1 Enoch (Ethiopic) Parallel Translations

XV

1And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: 'Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous 2man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. And go, say to the Watchers of heaven, who have sent thee to intercede for them: "You should intercede" for men, and not men 3for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children 4of earth, and begotten giants [as your] sons? And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten [children] with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die 5and perish. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget 6children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. But you were formerly 7spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 8And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon 9the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; 10they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. {As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.} And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless 12hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.

15

15:1 Then addressing me, He spoke and said, Hear, neither be afraid, O righteous Enoch, you scribe of righteousness: approach hither, and hear my voice. Go, say to the Watchers of heaven, who have sent you to pray for them, You ought to pray for men, and not men for you.

15:2 Wherefore have you forsaken the lofty and holy heaven, which endures for ever, and have lain with women; have defile yourselves with the daughters of men; have taken to yourselves wives; have acted like the sons of the earth, and have begotten an impious offspring? (23)

(23) An impious offspring. Literally, "giants" (Charles, p. 82; Knibb, p. 101).

15:3 You being spiritual, holy, and possessing a life which is eternal, have polluted yourselves with women; have begotten in carnal blood; have lusted in the blood of men; and have done as those [who are] flesh and blood do.

15:4 These however die and perish.

15:5 Therefore have I given to them wives, that they might cohabit with them; that sons might be born of them; and that this might be transacted upon earth.

15:6 But you from the beginning were made spiritual, possessing a life which is eternal, and not subject to death for ever.

15:7 Therefore I made not wives for you, because, being spiritual, your dwelling is in heaven.

15:8 Now the giants, who have been born of spirit and of flesh, shall be called upon earth evil spirits, and on earth shall be their habitation. Evil spirits shall proceed from their flesh, because they were created from above; from the holy Watchers was their beginning and primary foundation. Evil spirits shall they be upon earth, and the spirits of the wicked shall they be called. The habitation of the spirits of heaven shall be in heaven; but upon earth shall be the habitation of terrestrial spirits, who are born on earth. (24)

(24) Note the many implications of vss. 3-8 regarding the progeny of evil spirits.

15:9 The spirits of the giants [shall be like] clouds, (25) which shall oppress, corrupt, fall, content, and bruise upon earth.

(25) The Greek word for "clouds" here, nephelas, may disguise a more ancient reading, Napheleim (Nephilim).

15:10 They shall cause lamentation. No food shall they eat; and they shall be thirsty; they shall be concealed, and shall not (26) rise up against the sons of men, and against women; for they come forth during the days of slaughter and destruction.

(26) Shall not. Nearly all manuscripts contain this negative, but Charles, Knibb, and others believe the "not" should be deleted so the phrase reads "shall rise up."