy Chayoth carry the Throne of Glory from below. Each one uses only three fingers. The length of each fingers is 800,000 and 700 times one hundred, and 66,000

parasangs. (4) And underneath the feet of the Chayoth there 382

The Books of Enoch

are seven rivers of fire running and flowing. And the distance across of each river is 365 thousand parasangs and its depth is 248 thousand times ten-thousand parasangs. Its length cannot be known and is immeasurable. (5) And each river turns round in a bow in the four directions of Araboth (the highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven), and from there it falls down to Maon and is stopped, and from Maon (some sources have “Velum”) to Zebul, from Zegul to Shechaqim, from Shechaqim to Raqia (heaven) to Shamayim and from Shamayim it fows on the heads of the wicked who are in Gehenna, for it is written (Jer.

23:19) : “Behold a whirlwind of the Lord, even His fury, is gone, yes, a whirling tempest; it shall burst upon the head of the wicked.”

Maon or Velum is the name of the first heaven. The river flows down from heaven and all of its levels, to Gehenna, which is the burning hell. Speculation on the meaning of the numbers contained in this chapter are random. In general, 3 is the number of spiritual completeness, and 8 is the number of judgment. The number of man and his shortcomings is 6. The number 7 represents spiritual perfection. 5 represents grace and spirit.

CHAPTER 34

383

Joseph B. Lumpkin

The different concentric circles around the Chayoth consist of fire, water, hailstones.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron; the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) The hoofs of the Chayoth are surrounded by seven clouds of burning coals. The clouds of burning coals are surrounded on the outside by seven walls of flames. The seven walls of flames are surrounded on the outside by seven walls of hailstones (stones of El-gabish, Ezek.13: 11, 13, 28: 22). The hailstones are surrounded on the outside by boulders (stones) of hail. The boulders (stones) of hail are surrounded on the outside by stones of “the wings of the tempest.” The stones of “the of the winged tempest” are surrounded by the outside by flames of fire. The chambers of the whirlwind are surrounded on the outside by the fire and water. (2) Around the fire and the water are those who sing the

“Holy.” Around about those who sing the “Holy” are those who sing the “Blessed.” Around about those who sing the

“Blessed” are the bright clouds. The bright clouds are surrounded on the outside by coals of burning juniper wood.

There are thousands of camps of fire and ten thousand hosts of flames. And between every camp and every host there is a cloud, so that they may not be burned by the fire.

384

The Books of Enoch

The stones of hail are made of the two opposite substances of fire and ice. This, like the reference to fire and water, represent a balance of forces which, if applied within the spiritual realm, brings blessings.

CHAPTER 35

The camps of angels in Araboth (the highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven). Angels performing the Kedushah (Sacred Salutation of Holy, Holy, Holy)

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) 506 (Other sources have 496) thousand times ten-thousand camps has the Holy One, blessed be He, in the height of Araboth (the highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven). And each camp is composed of 496 thousand angels.

The Gematria for 506 is “kingdom” and for 496 it is “kingdoms . “

(2) And every single angel i s as tall as the width of the great sea; and the appearance of their face is like the appearance of lightning. Their eyes are like lamps of fire, and their arms and their feet were the color of polished brass and when they spoke words their voice roared and sounded like the voice of a multitude of them. (3) They all stand before the Throne of 385

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Glory in four rows. And the princes of the army are standing at the beginning of each row. (4) Some of them sing the “Holy”

and others sing the “Blessed.” Some run as messengers while others stand in attendance. For it is written (Dan. 7: 10):

“Thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set and the books were opened.”

The singing or chanting of “Holy, Holy, Holy” is returned by the phrase, “Blessed be Thou and blessed is the name of the Lord for ever and ever. “

(5) When the time nears and the hour comes to say the “Holy”, first a whirlwind from before the Holy One, blessed be He, goes out and bursts on the camp of Shekina and there arises a great noise and confusion among them. For it is written (Jer. 30: 23): “Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goes forth with fury, a continuing commotion.” (6) At that moment thousands of thousands of them are changed into sparks, thousands of thousands of them ignite into burning staves, thousands of thousands flashes, thousands of thousands burst into flames, thousands of thousands change into males, thousands of thousands change into females, thousands of thousands burst into winds, thousands of thousands burst into burning fires, 386

The Books of Enoch

thousands of thousands burst into flames, thousands of thousands turn into sparks, thousands of thousands turn into chashmals of light; until they take upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, the high and lifted up, of the Creator of them all with fear, dread, awe, and trembling, with commotion, anguish, terror and trepidation. Then they are changed again into their former shape to have the fear of their King before them always, as they have set their hearts on saying the Song continually, for it is written (Is. 6:3): fI And one cried unto another and said Holy, Holy, Holy.”

The phrase, . . . thousands of thousands change into males, thousands fl

of thousands change into females . . . ” is suspect and may have been added later. The idea of taking onto oneself the yoke of heaven may refers to the fact that the angels are reciting the “Holy” and flBlessed”

discourse, which means they understand and acknowledge the ways of heaven and the place and power of God. Judgment comes accordingly.

CHAPTER 36

The angels bathe in the river of fire before they recite the Song Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of Presence, said to me: (1) At the time when the ministering 387

Joseph B. Lumpkin

angels desire to sing (the) Song, (then) Nehar di-Nur (the stream of fire) rises with many “thousand thousands and tenthousand ten-thousands” (of angels) of power and strength of fire (the intensity of the radiant fire of the angels flows) and it runs and passes under the Throne of Glory, between the camps of the ministering angels and the troops of Araboth (highest heaven). (2) And all the ministering angels first go down into Nehar di-Nur (stream of fire), and they dip themselves in the fire and dip their tongue and their mouth seven times; ( 2Kings 5:14) and after that they go up and put on the garment of Machaqe Samal and cover themselves with cloaks of chashmal (the zenith of heaven) and stand in four rows over near the side of the Throne of Glory, in all the heavens.

No meaning for the term Machaqe Samal could be found.

