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1 Enoch

About this book
Chapter 5

1 Observe how the trees clothe themselves in green leaves and produce fruit: therefore, pay attention and understand all His creations, and realize how the Eternal One has made them so.⁠ 2 And all His works continue year after year forever, and all the tasks they perform for Him, and their tasks do not change, but happen just as God has decreed. 3 And see how the sea and the rivers also fulfill their tasks unchangingly according to His commands.⁠ 4 But you have not remained faithful, nor have you obeyed the Lord's commandments. Instead, you have turned away and spoken arrogantly and harshly with your impure mouths against His greatness. Oh, you stubborn-hearted, you will find no peace.⁠ 5 Therefore, you will curse your own days, and the years of your life will vanish, and the years of your doom will increase in eternal condemnation, and you will find no mercy. 6 In those days, your names will become a curse forever to all the righteous, and all who curse will use your name, and all the sinners and the godless will swear by your name.⁠ And all the righteous will rejoice, and there will be forgiveness of sins, and every kind of mercy and peace and tolerance: There will be salvation for them, a splendid light. And for you sinners, there will be no salvation, but a curse will remain on you all. 7 And for you, the godless, there will be a curse. But for the chosen, there will be light, joy, and peace, and they shall inherit the earth.⁠ 8 And then wisdom will be granted to the chosen, and they will all live and never sin again, neither through ungodliness nor through pride; but those who are wise will be humble.⁠ 9 And they will not transgress again, nor will they sin all the days of their life, nor will they die of divine anger or fury, but they will complete the number of their days. And their lives will be lengthened in peace, and the years of their joy will be multiplied, in eternal happiness and peace, all the days of their life.

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 5:7 and Jubilees 23:29

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Pseudepigrapha, Hebrew Bible Expansions

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Summary

Jubilees incorporates apocalyptic language of renewal also found in 1 Enoch, describing long lifespans, peace, healing, and the removal of evil. This imagery reflects a wider tradition that is based on prophetic texts such as Isaiah.

Passages

1 Enoch 5:7

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
6 In those days, your names will become a curse forever to all the righteous, and all who curse will use your name, and all the sinners and the godless will swear by your name. And all the righteous will rejoice, and there will be forgiveness of sins, and every kind of mercy and peace and tolerance: There will be salvation for them, a splendid light. And for you sinners, there will be no salvation, but a curse will remain on you all. 7 And for you, the godless, there will be a curse. But for the chosen, there will be light, joy, and peace, and they shall inherit the earth. 8 And then wisdom will be granted to the chosen, and they will all live and never sin again, neither through ungodliness nor through pride; but those who are wise will be humble.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Jubilees 23:29

Pseudepigrapha, Hebrew Bible Expansions
27 And the days shall begin to grow many and increase among those human beings Until their days approach to one thousand years. And to a greater number of years than (before) was the number of the days. 28 And there shall be no old man Nor one who has reached the end of his life, For all shall be (as) children and youths. 29 And they shall complete all their days and live in peace and in joy, And there shall be no Satan nor any evil destroyer; For all their days shall be days of blessing and healing. 30 And at that time the Lord will heal His servants, And they shall rise up and see great peace, And drive out their adversaries. And the righteous shall see and be thankful, And rejoice with joy forever and ever, And shall see all their judgments and all their curses on their enemies.
170–125 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Jubilees

References

"... As we have seen, the reason for the world being out of joint is in many instances human sin. There is a solidarity between humanity and the natural world, and human sin profoundly affects the creation. Consequently, cosmic transformation or new creation requires human transformation. This is reflected in a number of the texts (1 Enoch 5:4-10, Jubilees 23:26-31, 4 Ezra 6:25-28, 2 Baruch 73:1-7). The most common feature of the apocalypses is the vision of the imminent judgment of the wicked and the world. This judgment is often described in terms reminiscent of the flood story in Genesis (1 Enoch 10:16-11:2; 107:1-3, LAE 49:3, LAB 3:10). The imagery most commonly applies to the description of the high degree of wickedness in the end time similar to that at the time of the flood. Sometimes, however, the flood serves as a type of new creation or renewal of the world. In these passages, the flood not only functions as a judgment but also brings renewal and the cleansing of the world ... The renewal of the world involves the absence of evil and suffering, brings about healing and entails fertility and nutritional abundance. The absence of evil involves a conquering of the evil forces in the world. This aspect is especially important in Jubilees, where Satan and demons lead people astray and persuade them to sin (Jubilees 10:1-5; 11:4-5, 7-8; 15:31-32; 48:9-12, 15-18). They also cause physical illness (Jubilees 10:11-12). It is therefore an important point in the eschatological vision of Jubilee that “there will be no Satan and no evil one” (Jubilees 23:29) ..."
Christian Holmgaard, “On Earth as It Is in Heaven: New Creation in Matthew's Gospel” (PhD diss., Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2018), 83–84.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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1 Enoch 5:7 and Jubilees 23:29

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