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1 Enoch

About this book
Chapter 9

1 Then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven⁠ and saw much blood being shed on the earth, and all the lawlessness being committed on the earth.⁠ 2 They said to one another: 'The earth, left without inhabitants, cries out, and the voice of their crying reaches the gates of heaven.'⁠ 3 'And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men plead, saying, "Present our case before the Most High."'⁠ 4 They said to the Lord of the ages:⁠ 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings,⁠ and God of the ages,⁠ the throne of Your glory stands through all generations,⁠ and Your name is holy and glorious and blessed through all ages!⁠ 5 You have created all things, and over all things You have power. All things are open and visible in Your sight, and You see everything, and nothing can hide from You.⁠ 6 You see what Azâzêl has done, who has taught all unrighteousness on the earth and revealed the eternal secrets that were kept in heaven,⁠ which men were eager to learn.⁠ 7 And Semjâzâ, to whom You gave the authority to rule over his companions. 8 They have gone to the daughters of men on the earth, have lain with the women, have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. 9 The women have borne giants, and as a result the whole earth has been filled with blood and unrighteousness. 10 And now the souls of those who have died are crying out and pleading at the gates of heaven, and their laments have risen up; they cannot stop because of the lawless acts committed on the earth.⁠ 11 You know all things before they happen, and You see these things and allow them, and You do not tell us what we should do about them.'⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 9:6 and Apocalypse of Abraham 14:4

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

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Summary

In 1 Enoch, the archangels accuse Azazel, telling God that he taught forbidden heavenly knowledge on earth. In the Apocalypse of Abraham, Abraham makes the same accusation against Azazel to his face.

Passages

1 Enoch 9:6

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
6 You see what Azâzêl has done, who has taught all unrighteousness on the earth and revealed the eternal secrets that were kept in heaven, which men were eager to learn. 7 And Semjâzâ, to whom You gave the authority to rule over his companions. 8 They have gone to the daughters of men on the earth, have lain with the women, have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. 9 The women have borne giants, and as a result the whole earth has been filled with blood and unrighteousness. 10 And now the souls of those who have died are crying out and pleading at the gates of heaven, and their laments have risen up; they cannot stop because of the lawless acts committed on the earth.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Apocalypse of Abraham 14:4

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
2 And he said: "Know from now on that the Eternal One has chosen you, (He) whom you love; 3 take courage and use this authority, as I instruct you, against the one who slanders truth; 4 should I not be able to shame the one who has scattered over the earth the secrets of heaven and has rebelled against the Mighty One? 5 Say to him: Be the burning coal of the Furnace of the earth; go, Azazel, into the inaccessible parts of the earth; 6 [for your inheritance is (to be) over those who exist with you and are born with the stars and clouds, with the men who have you as their portion, and (who) exist through your being; 7 and your hostility is justification. So disappear from my presence through your own destruction."
70–150 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Apocalypse of Abraham

References

“... A close parallel to our text exists in 1 Enoch ix. 6: “See what Azazel hath done, how he hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed th e secret things of the world which were wrought in the heavens. ...”
G. H. Box with J. I. Landsman, The Apocalypse of Abraham (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1918), PDF 34.

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 9:6 and Apocalypse of Abraham 14:4

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