CHAPTER 37

The four camps of Shekina and their surroundings Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) In the seven Halls four chariots of Shekina are standing. Before each one stands the four camps of 388

The Books of Enoch

Shekina. Between (or behind) each camp a river of fire is continually flowing. (2) Between (or behind) each river there are bright clouds surrounding them, and between (or behind) each cloud there are pillars of brimstone erected. Between one pillar and another there stands flaming wheels, which surround them. And between one wheel and another there are flames of fire all around. Between the flames there are storehouses of lightning. Behind the storehouses of lightning there are the wings of the Wind of the Storm. Behind the wings of the Wind of the Storm are the chambers of the tempest.

Behind the chambers of the tempest there are winds, voices, thunder, and sparks emitting from sparks and earthquakes within earthquakes.

The original intent of the verse may have been to draw a picture of the rivers running in concentric circles through the heavens and beside the river, in rows are clouds, lightning, and wind.

CHAPTER 38

The fear in heavens at the sound of the “Holy” is appeased by the Prince of the World

389

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) At the time, when the ministering angels sing (the Thrice) Holy, then all the pillars of the heavens and their sockets shake, and the gates of the Halls of Araboth (the highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) are shaken and the foundations of Shechaqim and the universe are moved, and the orders (secrets) of Maon and the chambers of Makon quiver, and all the orders of Raqia (heaven) and the constellations and the planets are distressed. The orbs of the sun and the moon rush away and run out of their pattens and run 12,000

parasangs and the wish to throw themselves down from heaven, (2) because of the roaring voice (sound) of their song, and the noise of their praise and the sparks and lightning that proceed from their faces. For it is written (Ps. 77: 18): “‘The voice of your thunder was in the heaven (the lightning illuminated the world, the earth trembled and shook).” (3) Until the Prince of the World calls them, saying; Be quiet in your placel Do not fear because of the ministering angels who sing the Song before the Holy One, blessed be He.” As it is written (Job. 38: 7): “‘When the morning stars sang together and (

all the children of heaven shouted for joy.”

As the appointed times approached to sing the Holy, Holy, Holy, all of heaven became anxious. Metatron quieted them and gave them focus.

390

The Books of Enoch

CHAPTER 39

The explicit names fly from the Throne.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) When the ministering angels sing the

“Holy” then all the explicit names that are engraved with a flaming iron pen on the Throne of Glory go flying off like eagles, each with sixteen wings. And they surround and hover around the Holy One, blessed be He, on all four sides of the place of His Shekina. (2) And the angels of the host, and the flaming Servants, the mighty Ophannim, the Cherubim of the Shekina, the Holy Chayoth, the Seraphim, the Er’ellim, the Taphsarim, the troops of burning fire, the armies of fire, the flaming hosts, and the holy princes, adorned with crowns, clothed in kingly majesty, wrapped in glory, tied with high honor, fall on their faces three times, saying: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.”

Taphsarim are the troupes of flames. Erlel, more commonly referred to in the plural as ” the Erelim”, are a rank of angels in Jewish Kabbala (Cabbalah) and mythology. The name is seen to mean ” the valiant/courageous. ” They are generally seen as the third highest rank of divine beings/angels below God. The description in the verse seems to say that letters fly off of the Torah like eagles when it is burned.

391

Joseph B. Lumpkin

CHAPTER 40

The ministering angels rewarded and punished.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) When the ministering angels say

“Holy” before the Holy One, blessed be He, in the proper way, then the servants of His Throne, the attendants of His Glory, go out with much happiness from under the Throne of Glory. (2) And each one carries in their hands thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand crowns of stars, similar in appearance to the planet Venus, and put them on the ministering angels and the great prince who sing the “Holy.”

They place three crowns on each one of them: one crown because they say “Holy”, and another crown, because they say

“Holy, Holy”, and a third crown because they say “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts.” (3) But in the moment that they do not sing the “Holy” in the right order, a consuming fire flashes out from the little finger of the Holy One, blessed be He, and descends into the middle of their ranks, which is divided into 496 thousand parts corresponding to the four camps of the ministering angels, and the fire burns up in a single moment those who did not say the “Holy” correctly. For it is written (Ps.

92:3): “A fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries round about.” (4) After that the Holy One, blessed be He, opens 392

The Books of Enoch

His mouth and speaks one word and creates other new ones like them to replace them. And each one stands before His Throne of Glory, signing the “Holy”, as it written (Lam. 12:23):

“They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Here we see the full extent of the phrase, “taking on the yoke of heaven. ” One is rewarded for proper worship and ceremony or annihilated if God disapproves. The text indicates that all of the angels in the offending group are destroyed. Angels are created, nullifijing the six days of the creation of evenjthing.

CHAPTER 41

Letters engraved on the Throne of Glory created everything.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Come and see the letters by which the heaven and earth were created. These are the letters by which were created the mountains and hills. These are the letters by which were created the seas and rivers, these are the letters by which were created the trees and herbs, these are the letters by which were created the planets and the constellations, these are the letters by which were created the globe of the earth and the 393

Joseph B. Lumpkin

orb of the moon and the orb of the sun, as well as Orion, the Pleiades and all the different luminaries of Raqia (heaven) were created. (2) These are the letters by which were created the Throne of Glory and the Wheels of the Merkaba (chariot) , the letters by which were created the necessities of the worlds, (3) the letters by which were created wisdom, understanding, knowledge, prudence, meekness and righteousness by which the entire world is sustained. (4) And I walked by his side and he took me by his hand and raised me up on his wings and showed me those letters, all of them, that are engraved with a flaming iron pen on the Throne of Glory. Sparks go out from them and cover all the chambers of Araboth (the highest heaven).

Jewish tradition has it that God and angels spoke Hebrew, and thus all things came into existence when God spoke them into existence in Hebrew. It is a ven) short leap of logic to assume the written word would have the same power and effect. This means within the various combinations of the 22 Hebrew letters all things were created and are sustained.

CHAPTER 42

Opposites kept in balance by several Divine Names 394

The Books of Enoch

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Come and I will show you, where the waters are suspended in the highest place, where fire is burning in the midst of hail, where lightning flashes forth from out of the middle of snowy mountains, where thunder is roaring in the heights of the skies, where a flame is burning in the burning fire, and where voices make themselves heard within (in spite of) thunder and earthquake.

