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1 Enoch

About this book
Chapter 8

1 And Azâzêl taught men⁠ to make swords, knives, shields, and breastplates, and revealed to them the metals of the earth⁠ and how to work with them,⁠ as well as how to make bracelets, ornaments, and the use antimony, beautifying the eyelids, along with all kinds of precious stones and various dyes.⁠ 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.

Texts in conversation

Compare Isaiah 3:18 and 1 Enoch 8:1

Hebrew Bible · Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

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Summary

1 Enoch 8 describes how one of the Watchers teaches humans to craft jewelry, cosmetics, and dyed garments, linking these to the spread of corruption. This alludes to Isaiah 3, where a long list of women's ornaments is referenced in judgment.

Passages

Isaiah 3:18

Hebrew Bible
16 The Lord says, “The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. 17 So the Lord will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women with skin diseases; the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.” 18 At that time the Lord will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent-shaped ornaments, 19 earrings, bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets, 21 rings, nose rings, 22 festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses,
740–450 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Isaiah

1 Enoch 8:1

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
1 And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, knives, shields, and breastplates, and revealed to them the metals of the earth and how to work with them, as well as how to make bracelets, ornaments, and the use antimony, beautifying the eyelids, along with all kinds of precious stones and various dyes. 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.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

References

"... 1 Enoch 8:1-2 ... Asael also taught men how to obtain and work materials useful for the beautification of women: silver, gold, and precious stones for jewelry and ornaments; minerals for eye paint; dyes for colored garments. Although the Bible can mention fine clothing and ornaments for women without disparagement (compare Ezekiel 16:10-14), the classical reference to these things occurs in a scathing denunciation of the seductive conduct of the women of Jerusalem (Isaiah 3:16-24). As the end of the present verse indicates, these connotations are here also ..."
George W. E. Nickelsburg, A Commentary on the Book of 1 Enoch Chapters 1-36, 81-108 (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001), 194.

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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Isaiah 3:18 and 1 Enoch 8:1

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