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Jubilees echoes the story in 1 Enoch about the Watchers teaching forbidden knowledge to humans but focuses on astrology, omitting other sins like violence or sorcery. In both, these teachings are portrayed as a primary contribution to human corruption.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Enoch 8:3
Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
2 Widespread wickedness arose, and they engaged in fornication, were led astray, and corrupted all their ways. 3 Semjâzâ taught spells and the cutting of roots, Armârôs taught how to break spells, Barâqîjâl taught astrology, Kôkabêl taught about the constellations, Êzêqêêl taught about the clouds, Araqiêl taught the signs of the earth, Shamsiêl taught the signs of the sun, and Sariêl taught the course of the moon. 4 And as men died, they cried out, and their cries ascended to heaven.
Date: 300 BCE – 100 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Jubilees 8:3
Pseudepigrapha, Hebrew Bible Expansions
2 And the son grew, and his father taught him writing, and he went to seek for himself a place where he might seize for himself a city. 3 And he found a writing which former (generations) had carved on the rock, and he read what was on it, and he transcribed it and sinned owing to it; for it contained the teaching of the Watchers in accordance with which they used to observe the omens of the sun and moon and stars in all the signs of heaven. 4 And he wrote it down and said nothing regarding it; for he was afraid to speak to Noah about it lest he should be angry with him on account of it.
Date: 170–125 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... After Kainan was instructed in the art of writing (Jubilees 8:2), he found an inscription on a rock that described the astrological teachings of the watchers “by which they used to observe the omens of the sun, moon, and stars, and every heavenly sign” (Jubilees 8:3). these signs were probably used to predict the future. Kainan copied these instructions from the stone “and sinned on the basis of what was in it.” The teachings of the Watchers contrast with the teachings of the patriarchs, which were received from the angels. as far as the astrological teachings of the watchers are concerned, the author is probably referring to an Enochic tradition. In 1 Enoch 6–11 the Watchers are not only involved in illicit sexual practices and violence, but they are also involved in astrological teachings. 1 Enoch 8:3 says, “Barakiel taught astrologers, and Kokabel portents, and Tamiel taught astrology and Asradel taught the path of the moon.” If Jubilees is referring here to the Enochic tradition, it is remarkable that of all the illicit angelic instructions of the watchers mentioned in the book of the Watchers (metalworking, cosmetics, sorcery, pharmacology, spellbinding, and celestial divination) Jubilees includes only one ..."
Jacques T. A. G. M. van Ruiten, Abraham in the Book of Jubilees: The Rewriting of Genesis 11:26–25:10 in the Book of Jubilees 11:14–23:8, JSJSup 161 (Leiden: Brill, 2012), 42–43.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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