The balance indicated herein reminds one of a Zen koan – uSee the sun in the midst of the rain. Scoop clear water from the heart of the fire. This chapter reveals a fundamental truth. All things are created U

in heaven by His word, sustained by His ‘word, and reflected in the lower world where we live only after being created in hea’Uen.

(2) Then I went to his side and he took me by his hand and lifted me up on his wings and showed me all those things. I saw the waters suspended on high in Araboth (the highest heaven) of Raqia (heaven) by the power of the name YAH

EHYE ASHER EHYE (Jah, I am that I am), and their fruits (rain) was falling down from heaven and watering the face of the world, for it is written (Ps. 104:13): II (He waters the mountains from his chambers:) the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your 395

Joseph B. Lumpkin

work.” (3) And I saw fire and snow and hail that were mingled together within each other and yet were undamaged. This was accomplished by the power of the name ESH OKELA (consuming fire). For it is written (Deut. 55: 24): “For the Lord, your God, is a consuming fire.” (4) And I saw lightning flashing out of mountains of snow and yet the lightning was not extinguished, by the power of the name Y A SUR OLAMIM

(Jah, the everlasting rock). For it is written (Is. 26: 4): “For Jah, YHWH is the everlasting rock.” (5) And I saw thunder and heard voices that were roaring within flames of fire and they were not silenced. This is accomplished by the power of the name EL-SHADDAI RABBA (the Great God Almighty) for it is written (Gen. 17:1): “1 am God Almighty.” (6) And I saw a flame glowing in the middle of burning fire, and yet it was not devoured. This was done by the power of the name Y AD AL

KES YAH (the hand upon the Throne of the Lord.) For it is written (Ex. 17: 16): ” And he said: for the hand is upon the Throne of the Lord.” (7) And I looked and saw rivers of fire within of rivers of water and they were not extinguished. All of this was done by the power of the name OSE SHAlOM (Maker of Peace) for it is written (Job 25: 2): “He makes peace in high places.” For he makes peace between fire and water, and between hail and fire, and between the wind and cloud, and between earthquakes and sparks.

396

The Books of Enoch

CHAPTER 43

The abode of the unborn spirits and of the spirits of the righteous dead

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron said to me: (1) Come and I will show you where the spirits of the righteous are that have been created and those that have returned, and the spirits of the righteous that have not yet been created (born). (2) And he lifted me up to his side, took me by his hand and sat me near the Throne of Glory by the place of the Shekina; and he revealed the Throne of glory to me, and he showed me the spirits that have been created and had returned as well as those who were flying above the Thorne of Glory in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. (3) After that I went to interpret the following verse of Scripture and I found what is written (Isa.

57: 16: for the spirit clothed itself before me ) It refers to the II

./1

spirits that have been created in the chamber of creation of the righteous and that have returned before the Holy One, blessed be He; (and the (His) words.) “The souls I have made” refers to the spirits of the righteous that have not yet been created in the chamber (GUPH).

Within the entire book of 3 Enoch, this chapter could be the most important to all “Children of the book, ” Jews, Christians, and 397

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Moslems. The s tory of creation has God creating evenjthing in six days. Everything must also include all of the souls that are ever to be born. These souls are housed in a chamber near the throne of God, called the Guph (Guj). This chapter tells us the souls of the righteous are housed.

The righteous souls are housed in the Guph, waiting to be clothed in flesh for their incarnation. But if the righteous souls are here, where are the unrighteous souls kept? If there were another place where the unrighteous souls are kept the distinction would indicate predestination. If the character of the soul is already determined and they are stored accordingly then how is the determination made ? Are we created as righteous and unrighteous beings ? Does God simply look ahead and see us as we are to be ?

As the next two chapters unfold, we see hints that the Guph may not be the place where all of the souls are housed but possibly it is where the souls of the righteous are conducted to be clothed in flesh and dispatched to earth through birth. The wicked soul finds his home in Sheof. If this were true it would s till indicate predestination or foreknowledge are at work.

Mystical writings, such as the Zohar, describe God as a burning flame from where sparks fly outward. These sparks are the souls of the Jewish people. When these sparks return to the primal flame, time will come to an end. Another tradition states that when the Guph is emptied time will end.

398

The Books of Enoch

Souls leaving the Guph are born and return to God after death.

CHAPTER 44

Metatron shows Rabbi Ishmael the abode of the wicked and the intermediate in Shea!.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me: (1) Come and I will show you the spirits of the wicked and the spirits of those in between (intermediate) where they are standing, and the spirits of those in between (intermediate), where they go down, and the spirits of the wicked, where they go down.

Now we know there are three classes of souls: the righteous, the intermediate – those in between, and the unrighteous. The obvious questions are, where were the souls of the “intermediates” kept and from where were they dispatched? Are these the souls of the

“lukewarm ? “

(2) And he said to me: The spirits of the wicked g o down to Sheol by the hands of two angels of destruction: ZAAPHIEL

and SIMKIEL. (3) SIMKIEL is assigned to rule over the intermediate to support them and purify them because of the 399

Joseph 8. Lumpkin

great mercy of the Prince of the Place (The Divine Majesty ).

ZAAPHIEL is assigned to rule over the spirits of the wicked in order to cast them down from the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, and from the magnificence of the Shekina, and he casts them into Sheot to punish them in the fire of Gehenna with rods of burning coal. (4) And I went by his side, and he took me by his hand and pointed them all out to me. (5) And I saw the faces of children of men and the way they looked.

Their bodies were like eagles. And not only that but the color of the complexion of the intermediate was like pale grey because of their deeds. They were stained until they become cleansed from their iniquity in the fire.

It is interesting to note this indirect reference to Purgatonj in a Jewish book written between the second and fifth centuries A.D.

