Hebrew Book of 3 Enoch
Hebrew Book of 3 Enoch
Hebrew Book of 3 Enoch
CHAPTER I
AND ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD AND HE WAS NOT FOR GOD TOOK HIM
:
;
(Gen. v. 24)
and had entered the six Halls, one within the other: (2) as soon as
I reached the door of the seventh Hall I stood still in prayer before
the Holy One, blessed be He, and, lifting up my eyes on high (i.e.
"
towards the Divine Majesty), I said (3) Lord of the Universe, I pray
:
Chh. i and ii. (Additional, see Introduction, section 7.) Chh. i and ii; which
are not extant in BCL, form an introduction to the book, supplying the explanation
of the frame of chh. iii-xlviii A, purporting to be revelations and communications
given to R. Ishmael by Metatron-Enoch. By the present introductory chapters
is indicated that the occasion of these revelations was Rabbi IshmaePs ascent to
behold the vision of the Merkaba (the Divine Chariot). R. Ishmael's ascension to
heaven and intercourse with Metatron, or the Prince of the Presence, forms an
intrinsic part of the Legend of the Ten Martyrs, including the so-called Apocalyptic
Fragment (BH. v. 167-169, vi. 19-35; Siddur R. 'Amram Gaon, 3 b, 13 b-i3 a;
Gaster, RAS's Journal, 1893, pp. 609 seqq.). The R. Ishmael version of Shi'ur
Qoma is also framed as a revelation to R. Ishmael from Metatron. See further
Introduction, sections 7 c and 10. The R. Ishmael introduced in these writings is,
' '
ace. to them, one of the ten martyrs, contemporary with R. 'Aqiba, also one of
these martyrs with whom he exchanged opinions and contended teachings on
mystical subjects, was a High Priest and the son of a High Priest, hence in possession
of the Great Divine Name, by force of which he was able to ascend to heaven. The
time of the martyrdom was the beginning of the second century.
Behold the vision of the Merkaba. Identical expression: Hek. R. BH. iii. 83.
entered the six Halls etc. For the conception of the seven Halls cf note on ch. xviii. 3
.
and chh. x. 2, xvi. i, xxxvii. i, xxxviii. i, xlviii c 8 and esp. Hek. R. The Halls
are situated in the highest of the seven heavens. The Merkaba and the Throne of
Glory are, ace. to the earlier conceptions represented here, located to the seventh
Hall. For later developed conceptions cf. Zohar, i. 38 3-45 b, ii. 245 3-269 a;
Pardes Rimmonim, Gate xxiv, and Intr. R. 'Aqiba also narrates his ascent to the
seven Halls, in Pirqe R. Ishmael, ch. xviii (Bodl. MICH. 175, foil. 20 a seq.). one
within the other, lit, 'chamber within chamber', the Halls being arranged in
concentric circles. Cf. Mass. Hek. iv ("the seven Halls, one within the other").
1-2
4 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. I
thee, that the merit of Aaron, the son of Amram, the lover of peace
and pursuer of peace, who received the crown of priesthood from
Thy Glory on the of Sinai, be valid for me in this hour, so
mount
that Qafsiel*, the prince, and the angels with him may not get power
over me nor throw me down from the heavens ".
(4) Forthwith the Holy One, blessed be He, sent to me Metatron,
his Servant ('Ebed) the angel, the Prince of the Presence, and he,
(3) that the merit of Aaron. .be valid for me, 'be valid', lit. 'complete,
.
complement my measure', so that Qafsiel. .and the angels with him may not
.
get power over me. Qafsiel is here evidently the guardian of the seventh Hall.
The forms Qafsiel and Qaspiel interchange. Qaspiel is one of the guardians of the
seventh Hall ace. to Hek. R. xx. Cf. ib. xv and xix. Zohar, ii. 248 b. The form
Qafsiel is attested in Zohar, iii. 3 b and S. Rasiel, 4 b. For the guardians of the Halls,
see ch. xviii. 3
.
(4) sent to me Metatron etc. also ace. to Legend of the Ten Martyrs,
BH. vi. 19 seqq. Metatron is sent to take care of R. Ishmael. Cf. Rev. of Moses
Yalqut Re'ubeni, ii. 67 a b.
(6) camp(s) of Shekina. Cf. note on ch. xviii. 4 and chh. xxxii. 4, xxxv. 3.
(7) princes of the Merkaba. Cf. ch. xxii. 10. Seraphim. Cf. ch. xxvi.
(8)The Seraphim, Kerubim and 'Ophannim. Cf. chh. xxvi, xxii and xxv.
They are here indicated as angels of the seventh Hall by the Merkaba : Merkaba-
angels. The highest class of the Merkaba-angels is possibly, ace. to the present
' '
representation, the Chayyoth beneath and above the Throne of vs. 12. Cover ye
your eyes. Cf. ch. xxii B 5 seq.
"
(9) Cf. Ap. Abrah. x (ed. BOX) Go, Jaoel, and by means of
: ineffable Name
my
raise me yonder man and strengthen him from his trembling".
CHH. I, ll] INTRODUCTION 5
and put me upon my (10) After that (moment) there was not
feet.
in me strength enough to say a song before the Throne of Glory of
the glorious King, the mightiest of all kings, the most excellent of all
princes, until after the hour had passed.
(n) After one hour (had passed) the Holy One, blessed be He,
opened to me the gates of Shekina, the gates of Peace, the gates of
Wisdom, the gates of Strength, the gates of Power, the gates of Speech
(Dibbur), the gates of Song, the gates of Qedushsha, the gates of Chant.
(12) And he enlightened my eyes and my heart by words of psalm,
"
above the Throne of Glory answered and said "HOLY and "BLESSED :
"
BE THE GLORY OF YHWH FROM HIS PLACE (i.e.
chanted the Qedushsha).
!
CHAPTER II
R. Ishmael said:
In that hour the eagles 1 of the Merkaba, the flaming 'Ophannim
(i)
and the Seraphim of consuming fire 2 asked 2aMetatron, saying to him:
9 lit. 'power' i.e. proclamation of God's power. 10-10 DE: 'the Throne of
Glory'
Ch. ii. i E: 'children' 'servants' corr. 2 DE ins. 'came (and)' 2a-2a E om.
(10) to say a song. R. 'Aqiba, when arriving in the seventh Hall, utters a song
of praise ace. to P. R. Ishmael, ch. xviii (referred to above). (n) opened to me
the gates etc. The gates are the gates of treasuries on high under the Throne'
of G]ory', cf. ch. viii. gates of Shekina is difficult. Jellinek in E suggests the
emendation: 'gates of Understanding' (cf. ch. viii and the expression 'the 50
gates of understanding').
1
(12) psalm, song ... eulogy (nD ^). Cf. Zohar, iii.
50 a, xniD^
(= chanting). the Holy Chayyoth. .answered. The Holy.
Chayyoth utter the Qedushsha responses cf ch. xx. 2. Vide Introduction, section
;
.
17 a.
Ch. ii. The present chapter setting forth the inquiries of the angels concerning
the admittance of R. Ishmael to the high heavens is a travesty of the similar
passages, chh. iv. 7, vi. 2, xlviii D 7.
(i) the eagles of the Merkaba. One of the four Chayyoth is described as
1
'Eagle' in accordance with Ezek. i. 10, x. 14. The plural 'eagles can be accounted
for on the assumption that the tradition here represented holds the view that there
existed two (or several) classes of Chayyoth. This may perhaps be hinted at in the
preceding chapter, vs. 12: 'the Chayyoth beneath and above the Throne'. "The
higher and the lower Chayyoth": Zohar frequ. "Two eagles": Zohar, iii. 170 b.
6 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. II, III
(2) "Youth
Why sufferest thou one born of woman to enter and
!
behold the Merkaba? 2a From which nation, from which tribe is this
"
one? What is his character?
(3) Metatron answered and said to them :
"From the nation of Israel whom the Holy One, blessed be He,
chose for his people 3 from among seventy tongues (nations) 3 from ,
CHAPTER III
'
Metatron has 70 names, but God
'
calls him Youth
R. Ishmael said:
21 In that hour 1 I asked Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the
(1)
Presence 2
: "What is thy name?" (2) He answered me: "I have
3
seventy names, corresponding to the seventy tongues of the world
2a-2a E om. 3-3 so with D. A corr. 4-4 D: 'who offered heave offerings'
5-5 DE as it is written
' '
:
Ch. iii. BCL begin with this chapter. i-i B om. 2-2 C: 'When I had
ascended to the Merkaba, I asked Metatron to write down for me all that
has been written concerning the angel, the Prince of the Presence, and thus
said I to him '
3 BCL :
'
nations
'
'
Chh. iii-xvi. The Enoch-Metatron piece'. See Introduction, sections 5 and 8.
Ch. iii, while stating that Metatron has seventy names 'corresponding to (the
number of) nations of the world' gives the distinction to the name 'Youth' (Na'ar)
as being that by which he is called by his 'King', the Holy One. Hereby it forms
the introduction to the following chapter which is framed as an explanation of this
name as applied to Metatron the explanation being ace. to that chapter, vs. 10,
that Metatron, as identical with Enoch, the son of Jared (Gen. v. 18, 21-24) who was
'
taken up to the heavens and made an angel-prince, is as a youngster and a youth
among the other angels and princes (existent from the days of Creation) in days
months and years '.
(2) I have seventy names corresponding to the seventy tongues (BCL:
nations) of the world. The statement ascribing seventy names to Metatron, occurs
also ch. xlviii. D i, 9 et frequ. (cf. ch. xxix). The seventy names of Metatron are
here connected with the seventy tongues (nations) of the world which represent
the world in its entirety, i.e. their reason of existence is conceived of as founded
on Metatron's functions as concerned with the nations of the world or with the
affairs of the world as a whole. Hence the passage reflects the tradition of Metatron
being the Prince of the World. Since the seventy nations are represented in heaven
CH. Ill] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 7
4 4
upon the name Metatron, angel
5
and all of them are based of the
Presence 5 but ;
6
my King
6
calls me 'Youth'
4-4 BCL: 'are similar to' 'are a reflection of 5-5 B: 'of my King and my
Creator' C: 'my King, the Holy One, blessed be He' DE: 'the King of the
Kings of kings' L: 'kings' (corr. for 'my king'?) 6-6 L: 'kings' (corr. for
'my king')
' '
by the seventy (or seventy- two) princes of kingdoms (cf on chh. xvii. 8 and xxx. 2)
.
,
the Prince of the World is depicted as the prince and ruler of these (see ch. xxx)
and this function is also assigned to Metatron: chh. x. 3, xvi. 2, xlviii c 9 (cf. notes
ad loco). In the last-mentioned passage, ch. xlviii c g, Metatron's rulership over
the seventy princes is expressly connected with his character of bearer of seventy
names and he is there also pictured as wielding executive and governing power over
the world and the nations through the seventy princes as agencies. Cf. YR. L 57 b
"
(quotation from 'Emeq ha-mMelek) Metatron is the Prince of the World, for he
:
distributes maintenance to the princes of the nations of the world ". In the rest of the
present book Metatron's rulership is mainly presented in its celestial aspect; he
is the prince, ruler and judge of the children of heaven, only implicitly brought
into connection with the things terrestrial. Nowhere in this book is he definitely
'
stated to be the Prince of the World '. This term is not used by the present Enoch-
Metatron section and in the latter part of the book the 'Prince of the World'
appears as different from Metatron (see chh. xxx. 2 and xxxviii. 3 and notes).
all of them are based upon the name of King, the Holy One (ace. to
my
the readings of BCDE[L] and the reading implied by the opening words of ch. iv :
'Why art thou called by the name of thy Creator, by seventy names?'). This is
another aspect of the origin and import of Metatron's seventy names they are a :
reflection of the seventy names of the Most High (cf. the reading of BCL). The
same is stated in chh. xlviii C 9, xlviii 01,5, appearing also in the form of the dictum
'called by the name of His Master, for "my name is in him" (Ex. xxiii. 21)' and
in the ascribing to Metatron of the name 'the lesser YHWH': chh. xii. 5, xlviii D i.
There are two lines of ideas to be distinguished here: (i) Metatron's names are
conceived of as 'based upon' the Divine Name KO.T' l^ox^v, the Tetragrammaton,
which simply means that the different names contain the or YaH asYHWH
component part. This is not a trait exclusive to the Metatron-conception, but
applied to various other high princes and angels, cf. ch. x. 3 and esp. ch. xxix. i.
(2) Ace. to the other line of thought the seventy names of Metatron are actually
one by one the counterparts, images, reflections of the seventy names of the Godhead
(cf ch. xlviii 05:' seventy names of His by which they call the King of Kings of
.
Pisqon,
Sigron, Zebodiel etc.'). The expression might, however, also refer to variants of
the name 'Metatron', e.g. Mitatron, Mittron, Mitton, Mitmon, 'Atmon, 'Otron, etc.;
cf. ch. xlviii D i and Yalqut Re'ubeni, 56 b. The reading of is presumablyBCDE
correct here. Cf. above.
my King calls me
Youth (Na'ar). The name Na'ar'is regularly ascribed to
Metatron; cf. on ch. xlviii D i. It is also applied to the Prince of the World,
TB. Yeb. 16 b. The derivations and explanations of the name differ. The present
section (cf. iv. i, 10), as has already been pointed out, explains it from Metatron's
identity with Enoch. In TB. Yeb. ib. the name 'Na'ar, Youth' is deduced from Ps.
xxxvii. 25 "I have been a youth and now am old", which is made to refer to the
:
Prince of the World (who was young in the days of Creation). The Tosaphoth on
8 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. IV
CHAPTER IV
Metatron is identical with Enoch who was translated to
heaven at the time of the Deluge
R. Ishmael said :
"2
(2) He answered and said to me: Because I am Enoch, the son
2
of Jared. (3) For when the generation of the flood sinned and were
2-2 so BCDEL. A: 'for the reason that he (the Na'ar) is also (Enoch etc.)'
for Metatron, TB. Chag. 153. This function of Enoch-Metatron is not emphasized
' '
in the present book, although the office of witness of the sins of the generation
' '
in its original conception is probably connected with that of scribe see the next ;
verse.
(3) when the generation of the flood sinned and were confounded in their
deeds, saying unto God: Depart from us ... (Job xxi. 14). The sins of the genera-
tion of the Deluge are not defined as to their nature, except as a rebellion. Ace.
CH. IV] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 9
confounded in their deeds, saying unto God: 'Depart from us, for
we desire not the knowledgeof thy ways (Job xxi. 14) ', then the Holy
One, blessed be He, removed me from their midst to be a witness
against them in the high heavens to all the inhabitants of the world,
that 3 they may not say: 'The Merciful One is cruel 3 '.
with them in the waters of the flood? and wild, and the birds in the
to chh. v, vi the sin of the generation that caused the removal of the Shekina and with
the Shekina, of Enoch, was idolatry; cf. on ch. v. 6. The expression Depart from us
'
etc. (Job xxi. 14)' is used already injtib.xi. 6 in connection with the idolatry of the early
times (the name Seroh = Sum depart* or sani). Cf. Gen. R. xxxi. 6: the chamas
' '
:
'
(violence) of which the earth was filled in the time of the Flood ace. to Gen. vi. 13,
comprised the three cardinal sins, adultery, idolatry and bloodshed. to be a
witness against them. The idea of Enoch's removal to heaven in order to be a
witness against the sins of mankind is attested in Jub.iv. 21 seqq. His function of
witness is there made the essential part of his office as Scribe: "(22) And he
(Enoch) testified to the Watchers who had sinned with the daughters of men. . . .
And Enoch testified against them all. (23) And he was taken from amongst the
children of men, . into the Garden of Eden
. . and behold there he writes down
. . .
the condemnation and the judgement of the world, and all the wickedness of the
children of men. (24) And on account of it God brought the waters of the flood
upon all the land". (Enoch's testimony brings about the decree of destruction,
contrast the present chapter.) The same idea of Enoch as witness in heaven against
man's sin persists in later traditions ; cf YR, i. 57 a (perhaps dependent upon the
.
present fragment): "'When the generation of the flood sinned God took him
(Enoch) to be a witness against them': (so that if anyone might say:) if man
sinned that was because he was created from the four elements or because his
generation were wicked men, God would answer: Behold, Enoch was also in a
generation of wicked men, and he also was created of the four elements (scil. yet
he did not sin)".
that they may not say: 'The Merciful One is cruel. (4) What sinned all
those multitudes etc.' Enoch-Metatron is to bear witness to the justice of God's
decree of destroying not only mankind, but all living beings, including the cattle
and the wild beasts, in the waters of the Flood. How Enoch's testimony was to
refute the charge of cruelty that might otherwise be raised against God is not
further explained. No answer is given to the question: 'What did the cattle,
beasts and birds sin?' The answer is probably to be understood thus: even the
animals were implicated in the wickedness of the generation. The question is noted
in Rabbinic. Cf. Gen. R. xxviii. 8, where it is stated that in the generation of
the Flood even the animals sinned: "as it is written (Gen. vi. 12): 'all flesh had
corrupted its way upon the earth'. 'All men' is not written here, but 'all flesh'
10 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. IV
ADL: E: EC:
4
Nor may say : What though what had they world that God
the generation of the flood sinned that they did destroy from
did sin; the beasts and the should perish the world?'
'
4 C ins. 'what did they sin, and those that were taken away with them'
5-5 BC om. L: 'in their lifetime from the world' 6-6 (B) CL: 'made me
into'. Above ace. to DE, lit. 'joined me
to the ministering angels as a prince and
a ruler'. A
corr. (Ziggewdni: me signavit?) 7 BCL
ins. 'when the Holy One,
blessed be He, took me
up to the high heavens' 8-8 D: 'three angels, 'Azza,
'Uzza and 'Azzael' B: 'three angels: Mal'aki, 'Azza and 'Azzael' CE: 'three
' '
of the angels (of) 'Azza and 'Azzael L: three angels, Mamlaketi, 'Azza and
'Azzael' YR. i. 35 a: 'three angels from among the angels of 'Azza and 'Azzael.'
(i.e. including the animals). Yea, even the earth fell to whoredom". Similarly TB.
Sank. 1 08 aR. Yochanan): "'all flesh had corrupted its way upon the
(attr. to
earth'; this means to say, that the cattle defiled themselves with the beasts and
the beasts with the cattle and all of them with men and men with all of them".
"
Parallel is Pirqe de R. 'Eli'ezer, ch. xiv (with reference to the curse put upon the
:
earth on account of Adam's sin) If Adam sinned, what was the sin of the earth?
Only this, that the earth did not denounce the evil doings of man". In other
connections we find the very question repudiated as an undue criticism of God's
ways so with reference to the narrative of i Sam. xv. 3 and Deut. xxi. 4 in TB. Yoma,
;
22 b and EccL R. vii. 33 "(in the former case) If the men had sinned, what were
:
the sins of the women, what the sins of the infants, the cattle, oxen and asses? (and
in the latter case) If man sinned, what was the sin of the cattle?" No answer is
given but a quotation by Bath Qol of Eccl. vii. 16, "Be not righteous over much",
"
explained thus Do not think that thou canst judge about what is just and unjust
:
to the order of ministering angels, inhabitants of the high heavens, whereas ace.
to ch. v they are evil agencies, inspirers of idolatry. They are usually mentioned as
two only ('Azza and 'Azzael, 'Uzza and 'Azziel, etc.), not as three. (The readings
of CE and YR, in fact, have 'Azza and 'Azzael only.) Cf. however 2 En. xviii. 4
and note on v. 9 (important parallel).
The names are in all probability of an early origin: they can be traced to i En.,
to gnostic works (see Introduction) and in Talmud. The meaning of the words is
pellucid: Strength, Might-God, Divine Power. Most of the preserved traditions
represent them as fallen angels. They are attached to the speculations centring
round the mystical piece Gen. vi. 1-4. In i En. vi. 7 'Asael' is one of the leaders
of the angels who fell and led mankind astray into fornication and idolatry. The
CH. IV] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE II
"
heavens, saying before the Holy One, blessed be He
9
Said not the :
9 BCDEL ins. 'Lord of the Universe!' 10-10 C: 'Let not man be created!'
ii C ins. 'for he will sin' A ins. 'again'
conception of 'Azza and 'Azzael as fallen angels evidently underlies the dictum,
attributed to the school of R. Ishmael, recorded in TB. Yoma, 67 a, ace. to which
'Azazel of Lev. xvi. is to be considered as a composition of 'Azza and 'Azzael,
'for Azazel atoned for the sins of these'. Rashi, ad locum, connects ''Azza and
'Azzael with 'the sons of God' in Gen. vi. 2 (cf. i En, vi and Charles' note on
iEn. vi. 6).
In Zohar the same view is repeatedly set forth. See vol. i. 19 b, 23 a, 25 a b,
37 a with Tosefta, 55 a, 58 a, 126 a, vol. iii. 194 a, 208 a and 'Idra Rabba. 'Azza
and 'Azzael (in this form they are always referred to in Zohar) are the angels who
had been thrown down from heaven 'from their state of holiness ', and after that
went astray with the daughters of men (Nd'amah, Gen.-iy. 22) and also taught
mankind sorceries (cf. ch. v. 9) being now definitely unable to leave the lower
regions (ctr. the present verse). A slightly modified version of the idea is found
in 'Idra Rabba: '"Azza and 'Azzael are the 'giants' (Gen. vi. 6), not the sons of
God (ib. 2)" this is perhaps a reminiscence of the distinction emphasized in the
Book of Jubilees between the sons of Elohim and the demons, the sons of the sons
of the Elohim "for the sons of God were not on earth but Azza and Azzael were
on earth". The same is quoted from Midrash Ruth by Siuni, in YR, i. 61 b.
BH. iv.
