The Book of Enoch
The Book of Enoch
The Book of Enoch
A Modern English Translation
of the Ethiopian Book of Enoch
with introduction and notes by
Andy McCracken
Special thanks to Bredren Jason Naphtali
who found this translation (by M. Knibb) of the Ethiopian text in the
S.O.A.S. Library at the University of London.
1
The Book of Enoch
CONTENTS
Page No.
Introduction
History of the Book of Enoch
Condition of the text
3
5
7
The Book
(1) THE BLESSING OF ENOCH
11
(2) GOD'S LAWS
12
(3) REBELS AMONGST THE WATCHERS
15
(4) THE MOST HIGH OF THE WATCHERS SPEAKS OUT
19
(5) ENOCH MEETS THE HOLY WATCHERS
23
(6) THE BOOK OF REPROOF
26
(7) ENOCH STAYS FOR A WHILE WITH THE WATCHERS
31
(8) THE ANGELS WHO KEEP WATCH
35
(9) THE FRAGRANT TREES
39
(10) THE BOOK OF METHUSELAH
46
(11) THE BOOK OF NOAH
50
(12) THE BOOK OF PARABLES
55
First
56
Second
64
Third
75
(13) THE STOREHOUSES
87
(14) THE REVOLUTIONS OF THE LIGHTS
93
(15) ENOCH'S LETTER TO METHUSELAH
107
(16) THE LAW OF THE STARS
110
(17) ENOCH'S FIRST VISION
114
(18) PROPHECY OF THE ANIMALS
120
(19) PROPHECY OF THE TEN WEEKS
137
(20) ENOCH'S MESSAGE OF GUIDANCE
143
(21) ENOCH'S CONCLUDING WORDS
157
References and further reading
159
2
The Book of Enoch
Introduction
I have based this book on Michael A. Knibb's scholarly translation of the
Ethiopian manuscripts, (The Ethiopic Book of Enoch, Oxford University
Press), which I believe to be the best translation currently available.
I first heard about the Book of Enoch a few years ago, while I was
researching into ¡®End of Days¡¯ prophesies. When I finally managed to get
hold of a copy, I discovered that it was a very strange and unusual book.
The first time I read it I was skeptical and somewhat puzzled; I wondered
who would have written an odd book like this.
I knew that Enoch, (Hanokh in Hebrew), was very favourably mentioned in
Genesis, and I discovered that Enoch¡¯s book describes the Exodus and
Moses very favourably (although not by name).
So my first theory was that it might have been written around the same time
as the Torah, perhaps around 1400 BC. However, after several readings I
could find no plausible theories. The prophecy of the animals is extremely
precisely written and obviously refers to events well after Moses (see my
notes on that chapter). Additionally; who would have dared to produce a
book with people such as Moses described in terms of farm animals?
Michael Knibb, whose translation I have used to produce this book, studied
all available manuscripts and sources, and it is clear that this book was well
known and studied in many countries well before the time of Jesus. The
earliest known surviving fragments and quotations in various languages
show that this is the same book, and that the Ethiopians have preserved it
well.
In the end I was convinced that the book is really Enoch¡¯s true account of
otherwise forgotten events that occurred in early times; events that we have
no other surviving records of.
Enoch left us a book that describes people of an advanced culture; blond3
The Book of Enoch
haired people that Enoch¡¯s people considered to be Angels of God, and it
was written on the angels¡¯ instruction.
The standard academic view seems to be that some slightly demented
religious fanatic wrote the book - not long before the earliest provable
fragments, (200 or 300BC). I think it is impossible to support this view.
Such an author would have to be able to write the entire book from the
point of view of a person who knows nothing of countries with names, or
religions with names. Then he goes on to describe the Angels as blond
men, who ran away from Heaven in order to be promiscuous with women.
I don¡¯t believe this is the sort of world view that would have been well
received or widely accepted anywhere in 200 BC. This plus the all too
accurate prophecies are probably the reasons why it was ¡®lost¡¯ by the
religions that used to regard it as holy.
I concluded that the book is probably what it appears to be; well preserved,
ancient and genuine. Enoch was the great-grandfather of Noah, and father
of Methuselah, and his book gives a unique view of the world before the
flood; which recent research suggests may have occurred as long ago as
17,000 BC.
4
The Book of Enoch
The History of the Book of Enoch
The book was thought to have been lost, for over 2,000 years, with many
ancient sources referring to it, and even quoting parts, but no complete
copies were known. Then in 1773, James Bruce brought three copies back
from Ethiopia, having spent some years exploring the country.
Enoch had two main reasons for writing his book. The first was because
the Watchers instructed him to do it, (see section 15 at 81.5 and 81.6). The
second reason; was to save his family from the flood.
Enoch wrote his book, after his grandson Lamech was born, but before
Noah was born. Noah is only named in the section that Methuselah wrote,
(see section 10 at 107.3), and of course in his own section (section 11, The
Book of Noah). So, there may still have been 40 - 80 years left before the
flood, at the time when Enoch wrote his book.
There is a long gap between the time of the flood and the time when Moses
gave praise to Enoch in Genesis. Genesis dates from around 1400 BC, and
forms part of the Torah (the first five books of the bible).
In Genesis, there is Enoch's family; as named by him in this book, and a
quick recap of some of Enoch's story.
It seems likely therefore, that copies of the Book of Enoch survived into
Egyptian times, 3500 BC, and was known to Moses around 2,000 years
later.
Moses presumably took a copy of the book with him when they all left
Egypt, and he was no doubt pleased to see Enoch's prophecy fulfilled.
The book probably existed mainly in Hebrew during the thousand years
after the exodus. No Hebrew copies exist today, however, although there
are some Hebrew passages quoted in some of the Aramaic fragments that
survive from a few centuries BC.
The appearance of the book in Ethiopia, is probably due to events in
5
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