(6) And the color of the wicked was like the bottom of a pot (burned black) because of the wickedness of their deeds. (7) And I saw the spirits of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the rest of the righteous, whom they have brought up out of their graves and who have ascended to Heaven. And they were praying before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying in their prayer: “Lord of the Universe! How long will you sit upon your Throne like a mourner in the days of his mourning 400

The Books of Enoch

with your right hand behind you and not deliver your children and reveal your Kingdom in the world? And how long will you have no pity upon your children who are made slaves among the nations of the world? Your right hand is behind you. Why do you not stretch out the heavens and the earth and the heavens of the highest heavens? When will you have compassion ?”

The right hand is the symbol of power and authorihj. To have the right hand behind your back means you are not using the power or authority available to you.

(8) Then the Holy One, blessed be He, answered every one of them, saying: “Since these wicked commit sins on and on, and transgress with sins again and again against Me, how could I deliver my great Right Hand when it would mean their downfall would be caused by their own hands.

The reason God does not bring judgment upon the world is because many Jews were among the unrepentant sinners. He wishes to await their return to him before judging them. This is the ultimate mercy.

(9) In that moment Metatron called me and spoke to me: “My servant! Take the books, and read their evil deeds!” Then I took 401

Joseph B. Lumpkin

the books and read their deeds and there were 36

transgressions to be found written down regarding each wicked one and besides that they have transgressed all the letters in Torah, for it is written (Dan. 55: 11): “Yea, all Israel have transgressed your Law.” It is not written, “for they have transgressed from Aleph to Taw (A to Z) 36 (40) statutes have they transgressed for each letter?

Some sources have “40 statues.” The number ” 40″ is the number of severe trials and testing. The implication of the verse is that the souls have broken 40 major laws and many minor ones.

(10) Then Abraham, Isaac and Jacob wept. Then the Holy One, blessed be He said to them: ” Abraham, my beloved, Isaac, my Elect one, Jacob, my firstborn, how can I deliver them from among the nations of the world at this time?” And immediately MIKAEL (Michael), the Prince of Israel, cried and wept with a loud voice and said (Ps. 10:1): “Why stand you afar off, 0

Lord?”

CHAPTER 45

Past and future events recorded on the Curtain of the Throne.

402

The Books of Enoch

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron said to me: (1) Come, and I will show you the Curtain of The Divine Majesty which is spread before the Holy One, blessed be He. On it are written all the generations of the world and all their deeds (actions/ doings), both what they have done and what they will do until the end of all generations. (2) And I came, and he showed it to me pointing it out with his fingers like a father who teaches his children the letters of Torah. And I saw each generation and within the generations I saw the rulers, the leaders, the shepherds, the oppressors (despots), the keepers, the punisher, the counselors, the teachers, the supporters, the bosses, the presidents of academies, the magistrates, the princes, the advisors, the noblemen, and the warriors, the elders, and the guides of each generation.

In the ancient world, these represent all major groups that have influence over the lives of people.

(3) And I saw Adam, his generation, their deeds (actions/ doings) and their thoughts, Noah and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, and the generation of the flood, their deeds and their thoughts, Shem and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, Nimrod and the generation of the confusion of tongues, and his generation, their deeds and their 403

Joseph B. Lumpkin

thoughts, Abraham and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, Isaac and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, Ishmael and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, Jacob and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, Joseph and his generation , their deeds and their thoughts, the tribes and their generation, their deeds and their thoughts, Amram and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts , Moses and his generation, their deeds and their thoughts, (4) Aaron and Mirjam their accomplishments and actions, the princes and the elders, their works and deeds, Joshua and his generation, their works and deeds, the judges and their generation, their works and deeds, Eli and his generation, their works and deeds, Phinehas, their works and deeds, Elkanah and his generation, their accomplishments and actions, Samuel and his generation, their works and deeds, the kings of Judah with their generations, their works and their doing, the kings of Israel and their generation, their accomplishments and actions, the princes of Israel, their accomplishments and actions; the princes of the nations of the world, their accomplishments and actions, the heads of the councils of Israel, their accomplishments and actions; the heads of the councils in the nations of the world, their generations, their accomplishments and actions; the rulers of Israel and their generation, their accomplishments and actions; the noblemen 404

The Books of Enoch

of Israel and their generation, their works and their deeds; the noblemen of the nations of the world and their generations, their accomplishments and actions; the men of reputation in Israel, their generation, their accomplishments and actions; the judges of Israel, their generation, their accomplishments and actions; the judges of the nations of the world and their generation, their accomplishments and actions; the teachers of children in Israel, their generations, their accomplishments and actions: the teachers of children in the nations of the world, their generation, their accomplishments and actions; the interpreters) of Israel, their generation, their accomplishments and actions; the interpreters of the nations of the world, their generation, their accomplishments and actions; (5) and all the fights and wars that the nations of the world worked against the people of Israel in the time of their kingdom. And I saw Messiah, the son of Joseph, and his generation and their accomplishments and actions that they will do against the nations of the world. And I saw Messiah, the son of David, and his generation, and all the fights and wars, and their accomplishments and actions that they will do with Israel both for good and evil. And I saw all the fights and wars that Gog and Magog will fight with Israel in the days of Messiah, and all that the Holy One, blessed be He, will do with them in the time to come.

405

Joseph B. Lumpkin

This is the first mention of two Messiahs. However, the dual functions of the Messiah can be seen as the impetus to this idea. The Messiah is seen as a peacemaker and teacher, who brings mercy. The Messiah is also seen as a warrior, destroyer, and bringer of justice.

One comes in peace and the other is determined to do war to avenge God and Israel. It appears the Messiah, son of David, is truculent compared to the son of Joseph, who will be killed for his attempt to make peace. Christians believe the same Messiah will perform both functions because he came as peacemaker and teacher but will return from heaven as the warrior of God. The text here indicates there will be two separate Messiahs.

(6) And all the rest of all the leaders of the generations and all the works of the generations both in Israel and in the nations of the world, both what is done and what will be done hereafter to all generations until the end of time all were written on the Curtain of The Divine Majesty. And I saw all these things with my eyes; and after I had seen it, I opened my mouth in praise of The Divine Majesty saying, (Ecd. 8:4, 5): “For the King’s word has power and who may say unto Him, What do you do?