' '
before Thee, Create thou not man?' One of the traditional statements about
'Azza and 'Azzael in the adduced references, in fact, reveals the view that the fall
of these angels was caused by their accusing man before God. Thus e.g. in a citation
in Yalqut Re'ubeni, i. 61 a, with reference to Gen. vi. 2: "the 'sons of God' are
'Azza and Azza 'el who laid accusations (against man) before their Master and he
'
threw them down from the holy place on high . and they defiled themselves with
. .
the daughters of men", and ib. (from Kanfe Yona), also with reference to Gen.
vi. 2: '"Azza and 'Azzael are the angels that laid accusations against man and said:
'Why didst Thou create him? For he is going to sin and to provoke Thee'. The
Holy One, blessed be He, said to them Behold If ye go down to the lower world,
'
: !
ye will sin as he', and He cast them down. And they are the 'sons of God' who
took themselves wives from among the daughters of men and after they had
. . .
fallen into sin. .they were no longer angels" and when they desired to return to
.
their former place, they were unable to do so. Essentially the same is found in
' '
Zohar, i. 23 a, 37 a Tosefta. In Zohar they are even identified with the first ones
who opposed man's creation in the beginning.
This tradition harmonizes the two views represented in chh. iv and v respectively :
the one regarding these angels as belonging to the celestial household, the other
as evil agencies, demons inspiring idolatry. In their present setting the two views
cannot, however, be harmonized: ace. to ch. v 'Azza, 'Uzza and 'Azzael are evil
agencies (that is, ace. to the harmonizing view, fallen angels) before -Enoch's transla-
tion to the heavens, ace. to ch. iv, on the other hand, they are still high angels in
the presence of the Holy One, at the time when Enoch is taken up to heaven.
Furthermore, the writer of ch. iv evidently does not think of the angels in question
"
as fallen angels at all, to judge from the following expression he (Enoch-Metatron)
:
12 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. IV
them: "I have made and I will bear, yea, I will carry and will
deliver". (Is. xlvi. 4.)
(7) As soon as they saw me, they said before Him: "Lord of the
Universe ! What is this one that he should ascend to the height of
heights? Is not he one from among the sons of [the sons of] those
who 12
perished in the days of the Flood?
13
"What doeth he in the
13
Raqia'?"
(8) Again, the Holy One, blessed be He, answered and
said to
them: "What are ye, that ye enter and speak in my presence? I de-
light in this one more than in all of you, and hence he shall be a
prince and a ruler over you in the high heavens." (9) Forthwith all
stood up and went out to meet me, prostrated themselves before me
14
and said: "Happy art thou and happy is thy father for thy Creator
doth favour thee".
(10) And because I am small and a youth among them 15 in days,
months and years 15
,
therefore they call me "Youth" (Na'ar).
CHAPTER V
The idolatry of the generation of Enosh causes God to remove
the Shekinafrom earth. The idolatry inspired by 'Azza,
'
Uzza and 'Azziel
Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, said to me:
\R. (i) x From the day 1 when the Holy One, blessed be He, expelled
over you in the high heavens for I delight in this one more than in all of you.
' '
This probably is meant to refer not only to 'Azza, Uzza and Azzael, but to the
ministering angels with them or else their suite of angels. Notice how CE in vs. 6
represents 'Azza and 'Azzael not as individual angels but as an order of angels,
just as in the old tradition of i En. vi seqq. Asael was only one of the leaders of
a multitude of angels. Metatron a ruler over 'Azza and 'Azzael: cf. quotation
Yalqut Re'ubeni, i. 55 a, referred to above, a ruler over the princes and angels in
general: cf. ch. x. 3, 4.
(9) art thou and happy is thy father. This beatitude echoes the
Happy
conception of "the Zakut of a Pious Posterity" (Schechter's expression, Aspects,
pp. 195 seqq.). The merits of the sons retroact upon and determine the fate of the
fathers.
(10) because I am small and a youth among them. This is the answer to
the opening question of the present chapter. Cf. note ib. The angels are existent
from the days of Creation. Cf. above.
Ch. v. This chapter treats of the removal of Shekina from earth on account of
the idolatry of Enosh and his generation. It contains no definite reference to the
subject proper of the present section: Enoch(-Metatron) and his translation to
heaven. Furthermore, it represents a different tradition from that of ch. iv as to
the nature of the angels 'Azza, Uzza and 'Azzael. The connection with the context
'
is, however, established by ch. vi. i, 3, which associate the translation of Enoch
to-boavon with^the removal of^bheKJmT from earth. The chapter may therefore
in its present position be considered as an introduction to ch. vi, offering a pre-
paratory explanation of the reason and circumstances of the removal of Shekina,
there alluded to. As regards the relationship between ch. iv on one hand and
chh. v and vi on the other, it might be safe to assume that they represent respectively
two different lines of tradition as to the translation of Enoch one (ch. iv) connecting
:
it with the sins of the generation of the flood of which he was to bear testimony to
coming generations, the other (chh. v, vi) holding the view that Enoch as the
1
4 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. V
2-2 B: 'were entering' CL: 'were assembling' DE: 'were leaping' 3-3 BCL:
'and in companies and camps from Raqia" E om. 4-4 DE: 'to roam, to fly
over' 5-5 EL: 'and Eve'
only righteous man of his generation was taken up on the occasion of Shekina' s
return to the heavens. The object of Enoch's translation, ace. to the latter view, was
apparently not his function of witness, but is expressed by the last words of ch. vi :
I have taken him as a tribute from my world or as my only reward for all my
' ' '
(1) From the day ... Shekina was dwelling etc. This represents the fre-
'
quently attested idea that the original abode of the Shekina was among the terres-
trials, ha-tTachtonim' (Cant. R. vi, Num. R. xii. 5; cf. Abelson, Immanence of God
in Rabbinical Literature, pp. 117-139). The specific view of the present passage is,
that Shekina remained on earth after the first Adam's fall until the rise of idolatry
in the generation of Enosh. Ace. to Cant. R. vi (see Abelson, op. cit. p. 136) Shekina
was removed from earth already with Adam's sin to the first heaven, and then in
:
six subsequent stages corresponding to the six following epochs of men's degrada-
tion from heaven to heaven (the epochs are ace. to that passage the sins of Cain, :
the Kerub takes the place of the Throne of Glory which is left in the highest of
the heavens, ace. to vs. n.
(2) And the ministering angels were. .going down from heaven in companies
.
etc. Cf. Apoc. Mosis, xvii. i, xxii. 3 seq. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter 'Aleph: "when the
first Adam beheld the Sabbath, he opened his mouth in praise of the Holy One :
then the ministering angels went down from heaven in companies. ."; ib.: (in .
the world to come) "the angels will come down in companies from heaven to the
Garden of Eden". And ib. EH. iii. 60: "(when God had created Eve and brought
her to Adam) all the heavenly household went down. .to the Garden of Eden".
.
\X(4) For the silendour of the Shekina traversed the world from one
end to the otiier 6 (with a splendour) 365,000 times (that) of the globe
of the sun 6 And everyone who 7 made use of 7 the splendour of the
.
Shekina, on him no flies and no gnats did rest, neither was he ill
nor suffered he any pain. No demons got power over him, neither
were they able to injure him.
(5) When the Holy One,
blessed be He, went out and went in:
8
from the Garden to Eden, from Eden to the Garden, from the
1
Garden to Raqia and from Raqia to the Garden of Eden 8 then
1
9
all and everyone beheld the splendour of His Shekina and they
6-6 DE: 'in one moment, 365,000 and to the globe of the sun' reads '65,000' A
instead of '365,000' (BCDEL). 7-7 DE: 'beheld' 8-8 BCDEL: 'from
Eden to the Garden, from the Garden to Raqia' and from Raqia' to the Garden of
Eden '
9 so BCDL. A
splendour of the image
:
' '
on their heads and enjoy the splendour of the Shekina ". The idea of the radiance
of Shekina is closely related to that of the heavenly light, of which the light created
on the first day was an emanation and which is reserved for the righteous in the
world to come. Cf. next vs.
(4) The splendour of the Shekina traversed the world from one end to the
other. And everyone who made use of the splendour of the Shekina
. . . . .
No demons got power over him. For a discussion of the conception of the
'splendour (ziw) of the Shekina' see Abelson, op. cit. pp. 85-89. The splendour
of the Shekina is here apparently conceived of as a light-substance protecting from
illnesses, from the power of demons and from everything evil and unclea'nj For
the idea of the splendour of Shekina as protecting from demons cf. Num. R.
xii. 3. It is also conceived of as a sustaining substance, a spiritual food, both
for the angels and the saints. TB. Ber. 17 a (see Abelson, op. cit. p. 87; Kohler,
Jewish Theology, p. 198). Yalqut on Ps. viii (TB. Shabbat, 88 a): "when God
spread the splendour of Shekina over Moses the angels could not burn him".
Yalqut on Ps. xlv: "the righteous will feed on the splendour of Shekina and. . .
which the first light is an emanation: this light is referred to in similar terms as
'
those used of the splendour of the Shekina Cf in the present connection Gen. R.
^ .
xi. 2, xii. 5: "in the light which God created on the first day (so Gen. R. xi. 2;
ib. xii. 5 the light by which the world was created) the first Adam saw from one
:
end of the world to the other. but as soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, beheld
. .
the deeds of the generation of Enosh, of the Deluge and of the Dispersion he took
it away and treasured it. for the righteous in the world to come ". Sim. TB. Chag.
. .
12 a.
(5) went out and went in: from the Garden to Eden. The Garden of Eden is
the greater whole of which Eden is a part: Gen. R. xv, the Garden and Eden are
two distinct things: TB. Ber. 34 b. For the expression 'went out and went in etc.'
cf. the account of Shekina 's ten different journeys in the Temple in Lam. R.
Proem. 25. The idea is probably deduced from Gen. iii. 8 ("and they heard the
voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden"): the passage is interpreted in this
sense in Num. R. xiii. 4 (although there God's Shekina is said to have had its per-
manent abode in heaven, from where it went down and went up again).
1 6 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. V
10
were not injured (6)
10
until u the time of 11 the
;
generation of Enosh
12
who was the head of all idol worshippers of the world 12 (7) And .
13
what did the generation of Enosh do? 13 They went from one end
of the world to the other, and each one brought silver, gold, precious
stones and pearls in 14 heaps like unto mountains and hills 14 making
idols out of them throughout all the world. And they erected the
idols in every quarter of the world: the size of each idol was 1000
parasangs. (8) And they brought down the sun, the moon, planets
and constellations, and placed them before the idols on their right
hand and on their left, to attend them even as they attend 15 the Holy
One, blessed be He, as it is written (i Kings xxii. 19): "And all the
host of heaven was standing by him on his right hand and on his
left".
(9) What power was in them that they were able to bring them
down? They would not have been able to bring them down but for
16
'uzzA, 'AZZA and 'AZZIEL
IS
who taught them "sorceries whereby
they brought them down and made use of them
17
.
10-10 L: 'did not consume away' n-n lit. 'came' 12-12 E om.
13-13 E om. 14-14 lit. 'in mountains and hills' 15 with BCDEL,
A has hithpa"el: 'make use of 16-16 CL: 'Azza and Azza'el'
reading pi"el.
' '
D: 'Azza and 'Azzi'el' E: "Uzza and 'Azza'el' cf. ch. iv. 7. J7~i7 C om.
'
L :
'
the art of sorceries
'
the time of the generation of Enosh who was the head of all
(6) until
idol worshippers of the world. The generation of Enosh is here specifically
connected with idolatry. In Rabbinic the cardinal sins of idolatry, adultery and
bloodshed (and the calling of God's name in vain and sorceries) are often pro-
miscuously referred to the generations of Enosh, of the Deluge and of the Dis-
"
persion. But cf. Lam. R. Proem. 24 the generation of Enosh who were the heads
:
of idol-worshippers ".
(7) And they erected the idols in every quarter of the world: the size of
each idol was IOOO parasangs. This-as well as the following vs. seems to pre-
suppose the view of the men of this generation as being of immeasurably higher
stature than those of later generations, an idea occasionally met with in Rabbinic.
(8) And they brought down the sun, the moon, planets and constellations.
There is perhaps here a covert trace of an original representation of the generation
of Enosh as worshippers of the sun and the planets. In the present form the
heavenly bodies are made the attendants of the idols they placed them before :
the idols to attend them like as they attend the Holy One, blessed be He. The
idea is to illustrate how man put the idols in all respects in the same place as that
which rightly belonged to God alone. Yalqut to Gen. iv. 26 quotes an account of the
deeds of the generation of Enosh of a similar character as vss. 7 and 8 here (idols
of copper, brass, iron, wood, stone).
(9) What power was in them 'Uzza, 'Azza and 'Azziel who taught them
. . .
sorceries, whereby they brought them down. The quotation Siuni, Yalqut Re'u-
beni, i. 53 a, has Shemchazai and Azzael' (so also BH. iv. 127-128, Yalq. Shim.
'
Gen. xliv; cf. on the following vs.). On 'Azza, Uzza and 'Azzael see on ch. iv. 6.
'
Here they are represented as evil agencies, teaching men sorceries and thereby
supporting or rather inspiring the idolatry. The tradition here set forth is of course
CH. V] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 17
Enosh', for he (Enosh) is the head of the idol worshippers, (n) Why
hast thou left
with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments", viii. i: "Azazel
taught men. .and made known to them the metals (cf. 'gold, silver etc.' here).
. . .
and all kinds of costly stones (cf. here).. (3) Semjaza taught enchantments.
. . . .
Baraqijal astrology. Kokabel the constellations, Shamsiel the signs of the sun,
. . .
Sariel the course of the moon ", vide Charles, ad loca. Addjfub. iv. 22, v. i xi. 4 seqq.
,
:
"they made for themselves molten images, and they worshipped each their idol. . .
and malignant spirits assisted and seduced them into committing transgression and
uncleanness". 2 En. vii, xviii. 2 En. xviii. 4 is of special interest in the present
connection, since it shows that already at an early time a tradition obtained that
had fixed the number of these angels as three as against the tradition of the
passages quoted in i En. representing them as a large number: "and of them
(Grigori = Watchers) there went three to the earth from the Throne of God to
the place Ermon. And they entered into dealings etc." Later the number is further
reduced to two, so always in Zohar; cf. on vs. 6 of ch, iv. Cf. Midrash Petirath
Moshe, BH. i. 129: "the angels 'Azsa and 'Azza'el went down from the heavens
and became corrupt in their ways".
(10) At that time the ministering angels brought charges against man
before God etc. '
What is man etc.' This verse, Ps. viii. 4, is traditionally made to
express the animosity of the angels against man, and rather suitably. See Tanchuma,
Par. Bechnqqothai (Lev. xxvi) Gen. R. viii. 5 (in connection with the creations of
;
man); P. R. 'El. xiii uses the similar passage Ps. cxliv. 3, 4 ("The ministering
angels said before the Holy One, blessed be He
'
Lord of all the World, what is
:
man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou takest account
of him'"). Cf. Jerachmeel, xxii. i, and Ma'yan Chokma, BH. i. 58. But the form
of accusation here recorded is also, in particular, attributed to the angels 'Azza
and 'Azzael. Thus in Zohar several times, 'Azza and 'Azzael are said to have
used this argument when opposing man's Creation, Zohar, i. 23 a, and another
quotation in YR, i. 60 a. A strange similarity with the present chapter is ex-
hibited by the fragment quoted in Yalqut on Gen. vi. 2 (from Midrash Abkir) :
"
the disciples of R. Yoseph asked him what is 'Azzael'} he answered them as soon
: :
as the generation of the flood (cf. ch. iv) stood up and worshipped idols (cf. the
present chapter) the Holy One was sorely grieved. Then forthwith came the two
'
angels Shemchazai and Azza' el and said before him Master of the World : Did !
we not say before thee when thou didst create thy world: what is man that thou
art mindful of him. He answered them if ye were to go down to earth, the evil
:
impulse would get power over you more than over man.. .Let us go down.. . . .
He said: Go down and dwell with them. As soon as they were on earth, they
corrupted their ways with the daughters of men. .". In that passage almost all
.
the different statements about 'Azza and 'Azzael are woven together. Cf. on
ch. iv. 6.
(n) Why hast thou left the highest of the high heavens etc. This presup-
poses that when Shekina was dwelling on earth it was absent from the Araboth
Raqia'.
OHB
1 8 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. V
ADE: B: CL:
the highest of the the 'Araboth Raqia' the highest of the high
high heavens, the which are full of thy heavens which are filled
abode of thy glo- glory, mighty and with the majesty of thy
rious Name, and the high alike, and the glory and are high, up-
high and exalted high and exalted lifted and exalted, and
Throne in 'Araboth Throne in the 'Ara- the high and exalted
on high both Raqia' in the Throne in the Raqia'
highest 'Araboth on high
and art gone and dwellest with the children of men who worship idols
and equal thee to the idols. (12) 18 Now thou art on earth and the
idols likewise. What hast thou to do with 19 the inhabitants of the
" 18
earth 19 who worship idols? (13) Forthwith the Holy One, blessed
be He, lifted up His Shekina from the earth, from their midst 20 .
18-18 B om. C: 'now that thou art on earth, thou art become in condition like as
the inhabitants of the earth who worship idols' 19-19 L: 'those who go down
20 C adds': and the Shekina ascended to
' '
to earth and are idol- worshippers
heaven' 21-21 BCDEL om.
(13) Forthwith the Holy One. .lifted up His Shekina from the earth. .and
. .
he ascended to the high heavens. The Holy One and Shekina are here prac-
' ' ' '
tically synonymous. The idolatry is one of the main causes of the disappearance of
the Shekina from on earth. Cf. Sifre (ed. Friedmann), 104 a, Mekilta, 72 a, Tan-
chuma Lev., Par. behar (Schechter, Aspects, p. 223, Abelson, op. at. p. 101). The
idol erected in the Holy of Holies by Manasse, by its presence, its "face" drives
out the Shekina from the Temple. The Shekina and the idols cannot remain in
the same place: this is the burden of the remonstrances of the angels ace. to vs. 12.
Cf. Cant. R. vi, Num. R. xii. 5, already referred to, note on vs. j. Cf. also Lam. R.
"
Prooem. 24 connection with
(in the destruction of the Temple) I have no abode :
here and cf. ch. iv) that they were corrupt, -then I went and removed my Shekina
from among them. And I lifted it up on high with the sound of a trumpet and with
"
a shout as it is written (Ps. xlvii. 5) God is gone up with a shout etc.'
'
CH.Vl] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 19
CHAPTER VI
lift me up on
(i) When the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to
1
For 'Anaphiel cf. ch. xviiii. 18 and note. Ace. to Hek. R. xxii Anaphiel is the
highest of the angels, "higher than the Prince of. theJPresence and greater thanjhe""?
Ch. xviliere (ace. to reading of BDL) he is the angel sent to 'punish' Metatron
'
with strokes of lashes of fire.,Thejmganing of the name Branch of God/ is explained
:
ch. xviii ib. He represents the overarching majesty and soverpifj",ty P f GrK\ '"_*hf 1
heaven and earth (cf. on ch. xlviii D 5) are entrusted to him and all in heaven and
earth kneel down and prostrate themselves before him". .
uponafiery chariot with fiery horses. The biblical narrative of Elijah's ascension
to heaven has been suggestive here. In mystical literati * ^ '
p bihlir al * rq< tg - gef n'hfifj
1
to Elijah are referred to Enoch and vice versa they are regarded as belonging to
:
'the samecategory ot saintly men, since they Wfere both removed from earth in their
"
lifetime. En. 70 describes Enoch's final translation in terms of that of Elijah"
i
(CHARLES, En. xlix). (Cf. i En. Ixxxix. 52, xciii. 8, 4 Ez. vi. 26, note (m) in Box,
i
Ezra-Ap. pp. 77 seq.) In later mysticism Elijah is often identified with the 'twin-
brother of Metatron', Sandalfon, in explicit analogy with the identification of
Enoch with Metatron (YR. i. 54 b, 57 b, 58 a; cf. Introduction).
2-2
20 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. VI
(2) As soon
as I reached the
high heavens, the Holy Chayyoth, the
'Ophannim, the Seraphim, the Kerubim, the Wheels of the Merkaba
5
(the Galgallim), and the ministers of 5 the consuming fire , perceiving
my smell 6 from a distance 7 of 365,ooo 7a myriads of parasangs, said:
A; B: CDEL:
"What smell of one "What is one born "What smell 10 of u
born of woman and of woman between a woman-born is this
what taste of a 8 white (among) us? The and what taste of a
8
drop (is this) that taste of a 8 white
drop
8 8
white drop 8 that as-
ascends on high, and which ascends to the cends to the high
(lo, he
merely) is high heavens to min- heavens to minister
12
a gnat among those ister 9 those 12
among dividers of
among
who divide flames '
who 'divide flames flames.
(of fire)'?" of fire'".
the Holy Chayyoth, the 'Ophannim, the Seraphim, the Kerubim, the
(2)
Wheels of the Merkaba and the ministers of the consuming fire. This is
evidently intended as an enumeration of the highest classes of angels. The classes
here mentioned are the five classes of Merkaba-angels of the angelological section,
chh. xxi, xxv, xxvi, xxii and xix resp. The 'ministers of the consuming fire' may
refer to the ministering angels in general whose substance is fire or to the angels
in charge of the fire issuing forth from under the Throne (cf. on ch. xxxiii. 4). For
the present enumeration cf. the parallel in the following chapter. All these highest
classes of angels are here represented as protesting against the privilege awarded
to the man Enoch of ascending to the high heavens. Cf. P. R. 'El. passim. Cf. also
Dent. R. xi. 4 (the Galgallim of the Merkaba and the flaming Seraphim praise God
for not regarding persons with reference to Moses).
perceiving smell etc. For the expression cf. Gen. R. xxxiv. 10: "God per-
my
ceived the smell of Abraham, the Patriarch, ascending from the furnace... of
Ghananya, Misael and Azaria. .the smell of the generation of the religious per-
.
secution". There it equals 'foresaw'. Here it perhaps denotes the idea that any
intrusion of a lower, unclean element or being into the higher heavens is imme-
diately sensed and guarded against.
