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Ezekiel describes a towering cedar in the garden of God surpassing all the trees of Eden. 1 Enoch echoes this garden tradition, where Enoch is shown a fragrant tree on the cosmic mountain whose leaves and fruit never wither.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Ezekiel 31:8
Hebrew Bible
7 It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters. 8 The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it, nor could the fir trees match its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches; no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty. 9 I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.
1 Enoch 24:4
Pseudepigrapha
3 The seventh mountain was in the midst of these, and it was the tallest, resembling the seat of a throne, with fragrant trees encircling the throne. 4 Among these trees was one that I had never smelled before, unlike any other; it had a scent beyond all scents, and its leaves, blooms, and wood never wither; its fruit was beautiful and resembled the dates of a palm. 5 Then I said: 'How beautiful is this tree, and fragrant, with fair leaves and blooms very delightful in appearance.'
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Notes and References
“... 1 Enoch 24:4-25:5 contains a tradition about the trees in the primal garden that is related to Ezekiel 31:2-9; 28:1-19; 47:6-12; see 2 Enoch 32:2-6 (where Enoch is shown the tree of knowledge from which Adam and Eve ate). 2 Enoch 8:1-3 describes Enoch’s visit to the third heaven, where the tree of life stands among the other fruitful and fragrant trees. 4 Ezra 7:123 mentions the revelation of Paradise and the incorruptible, abundant, and healing-promoting fruit it contains, but the tree of life itself is not mentioned. And in 4 Ezra 8:52 we read ‘it is for you that paradise is opened, the tree of life is planted, the age to come is prepared, a city is built, rest is appointed.’ ...”
* 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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