Whoever keeps the commandments shall know no evil thing.”

And I said: (Ps. 104: 24) “0 Lord how manifold (multi-colored/ multifaceted) are your works!”

406

The Books of Enoch

Rabbi Ishmael was shown all of the deeds and works of mankind for all generations. This implies predestination or foreknowledge. The reader must decide for himself or herself

CHAPTER 46

The place of the stars shown to Rabbi Ishmael Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron said to me: (1) Come and I will show you the distance between the stars that are standing in the Raqia (heaven), for they stand there night after night in fear of the Almighty and The Divine Majesty. I will show you where they go and where they stand. (2) I walked by his side, and he took me by his hand and pointed out all of them to me with his finger. And they were standing on sparks of flames around the Merkaba (chariot) of the Almighty, The Divine Majesty. What did Metatron do? At that moment he clapped his hands and chased them off from their place. Then they flew off on flaming wings, rose and fled from the four sides of the Throne of Merkaba (chariot), and as they flew he told me the names of ever-single one. As it is written, (Ps. 137:4) “He tells the number of the stars; he gives them all their names” , teaching, that the Holy One, blessed be He, has given a name to 407

Joseph B. Lumpkin

each one of them. (3) And by the authority of RAHATIEL they enter in a numbered order to Raqia (heaven) ha-shamayim (the second of the seven heavens) to serve the world. And they go out in numbered order to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, with songs and hymns, for it is written (Ps. 19: 1): “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (4) But in the age to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will create them anew. For it is written (Lam. 52: 23) : “They are new every morning.” And they open their mouth and sing a song. Which is the song that they sing?

(Ps. 8:3): “When I consider your heavens.”

Rahatiel is the angelic ruler of the stars and constellations. The Ophannim is the class of angels that move the celestial sphere. Stars

‘Were considered by many cultures to be spiritual entities, or angels.

This was a Babylonian concept that was absorbed. It is in this light that the stars would sing. They leave the second heaven and proceed through the heavens to the seventh heaven where they end their journey at the throne.

CHAPTER 47

Metatron shows Rabbi Ishmael the spirits of punished angels.

408

The Books of Enoch

Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron said to me: (1) Come and I will show you the souls of the angels and the spirits of the servants that served, whose bodies have been burned up in the fire of The Divine Majesty of the Almighty, that projects from his little finger. And they have been made into burning and glowing coals in the midst of the river of fire (Nehar di-Nur). But their spirits and their souls are standing behind the Shekina. (2) Whenever the angel servants sing a song at a wrong time or they sing what was not appointed to be sung they are burned and consumed by the fire of their Creator and by a flame from their Maker from the rooms of the whirlwind. The fire blows on them and drives them into the river of fire (Nehar di-Nur).

There they become mountains of burning coal. But their spirit and their soul return to their Creator, and all are standing behind their Master. (3) And I went by his side and he took me by his hand, and he showed me all the souls of the angels and the spirits of the attending servants who were standing behind the Shekina and were standing on the wings of a whirlwind with walls of fire all around them. (4) At that moment Metatron opened the gates of the walls within which they were standing behind the Shekina for me to see. And I raised my eyes and I saw them. I saw what of every one of the angels looked like and I saw their wings were like birds made out of flames. And it looked as if they were fashioned from burning fire. In that 409

Joseph B. Lumpkin

moment I opened my mouth in praise of The Divine Majesty and said (Ps. 92: 5): “How great are your works, 0 Lord.”

The river of fire or Nehar di-Nur is presented here as a place of resurrection of the angels since their bodies were burnt but the spirit continues and ends up again with God. However, this idea is contradicted in most Jewish mystic writings. It is possible the text here is somehow corrupted or missunderstood.

CHAPTER 48 A

–

Rabbi Ishmael sees the Right Hand of the Most High Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron said to me: (1) come, and I will show you the Right Hand of The Divine Majesty, which He keeps behind Him because of the destruction of the Holy Temple; from which all kinds of splendor and light shine forth and by which the 955 heavens were created; and whom not even the Seraphim and the Ophannim are permitted to experience until the day that salvation shall arrive.

God became inactive because of the destruction of the temple between March and September of 70 A.D. and onward. Why God would choose the sacking of his temple to mark his quiescence might be 410

The Books of Enoch

understood by looking at the reason given for the destruction. If the Jewish people believed themselves to be the only chosen people of God then God must be their protector. To have a heathen army come in and defeat them so soundly, looting and destroying the temple of the God that was supposed to protect them brought into question their position in the divine scheme. Since the fault could not be with God, it must have been with his people. The Jewish nation must have failed God by falling away from Him or sinning badly enough to cause God to turn them over to their enemy. Since this would be a great and grievous sin, God has chosen not to become active, since that would mean having to judge His apostate people. He awaits his people to return to Him in a righteous state.

(2) and I went by his side and he took me by his hand and showed me the Right Hand of The Divine Majesty, with all types of praises, joyous singing. No mouth can articulate its worth, and no eye can look at it because of its greatness, and dignity and its majesty, and splendid beauty. (3) Not only that, but all the souls of the righteous who are counted worthy to see the joy of Jerusalem are standing by it, praising and praying before it three times every day, saying (Is. 51: 9): II Awake, awake, put on strength, 0 arm of the Lord” according for it is written (Is. 63: 12): “He caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses.” (4) In that moment the Right Hand of 4 1 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

The Divine Majesty was weeping. And there flew out from its five fingers, five rivers of tears and fell they flowed down into the great sea and it shook the entire world. For it is written (Is.