What smell of a woman-born. (ACDEL), what is a woman-born between . .
"
(among) us (B) Cf. TB. Shabbat, 88 b R. Yehoshua ben Lewi said in the hour : :
when Moses ascended on high, the ministering angels said before the Holy One,
blessed be He Master of the World, what is a woman-born among us ", i.e. what
'
:
has he to do here?' The expressions 'one born of woman' and 'taste of a drop
'
of semen are of course used in a contemptuous sense, denoting the extreme in-
significance of man in the eyes of the high angels, what taste of a white drop (A)
1
etc. There is a play here on the two-fold meaning of the word to am, viz. 'taste'
' '
and reason, ground (' what is the reason that one conceived of a white drop should
ascend ') .those who divide flames of fire.' The expression is deduced from
. .
'
Ps. xxix. 7 and denotes the angel-princes. In Alph. R. 'Aqiba BH. iii. 45, it is
'
used of the Voice '.
CH.Vl] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 21
(3) The Holy One, blessed be He, answered and spake unto
13
them: "My servants, my hosts 13 , my Kerubim, my 'Ophannim, my
perfection of deed
17
and 18 I have taken him for (as) a tribute from 19
18 15
my world under all the heavens ".
13-13 so BCDELZ. A: 'host of (my Kerubim)' i4~*4 L: 'and worship'
15-15 L: 'but this one (only) have I taken from my whole world under all the
heavens' 16-16 BC om. 17 so DE. A: 'beauty, form (tabnith)'
1 8-1 8 S, YR. i. 55 b (Pirqe Hehaloth) 'he is the (only) reward that I have received
:
'
for all my labour under all the heavens
by the idolatry arising among men with Enosh and his followers an idolatry
inspired by the demons or fallen angels Shekina was removed from earth, and
on the removal of the Shekina followed the destruction of the entire race in the
waters of the Flood. One righteous man, Enoch, was exempted from the general
fate of his contemporaries he was taken up to the heavens together with the Shekina.
:
The aspect in which Enoch's translation is seen here is his being the tribute from
the first generation, God's remuneration the Creation of the first generation had
not been in vain. In ch. iv it is seen from the aspect of the function assigned to
Enoch of being a witness before coming generations, in the world to come, to the
sinfulness and corruption of the generation that was ultimately destroyed in the
waters of the Flood.
22 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. VII
CHAPTER VII 1
Enoch raised upon the wings of the place Shekina to the
the fiery Shin'anim 4 the 5 flaming Kerubim, and the burning 'Ophan-
',
nim, the flaming servants, the flashing Chashmattim and the light-
ening Seraphim And he placed me
5
.
(there) to attend the Throne of
Glory day after day.
38:' the chariots of the mighty ones of anger L the chariots of the mighty ones
' ' '
:
Ch. vii. Another short version of the translation of Enoch, connecting it with
the generation of the Flood but also containing traces of its relation to the
removal or lifting up of Shekina ('on the wings of the wind of the Shekina').
lifted me on the wings of the wind of Shekina. The wings of Shekina, a
common metaphorical expression, often used as denoting proselytism cf. Abel- ;
son, op. cit. p. 90. Here it rather expresses the protection given to Enoch from
the Godhead (against the fury of the angels?), TB. Shabbat, 88 b: "when Moses
was to ascend on high. .God spread over him of the splendour of His Shekina,
.
that the angels might not be able to burn him". For 'wings of the wind' cf.
chh. xxxiv. i, xxxvii. z. Cf. 2 En. iii. i (Enoch raised upon the wings of the
angels, upon the clouds etc.). Ace. to Mysteries of St John and the Holy
"
Virgin, 6 b, St John is, raised on the wing of the light of the Cherub ". Cf ch. vi. i .
(BCL). where are the. .Throne. .the Merkaba, the troops of anger etc.,
. .
the most prominent of the glories contained in the highest of the heavens, the
'Araboth Raqia'. Cf. Mass. Hek. v ("in the seventh Hall of 'Araboth Raqia' are the
Throne... the Chariots of the Kerubim. .Seraphim, 'Ophannim, Chayyoth, the
.
CHAPTER VIII
opened to Metatron
C(i2): loving-kindness. .
.understanding. . .life. .
.subtlety. . .Shekina. .
.power
(chash) and sometimes speak (mallei): they are silent when the Word emanates
from the Holy One, blessed be He, they speak when He has ceased speaking."
to attend the Throne of Glory day after day. This is a traditional function of
"
Metatron, the Prince of the Presence. Cf ch. xlviii C 4. Hek. R. xi when the angel
. :
of the Presence enters to exalt and magnify the Throne of Glory and to prepare
"
the seat for the Mighty One in Jacob ". Hek. Zot. (Bodl. MICH. 9 fol. 67 b) Meta- :
tron is the president of the Divine Thrones of Glory (of Dan. vii. 9) ". But Metatron
has also a Throne of his own chh. x. 1-3, xvi. 1,2, xlviii C 8.:
Aqiba, BH. iii. 20 God supplies the world day by day with gifts, without which
:
the world could not subsist for a single day spirit and soul, knowledge and wisdom:
and subtlety, counsel and might, and the different senses". The idea is, that the
abstract qualities on which the world is founded and by which it is sustained
emanate from God. Yet we are here in no way nearer the conception of the Ten '
'
Sefirot than in the passages cited from TB. Chag. 12 a etc. For wisdom and under-
standing treasured in heaven cf. 4 Es. v. 9, "then shall intelligence hide itself and
wisdom withdraw to its chamber", where the essential idea of the present repre-
sentation is wisdom and intelligence as at work in the world have
already extant:
their home
in 'chambers' (i.e. in heaven) from where they have emanated and
whither they return. Cf. also ch. xlviii D 2, and for the 'opening of the gates of the
treasures' Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Aleph: "5000 gates of wisdom were opened to
Moses on Sinai corresponding to the five books of the Law, and 8000 gates of
understanding, corresponding to the eight prophets and 11,000 gates of KNOWLEDGE
corresponding to the eleven writings". three hundred thousand gates of Life.
The 'treasuries of life' in heaven are frequently referred to. Cf. e.g. Chag. 12 b:
"in 'Araboth Raqia' are. . .the treasuries of life. .
."; ch. x. 6 here.
24 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. VIII
' '
three hundred thousand gates of grace and loving-kindness
three hundred thousand gates of love
three hundred thousand gates of Tora
three hundred thousand gates of meekness
three hundred thousand gates of maintenance
three hundred thousand gates' of mercy
three hundred thousand gates of fear of heaven 1 .
(2) In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, added in me wisdom
unto wisdom, understanding unto understanding, subtlety unto
subtlety, knowledge unto knowledge, mercy unto mercy, instruction
unto instruction, love unto love, loving-kindness unto loving-kindness,
and might. .strength. .grace and loving-kindness ... love ... Tora ... mainten-
. .
ance mercy
. . meekness
. fear of heaven . . . . . . .
three hundred thousand gates of Tora. Cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 43, 44:
"The Holy One, blessed be He, appointed Moses over all Israel, and over all the
treasuries of Tora, and over all treasuries of wisdom, and over all treasuries of
understanding". It is interesting to note, that ace. to this conception there is a
special treasury of Tora (= the Celestial Tora?) besides the treasuries of wisdom
and of understanding. Ace. to another conception the Tora is itself formed of the
elements of wisdom and understanding, the 'secrets of the treasuries'; cf. on
ch. xlviii D 2, 3.
gates of maintenance (Parnasd). Even the maintenance and sustenance of the
needs of the world has its source in heaven. Cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Zain:
"
Zain, that is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, for he feeds and maintains
(mepharnes) all his creatures, day after day, as it is said (Ps. civ. 28): 'thou openest
thine hand, they are filled with good'". From the 'maintenance' Parnasa, stored
in heaven, the seventy princes of kingdoms take and "throw down to the nations of
the world their maintenance" ace. to the Lesser YR., sub voce Nedibim et freq.
"Metatron distributes Parnasa among all the companies of angels" (YR. i. 56,
quoting Pardes).
The opening the treasuries or gates to Metatron presumably connotates not only
the bestowal upon him of their contents (as in vs. 2) but also that they are put in his
charge and to his distribution. As Prince over the Princes he has to distribute their
contents among the angels, and perhaps also as functional Prince of the World to
the earth and nations.
added in me wisdom unto wisdom etc. The attributes here enumerated are on
the whole identical with those of vs. i Hence the idea probably is that the contents .
of the opened treasuries were conferred upon Metatron. more than all the
children of heaven. The unique position of Metatron is here emphasized.
CHH. VIII, IX] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 25
CHAPTER IX
Enoch receives blessings from the Most High and
is adorned with angelic attributes
(i) After all these things the Holy One, blessed be He, put His
hand upon me and blessed me with 536O 1 blessings. (2) And I was
raised 2 and enlarged to the size of the length and width of the world.
2 C adds
'
and honour unto all honour, majesty unto
: all majesty, glory unto all
'
glory and greatness unto all greatness
Ch. ix. i so BCL. A: 'one thousand, 305 thousands' DE: 'one thousand, 365
thousand' 2,BC: 'elated'
immense height of stature, wings, eyes covering the whole of his body, and light.
(1) blessed me
with 5360 blessings. This connects the present chapter with
its antecedent: the blessings are presumably conceived of as contained in the
heavenly treasuries, opened to Enoch and the contents of which are bestowed upon
him. The treasures of blessing(s) are mentioned as contained in the 'Araboth,
e.g. TB. Chag. 12 b. The number 5360 is intended to reflect the number 365.
(2) I was raised to the size of the length ... of the world. The immense
size of the high angels is a constantly reiterated theme. Cf. ch. xxi. i "each of the
:
Chayyoth is as the space of the world" (cf. Chag. 13 a), chh. xxii. 3, xxv. 4, xxvi. 4.
The idea prevails: the greater an angel is (in rank) the larger his size. Cf. the
versions of the Rev. of Moses (Ma'yan Chokma, BH. i. 58, etc., YR. ii. 66 b-6y b,
"
Zohar, ii. 58 a): Hadarniel is greater than Qemnel by 60 myriads of parasangs,
Sandalfon is higher of stature than Hadarniel by 500 years' journeying distance".
Thus, in the other Enoch-Metatron piece of the present book, ch. xlviii C 5,
the size of Metatron is seen from this comparative aspect: "I made him higher of
stature than all. The height of his stature surpasses all others by ten thousand
parasangs". The similar tradition preserved in Zohar, e.g. i. 21 a: "Metatron is
glorified more than the highest angels (the Chayyoth) and higher than these by
500 parasangs".
(3) 72 wings. The number seventy-two is frequently used in the present book.
It generally seems to imply reference to the rule of the world the seventy-two
:
princes of kingdoms, cf. note on ch. xvii. 8. Metatron is in the present section
the ruler of the seventy-two princes of kingdoms: chh. x. 3, xiv. i, xvi. i and 2.
It is possible that the seventy-two wings here extending over the whole world
26 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. IX
each eye was as the great luminary. (5) And He left no kind of
4
splendour, brilliance, radiance, beauty in (of) all the lights of the
universe that He did not fix on me.
4
on my left'.
(4) 3^5 eyes. For the number 365 (= the number of days of the solar year)
as mystical number cf. chh. v. 4, xxi. 3 (' the size of each wing of the Chayyoth as
365 wings'), xxxiii. 4 ('the breadth of each of the fiery rivers is 365 thousand para-
sangs'). The body of an angel-prince covered with eyes (round about) is a regular
feature of the descriptions of angels: cf. chh. xxii. 8 ('his body is full of eyes', of
Kerubiel), xxv. 2, where the number of eyes assigned to the angel-prince in
question {'Ophanniel) is devised on the basis of calendary calculations (' 8466 eyes
corresponding to the number of hours of a year'), xxvi. 6. Cf. notes ad loca.
each eye was as the great luminary. An identical statement about the eyes of
Seraphiel, ch. xxvi. 6.
(5) fixed on me
all kinds of splendour, brilliance etc. of the lights (lumina-
ries) of the world. Cf. in the angelological descriptions: chh. xxii. 4, xxv. 6,
"
xxvi. 2, 4. Cf. also Mass. Hek. iv: On every door in the Hall(s) of 'Araboth there
are fixed 365 thousand myriads of different kinds of lights like unto the great
luminary".
The repeated references by comparisons to the 'world' in the present chapter,
vss. 2, 3, s,and the possible allusion to the seventy-two princes of kingdoms or to
the rule of the world in vs. 3 (cf. above) might conceivably be traces, if not inten-
tional symbolical expressions, of Metatron's function as the Prince of the World.
'
Vs. 2, I was raised to the size of the world ', might also be a remnant of Metatron's
connection with the speculations on the Primordial Man, the 'Adam Oadmon.
Ace. to Chag. 12 a the first Adam reached from one end of the world to the other.
This connection, which like the identification of Metatron with the Prince of the
World (existing from the Days of Creation), was perhaps suspended in consequence
of Metatron's identification with Enoch, reappears in later cabbalistic literature:
the statement that Enoch-Metatron is the Neshama of the first Adam, who left
him before the sin of Adam (just as the universal size of the first Adam is repre-
sented as diminished through Adam's sin TB. Chag. 1 2 a) is frequent. The difficulties
:
arising from Metatron's identification with Enoch were now overcome through
the new conceptions brought in with the doctrine of metempsychosis and related
speculations.
CH. x] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 27
CHAPTER X
God places Metatron on a throne at the door of the seventh
Hall and announces through the Herald, that Metatron
henceforth is God's representative and ruler over all the
(i) All these things the Holy One, blessed be He, made for me:
He made me 1 a Throne, similar to the 2 Throne of Glory. And He
x
Ch. x. This chapter presents Metatron as adorned with special attributes, dis-
tinguishing him from the other angels a throne and a curtain, both reflections of
:
there are thrones for the scholars of the Law, for the chassids, the just etc. of different
splendour ace. to merit of the occupants ". And ace. to Alph, R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 34,
the righteous in the world to come will each be seated before the Glory of the Holy
One, on a throne of gold "like a king". For thrones assigned to angels cf. Mass.
Hek. vii, ace. to which seven angels as court-officers are sitting upon seven thrones
before the Curtain. Cf. Rev. xx. 4 ("I saw thrones, and they sat upon them",
'
ace. to Bousset, Comm. ad loc. probably Christ and the angels as Gerichtsbei-
sassen ') The view predominant in Rabbinic seems to be that there is no sitting
'
.
(2) And He placed it at the door of the Seventh Hall and seated
me on it.
6
(3) And the herald went forth into every heaven, saying: 7 This
8
is
7
Metatron, my servant
8
I have made him into a prince and a
.
ruler over all the princes of my kingdoms 9 and over all the children
4 DE om. 5-5 C: 'splendour and brilliance from all lights' cf. ch. ix. 4.
6 ABD ins. '
'concerning me'
'
7-7 so C. 8-8 C om. g L ins. the
gloss : the angels
The Curtain regularly represents the recording of the Divine decrees with regard
to the world, the secrets of the world's creation and sustenance, etc., in short the
innermost Divine Secrets; cf. note referred to.
(2) He placed it at the door of the Seventh Hall and seated me on it. This
is an often-repeated statement. It is in ch. xlviii C 8 made to denote his function
as judge and ruler over the princes and the children of heaven, as even here, ace.
to verses following. In Rev. Moses (YR. ii. 66 b, Sinni, 93 c d, Gaster, RAS's
Journal, 1893) it is said: "Metatron, Prince of the Presence, stands before the door
of the Hall of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he sits and judges all the hosts on
high like a judge standing before the King". The contradiction between the two
statements 'sits' and 'stands' in this passage is probably due to the influence of
the tradition mentioned above, that there is no sitting in heaven, responsible also
for the account of Metatron being divested of his privilege of yeshiba in Chag. 153
and ch. xvi here. On his throne at the door of the seventh Hall Metatron faces all
the hosts of the heavens, over which he has jurisdiction.
(3) the herald went forth into every heaven. The conception of the heavenly
herald announcing important decrees of the Most High in the heavens is attested
"
also in Hek. R. vi (BH. iii. 88, as ch. iv) the herald went forth from the 'Araboth
:
1 "
Raqia etc." and in Rev. Mos., Yalqut Re'ubeni, ii. 66 b: Gallisur stands behind
the Curtain and gets knowledge of the decrees of the Holy One and heralds it ...
and the herald commits it to Elijah and Elijah stands as herald on the mount Horeb ".
This is Metatron, my servant. HERE THEN IS THE POINT in the course of the
exposition of the present chapter WHERE ENOCH IS PROCLAIMED AS METATRON.
It is significant that THIS PROCLAMATION IS MADE TO COINCIDE WITH HIS BEING
SET UP ON A THRONE as a ruler over the princes and angels. See Introduction,
section 12 (5). my servant, i.e. 'Ebed. 'Ebed or God's Servant is an old-established
name of Metatron. Cf. chh. xlviii c i, xlviii D i (no. 17) and note. It seems to have
been especially associated with the Prince of the Presence conception. Cf. Hek. R.
"
xiii, BH. iii. 93: Surya, 'Ebed, the Prince of the Presence" (Surya is a common
equivalent of Metatron as the Prince of the Presence, cf no. 84, ch. xlviii. i). In Hek.
.
' '
Zot.(Bodl. MICH. fo\. 700) the attribute my servant is applied to Metatron as God's
"
representative or vice-regent when I (the Holy One)
: the Throne of Glory
leave
to go down among the children of men". In Hek. R. BH. iii. 104, Metatron is
called '"Ebed-YHWH, long-suffering and of great mercy". It is probable that
the "Ebed' is derived from the picture of God's servant in Is. xlix. i, etc.
I have made him into a prince and a ruler over all the princes of my
kingdoms (= my princes of kingdoms). Here, as in ch. xvi. i, 2, Metatron is
explicitly stated to have special authority over the princes of kingdoms. This is
a feature in the Prince of the World tradition: ch. xxx. 2. In the shorter Enoch-
Metatron piece, ch. xlviii c, vs. 9, Metatron's character of ruler over the princes
of kingdoms and thereby as functional Prince of the World is better preserved than
here he is there depicted as ruler over the nations of the world who smites kings
'
:
CH. X] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 2Q
of heaven, except the eight great princes, the honoured and revered
ones who are called 10 by the name of their King. (4) And
YHWH,
every angel
u and every prince
11
who has a word to speak 12 in
my
presence (before me) shall go into his presence (before him) and
12
shall speak to him (instead). (5) 13 And every command that he utters
to you 13 in my name do ye observe and fulfil. For the Prince of
Wisdom and the Prince of Understanding 14 have I committed to
him 14 to instruct him in the wisdom of heavenly things and of earthly
10-10 so with BCDL(E). A: 'by the name of H their King' E: 'H by the name of
World (corrupt for H, by the name of the King of the World ?) i i-i i D om.
' ' '
the :
12-12 BCL om. 13-13 lit. 'every word that he shall speak to you' 14-14 so
ace. to BCL. EL lit. I have committed him (sing. = the Prince of Wisdom and
'
heavens, in common with all the children of heaven. Except the eight great
princes. .who are called
. YHWH
by the name of their king. 'Called by the
name YHWH' (cf. on chh. iii. 2, xxix. i) probably means that these angels have
the Tetragrammaton as part of their names, as 'Anaphiel of ch. vi. i, the higher H
ones of the angels enumerated ch. xviii, and the Merkaba princes chh. xix, xx,
xxii, xxv, xxvi, xxvii. Which these angels are who are exempt from the juris-
diction of Metatron is not stated here. One might from ch. vi. i conjecture that
'Anaphiel was regarded as one of them. A
parallel can be brought from Hek. R.
xxii, BH. iii. 99. This parallel is indeed so close that it can with some degree of
certainty be assumed to represent the same tradition as the present passage. The
guardians of the seventh Hall are enumerated "and each of them, his name is
called by the name of the King of the World" (in the enumeration this state-
ment is shown to signify the form of names of which the Tetragrammaton forms
the latter part: SSTIEL YHWH, N(ZURIEL YHWH, etc.). The greatest of them is
'Anaphiel H
(in whose charge the ring with the seal of heaven and earth is com-
mitted, cf. on vi. i): "before him all on high kneel down, fall on their faces and
pay homage to him when they see him. And those angels, standing before the
Throne of Glory, who do not prostrate themselves before the Prince of the Presence,
they prostrate themselves before 'A naphiel YHWH".
'Those angels' are evidently
the angels in Hek. R. made into the guardians of the Seventh Hall '. The names
'
of these angels are only seven in the enumeration, but ace. to the general scheme
of Hek. R. (see chh. xv, xvii, etc.) the number of the guardians of each Hall is
'eight': likewise in Mass. Hek. iv ("there are eight guardians of the door of each
of the seven Halls"). Hence also Hek. R. xxii might originally have had: "eight
great princes, called H". This clause is most probably additional here, cf. Intro-
duction, section 8(u).
(4) Every angel. .who has a word to speak in
.
presence, shall go my
...to him. HERE THE EPITHET 'PRINCE OF THE PRESENCE' is EXPLAINED.
(5) And every command that he utters to you in name do ye observe and my
fulfil. THIS IS CLEARLY A PROCLAMATION OF METATRON AS GOD'S VICE-
REGENT. Ex. xxiii. 21 may have been suggestive (Ex. xxiii. 20-22 are tradition-
ally referred to the Prince of the Presence): "Beware of him and provoke him
not obey his voice ". Here Metatron's jurisdiction extends only over the angels,
:
by the following, for the Prince of Wisdom and the Prince of Understanding
have I committed to him to instruct him in the wisdom of heavenly things
and of earthly things. The Prince of Wisdom and Prince of Understanding
' '
:
30 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. X, XI
things, in the wisdom of this world and of the world to come. (6) More-
over, I have set him over all the treasuries of the palapes of Araboih
15 15 16 17
and over all the stores of life that I have 16 in the high heavens.
