Texts in Conversation
In Daniel, a fiery river flows beside the throne where judgment begins. In 3 Enoch, an angel guards the river and brings the records of human lives to God, giving the heavenly judgment a staff with assigned duties.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Daniel 7:10
Hebrew Bible
9 “While I was watching, thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His attire was white like snow; the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool. His throne was ablaze with fire, and its wheels were all aflame. 10 A river of fire was streaming forth and proceeding from his presence. Many thousands were ministering to him; many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. The court convened, and the books were opened. 11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into the flaming fire.
3 Enoch 18:19
Hebrew Book of Enoch
Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
And when he sees SOTHER 'ASHIEL H', the prince, the great, fearful and honoured one, he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face. Why is he called Sother Ashiel? Because he is appointed over the four heads of the fiery river over against the Throne of Glory; and every single prince who goes out or enters before the Shekina, goes out or enters only by his permission. For the seals of the fiery river are entrusted to him. And furthermore, his height is 7000 myriads of parasangs. And he stirs up the fire of the river; and he goes out and enters before the Shekina to expound what is written (recorded) concerning the inhabitants of the world. According as it is written (Dan. vii. 10): "the judgement was set, and the books were opened".
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Notes and References
“... 1. Theophanies: The visions of the Merkabah in Ezekiel 1; 3:12-15, 22-24; 8:1-4;
10:1-22; and 43:1-7 were their basic texts. These provided them with such fundamental
elements as the Merkabah (3En 1:1, 5-7); the wheels (ophanim; 3En 25); the four creatures
(hayyot; 3En 20f.); the throne of glory (3En 1:10,12); the hasmal (3En 36:2,7); the cherubim
(3En 22). Daniel 7:9-10 and Isaiah 6 were incorporated into Ezekiel's picture. Daniel 7
records a vision of God seated on a fiery throne which has wheels of flame. It furnishes the
additional motifs of the heavenly law court (3En 28:7), the River of Fire (3En 18:19-21;
19:4; 33:4; 36:1-2; 37:1), and the hosts of attendant angels (cf. 3En 19:6). Isaiah 6 contains
a vision of God seated on a high and exalted throne (cf. 3En 26:12). Isaiah 6 contributes
to the total picture the seraphim (3En 26) and the QeduSSah (3En 1:12; 20:2). Note also the
vision of heaven in 1 Kings 22:19-22, in which the Lord is seen seated on his throne with
all the array of heaven standing before him. Ezekiel employs the language of the nature
theophanies ("fire, lightning, storm") to express the appearance of God's glory. The
Merkabah texts expand this imagery by drawing on other Old Testament accounts of nature
theophanies, particularly God's appearance to Israel at Sinai (Ex 19:16-18; cf. IKgs 19:11-
13; Pss 18:7-15 and 97:2-5). For combinations of these elements see 3 Enoch 34 and 37. ...”
Philip S. Alexander
"3 (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch" in James H. Charlesworth (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 1
(p. 246) Doubleday, 1983
* 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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