24: 19,20): “The earth is utterly broken, the earth is totally dissolved, the earth is moved greatly, the earth shall stagger like a drunken man and shall be moved back and froth like a hut, five times corresponding to the fingers of His Great Right Hand. /I (5) But when the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that there is not a righteous man in that generation, and no pious man on the entire earth, and no men doing justice, and that there is no one like Moses, and no intercessor like Samuel who could pray before The Divine Majesty for the salvation and deliverance of His Kingdom, His great Right Hand was revealed in the entire world that that He put it out from Himself again to work great salvation by it for Israel, (6) then the Holy One, blessed be He, will remember His own justice, favor, mercy and grace, and He will deliver His great Arm by himself, and His righteousness will support Him. For it is written (Is. 59: 16): /I And he saw, that there was no man” that is like Moses who prayed countless times for Israel in the desert and averted the Divine decrees from them

and he wondered

– /I

why there was no intercessor” – like Samuel who entreated the Holy One, blessed be He, and called unto Him and He answered him and fulfilled his desire, even if it did not fit into 4 12

The Books of Enoch

the Divine plan. For it is written (I Sam. 12: 17): “Is it not wheat-harvest today? I will call unto the Lord.” (7) And not only that, but He joined fellowship with Moses in every place, for it is written (Ps. 99: 6): “Moses and Aaron among His priest.” And again it is written, (Jer. 15: 1) “Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me” (Is. 63: 5): “Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me.” (8) The Holy One, blessed be He said at that time, “How long do I have to wait for the children of men to obtain salvation according to their righteousness for My power and authority? For My own sake and for the sake of My worthiness and righteousness will I deliver My power and authority and by it I will redeem my children from among the nations of the world. For it is written (Is. 48: 11): “For My own sake will I do it. For how should My name be profaned.”

At this point, God has waited as long as he wished for Israel to come back to Him in righteousness by their own power. He has decided to take them back from the heathen nations.

(9) In that moment the Holy One, blessed be He, will reveal His Great Power and Authority (Arm) and show it to the nations of the world. Its length is the length of the entire world and its width is the width of the world. And its splendor looks like the splendor of the sunshine in its power in the summer solstice.

4 13

Joseph B. Lumpkin

(10) Then Israel will be saved from among the nations of the world. And Messiah will appear unto them and He will bring them up to Jerusalem with great joy. And not only that but they will eat and drink for they will glorify the Kingdom of Messiah, of the house of David, in the four corners of the world.

This is the time, not for the Messiah of the house of Joseph, but for the Messiah of the house of David. This is the time of war and leadership of the nation in a physical sense.

And the nations of the world will not prevail against them, for it is written (Is. 52: 10): “The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” And again (Deut. 32: 12): “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.” (Zech. 14: 9): “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth.”

“Heaven” is the number 955 using Gematria. The meaning seems to be that of all heavens and all worlds.

414

The Books of Enoch

CHAPTER 48 – B

The Divine Names that go forth from the Throne of Glory and pass through the heavens and back again to the Throne.

Many of the names are not decipherable. Attempting to place the letters into any kind of Latinized form or alphabet made the meanings even more obscure. For this reason, the names that could be interpreted with any certainty were listed. Those that yielded only meaningless letters were marked with only a dash.

These are the seventy-two names written on the heart of the Holy One, Blessed be He: Righteousness, – , Righteous (one) -, Lord of Host, God Almighty, God, YHWH – – – Living (one)

Riding upon the Araboth (highest heaven), – Life Giver – King of Kings, Holy One – – Holy, Holy, Holy, – – – Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever, – – Complete, King of the Universe, – – The beginning of Wisdom for the children of men, – -. Blessed be He who gives strength to the weary and increases strength to them that have no might, (Is.

40:29) that go forth adorned with many flaming crowns with many flames, with innumerable crowns of chashmal (celestial substance), with many, many crowns of lightning from before the Throne of Glory. And with them there are hundreds of hundreds of powerful angels who escort them like a king with 415

Joseph B. Lumpkin

trembling and dread, with amazement and shivering, with honor and majesty and fear, terror, greatness and dignity, and with glory and power, with wisdom and knowledge and with a pillar of fire and flame and lightning – and their light is as lightning flashesof light – and with the likeness of the chashmal (the substance of heaven). (2) And they give glory to them and they answer and cry before them, ” Holy, Holy, Holy.” And they lead them in a single line through every heaven as powerful and honorable princes. And when they bring them all back to the place of the Throne of Glory, then all the Chayoth by the Merkaba (chariot) open their mouth in praise of His glorious name, saying: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.”

CHAPTER 48 C

–

An Enoch-Metatron piece.

(1)”1 seized him, and 1 took him and 1 appointed him” – that is Enoch, the son of Jared, whose name is Metatron (2) and 1 took him from among the children of men (5) and made him a Throne over near and beside My Throne. What is the size of that Throne? Seventy-thousand parasangs all of fire. (9) 1

committed to him 70 angels symbolizing the nations of the 4 16

The Books of Enoch

world and I gave into his authority all the household above and below. (7) And I imparted to him Wisdom and Intelligence more than all the angels. And I called his name the LESSER

II

YAH”, whose name is by Gematria 71 .

To refresh memory, Gematria was the ancient art of numerologtJ.

Each letter is given a number, usually determined by where it occurs in the alphabet. Numbers go from one to nine, then from ten to ninety, and, if there were enough letters, from one hundred to nine hundred. However, there are only 22 letters. Numbers are then summed. When the numbers are added they total seventy-one.

And I arranged all the works of creation for him. And I made him more powerful than all the ministering angels. (3) He gave Metatron – that is Enoch, the son of Jared – the authority over all the storehouses and treasuries, and appointed him over all the stores (reserves) in every heaven. And I assigned the keys of each store into him. (4) I made him the prince over all the princes and a minister of the Throne of Glory and the Halls of Araboth (the highest heaven). I appointed him over the Holy Chayoth for him to open their doors of the Throne of Glory to me, to exalt and arrange it, and I gave to him wreathe crowns to place upon their heads. I sent him to the majestic Ophannim, to crown them with strength and glory. I sent him to the 417

Joseph B. Lumpkin

honored Cherubim, to clothe them in majesty covered with radiant sparks, to make them to shine with splendor and bright light over the flaming Seraphim, to cover them with highness. I sent him to the Chashmallim of light, to make them radiant with light and to prepare the seat for me every morning as I sit upon the Throne of Glory. I have given him the secrets above and below, which are the heavenly secrets and earthly secrets so that he can praise and magnify my glory in the height of my power). (5) I made him higher than all. The height of his stature stood out in the midst of all who are of high of stature. I made seventy thousand parasangs. I made his Throne great by the majesty of my Throne. And I increased its glory by the honor of My glory. (6) I transformed his flesh into torches of fire, and all the bones of his body into burning coals; and I made his eyes look like lightning, and the light of his eyebrows as a light that will never be quenched. I made his face as bright as the splendor of the sun, and his eyes like the splendor of the Throne of Glory.