CHAPTER XI
God reveals all mysteries and secrets to Metatron
R. Ishmael said Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said
:
to me:
(i)
1
Henceforth the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to me 1 all
cf. D i (no. 105) and 2 ('all the treasuries of wisdom are committed in
ch. xlviii
his hand '). The functions of the Prince of Wisdom are then naturally merged into
the conception of Metatron: Metatron is the Prince of Wisdom. Cf. on ch. xviii.
' '
ii, 16. Metatron instructed in the secrets is the subject of the following chapter.
There it is God himself who instructs him. Cf. in 2 En. xxxiii. n, 12 " two angels :
to the present chapter Metatron's initiation in the wisdoms of heaven and earth
and his disposal over the treasuries is a necessary condition for (and corollary of)
his office asGod's representative. Stores of Life: ch. viii. i, 4 Ez. viii. 54, Alph.
R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 26, 44.
Ch. xi. That METATRON is IN POSSESSION OF ALL SECRETS AND MYSTERIES is an
essential feature of the traditions concerning him. Cf. the other Enoch-Metatron
piece of the present book ch. xlviii c 7 (and 4). He is called the Knower of Secrets
' '
:
ib. and Hek. R. ("wise in the secrets and Master of the mysteries"). The same is
' ' '
implied in chh. viii, x. 5 As a knower of secrets he is also the revealer of secrets '.
.
This is the eighty-eighth of the names in ch. xlviii D i and the sixty-seventh in the
treatise Names of Metatron, Bodl. MICH. 256, foil. 29 3-44 a. He is the Prince of
Wisdom and the Prince of Understanding: ch. xlviii D i (105), 2, 6. He reveals
the 'secret' to Moses: ib. 7. He is the guide and revealer of secrets to R. Ishmael
ace. to the frame of the present book, to R. Ishmael and R. 'Aqiba (e. a.) ace. to
'
Hek. R. (in the form of Surya '), Hek. Zot., Shi'ur Qoma, the Apocalyptic Fragment,
BH. v. 167-169, and in various scattered fragments (see Introduction). Also called
guide of all treasuries ', e.g. BH. ii. 117. Besides it needs hardly to be pointed out
'
that the revelation of secrets to Enoch and Enoch as possessor of and revealer of
heavenly secrets is a prominent trait of the i and 2 En. Cf. also CHARLES, i En.
xlix. 3, 4.
(i) Henceforth the Holy One revealed to me. Ace. to vs. 5 of the preceding
. . .
chapter the angel(s) called the Prince of Wisdom and Prince of Understanding
are the instructors of Enoch-Metatron. Here it is the Holy One himself who
reveals the secrets to him. An important parallel to this is found in 2 En. xxiii,
'
xxiv. In ch. xxiii the angel Vretil tells Enoch of all the works of heaven and earth,
etc. etc.', in ch. xxiv again it is God himself who reveals to Enoch 'the secrets of
Creation '. The reason of the change is there to be seen in the explicit statement
that these latter secrets are not even revealed to the angels and could therefore be
handed over to Enoch only by God himself. It is probable that a similar idea has
been at work here. It is at least certain that Metatron was thought to receive more
CHH.X,Xl] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 31
the mysteries of Tora and all the secrets of wisdom 2 and all the
and all the secrets of the universe 3 and all the secrets 4 of Creation
were revealed unto me even as they are revealed unto 5 the Maker
of Creation 5 .
7
(2) And
watched intently 6
I to behold the secrets of the depth
and the wonderful mystery 7 .
ABL: C:
Before a man did think 8 in secret, Before a man did think, I knew
I saw 8a (it) and before a man what was in his thought. (3) And
made a thing I beheld it. (3) And there was no thing above on high
there was no thing on high nor in nor below in the deep hidden
the depth of the world hidden from me.
10 9
from me.
2-2 so BEL (L om.
Perfect ') lacuna. C reads
'
A
all the secrets of understanding
: :
'
before he did think' 8a L: 'I knew' and om. 'in secret' 9-9 corr. DE
from 'before a man did think etc.' to the end of the chapter.
'
10 adds:
'
B
from the Creator of the World alone
' ' '
of the than the angels in general cf. ch. viii. 2 end
secrets I was honoured and ;
:
adorned with all these. .things more than all the children of heaven', referring
.
'
inter alia to wisdom, understanding, knowledge '.
all the mysteries of Tora and all the secrets of wisdom and all the depths
of the Perfect Law. The mysteries of the Tora is a technical term, denoting THE
INNER ESSENCE OF WHICH THE TORA ITSELF IS AN EXPRESSION, FORM, PHENOMENON.
They are not to be defined as the sum of mystical interpretations of the Tora the :
mystical interpretation aims at finding these secrets by the study of the Tora, in
which they are embodied (cf. e.g. Baraita of R. Meir, Pirqe Ab. vi: "Whosoever
is busy in the Tora for its own sake. .to him the mysteries of Tora are revealed").
.
They are in fact the mysteries of mysteries ', the fundament not only of the Tora
but of the universe, of heaven and earth : cf ch. xlviii D 8 and note ad locum. In .
the term are thus comprised also the following the secrets of Wisdom and the :
depths of the Perfect Law and also the Secrets of Creation. See Introduction,
section 14 (i). Cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 43, 44, ace. to which God revealed to
Moses (since Moses received the Tora on Sinai he was also thought to have
received the 'Secrets' either directly from God or through Metatron; cf. ch.
xlviii D 3, 7 seq.) 'the Tora. .and opened to him the treasuries of Wisdom, which
.
the Holy One. .revealed to him, that he might see by His Wisdom all the orders
.
'
of Creation Perfect Law. The expression is derived from Ps. xix. 8. Cf.
Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 14: "But for the Perfect Law (Tora Temima) the whole
world would not subsist" and vice versa.
all living beings' thoughts of heart. ... (2) Before a man did think,
I knew, etc. (3) .no thing. .on high nor. .in the deep hidden from me.
. . . .
Metatron seems here to be invested with the attribute of omniscience proper only to
'the Maker of the World'. All past, present and future events are recorded with
God (on the Curtain cf. on ch. xlv. i). These were also shown to Moses ace. to the
passage Alph. R. Aqiba, BH. iii. 44, referred to above.
'
32 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XII
CHAPTER XII
i God Metatron in a garment of glory, puts a royal
clothes
"
crown on his head and calls him the Lesser YHWH"
\ R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, said to me:
!
(i) By reason of the love with which the Holy One, blessed be He,
loved me more than all the children of heaven, He made me a garment
of glory 1 on which were fixed 2 all kinds of 3
lights, and He clad me
4
in it
4
.
(2)
5
And He made me a robe of honour on which were fixed
all kinds of beauty, splendour, brilliance and majesty 6 5
.
(3) And he
made me a royal crown in which were fixed forty-nine costly stones
5-5 DE om. 6 CL
add :
'
and wrapped me (in it)
'
Ch. xii. Continued description of Enoch's exaltation, ending with the climax:
ENOCH-METATRON CALLED THE LESSER YHWH. A very close parallel to this chapter
isfound in 2 En. xxi. 5-11, xxii. 5. Vide Introduction, section 7 (b). (i) The
Holy One. .made me a garment of glory.
. Cf.
ZfJ&i.
xxii. 8 (Ivi. 2):
God bids Michael clothe Enoch with 'the raiment of glory '.jln early traditions the
'garment of glory' ('raiment of honour', etc.) represents me light-substance in ' '
which the inhabitants of the high heavens appear the glory is light, splendour, ;
more than all the children of heaven'. The writer has Metatron's rulership, his
vice-regency in view. THE GARMENT AND ROBE ASSIGNED TO HIM ARE TO BE UNDER-
STOOD AS SYMBOLS OF HIS DERIVED KINGSHIP. This is apparent from the following
context: Metatron crowned with a crown of kingship and especially by his pro-
nouncement as the Lesser YHWfQ Ace. to Alpha Beta de Metatron (Add. 15299,
"
fol. 8 1 b) Metatron is clad in eight garments, made out of the splendour of Shekina
(ib. 8 1 a: when the righteous parts from this world the Prince of the Presence con-
ducts him to the Garden of Eden and there he clothes him in eight garments from
the splendour of Shekina) ". THE GARMENT(S) OF GLORY ARE A DISTINCTION ASSIGNED
ALSO TO MESSIAH ace. to Pirqe Mashiach, BH. iii. 73 ("God will clothe Messiah in
splendour and majesty. .and garments of glory").
.
went forth 8
in the four quarters of the 'Araboth Raqia', and in
8
(through) the seven heavens, and in the four quarters of the world .
His 11
heavenly household; as it is written (Ex. xxiii. 21): "For my
name is in him".
7-7 B shining as
:
'
8-8 B :
'
from one end of the world to the other, and in
'
' '
the seven heavens and in the four quarters of the world 9-9 lit. he wreathed
it' C: 'they put that crown' 10-10 BC: 'they called me (by the name of)'
ii BCL:'the'
the present book chh. xvi. i, 2 (princes of kingdoms), xvii. 8 (item), xviii. 1-22
(all the angels and princes); in the angelological section, the Merkaba-angels and
the princes set over them: chh. xxi. 4, xxii. 5,11, xxv. 6, xxvi. 7, 8, further xxxix. 2,
xl. 2, xlviii c 4. The Divine Names, ch. xlviii B i. Cf. Rev. iv. 4. The righteous are
to receive crowns in the world to come or in the after-life, e.g. 2 Esdras ii. 45.
Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 34, and ib. 36, God is represented as crowning the letters
on the Merkaba with a crown of kingship and a crown of glory. In the present
'
book the crown of kingship is the special emblem of Metatron and of the seventy-
'
two princes of kingdoms (whose ruler he is): ch. xvii. 8 (cf. xvi. i, 2); in ch. xviii
' ' '
all the angel-princes are depicted with crowns of glory except the seventy-two
princes of kingdoms' who have 'crowns of kingship'. They are the celestial rulers
over the nations of the world. The royal crown here is apparently meant to dis-
tinguish Metatron as representative ruler. The following chapter makes it clear
that METATJRON'S CROWN WAS CONCEIVED OF AS A COUNTERPART OF 'KETHER NORA'
OF THE HOLY ONE AS KING OF THE WORLD (cf. ch. XXIX. i). its Splendour Went
forth etc. Cf. ch. xxv. 6.
(5) And He called me the Lesser YHWH. "For . .
my name is in him."
The tradition that Metatron bears the name of his Master is attested in TB. Sank.
38 b, with the same scriptural support as here, viz. Ex. xxiii. 21. The passage is
frequently referred to Metatron. The reference has been interpreted from the equal
numerical value of Metatron and Shaddai (the name of God Almighty). The
original meaning was, however, as here, that METATRON ACTUALLY WAS CALLED BY
THE DIVINE NAME OR NAMES. Such seems to be the import even of TB. Sank. 38 b,
since there Ex. xxiv. i is said unto Moses, Come
referred to Metatron: "And He
up unto YHWH"; 'Come up unto YHWH' be understood: 'Come up unto is to
Metatron'. A very important parallel is found in Apocalypse of Abraham (ed. BOX),
ch. 10 "I am called Jaoel by Him who moveth that which existeth with me on
:
the seventh expanse upon the firmament, a power in virtue of the ineffable Name
thai is dwelling in me". Jaoel is made up of the Divine Names, and therefore
'God's Name is in Him'. For Metatron called 'the Lesser YHWH' cf. BH. ii. 61,
114, 117, and also 3 En. xlviii c 7, xlviii D i (no. 102: 'the Lesser YHWH, after the
name of his Master, "for my name is in him (Ex. xxiii. 21)'"; ib. no. 14, YHWH
is included as one of the names of
Metatron). Sepher ha-Qoma ('Inydne Merkaba) ,
Bodl. OPP. 467, fol. 61 b (where the variant reading, however, differs): "The
Explicit Name, which is Metatron, the Youth" (var. "the explicit name which
Metatron announces"). cm ftgftftpr hn-Ormm JJlnfJl QPP. 658,
" J^JJTPj-nmjmpptary
fol. ioi a): forMetatron's narneis YHWH the Lesser". Add. 27142 quotes from
Hekaloth (et
fl^fK^And he (Metatron) is the crown of the attributes of the Holy
One, and his nanTels as the name of His Master: THE LESSER YHWH '^%gdd. 15299,
fol. 1343 (Widdiiy Yaphe): "alLthe princes that are standing beneath the Lesser
YHWH". Cf. Zohar, i. 21 a.JThe ascribing to Metatron of the name VHWN
OHB 3
34 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XIII
CHAPTER XIII
God writes with a flaming style on Metatron's crown the
cosmic letters by which heaven and earth were created
R. Ishmael said Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, the
:
1 1
(i) Because of the great love and mercy with which the Holy
One, blessed be He, loved 2
and cherished 2
me more than all the
children of heaven, He wrote with his ringer with a flaming style
upon the crown on my head the letters by which were created
3
heaven and earth, the seas and rivers 3 4 the mountains and hills, 4 ,
6
and voices (thunders) 6 the snow and hail, the storm-wind and the
,
C OM. CHH. xiii AND xiv. i-i so with BDEL. A: 'love of the Holy One,
blessed be He, and the' 2-2 L oni. 3-3 ins. with BDEL. A om.
44 BL om. 5 B ins. '
the sun and the moon' 6-6 L om.
ha-QA TAN^is very near to ascribing to hirrj s\n intermediary Function of Deity.
But here denotes his function of being God's representative. As His representa-
it
tive the Most High has conferred upon him part of His essence which i^ in His
name. Cflhow ace, to later traditions Metatron is regarded as part pf the Shekina,
'the body oT Shekina, "the Shekina is called by his name YR. i. 57 a).
Metatron^ V
Further on the significance of the name 'the Lesser YHWH' see Introduction,
section 8. (Add. 27199, fol. 114 a: U"lp3 WO
Vnan ti& 11^2 j^pn speaking of
Metatron.) The expression 'the little lao' is found in Pistis Sophia (ed. Homer),
page 6 (i2.b) (ed. Schmidt, pp. 7, 8). Cf. Introduction, 8 (p) and (a). n Ha
Ch. xiii. (Cf. the parallel chapter xli.) ON THE CROWN WITH WHICH THE HOLY
ONE CROWNED METATRON ACC. TO THE PRECEDING CHAPTER VS. 3, HE WRITES THE
MYSTICAL LETTERS "BY WHICH HEAVEN AND EARTH ETC. WERE CREATED". This is
indicated as a distinction assigned to Metatron over 'all the children of heaven'
(cf. ch. xii. i). The idea is presumably to denote that Metatron's crown is the
counterpart of the Crown of the Most High, just as Metatron's throne and curtain
(ch. x. i) are the counterparts of the Divine Throne and Curtain resp. Ace. to
Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 13 and iii. 50, the "22 letters by which the whole Torah
was given to the Tribes of Israel are engraved with a naming style on the Fearful
. . .
Crown (cf. ch. xxix. i)". And the latter passage continues: "and when the Holy
One, blessed be He, desired to create the world, they all went down and stood
before Him". Mass. Hek. vii: "the crown with the Explicit Name is on His
(fore)head".
(i) the letters by which were created heaven and earth. Which are these
' '
letters ? In three different ways the conception of Creation by letters is expressed :
(i) the world was created by the letter Beth, being the first one of the letters of
the Tora (Bereshlth) Gen. R. i. 14, TJ. Chag. 77 c, Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 5
: :
for on the Tora the Creation was based (z) the letters of the Divine Name are the
;
constituents of the world (Zohar, ii. 76 a b), especially the letters of the YHWH
and 'EH YE, viz. i, 1, n, N- But also in particular the letters Yod and He (common
to both these names and found in the name YAH). The biblical passage Is. xxvi. 4
CH. XIIl] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 35
7
tempest the ;
letters by which were created all the needs of the world
all 87
8
and the orders of Creation.
9 9 10
(2) And
every single letter sent forth time after time as it were10
12 time after time as it were 12 12
"lightnings, torches, time after time
as were 12 flames of fire, 12 time after time 1211
it (rays) like [as] the
rising of the sun and the moon and the planets.
7-7 L om. 8-8 so with BDE. A: 'upon all' 9-9 L: 'flew off'
10-10 BDE: 'figures like unto' or 'figures of aspects as' n-n DE om.
12-12, B as in 10-10.
(cf.. ch. xlii. used as support, interpreted thus: "By Yod He He created the
4) is
worlds". The'worlds': "the world to come with Yod, this world by He" or vice
versa ( YR. i. 8 b). From the word behibbare'am, read be He bera'am (by He did He
create them), in Gen. ii. 4, support is brought for the statement: 'by He heaven
and earth were created '. The first word of the Tora (Bereshith, read Bard Sheth
(He created (by) six) together with the passage Is. xxvi. 4 already mentioned
(interpreted By : YH YHWH
he created the worlds) are used as support for the
creation of heaven and earth and the world by the six letters: n, 1, H, *, H, '
(Ma'ase Bereshith, S. Raziel, Or. 6577 foil. (19 b, 20 a b). Cf. for further refer-
ences: TB. Men. 29 b, TJ. Chag. 77, Gen. R. xii. 2, 9, Mass. Hek. vii, Alph. R.
'Aqiba, BH. iii. 23, 24, 53, 55, 56, YR. i. 4 b, 8 b. (3) The world was created by
the twenty-two letters (which of course are also regarded as constituting the Divine
Name). Pirqe R. Ishm. (Bodl. MICH. 175, foil. 20 3-26 a, ch. xxi cont.) the statement
to this effect is based likewise upon Is. xxvi. 4. The creation of everything in heaven
and on earth by means of the twenty-two letters is notedly the fundamental doctrine
"
of the S. Yesira By means of the 22 letters, by giving them a form .and., a shape",*
:
by mixing thern and combining them in different ways, God made the^soul of all
that which hag been created and of all that which will be" (ii. 2, cited by Abelson
in Jewish Mysticism, p. 104). Cf. ib. p. 100 from Ber. 55 a: "Bezalel knew how to
join together the letters by means of which the heavens and earth were created").
Cf. also the "Sa'adya" commentary on S. Yesira, ii. 2. As no special letters are
named here and no reference is made to the 'name', also because the wording
suggests a plurality, THE 'LETTERS' ARE PRESUMABLY IN THE PRESENT CHAPTER TO
BE UNDERSTOOD AS THE 22 LETTERS. In ch. xlviii D 5 the conferment upon Metatron
of the twenty-two letters is explicitly stated.
(2) And every single letter sent forth etc. Cf ch. xxxix. i and ch. xlviii B i
.
,
from which it appears as if the reading of L might probably be original: 'flew off'.
Cf. notes ad loca. On 'the mystical letters' vide Introduction, section 14 (i).
The idea of creation by letters (of the Name) is to be traced back in the Enoch
literature to i En. Ixix. 14-25: "the hidden Name (enunciated) in the oath. .and .
these are the secrets of this oath:. .through it the earth was founded. .the sea
. .
was created. .the depths made fast. .the sun and moon complete their course"
. .
(Charles' ed.).
3-2
36 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XIV
CHAPTER XIV
All the highest princes, the elementary angels and the
planetary and sideric angels fear and tremble at the sight
of Metatron crowned
(i) When the Holy One, blessed be He, put this crown on my head,
(then) trembled before me all the Princes of Kingdoms who are in
x
the height of 'Araboth Raqiaf and all the hosts of every heaven 1 ;
2
and even the princes (of) the 'Elim, the princes (of) the 'Er'ellim
and the princes (of) the Tafsarim 2 who are greater than all the
,
the 'Elim Tafsarim and the princes of the 'Er'ellim DE: 'the princes 'Elim and the
'
princes 'Tafsarim'
Ch. xiv. In the form of a narrative of how different princes and angels trembled
before Metatron, when they saw him crowned by the Most High, the PRESENT
CHAPTER GIVES AN EXPOSITION OF THE VARIOUS ANGELIC POWERS UNDER METATRON'S
AUTHORITY. These comprise mainly: (i) the princes of kingdoms, including Sam-
mael (' who is greater than all of them ') (2) the princes (of) the 'Elim, 'Er'ellim and
;
'
Tafsarim (3) the so-called rulers of the world ', i.e. (a) the angels appointed over
;
the elementary powers of the world, fire, ice, wind, lightning, thunder, snow, rain,
(b) the angels appointed over the heavenly bodies, including the angels of 'the day'
and 'the night'. It will be noticed that these angels and angelic functions fall
' '
within the traditional dominion of the Prince of the World METATRON is HERE
:
(cf. on chh. ix. 5, x. 3) DENOTED AS VIRTUAL PRINCE OF THE WORLD, HAVING AUTHORITY
OVER THE 72 PRINCES OF KINGDOMS (cf. ch. XXx) AND OVER THE 'RULERS OF THE
WORLD '.
The Tafsarim (Jer. li. 27, Nah. iii. 17) occur here and in ch. xxxix. 2 only. For
the hosts of every heaven (om. by L) cf. xvii. 2.
CH. XIV] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 37
4
ministering angels who minister before the Throne of Glory, shook,
feared and trembled before me 3 when they beheld me 34 .
than all the princes of kingdoms on high; feared and trembled before
me.
(3) even the angel 6 of fire, and the angel 6 of hail, and the
And
6 7 7
angel of the wind, and the angel of the lightning, and the angel of
8 8
anger, and the angel of the thunder and the angel of the snow,
,
and the angel of 9 the rain and the angel of the day, and the angel
;
10
of the night, 10 and the angel of the sun and the angel of the moon
u
and the angel of the planets and the angel of the constellations who
rule the world under their hands, feared 12 and trembled and were
13
(4) These are the names of the rulers of the world: Gabriel, the
3-3 E om. 4-4 L om. 5 DE ins. 'the Evil One' 6 BL: 'angels'
7-7 B om. 8-8 D: 'the angel of the storm-wind, the angel of the earthquake'
B the angel of the earthquake and the angel of commotion and the angel of hail
:
' '
L: 'and the angels of the earthquake and the thunder' 9 L ins. 'the lightning
and' (cf. 7-7) 10-10 L om. u-n L om. from 'who rule. vs. 3 to vs. 5.
