1 Enoch

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Chapter 65

1 In those days, Noah observed that the earth had sunk down and its destruction was near. 2 He arose from there and went to the ends of the earth, crying out to his grandfather Enoch: and Noah said three times in a distressed voice: 'Hear me, hear me, hear me.' 3 I asked him: 'What is happening on the earth that it is in such a bad state and shaking, for I fear I will perish with it?' 4 At that moment, there was a great turmoil on the earth, a voice was heard from heaven, and I fell on my face. 5 My grandfather Enoch came and stood beside me, and asked me: 'Why have you cried out to me so bitterly and with tears?' 6 A decree has been issued from the Lord concerning those who dwell on the earth: their destruction is certain because they have learned all the secrets of the angels, the violence of the Satans, their most hidden powers, and all the power of those who practice sorcery and witchcraft,⁠ and those who make molten images across the earth. 7 He explained how silver is extracted from the dust of the earth, and how soft metal originates from within the earth. 8 'For lead and tin are not produced from the earth like silver: they come from a source that produces them, and an angel presides over it, and that angel is pre-eminent.' 9 Afterwards, my grandfather Enoch took me by the hand, raised me up, and said to me: 'Go, for I have inquired of the Lord of Spirits about this upheaval on the earth.'⁠ 10 He told me: 'Because of their wickedness, their judgment has been determined and shall not be withheld by Me forever. Because of the sorceries they have discovered and mastered, the earth and those who dwell upon it shall be destroyed.' 11 'These individuals have no chance for repentance forever, because they have revealed what was hidden, and they are doomed. But as for you, my son, the Lord of Spirits knows you are pure and blameless concerning these secrets.' 12 'He has ordained your name to be among the holy, and will keep you among those who dwell on the earth, and has destined your righteous descendants for kingship and great honors, and from your seed shall emerge a fountain of the righteous and holy without number forever.'

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 65:6 and 3 Enoch 5:8

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

Summary

In 1 Enoch, forbidden knowledge of magic and metalwork leads to divine punishment. In 3 Enoch, angels teach magic that brings the stars down to serve idols, expanding this tradition of forbidden knowledge leading to idolatry.

Passages

1 Enoch 65:6

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

6 A decree has been issued from the Lord concerning those who dwell on the earth: their destruction is certain because they have learned all the secrets of the angels, the violence of the Satans, their most hidden powers, and all the power of those who practice sorcery and witchcraft, and those who make molten images across the earth. 7 He explained how silver is extracted from the dust of the earth, and how soft metal originates from within the earth. 8 'For lead and tin are not produced from the earth like silver: they come from a source that produces them, and an angel presides over it, and that angel is pre-eminent.'

300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

3 Enoch 5:8

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Hebrew Book of Enoch

8 And they brought down the sun, the moon, planets and constellations, and placed them before the idols on their right hand and on their left, to attend them even as they attend the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written (1 Kings xxii. 19): "And all the host of heaven was standing by him on his right hand and on his left". 9 What power was in them that they were able to bring them down? They would not have been able to bring them down but for 'Uzza, 'Azza and 'Azziel who taught them sorceries by which they brought them down and made use of them.

400–600 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 3 Enoch

References

“... 8:4; Wisd 13: 10).58 Moreover, the later Enochic Similitudes clearly in- terprets AsaePs metallurgical teaching in BW&s occasioning the practice of idolatry. Here, Enoch tells Noah: A command has gone forth from the presence of the Lord of spirits concerning those who dwell on earth, because they have learned all the secrets of the angels, and all the wrong-doings of the satans, and all their secret powers, and all the powers of those who practice sorcery, and the power of spells, and the power of those who make molten images of every created thing, and further how silver comes forth out of the dust of the earth and how soft metal originates in the earth (1 Enoch 65:6- 7).59 The assertion that Uzzah, Azzah, and Azael taught cosmologically-or- iented sorceries to humanity also evokes the other topics of illicit teach- ing attributed to the fallen angels in B W. In 1 Enoch 7: 1, the Watchers are said to teach their wives "sorcery and spells and ... the cutting of roots and herbs." Similarly, 1 Enoch 8:3 depicts Semihazah and Her- moni teaching "spell-binding, the cutting of roots ... the loosing of spells, magic, sorcery, and sophistry" (also 9 : 7), while angels with celes- tial and meteorological names teach auguries of lightening, stars, fire- balls, earth, sun, and moon (8 : 3).60 ...”

Annette Yoshiko Reed, “From Asael and Semihazah to Uzzah, Azzah, and Azael: 3 Enoch 5 (§§7–8) and Jewish Reception-History of 1 Enoch,” (2001): 121.

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

1 Enoch108 chapters

Compare 1 Enoch 65:6 and 3 Enoch 5:8

Summary

Passages

1 Enoch 65:6

3 Enoch 5:8

References

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