The description of Me tatron is that of an angel and specifically a Seraphim, who is a fiery creature. A wreathe means victory.

(7) I made his clothing honor and majesty, beauty and highness. I covered him with a cloak and a crown of a size of 4 18

The Books of Enoch

500 by 500 parasangs and this was his diadem. And I put My honor, My majesty and the splendor of My glory that is on My Throne of Glory upon him. I called him the “LESSER YHWH,”

the Prince of the Presence, the Knower of Secrets:. I revealed every secret to him as a father and as a friend, and all mysteries I spoke to him in truth. (8) I set up his throne at the door of My Hall that he may sit and judge the heavenly household on high.

And I made every prince subject to him, so that they will receive his authority and perform his will. (9) I took Seventy names from my names and called him by them to enhance his glory. I placed Seventy princes into his hand so that he can command them to do my laws and obey my words in every language. And the proud will be brought to the ground by his word, and by the speech of his mouth he will exalt the humble to high places. He is to strike kings by his speech, to turn kings away from their own plans, and he is to set up the rulers over their dominion for it is written (Dan. 51: 21): and he changes II

the times and the seasons, “and to give wisdom unto all the wise of the world and understanding and knowledge to all who understand (Dan. 51: 21): “and knowledge to them that know understanding.” He is to reveal to them the secrets of my words and to teach them the command of my judgment in righteousness.

4 19

Joseph B. Lumpkin

God is the God of the universe. He is the God of all. His names are infinite. Names reveal power, authority, personality traits, and character. Metatron is given authority over the nations. There are 70

nations and Metatron has 70 names.

(10) It is written (Is. 55: 11): “so shall My word be that goes forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that which I please.” I shall accomplish that which is not written here, but ” he shall accomplish. Every word and every speech that goes out from the Holy One, blessed be He, Metatron stands and carries out. And he establishes the orders of the Holy One, blessed be He. (11)

“And he shall make to prosper that which I sent.” I will make to prosper what is not written here but he shall make to prosper teaching, that whatever decree proceeds from the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning a man, as soon as he makes repentance, they do not execute it upon him but they execute it upon another wicked man, for it is written (Prov. 9:8): “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked comes in his place.”

If a man repents and is no longer wicked, the angels inflicts his punishment on a person who is still wicked and has not repented 420

The Books of Enoch

(12) And not only that but Metatron sits three hours every day in the high heavens, and he gathers all the souls of those dead who died in their mothers womb, and the nursing baby who died on their mother’s breast, and of the scholars who died over the five books of the Law. And he brings them under the Throne of Glory and places them in companies, divisions and classes round the Presence, and there he teaches them the Law, and the books of Wisdom, and Haggada and Tradition and completes their education for them. It is written (Is. 28: 9)

“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand tradition? Them that are weaned from the milk and draw from the breast.”

Ancient Jews viewed learning as one way to approach God. To study the Torah is almost as good as worship and prayer. Unborn, sucklings, those who die while studying the Torah are guiltless.

CHAPTER 48 D

–

The names of Metatron.

The names fall into three major categories, those which are built upon the name “EI, ” those that are based on the name “Metatron, ” and those based on the name “Yah. ” The reader will notice the letters EL, 42 1

Joseph B. Lumpkin

ON, and YAH or YA in the names. Although the text states there are 70 names, there are in fact 1 05 names listed. The Latinized version of the 1 928 work is referenced in this list however the parsing and pronunciations are unique to this work in order to accent the holy names found within most of the 105 names ..

(l)Seventy names has Metatron which the Holy One, blessed be He, took from His own name and put upon him. And these they are: 1 Yeho-EL Yah, 2 Yeho-EL, 3 Yofi-EL and 4 Yophphi

EL, and 5 Hafifi-EL and 6 Margezi-EL, 7 Gippyu-EL, 8 Pahazi

EL, 9 Hahah, 10 Pepri-EL, 11 Tatri-EL, 12 Tabki-EL, 13 Haw, 14

YHWH, 15 Dah 16, WHYH, 17 Hebed, 18 DiburiEL, 19

Hafhapi-EL, 20 Spi-EL, 21 Paspasi-EL, 22 Senetron, 23

Metatron, 24 Sogdin, 25 HadriGon, 26 Asum, 27 Sakhpam, 28

Sakhtam, 29 Mig-on, 30 Mitt-on, 31 Mot-tron, 32 Rosfim, 33

Khinoth, 34 KhataTiah, 35 Degaz-Yah, 36 Pisf-YaH, 37

Habiskin-Yah, 38 Mixar, 39 Barad, 40 Mikirk, 41 Mispird, 42

Khishig, 43 Khishib, 44 Minret, 45 Bisyrym, 46 Mitmon, 47

Titmon 48 Piskhon, 49 SafsafYah, 50 Zirkhi, 51 ZirkhYah 52 ‘B’, 53 Be-Yah, 54 HiBhbe-Yah, 55 Pelet, 56 Pit-Yah, 57 Rabrab-YaH, 58 Khas, 59 Khas-Yah, 60 Tafaf-Yah, 61 Tamtam-Yah, 62 Sehas

Yah, 63 Hirhur-Yah, 64 Halhal-Yah, 65 Bazrld-Yah, 66 Satsatk

Yah, 67 Sasd-Yah, 68 Razraz-Yah, 69 BaZzraz-Yah, 70 Harim

Yah, 71 Sibh-Yah, 72 Sibibkh-Yah, 73 Simkam, 74 Yah-Se-Yah, 422

The Books of Enoch

75 Sibib-Yah, 76 Sabkasbe-Yah, 77 khelil-khil-Yah, 78 Kih, 79

HHYH, 80 WH, 81 WHYH, (letters in the holy YHWH) 82

Zakik-Yah, 83 Turtis-Yah, 84 Sur-Yah, 85 Zeh, 86 Penir-Yah, 87

ZihZih, 88 Galraza-Yah, 89 Mamlik-Yah, 90 Hitt-Yah, 91

Hemekh, 92 Kham-Yah, 93 Mekaper-Yah, 94 Perish-Yah, 95

Sefam, 96 Gibir, 97 Gibor-Yah, 98 Gor, 99 Gor-Yah, 100 Ziw, 101

Hokbar, the 102 LESSER YHWH, after the name of his Master, (Ex. 23: 21) “for My name is in him” ,103 Rabibi-EL, 104

TUMIEL, 105 Segansakkiel, the Prince of Wisdom.