. .
'
(2) Sammael, the Prince of the Accusers, who is greater than all the princes
of kingdoms. For Sammael cf. on ch. xxvi. 21. He is here put in relation to the
princes of kingdoms, probably regarded as the chief of these princes. As 'the
prince of Rome' ch. xxvi. 12 he is naturally included in this category, and as a
representative of Rome, Israel's greatest oppressor, he also becomes the repre-
sentative of all the Gentile nations and the leader of the princes who accuse Israel
(represented by Mikael) on high. From this point of view one trend of traditions
regards the princes of kingdoms, under Sammael, as evil, demoniacal powers.
In the present book the tendency is contrary: in ch. xxx the princes of kingdoms,
under the Prince of the world, together plead the cause of the world before God in
a universal sense, and here they are all subjected under the rulership of Metatron
whose authority supersedes that of Sammael.
(3) The angels of the elementary forces of fire, hail, wind, lightnings, etc., are
'
comprised with those of the heavenly bodies under the category of rulers of the
world' ('who rule the world under their hands'). Cf. 2 En. iv-vi where the first
heaven is said to contain "the rulers of the orders of the stars" together with the
angels guarding ".the treasuries of snow, ice, clouds and dew". The names and
characteristics of the angels of i En. vi. 7 and viii show a combination of elementary
and sideric-planetary powers: Kokabiel, evidently = Kokbiel of vs. 4 (planets or
stars), Shamsiel (= Shimshiel of vs. 4: the sun), Sariel (the moon) and Ezeqeel
(= Ziqiel of vs. 4: the sparks or lightnings); cf. Zaqiel, Baraqijal (= Baraqiel:
lightnings), Jomjael (= Yomiel?, prince of the day, here Shimshiel). For the close
connection of the gods, angels or rulers of elementary and planetary phenomena
attested in Persian religion, Mithraism and Gnosticism cf Bousset, Hauptprobleme
.
der Gnosis, pp. 223-237. Cf. Diels, Elementum, pp. 41 seqq., pointing out that the
o-rot^em, 'elements', of N.T.-time comprise elementary powers and planets
(Gal. iv. 3, 9, Col. ii. 8, 20 etc.) For planetary angels, spirits or demons cf. i En. Ix
15-22, 2 En. xv, xvi. 7,Jub. ii. 2, 4 Ez. vi. 41, 2 Bar. vi. i, item i En. Ixi. 10 ("prin-
cipalities. .and the powers of earth and water"), ib. Ixvi. 2 ("angels. .over the
. .
38 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XIV
angel of the fire, Baradiel, the angel of the hail, Ruchiel who is ap-
pointed over the wind, Baraqiel who is appointed over the lightnings,
Za'amiel who is appointed over the vehemence, Ziqiel who is ap-
pointed over the sparks, Zi'iel who is appointed over the commotion,
Zdaphiel who is appointed over the storm-wind, Ra'amiel who is
(5) And
they all fell they saw me. And they were
prostrate, when
not able to behold me
because of the majestic glory and beauty of
14
the appearance of the shining 14 light of the crown of glory upon my
head. 15
powers of the waters"), ib. Ixix. 2 (Kokabel, Baraqel, cf. vi, viii referred to above),
ib. vs. 22 (" the spirits of the water and of the winds ").
Gabriel the angel of
(4)
the fire. This seems to be a remnant of a tradition, connecting the archangels or
the four 'Presences' with the elements and planets. Such a tradition is preserved
in Tiqqune Zohar, no. 70 (" Mikael is appointed over the water or seas, Gabriel over
the fire, Uriel over the wind, Raphael over the 'dust of the ground', the earth").
For Uriel as the angel of the fire, see BOX, Ezra-Ap. pp. 20, 21. Shimshiel, the
angel over the day. The name is derived from Shemesh (sun) Shemesh and Yom are .
often equivalent (cf. TB. Ab. Zar. 4 b, 5 a, Rashi). The name Yomiel which would
have been more strictly in accordance with the scheme of the preceding angelic
names (each derived from the name of their function or of the element over which
they are appointed) occurs already in i En. vi. 7 (' Jornjael' cf. above). In Hek. Zot.
'
Bodl. MICH. 9, fol. 68 a, Yomael' is one of seven angels connected with the seven
heavens. Cf. note on ch. xvii. 3. Cf. also Shamsiel, i En. viii. 3 (who taught men
"the signs of the sun"). For Galgalliel, 'Ophanniel, Kokbiel, Rahatiel, as
angels over sun, moon, planets and constellations, see the identical representation
in a fuller form in ch. xvii. 4-7. Cf. ch. xlvi. 3 (Rahatiel). 'Ophanni'el as the
prince of the Ophannim, see ch. xxv (which preserves traces of the connection of
this angel with "the globe of the moon"). Vide the consummate exposition of the
angelic names in the parallel passage of i En. vi (with variant readings) given by
CHARLES, in The Book of Enoch, Oxford, 1912, pp. 16, 17 !
'
contrast to the preceding where it is always referred to as crown of kingship '.
CH. XV] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 39
CHAPTER XV
Metatron transformed into fire
R. Ishmael said Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, the
:
3
of the Merkaba and the needs of Shekina, forthwith my flesh was
changed into flames, my sinews into flaming fire, my bones into coals
of burning juniper, 4 the light of 4 my eye-lids into 5 splendour of
5
Ch. xv. This chapter in common with ch. ix treats of the metamorphosis through
which Metatron- Enoch was made into an angel. His body and substance are wholly
changed into fire. For fire as the regular substance of the angels, see Introduction
(Angelol., Nature, etc., of the angels). The Tos. (Yeb. 16 b) record the piyyutic
statement: "Metatron, the Prince, who was made from flesh into fire", meaning
"Enoch is Metatron". See YR. i. 54 b. .
CHAPTER XVB
Addition occurring in B and L
B: L:
(1) R. Iskmael said: Said to me (i) Metatron, he is prince over
Metatron, the Prince of the Pre- all the princes and he stands
and the prince over all
sence the before
princes and he stands before
Him who is greater than all the Elohini. And he goes in under the
Throne of Glory. And he has a great tabernacle of 1 light on high. And
he brings forth the fire of deafness and puts (it)
into the ears of the
Holy Chayyoth, that they may not hear the voice of the Word (Dibbur)
^that goes forth from the mouth of the Divine Majesty*.
(2) And when Moses ascended on high, he fasted 121 fasts, till *the
Fragment of an
habitations of the chashmal were opened to him z ; and he
Ascension of
Moses"
saw the heart within the saw, that it was white as the
heart of the Lion heart of the Lion
i L :
'
above
'
2-2 L om. 3-3 L :
'
(1) he goes in under the Throne of Glory, the place of the treasuries and also
of the 'Tabernacle of the Youth'. he has a great tabernacle on high. The
Tabernacle (Sanctuary) of Metatron under the Throne: Sepher Qoma (Bodl. OPP.
467, fol. 61 a), "Metatron goes in under the Throne to say the 'Blessed'", ace. to
"
Hilkoth Metatron, Add. 27199, fol. 114 a, item to prostrate himself before the Holy
One " (commentary on Sepher ha-qQoma, Bodl. OPP. 658, fol. 101 a). " The Tabernacle
"
of the Youth whose name is Metatron was completed by the ministering angels
simultaneously with the completion of the Tabernacle on earth ace. to Num. R.
xii. 15 (with reference to Nu. vii. i). Cf. Zohar, ii. 1593 and Introduction. Metatron
is the High Priest on high (Shemoth sJiel Metatron, Bodl. MICH. 256, fol. 29 a), thus
occupying the position elsewhere assigned to Mikael. Cf. Zohar, iii. 50 a: two
Altars on high. The priest of the inner Altar is K^E) i1&6y NJilD and of the
outer Mikael, NT") &OK>. and he brings forth the fire of deafness etc. Literally
the same is said in S. ha-'qQoma (Bodl. OPP. 467, foil. 61 a b) with the addition
"
(from the mouth of the Holy One) and the Explicit Name that the Youth Metatron
recites (i.e. in the Tabernacle)".
(2) he fasted 121 fasts, i.e., probably, 121 days. The sudden introduction of
'
CH. XVB] FRAGMENT OF ASCENSION OF MOSES
'
41
and he saw the innumerable* companies of the hosts Around about him.
6
And they desired* to burn him. But Moses prayed for mercy, first
for Israel and after that for himself: and He who sitteth on the Merkaba
7
opened the windows that are above the heads of the Kerubim. And a
8
host of 1800 advocates and the Prince of the Presence, Metatron,
with them went forth to meet Moses. And they took the prayers of
Israel 9 and put them 10 1J
-as a crown 11 on the head of the Holy One,
blessed be He.
(3) And they said (Deut. vi. 4): "Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God
is one Lord"
5-5 L om. corr. L om. L ins. '
4 lit. companies of
' '
6 7 he asked mercy
8 L ins. 'of Israel' 9-9 L: 'his prayer' 10 L: 'it' n-u L om.
the theme of the revelations to Moses is perhaps to be accounted for by the tradi-
tional association of the Tabernacle on high with the Tabernacle completed by
Moses and by Metatron 's function as revealer of the 'secrets' to Moses. Cf. ch.
xlviii 03,7. the habitations of the chashmal. chashmal, derived from Ezek. i. 4,
is interpreted either as an angelic name (chashmal, chashmallim, cf. note on ch. vii)
or as a celestial Matter. In any case the 'abodes of the chashmal' here mean the
highest or central place in heaven. Ace. to Gikatillas, Sod ha-Chashmal, the
prophet (or the seer) after having entered the successive Halls at last arrives at the '
' '
Hall of the Chashmal ', the Chashmal being the equivalent of the Chayyoth of fire
(Arze Lebanon, 40 a b. Cf. 41 a: "the inner chashmal and the outer chashmal
etc."). the heart of the Lion, the Lion = one of the four Chayyoth, Ezek. i. 10.
they desired to burn him. Cf. the Rev. of Moses, e.g. YR. ii. 66 b ("I
Moses saw the company of the angels of dread who surround the Throne of
Glory. .and they all desired to burn me"): it is a symbol of guard. Cf. i. 3, 4.
.
opened the windows that are above the heads of the Kerubim. These are the
windows through which the prayers of men are let into the Presence of the Godhead.
In the Widduy Yaphe the supplicant prays that the Kerubim who are by the side
of the Chayyoth and the Throne of Glory may open " the windows that are in the
'Throne of Glory... in the habitations" and let in his prayer before Him who
sitteth on the Kerub, etc. 1800 advocates, i.e. angels who plead in favour of
Israel. The kerub is advocate already in TB. Chag. 13 b. the prayers of Israel
. .as a crown. This represents the frequent idea of the prayers wreathed into
.
diadems on the head of the Most High. Usually the angel-prince Sandalfon is
assigned the function of receiving the prayers of the righteous and making them
into crowns for 'his Creator'. Here this function is ascribed to the advocating
angels under Metatron. (Sandalfon is nowhere mentioned in the present book.)
(Cf. Chag. 13 b, Rev. Moses YR. ii. 66 b, Zohar, ii. 58 a, i. 167 b.) Ace. to
Yalqut Chadash, mal'akim, no. 25, "Metatron brings the prayers of Israel before
the Holy One, blessed be He". Ib. ib. no. 9, "There are three who receive the
prayers: 'Akatriel (cf. vs. 4), Metatron and Sandalfon", of these three, ace. to
ib. ib. no. 38, 'Akatriel receives the
prayers of the 'nSshamd' (the spirit, the highest
part of man), Metatron those of the rudch (the soul, as it is perhaps best translated),
Sandalfon those of the nefesh (the mental or vital part of man). And ib. ib. no. 95,
Metatron receives the prayers and ascends through 900 of the 955 heavens (cf.
ch. xlviii A i), handing them over to Akatriel. A class of angels receiving the prayers,
as here, is also represented in Masseket Asilut, ch. v (Jellinek, Ginze Chokmath
ha-qQabbala), "in the world of 'Asiyya are the 'Ophannim and (the angels who)
receive the prayers and requests.. ." .
(3) And they said "Hear, O Israel etc." This seems to indicate that the
fragment was connected with a midrashic exposition of the ShSma'. It is difficult
42 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XV B
B: L:
and their face shone and rejoiced and the face of Shekina shone and
over Shekina rejoiced
and they said Metatron: "What are these? And to whom do they
to
give all this honour and glory?" And they answered: "To the Glorious
Lord of Israel". And they spake:
B: L:
"Hear, O Israel: the Lord, our God, is one "YHWH the Living
Lord. To whom shall be given abundance of and Eternal".
honour and majesty but to Thee YHWH, the
Divine Majesty, the King, living and eternal".
(4) In that moment spake Akatriel Yah Yehod Sebaoth and said to
verse, except in
' '
this honour . . . and in they answered which should be emended he (Metatron)
answered '.
(4) In that moment spake
Akatriel Yah Yehod Sebaoth. Akatriel Yah
Yehod Sebaoth is probability a name of the Most High, not of an angel
here in all :
reference to the words attributed to Akatriel in this verse,) now God delights in
thee'. Akatriel as a name of God occurs in the well-known passage Ber. 73.
Akatriel ("the crown of God", "God crowned") is cabbalistically the name of the
Godhead as manifested on the Throne of Glory. He is identical with the Kerub
ha-mMeyuchad (Or. 5510, fol. 127 b) and represents the sefira Keter. Akatriel
is, however, also a frequent name of an angel, in this case usually without the
appendix Yah Yehod Sebaoth; cf. quotations in note on vs. 2 above. It may
be apposite here to give the view of Cordovero (Pardes, quoted YR. i. 90 a) :
he maintains that Akatriel even in Ber. 7 a refers to an angel, not to God " said :
not God. And the Yah Yah Sebaoth' means nothing more than that he is like
'
other angels who are called by the name of their Master (cf. on xxix. i, x. 3, iii. 2) ".
Hear thou his prayer and fulfil his desire. HENCE METATRON is CONCEIVED OF
AS GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE NOT ONLY TO THE ANGELS BUT ALSO TO MAN. The underlying
' '
idea is here probably Metatron's identification with the angel of Ex. xxiii. 20 seqq.
(5) For thy face shines from one end of the world to the other. Cf. Ex.
xxxiv. 29. Moses has obtained from the ethereal light or splendour of the Divine
CHH.XVB,XVl] ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 43
lest I bring guiltiness upon myself". Metatron said to him: ''Receive
the letters of the oath, in (by) which there is no breaking the covenant" 15
CHAPTER XVI 1
Probably additional
Metatron divested of his privilege of presiding on a
Throne of his own on account of Acker's misapprehen-
sion in taking him for a second Divine Power
2
(i) At first I was sitting upon a great Throne at the door of the
Seventh Hall and I was judging 3 the children of heaven, 4 the house-
;
'
15 the additions following
'
upon this are in B definitely stated not to belong to
the Baraita
Ch. xvi. iChh. xvi-xxii om. by E. Ch. xvi is not included in the Part of Baraitas
from the Ma'ase Merkaba in L, but a recension of it follows immediately after
the version of ch. xii, without reference to source. 2 so BDL. A: 'the'
3 L ins. 'all' 4-4 BDL om.
Glory. For 'the oath' cf. i En. Ixix. 14-25. The oath contains Divine letters, i.e.
letters of the Divine names. Cf. Introduction, section 14 (i).
Ch. xvi. The present chapter is a different version of the well-known narrative
in Chag. 15 a (cf. Tos. Chag. 2, 3, Yer. Chag. ii. i, fol. 77 b). The main DIFFERENCES
between the two versions are: (i) in Chag. 15 a Metatron 's privilege of 'sitting'
in the heavens is explained from his being the scribe, recording the merits of Israel,
here the view of the preceding chapters is accepted (ch. x. 2 seqq.) ace. to which
Metatron was seated on a Throne of his own as judge and ruler over the angels, in
particular the princes of kingdoms, (2) in Chag. the reason for or justification of
the punishment administered on Metatron is that he did not rise when he saw
Acher beholding him (so as to prevent the misapprehension as to the Unity of the
Godhead; this is omitted here, (3) the execution of punishment is in Chag. attributed
to a plurality of angels, not further defined, here the angel 'Anaphiel, known from
ch. vi. i and allied traditions (see on ch. x. 3) as having occupied a position above
'
(i) At first I was sitting upon a great Throne at the door of the Seventh Hall.
Cf. ch. X. 1-3. THE OPENING GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CH. IS AN INDEPENDENT
FRAGMENT. INDEED VS. I REPEATS THE DETAILS OF CHH. X, XLVIII C 8, 9, WITH THE
EXPLICIT ADDITION THAT THE DISTINCTIONS IN QUESTION, CONFERRED UPON META-
TRON, WERE ONLY TEMPORARY ('AT FIRST', IN THE BEGINNING'). The role here
'
assigned to Metatron is markedly primarily the rulership over the princes of king-
doms. Over these he presides in the Celestial Court, passing judgement upon
the heavenly household but also as conferring upon them their authority and
44 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVI
5 DL Elisha ben Abuya who is (also called) Acher B (instead of Acher came ')
' ' '
: :
'came Elisha ben Abuya and he was standing behind (corr. reading for 'Acher')
YHWH' 6-6 so DL (cf. on vs. 3 of ch. xii, chh. xvii. 8, xviii. 3 beg.).
AB: 'wreathing crowns' (cf. also vs. i here: divided ... crown ... until etc.')
'
emblems of rulership again a trait of the Prince of the World conception, presiding
:
he was one of the four who 'entered Paradise' in their lifetime, an expression
evidently denoting mystical experiences and speculations on the Ma' ase Merkaba',
'
here he is simply denoted as one of those who beheld the vision of the Merkaba
(as R. Ishmael, ch. i. i seq.).
(3) Indeed, there are two Divine Powers in heaven (cf. Chag. 15 a: "are
there, God forbid, two Divine Powers?"). Acher is described as giving vent to
the most abominable heretic view, that denying the absolute Unity of the Godhead.
The Talmudic tradition emphasizes Acher 's aberration into heresy, and also, as it
seems, that his heresy was caused by his mystical speculations. Acher, after having
entered Paradise 'cut the plantations', i.e., probably, seduced scholars from the
right faith. (Cf. also the Tosaphists ad locum, Chag. 15 a).
(4) Bath Qol went forth. .and said: "Return, ye backsliding children,
.
except Acher!' (identical with Chag. 15 a). Acher was to be excluded from the
opportunity of forgiveness through repentance, offered to all other children of
God.
CHH. XVI, XVIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A2) 45
9
(5) Then came
'Aniyel the Prince, the honoured, glorified, be-
,
CHAPTER XVII x
R. Ishmael said Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, the
:
'
fire
'
B (and) brought with him sixty
:
'
(5) Then came 'Anaphiel (BDL) H etc. Cf. ch. vi. i and on ch. x. 3. The
chapter accepts the tradition ace. to which 'Anaphiel is assigned a position higher
than that of Metatron. HeJs given six epithets, exactly as in Hek. R. xxii. i.
In Chag. 153 the executors of the punishment are not defined (" they brought out
Metatron and struck him. ."). Cf. introd. of notes on the present chapter. For
.
the punishment of angels with lashes of fire cf. Yoma, 77 a (Gabriel), made me
stand on my feet, i.e. Metatron was deprived of his privilege of sitting on a throne.
Tosaf. Chag, 15 a, explains: DnjIND nJV n'P'D' rPH K ?^ *h VHin!? 1
b 1
Note. The position of ch. xvi within the present Enoch-Metatron piece of the
' '
Mikael etc. It is noticeable that order and forms of the names of the princes of
the seven heavens, the archangels, are not identical with those of vs. 3. Besides,
the readings of andA D
differ. In fact, great uncertainty seems to have prevailed
from the very earliest as to the names of the seven archangels. No two sources
extant, from i En. xx to mediaeval Qabbala, present exactly the same order and
names of these angels. Cf. further on vs. 3.
46 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVII
and honoured ones who are appointed over the seven heavens. And
these are they :
A: D:
MIKAEL, GABRIEL, SHATQIEL, MIKAEL and GABRIEL, SHATQIEL and
SHACHAQIEL, BAKARIEL, BA- BARADIEL and SHACHAQIEL and BA-
DARIEL, PACHRIEL. RAQIEL and SIDRIEL.
(2) And every one of them is the prince of the host of (one) heaven.
And each one of them is accompanied by 496,000 myriads of minis-
tering angels.
(3) MIKAEL, the great prince, is appointed over the seventh heaven,
the highest one, which is in the 'Araboth.
upon themselves the yoke of the Kingdom of heaven' (ch. xxxv. 6). The hosts of
song-uttering angels are usually depicted as under the authority, not of the seven
' '
but of the four princes of the army ' (ch. xxxv. 3),
'
is appointed over the seventh heaven, Gabriel, the prince of the host, is
appointed over the sixth heaven etc. The expression 'princes of the hosts' is
used of Mikael and Gabriel in Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 48. Metatron is called 'one
of the princes of the host' in Shi'ur Qoma (Bodl. MICH. 175, fol. 18 b). The term is
probably derived from Josh. v. 14 ("the captain of the host of the Lord", "the
prince of the host of YHWH") which is referred either to Metatron or to Mikael
or to Gabriel (cf. Siuni, 53 b-d). The idea of the multitudes of angels as divided in
hosts, distributed through the seven heavens underlies ch. xviii. i (cf. also ch.
xiv. i). The tendency of arranging the orders of the angels according to the system
of the seven heavens appears already in the Pseudepigrapha, although the traditions
are somewhat confused. Test. Levi, iii. assigns different classes of angels to each
" "
of the seven heavens (ist heaven : the spirits of the retributions for the vengeance ;
and heaven " the hosts of the armies which are ordained for the day of judgement " ;
:
3rd heaven: ace. to rec. 3 OA^S) = 2nd heaven (a); 4th heaven: "thrones and
dominions in which always they offer praise to God"; sth: "angels who bear
" "
answers (prayers) to the angels of the presence 6th
;
the archangels who minister
:
and make propitiation to the Lord"; 7th: "the Glory of God and the angels of
the Presence" (/3A^S).) See CHARLES, A and P, ad loc. Ace. to 2 En. iii-ix, to the
first heaven are located the rulers of the stars and the angels set over the treasuries
of ice, snow, clouds, etc., to the 4th the sun and moon and the angels over them
together with "an armed host of angels praising God", to the 5th the Grigori
(Watchers), to the 6th "seven bands of angels. .who make the orders and learn
.
the goings of the stars and the alteration of the moon and the revolution of the sun . . .
(who are) appointed over seasons and years etc.", to the 7th "fiery troops of great
archangels etc." In 3 Bar. the angels attending the sun, moon (and the stars
ch. ix. i) are assigned to the 3rd heaven, in the 5th heaven (ib. xi. i seqq.) is Mikael
"who holds the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven". In Ascension of Isaiah similarly
the seven heavens are depicted as containing different hosts of angels, each sur-
passing the lower one in glory. (Vide CHARLES, Asc. Is. in T.E.D.)
CH.XVIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A2) 47
GABRIEL, the prince of the host, is appointed over the sixth heaven
which is in Makon.
3
SHATAQIEL, prince of the host, is appointed over the fifth heaven
which is in Ma'on. s
4
SHAHAQi'EL , prince
of the host, is appointed over the fourth heaven
which is in Zebul.
BADARIEL 5 prince of the host,
,
is appointed over the third heaven
which is in Shehaqim.
3-3 Db om. 4 Db :
'
Shataqiel
'
5 D :
'
Baradiel
'
The seven archangels (holy angels who watch) are enumerated in the well-known
passage, ch. xx of i En., together with the dominions of their rulership: Uriel,
Raphael, Ragnel, Mikael, Saraqael, Gabriel, Remiel. In none of the adduced passages
the present conception of the archangels as rulers each over one of the seven heavens,
is developed: the archangels are generally assigned to a specified heaven (the 6th
or yth, cf. the references to Test. Levi and 2 En. above). Parallels to the present
picture are, however, found in Pirqe R. Ishmael (Bodl. MICH. 175, foil. 20 seqq.),
ch. xxi cont. and Hek. Zot. (Bodl. MICH. 9, foil. 67 b, 68 a), although with different
names and order. In the former passage, which is closely dependent upon the
representation of Chag. 12 b, the names of the princes of the respective heavens are :
PFz/ow-QEMUEL (and the angels of destruction, cf. Test. Levi above and Gedullat
Moshe), Raqia'-GXLLlsVR, Shechaqim-SHAPHiEL, Zebul-MiKAEL (in accordance with
Chag. 12 b), .Ma'ow-GABRiEL, Ma&ora-SANDALFON, 'Araboth-no name given. In
Hek. Zot. the seven angels "praising the Holy One, blessed be He, in each heaven"
are: ist heaven, MIKAEL; 2nd, GABRIEL; 3rd, SODIEL; 4th, 'AKATRIEL; 5th, RAPHAEL;
6th, BODIEL; 7th, YOMAEL. A
trace of the tradition locating the archangels, each to
one of the seven heavens, is perhaps recognizable also in Test, of Solomon, vss. 59
"
seqq. (ed. Conybeare, JQR. vol. xi. 1-45), RAPHAEL ... BAZAZATH who has his
seat in the second heaven RATHANAEL who sits in the third heaven
. . . IAMETH ". . . . . . .
The close connection with the rulers of the heavenly bodies in which the arch-
angels as princes of the seven heavens are represented in the present chapter is
perhaps indicative of the range of ideas from which the conception has emerged :
the planetary or sideric speculations. The important role played by these specula-
tions is discernible also in the pseudepigraphal passages referred to above. It is
possible, that the idea of the seven archangels as rulers over the seven heavens
was brought about through the conception of the heavens as planetary spheres,
the archangels being originally the princes of the seven planets. The conception
"
of the seven heavens as planetary spheres is attested in 2 En. xxviii. 3 the :
seven stars, each one of them in its heaven". Cf. YR. i. 15 b, 16 b. This
idea was probably obscured by the parallel tendency of assigning the heavenly
bodies to a definite heaven, a tendency at work in the pseudepigraphal works in
question and in its final form represented in the tradition locating the sun, moon,
planets and constellations to Raqia', the 2nd heaven (in Rabbinic, Chag. 12 b et al.
and throughout the present book). The tradition of the seven archangels with their
suites as rulers over the planets (including dominion over constellations and ele-
ments) might be traced in the representation of 2 En. xix, ace. to which seven bands
of angels "make the orders and learn the goings of the stars"; cf. above. This
conception obtains in later sources: YR. i. 6 a: "MIKAEL is appointed over
Saturn, BARAQIEL over Jupiter, GABRIEL over Mars, RAPHAEL over the sun, CHASDIEL
over Mercury, SIDQIEL over Venus, 'ANA 'EL over the moon", ib. i. 16 a: "Mikael:
the Sun, Gabriel: the Moon, Qaphsiel: Saturn, Sammael: Mars, Raphael: Jupiter,
'Ana'el: Venus". A trace of the same idea is possibly to be seen in vss. 35-41 of
Testament of Solomon; seven archangels rule over and frustrate the seven demons
48 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVII
the globe (galgal) of the sun, and with him are 96 great and honoured
angels who move the sun in Raqia'.
11 12
(5)
13
Under them 13
is 'OPHANNIEL, the prince who is set over the
globe ('ophari) of the moon. And with him are 88 angels who move
14 11
the globe of the moon 354 thousand parasangs every night at the
time when the moon stands in the East at its turning point. 15 And
when is the moon sitting in the East at its turning point? Answer:
15
in the fifteenth day of every month.
(6) Under who is appointed over the
them is RAHATIEL, the prince
constellations. And he is accompanied by 72 great and honoured
angels. And why is he called RAHATIEL? Because he makes the stars
run (marhit) in their orbits and courses 339 thousand parasangs every
night from the East to the West, and from the West to the East. For
' '
connected with the seven stars (the seven planets or the Pleiades, cf Conybeare's .
note in locum). Of these seven high angels six are named: LAMECHALAL, BARUCH-
IACHEL, MARMARATH (Marmaraoth, vs. 94), BALTHIEL, ASTERAOTH, URIEL. Uriel is
the angel set over the stars ace. to i En. Ixxii-lxxxii. In i En. xx Raguel is "one
of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of luminaries ".
As regards the names of the seven archangels it has already been pointed out
that all the different sources vary on this point. To the passages given above may
be added Test. Salomon, vss. 73-81 the names are there: MIKAEL, GABRIEL, URIEL,
:
SABRAEL, ARAEL, IAOTH, ADONAEL. From the different enumerations can be seen
that the names most frequently recurring are those of the 'four presences', "Mikael,
Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel", and of these Mikael and Gabriel are common to
most of the sources. (Cf. how i En. Ixxxvii. 2, 3 clearly represents the seven arch-
angels as consisting of four, i.e. Presences and three with them.) Of the rest some
are evidently derived from the old lists of superior angels, of which parts are pre-
served e.g. in i En. vi, viii, Ixix (as Watchers, Fallen Angels), Ixxxii. 10-20 (leaders
of the stars, rulers of seasons and months). Baraqiel (D) here is the Baraqijal of
i En. vi, Baraqel, ib. Ixix. 2. Cf. Barakiel (A) with Berkael i En. Ixxxii. 17, Badariel
(A) with Batael i En. vi. 7, Batarjal ib. Ixix. 2. The names are older than the con-
ception of the seven archangels. But it is significant that such names are chosen as
originally represent the angels ruling over the heavenly bodies and over the elementary
powers, in Wilon which is in Shamayim, 'which is in Shamayim' is a gloss.
'
Shamayim is the Hebrew synonym of Wilon (velum) as name of the first heaven.
'
subservient angels. The heavenly bodies are divided in the four categories of sun,
moon, planets and constellations as in Chag. 12 b, and, as there, are assigned to the
second heaven, the Raqia'. Each of these four categories is assigned a special prince,
who is accompanied by a number of assistant angels. In the present system these
CH. XVII] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A2) 49
the Holy One, blessed be He, has made a tent for all of them, for the
sun, the moon, the planets and the stars in which they travel at night
from the West to the East.
Under them is KOKBIEL, the prince who is appointed over all
(7)
the planets.And with him are 365,000 myriads of ministering angels,
great and honoured ones who move 16 the planets from city to city
and from province to province in the Raqia' of heavens.
princes and angels are made to rank under the seven archangels as princes of the seven
heavens. As has already been pointed out, it is highly probable, that the original
representation was one of the seven archangels as princes each over one of the
seven spheres as containing the planets with constellations. The present systematiza-
tion can be regarded as a modification of this original view to the established notion
of the Raqia', the second heaven, as the place of the heavenly bodies.
The names of the princes, GALGALLIEL, 'OPHANNIEL, RAHATIEL, KOKBIEL are uni-
form with those of ch. xiv. 4. Rahatiel also occurs in ch. xlvi. 3 in a similar function.
'Ophanniel is the prince of the 'Ophannim, ch. xxv. The names Galgalliel, 'Ophanniel
and Kokbiel are derived from Galgal (globe, i.e. of the sun), Ophan (globe, i.e. of
the moon) and Kokab (planet) respectively. Rahatiel is, ace. to the intimation of
vs. 6, derived from rahat (to run). In TB. Ber. 32 b, Rahaton is the technical term for
divisions of angels who have immediate rule over the stars and planets. Rahatiel
is the prince over planets and constellations or luminaries in general ace. to 5. Raziel,
19 b, 21 b (cf. also Qeneh Binah, 34 b, and S. ha-Chesheq, Add. 27120, fol. 14 b).
Galgalliel and 'Ophanniel seem to be comparatively late devices. Kokbiel is of early
origin, cf. Kokabiel, i En. vi. 7, Kokabel, ib. viii. 3 (who "taught constellations"))
Ixix. 2.
For the conception of angels who 'move the heavenly bodies' cf. i En. Ixxii-
Ixxxii ("the Book of the Heavenly Luminaries": CHARLES), URIEL being there the
prince over the heavenly bodies; Ixxii. 3 ("the leaders of the stars"), Ixxv. i ("the
leaders of the heads of the thousands who are placed over the whole creation and
over all the stars"), Ixxix, Ixxx. I ("the leaders of the stars of the heaven and all
those who turn them "), 6 (" chiefs of the stars "), Ixxxii. 4 and esp. 10-20 (the names
of the leaders of the stars), 4 Ez. vi. 3, 2 En. xi. 3-5 (15 myriads of angels attend the
sun during the day, and 1000 by night), Midrash 'Asereth Ma'amaroth, BH. i. 64
(" S^S angels are set over the sun, moving it from window to window in Raqia' "),
3 Bar. vi. I seqq. (the chariot of the sun drawn by forty angels), vss. 13,16 ("for
the sun is made ready by the angels"), ib. vii. 4 ("I saw the shining sun and the
angels which draw it"), ix. i seqq. (the moon sitting on a wheeled chariot: "and
there were before it oxen and lambs and a multitude of angels the oxen and
. . .
lambs... they also are angels"). The derivation of the numbers ninety-six and
eighty-eight in vss. 4 and 5 resp. is not clear. The number seventy-two of the
angels assisting RAHATIEL, the prince of the constellations, corresponds to the seventy-
two divisions of the zodiac (cf. the seventy-two princes of kingdoms, vs. 8, etc.).
KOKBIEL again, vs. 7, is assisted by 365,000 myriads of ministering angels. Literally
the same statement is made about KOKBIEL in S. Raziel, 19 b. These angels "move
the planets (kokabim) ". It is noteworthy, that ace. to TB.Ber. 32 b, referred to above,
the different camps (of angels), in the last instance sorting under the constellations,
"
have each under them 365,000 myriads of planets (kokabim) corresponding to the
days of the sun (i.e. the solar year) ". The latter parts of vss. 5 and 6 are somewhat
obscure. They might be remnants of expositions of the courses of the heavenly
'
bodies, such as are given at length in i En. Ixxii-lxxxii (the portals of the sun ') ;
ch. Ixxii, the moon; ch. Ixxiv, the portals of sun, moon, stars and all the works of
OHB
50 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVII
heaven; ch. Ixxv. 6 seqq., cf. ch. Ixxviii. 7 seq., "and fifteen parts of light are
transferred to the moon till the fifteenth day (when) her light is accomplished
(vs. 5 here)". The conception of the 'tent' for the sun, etc., is usually referred
to Ps. xix. 5 (and 7).
(8) over them are seventy -two princes of kingdoms
'
. lit.
. .above them
etc.' It is difficult to reconcile this vs. with the preceding. To whom does
'above them' refer? To the 365,000 myriads of angels of vs. 7 or to the princes
and angels of the heavenly bodies in general? No doubt, as the context now stands,
the seventy-two princes of kingdoms are intended as princes over the angels who
'move the planets', by analogy with the seventy-two assistant angels of vs. 6. This
would seem to be additional, since the real counterpart of the assistant angels of
vss. 4, 5, 6 are in vs. 7, the 365,000 myriads of angels. The expression 'above thetn'
is not appropriate in the sense which it is here made to denote, the right phrase
would have been e.g. 'over them are appointed' (D'OIDD DnvJ/l). The inception
'above them' rather presupposes an exposition of the order of angelic classes,
proceeding from the lower to the higher ones, hence quite contrary to that of the
present chapter. The fragment is more akin to the angelological section, chh. xix
seqq., to which it may even originally have belonged, since the beginning of that
section is missing in the present book. See note on ch. xix. i.
By the compiler of the present chapter the seventy-two princes of kingdoms are made
the riders over the planets. The conception of the princes of kingdoms as rulers of
planets and constellations is frequently represented in later sources. Their appellation
properly refers to their function as angelic leaders of the destinies of the nations, as
ch. xiv. 3, 4. The connection of the gods of the nations with the planets is perhaps
' '
"
to be seen also in TB. Sukka, 29 a. Ace. to Ma'areket ha-'Elohuth, 128 b, the nations
are allotted to the Princes and Constellations". YR., i. 15 a, gives the following
quotation from Tub-ha-'Ares: "In the seven firmaments (heavens), under them,
are the seven planets (Shesem Chanokol: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus,
. . .
Mercury and Moon) and in these seven heavens are the Spirits of the seventy
nations, ten nations under each planet, and the twelve constellations give abund-
ance unto them".
Probably under the influence of their sideric significance the number of the princes
of kingdoms was changed from seventy to seventy-two (the number of the divisions
of the zodiac). In the present book they are mentioned as seventy- two in chh. xviii.
'
3, xxx. 2 and here. Ch. xlviii c 9, on the other hand, has seventy princes '. Cf. note
on ch. xxx. 2 and also on ch. xlviii B i The two princes added were later under-
.
chh. xvi. i, 2, xxx. i, 2. Ace. to ch. xviii. 3, being in rank above the princes of
the heavens, but below the guardians of the Halls, they are probably conceived of
as having their abode in the highest of the heavens, but outside the Halls. Ace. to
the passage quoted YR., i. 15 a, referred to above, each of the seven heavens
would contain a number of these princes. This is stated also in Alph. R. 'Aqiba,
BH. iii. 36 ("then come all the princes of kingdoms in every heaven").
Passages in the present book mentioning the 'princes of kingdoms' are chh.:
x. 3, xiv. i, 2, xvi. i, 2, xvii. 8, xviii. 2, 3, xxx. 2, xlviii c 9, D 5 cf. also ch. xxvi. 12.
;
4-2
52 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVIII
%
CHAPTER XVIII
The order of ranks of the angels and the homage
received by the higher ranks from the lower ones
etc.' the technical means by which the inferiority of one rank of angels or one angel-
heaven etc. On the seven heavens see note on ch. xvii. 3. The princes, sarim,
of the several heavens are pictured as having each one his suite of angels. They
are mounted on horses (cf. Mass. Hek. iv and Hek. R. xvii seqq.) and pay homage
one to the other when meeting. Unlike ch. xvii the present chapter mentions no
names of these princes. That is to say, that the tradition embodied here probably
'
knows no names of the princes of the heavens '. Consequently, in the view of this
tradition, the heavens and their rulers form a comparatively low and unimportant
part of the heavenly splendours, whereas the author of ch. xvii presumably sees all
the glory of the Divine Court contained within the seven heavens.
Crown of glory is the mark of distinction common to all the angels and princes
in this chapter with the exception of the seventy-two princes of kingdoms (vs. 3)
and the two highest princes ace. to vs. 25 to whom is assigned the crown of royalty '.
'
And THE PRINCE OF THE SECOND HEAVEN, when he sees the prince
of the third heaven, he removes the crown of glory from his head
and falls on his face.
And THE PRINCE OF THE THIRD HEAVEN, when he sees the prince
of the fourth heaven, he removes the crown of glory from his head
and falls on his face.
And THE PRINCE OF THE FOURTH HEAVEN, when he sees the prince
of the fifth heaven, he removes the crown of glory from his head and
falls on his face.
x
And THE
PRINCE OF THE FIFTH HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of
the sixth heaven, he removes the crown of glory from his head and
falls on his face.
And THE PRINCE OF THE SIXTH HEAVEN, when he sees the prince of
the seventh heaven, he removes the crown of glory from his head
and on his face. 1
falls
(2) And THE PRINCE OF THE SEVENTH HEAVEN, when he sees THE
SEVENTY-TWO PRINCES OF KINGDOMS, he removes the crown of glory
from his head and falls on his face.
(3) And the seventy-two princes of kingdoms, when they see THE
2
the prince of the sixth heaven before the prince of the seventh heaven
'
2 D
inserts as title The Order of the Halls
:
' '
crown(s) as token of homage cf. Rev. iv. 4, 10. An exact parallel of expression is
found in Alph. R. 'Aqiba, rec. B, BH, iii. p. 61.
(2) The seventy-two princes of kingdoms. They are the representatives in
heaven of the different kingdoms on earth, but are also connected with the planets
and constellations. Concerning them cf. notes on chh. xvii. 8 and xxx. i, 2. In
ch. xxx they are supplemented by a leader, 'the Prince of the World' (cf. TB. Yeb.
16 b, Chull. 60 a, Sank. 94 a). Their number varies between seventy and seventy-two :
i En. Ixxxix. 59, P. R. 'El. xxiv, TB. Sukka, 29 a. It is possible that the number
seventy-two originated from the addition to the seventy princes of Mikael and
Sammael (or Mikael and Gabriel) as their rulers. Mikael is the representative of
Israel and Sammael of Rome and thereby the chief of all the Gentile nations. More
probable is, however, that the number seventy-two is arrived at from astrological
considerations. See note on ch. xvii. 8. Peculiar to this chapter is their position
between the prince of the seventh heaven and the door-keepers of the Halls, their
abode being usually near the Throne of Glory (ch. xxx, Pesiqtha, xxvii, TB. Sukka,
29 a). In ch. xvii, again, they have their place in the second heaven (Raqia') and
are in rank under not only the princes of the heavens but also the princes of
the sun, moon and constellations. (Cf. however note on ch. xvii. 8.)
(3) The door keepers of the first Hall in the 'Araboth Raqia'. The seven
Halls or Palaces are situated in the highest of the seven heavens, the 'Araboth
Raqia', and are pictured as arranged in concentric circles, 'one within the other'
(ch. i. i). The conception of the seven Halls which plays so conspicuous a role in
54 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVIII
highest, they remove the royal crown from their head and fall on
their faces.
3
And THE DOOR KEEPERS OF THE FIRST HALL, when they see the door
keepers of the second Hall, they remove the crown of glory from their
head and fall on their faces.
And THE DOOR KEEPERS OF THE SECOND HALL, when they see the
door keepers of the third Hall, they remove the crown of glory from
their head and fall on their faces.
And THE DOOR KEEPERS OF THE THIRD HALL, when they see the door
keepers of the fourth Hall, they remove the crown of glory from their
head and fall on their faces.
And THE DOOR KEEPERS OF THE FOURTH HALL, when they see the
door keepers of the fifth Hall, they remove the crown of glory from
their head and fall on their faces.
And THE DOOR KEEPERS OF THE FIFTH HALL, when they see the door
keepers of the sixth Hall, they remove the crown of glory from their
head and fall on their faces.
And THE DOOR KEEPERS OF THE SIXTH HALL, when they see the DOOR
KEEPERS OF THE SEVENTH HALL, they remove the crown of glory from
their head and fall on their faces. 3
(4) And the door keepers of the seventh Hall, when they see THE
FOUR GREAT PRINCES, the honoured ones, WHO ARE APPOINTED OVER
3-3 ) simplifies And the door keepers of the first Hall before the door keepers
:
'
of the second Hall, and the door keepers of the second Hall before (those of) the
third, and the door keepers of the third Hall before those of the fourth etc.'
The functions of the door keepers of the Halls are the guarding of the entrance
to the Halls generally and especially the control of the admittance of the aspirants
to the vision of the Merhaba, so that nobody may enter who is not worthy (' rd'uy ')
' '
ace. to Hek. R. (cf. ch. xvii e.a.}. This is probably implied also in ch. i. 3, where
R. Ishmael begs God to protect him against the zeal of Qaspiel (or Qafsiel), an
angel-prince who in this connection, no doubt, is to be considered as (one of) the
guardian(s) of the door of the seventh Hall (cf. ib. vs. 2; Zohar, ii. 248 b).
(6) The four great princes. .who are appointed over the four camps of
.
CH. XVIIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A3) 55
THE FOUR CAMPS OF SHEKINA, they remove the crown(s) of glory from
their head and fall on their faces.
5
(5) And the four great princes, when they see TAG' AS, the prince,
5
great and honoured with song (and) praise, at the head of all the
5-5 in aramaic.