(2) And why is he called by the name Sagnesakiel? Because all the storehouses of wisdom are committed in to his hand. (3) And all of them were opened to Moses on Sinai, so that he learned them during the forty days, while he remained. He learned the Torah in the seventy ways it applies to the seventy nations, and the Prophets and the seventy application of the seventy tongues, the writings in the seventy variations of the seventy tongues, the Halakas (Jewish law and ritual) in the seventy applications of the seventy nations, the Traditions in the seventy aspects of the seventy nations, the Haggadas (Passover Seder) in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues and the Toseftas (Secondary compilation of Jewish oral laws) in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues. (4) But as soon as the forty days were completed, he forgot all of them in one 423

Joseph B. Lumpkin

moment. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, called Yephiphyah, the Prince of the Law, and (through him) they were given to Moses as a gift, for it is written (Deut. 10:4): “and the Lord gave them to me.” And after that it remained with him. And how do we know that it remained in his memory?

Because it is written (Mal. 55: 4): “Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even my statues and judgments.” ‘The Law of Moses’: that is the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings, ‘statues’: that is the Halakas and Traditions, ‘judgments’; that is the Haggadas and the Toseftas. And all of them were given to Moses on high on Sinai. (5) These seventy names are a reflection of the Explicit names and given to the name of Metatron: seventy Names of His by which the ministering angels call the King of the kings of kings, blessed be He, in the high heavens, and twenty-two letters (of the Hebrew alphabet) that are on the ring placed on his finger with which are sealed the destinies of the high, powerful and great princes of kingdoms and with which are sealed along with the future of the Angel of Death, and the destinies of every nation and tongue. (6) Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence said; the Angel who is the Prince of the Wisdom and the Angel who the Prince of the Understanding, and the Angel who the Prince of the Kings, and the Angel who the Prince of the Rulers, and 424

The Books of Enoch

the angel who is the Prince of the Glory, and the angel who is the Prince of the high ones and of the princes, all of which are the exalted, greatly honored ones in heaven and on earth: (7)

“YHWH, the God of Israel, is my witness that I revealed this secret to Moses and when I did all the host all the high heavens were enraged against me. (8) They asked me, saying, “Why do you reveal this secret to a son of man, born of woman, who is tainted and unclean, a man of the putrefying drop? You gave him the secret by which heaven and earth, sea and land, mountains and hills, rivers and springs, Gehenna of fire and hail, the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life were all created and by which Adam and Eve, and the cattle, and the wild beasts, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and Behemoth and Leviathan, and the crawling things, the snakes, the dragons of the sea, and the creeping things of the deserts; and Torah and Wisdom and Knowledge and Thought and the imparted knowledge and the Gnosis of things above and of heaven and the fear of heaven were all created. Why did you reveal this to flesh and blood? I answered them: Because the Holy One, blessed be He, has given me authority. And furthermore, I have obtained permission from the high and exalted throne, from which all the Explicit names go forth with lightning and fire and flaming chashrnallim.

425

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Verse 7 makes a statement that when the complete gnosis or revealed knowledge was given to Moses (through Metatron) all the heavenly host was enraged at the act. This Knowledge was not even available to all the host of heaven but was given to a human. Verse 8 asks the question in a direct and insulting way. To slightly paraphrase, it asked, “Why did You give the secrets of creation to this human who was conceived by a woman, through the transfer of semen, which spoils and putrefies and then gives birth, when blood from birth and menses is considered unclean, as is the woman herself for a time after

{l ritual cleansing. In light of this, all the heavenly hosts consider humans to be inferior, unclean, animals. Still, God chose to transmit to Moses the secret gnosis of creation.

Behemoth is the primal unconquerable monster of the land. Leviathan is the primal monster of the waters of the sea. Ziz is their counterpart in the sky. There is a legend that the Leviathan and tire Behemoth shall hold a battle at the end of the world. The two will finally kill each other, and the surviving men will feast on their meat. Behemoth also appears in the 1 Enoch, giving a description of this monster’ s origins there mentioned as being male, as opposed to the female Leviathan.

See Job, chapter 40 for further information.

(9) But they (the hosts) were not appeased or satisfied, until the Holy One, blessed be He, scorned them and drove them away from Him with contempt and said to them: “I delight in him, and have set my love on him, and have entrusted to him and 426

The Books of Enoch

given unto Metatron, my Servant, and I have given to him alone, for he is Unique among all the children of heaven. (10) And Metatron brought them out from his house and storehouses and gave these secrets to Moses, and Moses gave them to Joshua, and Joshua gave them to the elders, and the elders to gave them the prophets and the men of the Great Synagogue, and the men of the Great Synagogue gave them to Ezra and Ezra the Scribe gave them to Hillel the elder, and Hillel the elder gave them to Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Abbahu to Rabbi Zera, and Rabbi Zera to the men of faith, and the men of faith gave them to give warning and to heal by them all disease that ravaged the world, for it is written (Ex. 15: 26): ” If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, and will do that which is right in His eyes, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all his statues, I will put none of the disease upon you, which I have put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that heals you.”

(Ended and finished. Praise be unto the Creator of the W arId.) Hillel was said to be one of the greatest and wisest Rabbis.

427

Joseph B. Lumpkin