Shekina. In ch. xxxvii the four camps of Shekina are mentioned together with
'the four chariots of Shekina'. In ch. xxxvall the myriads of camps of angels are
said to be arranged in four rows, at the head of each row there being 'a prince of
'
the army'. Probably 'the four great princes here are to be understood as identical
with the princes of the army in ch. xxxv. 3. In this case the camps of Shekina are
the four companies of ministering angels arranged by the Throne of Glory, especially
in their aspect as performers of Qedushsha.
'
In other writings the four camps of Shekina is not an infrequent term and in
'
Mikael, Gabriel, Uriel (more seldom: Nuriel) and Raphael. Cf. Mass. Hek. vi:
"four companies of ministering angels praise before the Lord; the first camp under
Mikael to the right, the second camp under Gabriel to the left, the third under
Uriel before Him and the fourth under Raphael from behind", and it is added
"the Shekina is in the middle".
'
Ace. to Ma'ase Merkaba (Add. 26922) 'the princes of the four camps of Shekina
are: Mikael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael, standing to the right, to the left, in front
of and behind the Throne of Glory resp.
In P. R. 'EL iv the four angels Mikael, Uriel, Gabriel and Raphael stand by the
Throne of Glory as leaders of four camps of angels glorifying the Most High.
A similar picture is drawn by the Widduy Yaphe (Add. 15299, fol. 113 b).
The 'three men' visiting Abraham, Gen. xviii. 2 seqq. are in Sinni ad loc. once
identified with the angels Mikael, Gabriel and Raphael, and again with Raphael,
Uriel and Gabriel, "who are the camp of Shekina" .
The conception of the four princes in charge of the uttering of the Song before
' '
the Holy One, is traceable as far back as i En. chh. xxxix. 12, 13 and xl, Ixxi, ix. i,
where there are mentioned "FOUR PRESENCES ON THE FOUR SIDES OF THE LORD OF
SPIRITS ... uttering praises before the Lord of Glory". Their names are here:
Mikael, Raphael, Gabriel and Phanuel. See also 2 En. xviii. 9, and CHARLES, i En.
note on xl. 2.
'
Towards the formation of the idea of four princes of the four camps of Shekina ',
" "
speculations on the four living creatures of Ezek. i. 5, 10, and the traditions of the
four princes Mikael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel have, presumably, combined.
' '
In later cabbalistic sources one actually finds that the four camps of Shekina
are referred to the 'Eagle-Ox-Lion-Man' vision, e.g. YR. i. 80 a (Meg. 'Amuq.).
' '
Instances of other developments of the conception of the camps of Shekina the :
four camps of Shekina are imaged by the arrangement of the "armies of Israel",
Nu. i. 3, ace. to Bachya (ad loc.); they surround the Shekina or "the body of
Shekina" which is the same as the "Greater Metatron", but are above the Lesser
Metatron who stands on the heads of the living creatures, the Chayyoth (YR. i.
"
57 a);
in the camp of Shekina are Metatron, Sandalphon, Uriel, Raphael, Mikael,
Gabriel" (Shene Luchoth ha-Berith, cited by Derek 'Emeth on Zohar, i. 149 b).
(5)Tag'as. (fy^). Not included in Schwab, VA. The name occurs in the
prayer attributed to R. Hammma ben Sabha (Or. 6577, fol. 13 a, Add. 27187,
fol. 67 b, Add. 27199, fol. 299 e.a.), and also in another, anonymous, prayer in Add.
15299, fol. 104 b. In these cases it is a Divine name (really a double temura)
always followed by C/'VyP and letters of the Tetragrammaton. The epithet 'great
56 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVIII
children of heaven, they remove the crown of glory from their head
and fall on their faces.
(6) And 5 5
Tag' as, the great and honoured prince when he sees ,
the highest heaven, he removes the crown of glory from his head
and falls on his face.
prince, the fearful and honoured, pleasant and terrible one who
maketh all the children of heaven to tremble, when the time draweth
nigh (that is set) for the saying of the '(Thrice) Holy', as it is written
(Isa. xxxiii. 3): "At
the noise of the tumult (hamon) the peoples are
fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations are scattered" he re-
moves the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face.
(8) And Hamon,
the great prince, when he sees TUTRESIEL 7 ,
the
great prince, he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls
on his face.
'Ataphiel
:
'
'
and honoured prince (NTp*l K3"l XIEJO is the same as that given to Metatron
in the beginning of Shi'ur Qoma (Bodl. OPP. 467, fol. 58 a, opp. 563, fol. 52 b,
S. Raziel). Cf. also in 5. Elijahu, beg.:... X3"l Kit? btf^D iT^> x'pj-
This angel is said to be 'honoured with song and praise' and to stand 'at the
head of all the children of heaven'. In view of the functions commonly assigned to
' '
the princes of the camps of the Shekina of the preceding verse (see note above)
these expressions are probably to be understood as referring to the performance
of the Thrice Holy' and to the angels uttering the Qedushsha. The function of the
'
possibly stand in any connection with the recital of the Thrice Holy?
(7) Hamon, pon ('tumult'). The expression 'makes the children of heaven
'
to tremble etc.' probably means announces the arrival of the time appointed for
the Qedushsha '. The trembling and fear with which all the heavenly household is
seized at the moment before the recital of the Thrice Holy is pictured e.g. in ch.
xxxviii. For the attributes 'fearful, honoured, pleasant and terrible' cf. the parallels
of chh. xx. i, xxii. i, xxv. i, xxvi. i. This method of heaping epithets after the name
of a high angel-prince is frequently employed in Hek. R. The attributes were prob-
ably from the beginning intended as marks of distinction, applied according to a
certain system to denote the resp. rank assigned to each prince. (Cf.also in Mandaitic.)
(8) Tutresiel. See Schwab, VA, pp. 134, 136. The name is of frequent occurrence,
although in variant forms. Schwab explains it as 'didropos El', 'piercing God'.
Here and in Midrash Sar Tora it is the name of an angel. Often it appears as one
of the names of the Godhead (Hek. R. xi. 2, xii, xiii, xv) or of Metatron (Sefer ha
Chesheq, foil. 4 b, 8 a).
There are many variants of the name, which are enumerated in Hek. R. xii.
CH. XVIII] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A3) 57
(9) And Tutresiel 7 H', the great 9 prince, when he sees ATRUGIEL 8 ,
9
the great prince, he removes the crown of glory from his head and
falls on his face.
(10) And 8
the great 9 prince, when he sees NA'ARIRIEL H',
Atrugiel
9
the great prince, he removes the crown of glory from his head and
falls on his face.
9
the great prince, he removes the crown of glory from his head and
falls on his face.
(12) And
Sasnigiel H', when he sees ZAZRIEL H', the great prince,
9
he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face.
(13) And Zazriel H', the prince, when he sees GEBURATIEL H', the
prince, he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on his
face.
7 so ace. to the full reading of D. A: N^DILDtO- D adds '' after the name.
8 D: 'ATRUGNIEL 111'
9 D om. 10 D adds '^i' after the name.
See also S. Raziel, 40 a, 43 b. The STUTRevaH of Zohar, ii. 245 b, 246 a, is perhaps
also a variant (through transposition of the letters) of the same name.
(9 and 10) Atrugiel or Atrugniel (D) not in Schwab, VA. It is to be considered
identical with the Atrigiel' of Hek. R. xxii. i and 3, the name of one of the
'
door keepers of the seventh Hall. The form Tagriel, ib. xv and xvii, is apparently
l '
also a variant. Cf. the names Atrigi(a)sh (cited from Hek. R. xxx) and Atarniel
in Schwab, VA, p. 51. Schwab derives the former from rpoyos,
he-goat^ goat-
buck, the traditional symbol of a demon (cf. sa'ir).
Na'aririel: i.e. Na'ar 'El (Na'ar Child, Youth, the name=of Metatron, ch. iii).
Occurs in Hek. R. in the form of Na'aruriel as the name of one of the door keepers
of the seventh Hall (ch. xxii, together with Atrugiel). The H' forming the second
'
part of the name of this and the following princes stands for the Tetragrammaton
(like 'i' in D). Cf. the expression 'called by the name of YHWH', ch. ix. 3
and note, ad locum.
' '
xlviii. i, 2 appearing as the last of the names of Metatron, with the epithet 'the
Prince of Wisdom'. Probably derived from fjj (treasure), cf. HDDn *tJj.
In the Apocalyptic Fragment (e.g. BH. v. 167-169) likewise, it is the name of
"the prince of the Presence" who shows R. Ishmael the future.
Other forms are :
xv and xvii, he is one of the door keepers of the fourth Hall. See Schwab, VA,
p. 91.
58 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVIII
(14) And
Geburatiel H', the prince, when he sees 'ARAPHIEL 11 H',
the prince, he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on
his face.
the prince, 13
who presides in all the sessions of the children of
heaven 13 he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls
,
on his face.
(16) And Ashruylu H
/12
the prince, when he sees GALLISUR H', THE
,
removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face.
on high'
[over] all the students 14-14 D: 'the secret of the crown of the Law,
'
the crown of Holiness, the crown of Kingship
(14) 'Araphiel
= 'the neck of God' (the neck is the symbol of strength). Ace.
to Hek. R. xxi, he is one of the guardians of the second Hall. See Schwab, ib.
p. 217.
(15) 'Ashruylu = 'who causes to dwell', 'who causes to rest', soil, the disciples
of Tora in the heavenly colleges, hence the function here assigned to him presideth
'
:
in all the sessions of the children of heaven '. That the colleges on earth have their
counterparts in heaven is a common Rabbinic idea. Cf. the somewhat different
picture of Metatron's function in ch. xlviii c 12.
' '
In accordance with the present view is the epithet prince of Tora given to this
'
twenty names of
'
paratively frequent occurrence. Pesiqta R. par. xx, explains it as "he who reveals
the reasons of the Creator" (Sur, Is. xxvi. 4).
The same explanation of the name 'Gallisur' is repeated, with the addition of
some other details, in Ma'yan Chokma, BH. i. 60, in 'Aggadath Shema' Israel,
BH. v. 165, also in Raziel, 41 b, 42 a, 42 b, and P. R. 'El. iv, further in citations
.
in Siuni, 93 d, and YR. ii. 67 a. Ace. to these sources he is identical with the angel,
called 'Raster (= 'the secret(s) of God'); he hears the Divine decrees from behind
the 'Curtain' (cf. ch. xlv. i) and reveals them to the world; he stands next to the
Chayyoth and spreads his wings, so that the ministering angels shall not be consumed
by the fire that goes forth from the breath of the Chayyoth. Ace. to !?. Raziel,
42 b, he is one of the Princes of the Law.
In Sefer ha-Yashar ("the book of the righteous", Add. 15299, fol. 91 a b) it is
related, that the book in question "was given to Adam by the hand of Gallisur".
(Note the similar narrative in S. Raziel, 3 a, which is probably another version of
S. ha-Yashar, where the name of angel is Raziel.)
'
In a prayer in the same MS., fol. 144 a, he is invoked with the kinnuyim* (or
supplementary names) of Yephiphyah' (cf.
'
ch. xlviii D 4) and Yophiel to give
assistance in the study of the Tora.
From these sources it appears that the traditions assigned to him mainly two
functions revealer of the Divine Secrets and Prince of the Law. These two functions
:
are here, rightly, comprised in the one "revealer of all the secrets of the Law".
The Divine secrets are embodied in the Tora, constituting its inner meaning, the
technical term for which is "the secrets of the Law". (Cf. on chh. ix. i and xlviii D
7 et seqq.)
As the Prince of the Law he is here probably connected with the Divine Judgement
CH. XVIIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A3) 59
(17) And Gallisur H', the prince, when he sees ZAKZAKIEL H', the
prince who is appointed to write down the merits of Israel on the
Throne of Glory, he removes the crown of glory from his head and
on his face.
falls
(18) And Zakzakiel H', the great 15 prince, when he sees 'ANAPH(I)EL
prince who keeps the keys of the heavenly Halls, he removes
16
H', the
the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face 16 Why is he .
even so do the honour and majesty of Anaphiel cover all the glories
of Araboth the highest.
'
15 D om. 1 6-1 6 D: 'he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on
chambers etc.'
which in its different aspects is represented in nearly all the following angel-
names; through the said epithet he is also connected with the aforegoing
'
Ashruylu'.
'
Zakzakiel, Merit-God ', is the same both with regard to name and function
(17)
as 'ZekukieP of S. Rasiel, 21 b: "the Prince of the merits of Israel".
(18) 'Anaphiel, 'the branch of God'. In ch. vi of the Enoch-Metatron piece
of the present book he is the angel who removes Enoch to the heavens; ib. ch. xvi
(ace. to the reading of BD) he is the angel who gave Metatron sixty strokes with
lashes of fire. (Vide Introd. section 8 u, x, y).
Ace. to Hek. R. xv, xvii, he is one of the door keepers of the fourth Hall. Ib.
ch. xxii. 4, he is one of the guardians of the seventh Hall. A
similar, partly literally
identical, explanation of his name as in the second part of the present verse is given
there.
The expression ' who keeps the keys of the Halls of 'Araboth Raqia' is the only '
trace in this chapter of the connection of the high angel-princes enumerated here
with the guardianship of the heavenly Halls, whereas all of them that recur in
Hek. R. are there guardians of one or the other of the Halls, mostly the seventh
or the fourth. He has here the control of all the Halls.
The said statement "keeps the keys of the Halls of 'Araboth Raqia'" together
with the following part of the verse attribute a remarkably high position to 'Anaphiel :
"
he is compared with the Creator of the world ". In Hek. R. xxii, he is called " the
most beloved of all the guardians of the heavenly Halls, the Prince, 'Ebed (the
Servant, Metatron's name), who is called thus by the name of his Master". A
similarly high position is also implied by the passages in the Enoch-Metatron piece,
just referred to. Another instance is the quotation from Sode Raza' in YR. i. 5 a
'
:
and earth, and all on high kneel down and prostrate themselves before him".
60 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XVIII
21
to expound written (recorded) 21 concerning the inhabitants
what is
(19) Sother 'Ashiel H' = 'who stirs up the fire of God'. The explanations of
the name as they appear in the present verse are quoted in Hilkot ha Kisse La,
fol. 138 A points: /WB'N 1(11 D (no other names in this ch. pointed).
a.
He here the angel appointed over the fiery river Nehar di-Nur, the specula-
is
tions on which evolved from the beginning of Dan. vii. 10, the passage quoted in
this verse. For the conceptions of the fiery river, see note on ch. xxxiii. 5.
The four heads of the fiery river. It is difficult to discern from A, whether
' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
four or seven are meant, the characters for daleth (= 4) and sain (= 7) being,
in the current script employed there, almost indistinguishable. In Hil. ha Merkaba
(Add. 27199, fol. 126 a) however, the "heads of the fiery river of the Throne of
Glory" are definitely stated as four. If 'seven' is the correct reading here, the
number '7000 myriads' would be explained as derived from 'the seven heads of
the fiery river'. Ch. xxxiii. 4 mentions 'seven fiery rivers', an amplification fre-
quently met with in the Sode Razd' by Eleazar of Worms (cf. e.g. the quotation
'
from this writing, YR. i. 4 b). The fiery river, usually described as issuing forth
"
from under the Throne of Glory " or " from the perspiration of the holy Chayyoth "
is here simply described as being situated over against the Throne of Glory and is
in the present connection probably conceived of as dividing the Throne of Glory
with the Skekina from the world of the common angels and angel-princes, through
which fiery stream they must pass when they wish to enter before the Shekina
' '
.
On this assumption the expression every prince does not go out nor enter but
'
. . .
by his permission would be intelligible Sother 'Ashiel, who is the guardian of the
'
:
fiery river, also controls who shall pass through it to the Shekina. The fiery river
as a bath of purification and preparation for the angels is a common idea in this
and related writings. Cf. note on ch. xxxiii. 5.
he goes out and enters before the Shekina to expound what is written con-
'
cerning the inhabitants of the world (lit. to expound in the writings of.
'
per- A
haps reads enters to the Curtain of the inhabitants of the world ', i.e. the Curtain,
:
on which everything is recorded ace. to ch. xlv. i seqq.). This strange expression
obtains its elucidation by the quotation of Dan. vii. 10 with its reference to 'the
Judgement'. The fiery river is also, and foremost, the symbol of the execution of
the judgement on man. Hence Sother 'Ashiel is connected with the Divine Judge-
'
ment, as far as he stirs up the fire of the Nehar di-Nur '. He, as it were, regulates
the heat of the fire according to the requirements of judgement.
CH. XVIIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A3) 61
23
CHOZI the great prince, the mighty,
,
and honoured one, he terrible
removes the crown 24 of glory 24 from his head and falls upon his face.
And why is he called 25 Shoqed Chozi 25 ? Because he weighs 26 all the
merits (of man) 26 in a balance in the presence of the Holy One, blessed
be He.
(21) And when he sees ZEHANPURYU H',the great prince, the mighty
27
and terrible one, honoured, glorified and feared in all the heavenly
household, he removes the crown of glory from his head and falls
on his face. Why is he called Zehanpuryu 28 ? Because he rebukes the
fiery river and pushes it back to its place.
(22) And when he sees AZBUGA H', the great prince, glorified, revered,
'
'
(20) Shoqed Chozi, also in the forms Shaqad Hozii' 'Sheqar Chozii' (the former ,
in the readings of D
and Midrash Sar Tora, the latter in Hek. R. and S. Raziel,
45 a).Derivations uncertain ('Waking' or 'Watching and Seeing'; Schwab, VA,
p.
'
259: 'False Seer' [based upon the form 'Sheqar Chozii']). Cf. the name
Sheqadyahiel' Hek. R. xxii and Schwab, ib.
,
The explanation given in the present verse rather presupposes a form 'SHEQAL
ZAKI' (' weighing merits ') or similar. (Cf. Mandaitic: Abathur, Introd. sect. 13 Ce.)
In S. Raziel, 45 a (where other names of this ch. recur), he is mentioned after
'Ashruylu as one of "the Princes of Tora". In Hek. Zot. (Bodl. MICH. 8, foil.
68 b, 69 a) the name recurs twice, in the form of Sheqad Chozyah (a) in a hymn to
God, (b) as the name in which Metatron is invoked by the scholar who is watching
and praying during the night.
For the idea of 'weighing merits' cf. BOX, Ezra Apocalypse, p. 19, note p; i En.
xli. i.
'
this one sets free'. In this chapter he represents the attribute of mercy, a con-
stituent part of the Judgement, ace. to chh. xxxi and xxxiii et. freq. Such is at
'
least theapparent significance of the words pushes the fiery river back '. Contrast
:
the function given to Sother 'Ashiel ace. to vs. 19 of stirring up the Nehar di-Nur,
an expression which is there explicitly referred to the Judgement. The fiery river
is the means of or symbol of punishment and execution of judgement.
In Hek. R. xvii. 5, he is called " Prince of the Presence ". Ib. xxi, he is one of the
guardians of the seventh Hall. There might be some connection between this name
'
and the PURIEL of Test. Abraham, ch. xii, the name of one of the two high angels
'
the great princes who know the mystery of the Throne of Glory, he
removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face. Why
29
is he called
'Azbuga? Because in the future he will gird (clothe)
the righteous and pious of the world with the garments of life and
wrap them in the cloak of life, that they may live in them an eternal
life.
And when he sees the two great princes, the strong and glori-
(23)
fied oneswho are standing above him, he removes the crown of glory
from his head and falls on his face. And these are the names of the
two princes 30 :
SOPHERIEL H' (WHO) KiLLETH, (Sopheriel H' the Killer), the great
prince, the honoured, glorified, blameless, venerable, ancient and
31
mighty one; (and) SOPHERIEL H' (WHO) MAKETH ALIVE (Sopheriel H'
the Lifegiver), the great prince, the honoured, glorified, blameless,
ancient and mighty one 31 .
29 so Da. A :
'
because he is girded etc.' 30 so D. A:' the angels, the princes
'
31-31 in D this is transferred after 'he writes him in the books of the dead' vs. 24.
KERUBIEL SOPHERIEL (vss. 23 and 24 of the present chapter), YEPHIPHYA
(ch. xxii),
(ch. xlviii Dand GALLISUR (vs. 16 of this chapter).
4)
the princes who know the mystery (or secrets D) of the Throne of Glory.
' '
This probably refers to angels, who enjoy the privilege of constant access to the
Throne of Glory, and hence know the inner reasons of the Divine decrees. The
expression, then, has the same import as the phrase 'stand inside the Curtain'
applied to some high angels. Cf. further, ch. xlv. i and references there.
Garments of life. Cf. i En. Ixii. 15, 16: "and the righteous and elect shall have
risen from the earth. .and they shall have been clothed with garments of glory,
.
and they shall be the garments of life from the Lord of Spirits ". 2 Esdras ii. 45 :
"These be they that have put off the mortal clothing and put on the immortal".
Cf. also 2 En. xxii. 8. For the conceptions expressed by the terms 'garments of
glory' or 'garments of life' cf. note on ch. xii. i. The garments of life are here the
means by which eternal life is conferred upon the righteous, possibly according to the
'
literary principle of pars pro to to '. They are the outer appearance of the essentially
changed or new body (of the righteous in the future life), constituted of light-
substance. Vide CHARLES, i En., notes on chh. Ixii. 16 and cviii. 12. 'Azbuga' is
in the present chapter explained from "UN (= 'gird') and "Un (= 'garment').
(23) Sopheriel. The name Sopheriel is not found in Schwab, VA. It occurs
. . .
in S. Raziel, 21 b, as the name of "the Prince, appointed over the books of life",
thus with the same function as is here assigned to the one of the two princes with
that name.
' '
It is obvious that the name here is understood as Sopheriel', i.e. the Scribe (of)
God '. But the writing or spelling of the name (Sin-Shin instead of Samek) suggests
'
that the name earlier or originally was referred to the word Shophar (= trumpet '),
' '
meaning the angel who blows the trumpet, soil, at the judgement, perhaps at the
time for the opening of the books (for this idea cf. BOX, Ezra Apocalypse, ch. vi. 23
and note d, p. 75). Since the angel, if this be correct, already was connected with
the judgement, the change to the present interpretation was comparatively easy.
'
In S. Raziel, 42, is found the similar name Shaphriel from Shefer' (= 'beauty').
The angels function as scribes. They are differentiated into two, one for 'life'
and one for death in accordance with the noticeable tendency of the book to place
' '
CH. XVIIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (A3) 63
(24) Why is he called Sopheriel H' who killeth (Sopheriel H' the
Killer) ? Because he appointed over the books of the dead [so that]
is :
everyone, when the day of his death draws nigh, he writes him in the
books of the dead.
Why is he called Sopheriel H' who maketh alive (Sopheriel H' the
Lifegiver) ?Because he is appointed over the books of the living (of
life), so that every one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, will
bring into life, he writes him in the book of the living (of life), by
authority of MAQOM. Thou might perhaps say: "Since the Holy
One, blessed be He, is sitting on a throne, they also are sitting when
writing". (Answer): The Scripture teaches us (i Kings xxii. 19,
2 Chron. xviii. 18) "And all the host of heaven are standing by him ".
:
two polar opposites side by side. Cf. also ch. xxxiii. 2 and note (two scribes) and
note on ch. xliv. 2.
The attributes
'
H who killeth
and H who maketh alive are in all probability
' ' '
the books of the living are here merely the books recording the moments designed
'
for each individual's birth and death. The books of the living contain the names
of the living, the books of the dead those of the dead. Otherwise 'the book(s) of
'
life regularly refer to the righteous, which are recorded in this book for eternal
life, for God's remembrance, and hence, when mentioned, 'the book(s) of death
or the dead' are conceived of as containing the names of the wicked, for perdition.
' '
Parallel with this conception goes that, according to which the books record the
deeds of the world or of the righteous and the wicked separately. The former idea
' '
is represented in the O.T. (Is. iv. 3, Ex. xxxii. 32 seq., Ps. Ixix. 29, cxxxix. 16,
Mai. iii. 16, Dan. xii. i), in i En. xlvii. 3, civ. i, cviii. 3,Jub. xxx. 20, 22, xxxvi. 10,
Ap. Elijah, iv. 2, xiv. 5 Rev. iii. 5, xiii. 8, xvii. 8, xx. 12, 15, xxi. 27
;
the latter in ;
chh. xxx. 2 and xxvii. 2 of the present book, Is. Ixv. 6, Neh. xiii. 14, Dan. vii. 10,
i En. Ixxxi. 4, Ixxxix. 61 et seqq., xc. 17, 20, xcvii. 6, xcviii. 7 seqq., civ. 7, cviii.
7 seqq., 2 En. 1. i, Hi. 15, liii. 2 seqq., Ap. Bar. xxiv. i, Copt. Apoc. El. Iii. 13 seqq.,
xi. i seqq., Asc. Is. ix. 26, 4 Ez. vi. 20, Rev. xx. 12. For references and discourses
see BOX, Ezra Apocalypse, p. 74, note y on ch. vi. 20; Dalman, Wortejesu, i. 171 ;
Zimmern in Keilinschriften des Alien Testaments, 3rd ed., ii. 505 Bousset, Rel. d. ;
Judentums, p. 247 Weber, Jild. Theol. 2nd ed., pp 242, 282 et seqq. further Rosh
;
. :
ha Shana, 15 b e.a., and the discourse on New Year's Day as day of Judgement in
Fiebig, Mischna Traktat Rosch ha-Schana, pp. 41-45. (Note. The '3 books' ib.
p. 43, and note on ch. xliv. i of the present book.)
Maqom = place ', one of the technical terms of the Divine Majesty. Cf the
'
.
is it (possible that) they (are able to) write, when they are standing?
It is like this :
(2$) One is standing on the wheels of the tempest and the other
is standing on the wheels of the storm-wind.
The one is clad in kingly garments, the other is clad in kingly
garments.
The one is wrapped
in a mantle of majesty and the other is wrapped
in amantle of majesty.
The one is crowned with a royal crown, and the other is crowned
with a royal crown.
32 -D ins. 'is not written here, but "and all the host of heaven'"
' '
of the scribes that suggested a deviation from the strict rule the question was
;
raised as here: 'how can they write, if they must be standing?' Cf. further ch. xvi
and notes.
Theunwillingness to admit any 'sitting in heaven', apart from the Throne of
God, has arisen from the interest of guarding the Unity of the Godhead there must :
not be even the appearance of two Divine Powers (Chag. 15 a, ch. xvi).
With the two princes Sopheriel H', 'none like whom there is in the high heavens ',
the angelological system of the present chapter is concluded. They are the highest
of the angels of the hierarchy, the different ranks of which are here enumerated
from the lowest to the highest. From this it is clear that ch. xviii is independent of
the following chapters xix seqq., which from their present context appear as a
continuation of the angelological system here set forth. At the beginning of this
chapter it zvas shown
in the notes that this chapter is also independent of its antecedent
chapter. In fact, stands out by itself from all the rest of the book.
it
The reason why it was embodied in the angelological section is apparently its
seeming connection with ch. xvii owing to the mention in both chapters of the
angels and the princes of the different heavens. Besides, the beginning of ch. xix,
above these three angels ', indicates a preceding exposition of high angel-princes, and
'
when the original beginning of the fragment, of which chh. xix seqq. are a con-
tinuation was lost, ch. xviii was put in as a substitute, although not a very happy
one.
(25) This verse, with its lengthy and extravagant descriptions of the 'two angels'
constitutes a striking contrast to the concise, summarizing character of the aforegoing
part of the chapter. The beginning of the verse is not very lucidly connected with
vs. 24. The question 'how are they writing when standing?' is not intelligibly
answered. It is difficult to understand how it could facilitate the writing to be
standing 'on the wheels of the tempest'. Hence it is probable that vs. 25 is a later
addition to the chapter. The end of the verse shows that the angels referred to are
scribes like the princes Sopheriel. The addition was probably composed for the
preceding verses, not adduced from another context.
The features used in the following description of the two angels are mainly those
constantly recurring in descriptions of high angel-princes, Cf. the descriptions of
KERUBIEL (ch. Xxii. 1-9), OFFANNIEL (ch. XXV. 1-4), SERAPHl'EL (ch. XXvi. I~7).
standing on wheels Cf. ch. xxii. 7.
clad in kingly garments etc. Cf. chh. xii. i, xvii. 8.
crowned with a royal crown Cf. ib. and frequently.
CH. XVIII] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 65
The one's body is full of eyes, and the other's body is full of
eyes.
The appearance of one is like unto the appearance of lightnings,
and the appearance of the other is like unto the appearance of light-
nings.
The eyes of the one are like the sun in its might, and the eyes of
the other are like the sun in its might.
33
The one's height is like the height of the seven heavens, and the
other's height is like the height of the seven heavens.
The wings of the one are as (many as) the days of the year, and
the wings of the other are as (many as) the days of the year.
The wings of the one extend over the breadth of Raqia', and the
wings of the other extend over the breadth of Raqia^ .
The the one, are as the gates of the East, and the lips of
lips of
the other are as the gates of the East.
The tongue of the one is as high as the waves of the sea, and the
tongue of the other is as high as the waves of the sea.
From the mouth of the one a flame goes forth, and from the
mouth of the other a flame goes forth.
From the mouth of the one there go forth lightnings and from the
mouth of the other there go forth lightnings.
From the sweat of the one fire is kindled, and from the perspiration
of the other fire is kindled.
From the one's tongue a torch is burning, and from the tongue of
the other a torch is
burning.
On the head of the one there is a sapphire stone, and upon the
head of the other there is a sapphire stone.
CHAPTER XIX 1
(i) Above 2
these three angels, these great princes 2 there is one
angels themselves.
CH. XIX] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 67
For the Merkaba speculations derived from Ezek. i and x and the different
arrangements of the details of the Merkaba-picture, see the Introduction, sections
13 and 14.
The importance of these chapters consists primarily in the fact that they reveal
'
a clear attempt at systematization. Beginning with the wheels of the Merkaba ',
the description proceeds from the lowest to the highest of the four classes of superior
angels which, wanting a more adequate comprehensive appellation, may be called
the Merkaba-angels They are arranged in an order, placing the Chayyoth as the
.
lowest and the Seraphim as the highest, thus: Chayyoth, Kerubim, 'Ophannim,
Seraphim. This order is by no means the one generally accepted. In most cases
in the earlier cabbalistic literature it seems that the writers had no clear view of
the mutual order of the Merkaba-angels, and the cases that suggest an intended
classification, represent, when compared, nearly all possible permutations of the
four classes in question. Furthermore, all of them are not mentioned, in such
classifications, some omitting the Chayyoth, others the Kerubim and so on. It
may suffice as an illustration, to refer to the arrangement presented in ch. xxii C 2,
where the order is as follows: 'the Galgallim, the Kerubim, the 'Ophannim...
the Holy Chayyoth, the Throne of Glory'. Cf. further the Introduction, section
13 (i A).
On the other hand, in P. R. 'El. iv, we meet with an order of the four classes of
superior angels which is identical with the order represented in this section. In
' '
contrast with the present system, however, P. R. 'El. puts the wheels of the Merkaba
together with the 'Ophannim and the 'princes' assigned as chieftains over the resp.
classes of angels here, do not appear there.
(i) Above these three angels, these great princes. The beginning of the
chapter points to a preceding description of angels. In the present context the
opening words refer to ch. xviii. That it is highly improbable, however, that ch. xviii
was the original antecedent of ch. xix, has been pointed out above, note on ch.
xviii. 24. Who are then, originally, the angels and princes referred to? No answer
can be given to this question apart from mere conjectures. First of all, the words
'these three angels' or, as the reading of D runs, "them, the two angels" sound
like a gloss. They might, in fact, easily have been an emendation made by the
redactor who combined ch. xix with ch. xviii. By this gloss if our assumption is
correct ch. xix is made to refer to the last named princes of ch. xviii. This is
particularly so, if the reading of Dbe adopted (the two princes are then, of course,
the two Sopheriel H, ch. xviii. 23-25). Assuming that the original beginning of
'
the chapter had the form above these great princes ', the subject of the preceding
angelological fragment to which this expression refers, might have been, say, the
'princes of kingdoms'. Now the princes of kingdoms are the subject of the last
verse of ch. xvii. The style of ch. xvii. 8 is also similar to that of the present section.
It opens with the phrase 'above these', which is the regular inceptive expression
of all the chapters in this section. IT is POSSIBLE THAT CH. xvii. 8 BELONGED TO THE
SAME ANGELOLOGICAL EXPOSITION, POSSIBLE ALSO THAT IT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDED
WHAT is NOW CH. xix. Further, on the connection of ch. xvii. 8 with the rest of
that chapter, see note, ad loc.
distinguished, honoured, noble etc. On the epithets added to the name of an
angel-prince cf. note on ch. xviii. 7 and chh. xx. i, xxii. i, xxv. i and xxvi. i. The
attributes are in the present case over twenty in number. This manner of excelling
in variations of terms resembles the fashion of Hek. R. The words used here are
mostly adduced from the O.T.
5-2
68 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XIX
'
3 so D. A:' name
Rikbiel. The names of the present section (with the exception of RADWERIEL,
' ' ' '
ch. xxvii) have a very simple derivation. RIKBIEL is derived from Rekeb (= chariot
= '
the chariots of the Kerubim, the camps of the Seraphim, the 'Ophannim, the Chay-
yoth and the Galgallim of consuming fire". In this passage it is noteworthy that
the 'Ophannim and the Galgallim appear as two distinct angelic classes. Originally
the words 'Ophannim and Galgallim were, on the whole, identical notions, both
meaning 'wheels'. See note on ch. xxv. 5. A third significance of the Galgallim
is 'heavenly bodies', mainly occurring in the later cabbalistic literature. And
through further developments of the speculations on the Galgallim, they are again
identified with the 'Ophannim, or, according to another trend of thoughts, the
'Ophannim are made the rulers of the Galgallim or celestial spheres. Cf. note on
'
ch. xxv. 5.
(3) The number of the wheels
is presumably derived from Ezek. i. (not x) a wheel
:
in the middle of a wheel by the side of each of the four living creatures.
four winds etc. 'Storm-wind' and 'tempest' are well-established parts of any
descriptions of the celestial wonders. Cf. chh. xxxiv and xviii. 25. 'Storm-wind,
East- Wind, Strong Wind and Wind of Earthquake' are represented in ch. xxiii.
15, 3, 2 and 6.
CH. XIX] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 69
rivers are continually running, one fiery river on each side. And
round about them, between the rivers, four clouds are planted
(placed), and these they are: "clouds of fire", "clouds of lamps",
"clouds of coal", "clouds of brimstone" and they are standing over
against [their] wheels.
4
(5) Andthe feet of the Chayyoth are resting upon the wheels.
And between one wheel and the other earthquake is roaring and
thunder is
thundering.
(6) And when
the time draws nigh for the recital of the Song,
(then) the multitudes of wheels are moved, the multitude of clouds
tremble, all the chieftains (shallishim) are made afraid, all the horse-
men (parashim) do rage, all the mighty ones (gibborim) are excited,
5
all the hosts (seba'im) are afrighted, all the troops (gedudim) are in
fear 5 , the appointed ones (memunnim) haste away, all the princes
all
(4) four fiery rivers. The number four is to correspond with the four directions,
' '
the four Chayyoth etc. The four fiery rivers here should be compared with the
mention in ch. xviii. 19 of the four heads of the fiery river". Cf. note, ib. The fiery
'
rivers here run under the feet of the Chayyoth. Cf. the usual expression: 'the
fiery river goes forth from the perspiration of the Chayyoth', The present con-
ception of four fiery rivers is related to that of the rivers flowing between the four
camps of Shekina as presented in ch. xxxvii. i Cf ib. Clouds between the rivers,
. .
surrounding them. Cf. ch. xxxvii. 2. The object of the 'clouds' is ace. to ch.
xxiv. 2 to protect from the heat of the fire. See also ch. xxxiii. 3.
(5) the feet of the Chayyoth are resting upon the wheels. In accordance
with the system of the present section the Chayyoth have their place next above the
wheels of the Merkaba. Angels standing on wheels, cf. ch. xviii. 25 and ch. xxii. 7.
The different names of angelic classes and positions enumerated in vs. 6 are most
of them deduced from the O.T. where they represent various divisions and orders
within an army. This is natural from the point of view of these writers who picture
' '
the hosts of angels as armies, camps and troops. The words appointed ', princes ',
' '
' '
servants ', angels ', are familiar from the other chapters of the book. Cf. chh. xiv iv, ;
xxxix xxx, vi see Index the other terms are all found in the enumeration in
; ; ;
Mass. Hek. v of the contents of the seventh Hall and the different angelic classes
c
there ("armies, hosts, troops, ranks (ma arakoth) divisions and armies of chieftains,
,
the men of war, mighty ones, powers ('azuzoth) ta'asumoth (Ps. Ixviii. 36) horsemen,
the officers of armies, princes etc."). The presentation of all the different 'hosts'
and 'princes' has the object of enhancing the impression of the SOLEMNITY OF THE
MOMENT, WHEN THE SONG is TO BE SUNG. The commotion of all heavens and all
' '
angels at the sound of the Trisagion is described in ch. xxxviii. Cf. also ch. xviii. 7.
For passages recalling the present vs. see i En. Ixi. 10, n, 2 En. xx. i seqq.,
Ma'yan Chokma, BH. i. 59, Zohar, ii. 136 a b. For degalim applied to angelic
troops cf. Num. R. par. ii with reference to Ps. Ixviii. 18, Shir. R. on ii. 4. In the
quotation La, fol. 81 a, only eight classes are mentioned, viz. shallishim, parashim,
sebaim, gibborim, memunnim, sarim, mal'akim, degalim.
70 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XIX,. XX
(7) And one wheel makes a sound to be heard to the other and one
Kerub to another, one Chayya. to another, one Seraph to another
(saying) (Ps. Ixviii. 5) "Extol to
him that rideth in 'Araboth, by his
"
name Jah and rejoice before
him !
CHAPTER XX
CHAYYLIEL, the prince of the Chayyoth
(1) Above these there is one great and mighty prince. His name is
CHAYYLIEL H' a noble and revered prince, a glorious and 1 mighty
,
prince, a great and revered prince, a prince before whom all the
children of heaven do tremble, a prince who is able to swallow up
the whole earth in one moment (at a mouthful).
(2) And why is he called CHAYYLIEL H'? Because he is appointed
over the Holy Chayyoth 2 and smites the Chayyoth 2 with lashes of
i -i ins. with D (for the sake of symmetry). 2-2 ins. from D. A om.
one wheel makes a sound to be heard to the other. After the pattern of
(7)
Is. vi.3: "and one cried unto another, and said etc." A parallel to the present
verse occurs Mass. Hek. vii: "and one Bath Qol by the side of one wheel (referring
'
to the wheels of the Merkaba ') and another Bath Qol by the side of another wheel ;
name Jah, and rejoice before him'". The psalm here cited is the one specifically
used in mystical interpretations. There are several cabbalistic commentaries on
this psalm. The special attention of the mystics was drawn to this psalm already in
the tannaitic period if not earlier. From the vs. referred to here, the name of the
highest of the heavens, 'Araboth, was deduced (cf. Chag. 12 b). Other passages
of this psalm to which special interest was devoted are vss. 17 and 18.
Elsewhere the Galgallim of the Merkaba are stated to partake in the celestial
QSdushsha, e.g. in the quotation, YR. v. 5 b: "the wheels of the Merkaba say:
"
Blessed be the Glory of H' from his place etc.'
'
Ch. xx. (i) Above these sdl. RIKBIEL and the Galgallim of the Merkaba, described
in the aforegoing chapter.
Chayyliel. The name
of the Prince is chosen to correspond to the word Chay-
'
yoth'. however, derived from Chayil ( ='army') rather than from Chayya.
It is,
In accordance with this derivation 'CHAYYLIEL' was probably originally the name
of the prince over the Chaylim (= the armies of angels ', cf. ch. xix. 6). A remnant
'
(2) smites the Chayyoth with lashes of fire. Here, where the expression smites
the Chayyoth stands in juxtaposition to glorifies them, when they give praise ',
' '
CHH. XX, XXI] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 71
fire: and glorifies them, when they give praise and glory and re-
3 " " "
joicing and he causes them to make haste to say Holy and Blessed
"
be the Glory of H' from his place (i.e.
the Qedushshd). !
CHAPTER XXI
The Chayyoth
(i) Four (are) the Chayyoth corresponding to the four winds. Each
Chayya is as the space of the whole world. And each one has four
faces and each face is as the face of the East. (2) Each one has four
;
wings and each wing is like the cover (roof) of the universe. (3) And
each one has faces in the middle of faces and wings in the middle of
wings. The size of the faces is (as the size of) 248 faces, and the size
of the wings is
(as the size of) 365 wings.
(4) And every one is crowned with 2000 crowns on his head. And
each crown is like unto the bow in the cloud. And its splendour is
like unto the splendour of the globe 1 of the sun 1 And the sparks .
that go forth from every one are like the splendour of the morning
star (planet Venus) in the East.
3 D ins. '
after me (Metatron)
'
248 and 365 correspond to the number of positive and negative laws resp. Cf.
' '
ch. xxxiii. 4. (4) crowned with 2000 crowns. Crowns are regular attributes of
high angels, cf. note on chh. xii. 3, xviii. i.
72 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXII
CHAPTER XXII 1
KERUBIEL, the Prince of the Kerubim.
Description of the Kerubim
(1) Above these la there is one prince, noble, wonderful, strong, and
praised with all kinds of praise. His name is KERUBIEL H', a mighty
prince, full of power and strength
AD: B:
a prince of highness, and High- a prince of highness, and with
ness (is) with him, a righteous him (there is) a righteous prince,
prince, and righteousness (is) of righteousness, and with him a
with him, a holy prince, and holi- holy prince, of holiness, and with
ness (is) with him, a prince him (there is) a prince
Ch. xxii. (i) Kerubiel. In this form the name is not found in Schwab, VA. Cf.
however, KRBIEL, p. 157, ib., and Kerubyah, ib.
In Hilkoth ha Kisse, Add. 27199, fol. 138 b, after mention being made of SOTHER
'ASHI'EL (cf. xviii. 19) and RIKBIEL (ch. xix), there occurs a summary of the functions
ascribed to KERUBIEL, a passage which is apparently drawn from vss. i, 3-5, 7-9,
of the present chapter.
Asimilar abridged quotation (ba'arikut mizzeh ham mal'ak) occurs in YR. i. 54 a,
from Sode Rasa, a quotation which is important, because it begins with Gen.
v. 24, also forming the beginning of the present book, a fact which shows that the
compiler of the Sode Rasa used as one of his sources an Enoch-fragment or a book of
Enoch which contained descriptions of Kerubiel, and, by consequence, probably also the
essential parts of the angelological section of the present book.
In Widdiiy Yaphe (Add. 15299, fol. 133 b) he appears at the head of the Kerubim
as here, but ib. fol. 134 b he is in common with SERAPHIEL (ch. xxvi. 8), represented
'
as one of the twenty-six angels who carry the Merkaba '.
In the enumeration of different classes of angels which is given in Mass. 'Asilut
(frequently referred to in notes and Introduction), the 'prince of the Kerubim'
is called 'KERUBIEL'.
Even so in S. ha Chesheq (Add. 27120, fol. 14 b) KERUBIEL is introduced as the
angel appointed over the Kerubim.
Ace. to i En. xx. 7, the prince of the Kerubim is GABRIEL, and ace. to Zohar,
Ex. 43 (jfE), this function is assigned to 'KERUB'.
The variant reading of B is most likely due to a false punctuation and subsequent
transposition of the word "immo' (= 'with him').
CH. XXII] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 73
(3) His stature is full of (burning) coals. The height of his stature
is as the height of the seven heavens the breadth of his stature is as
the wideness of the seven heavens and the thickness of his stature
is as the seven heavens.
2 2
(4) The opening of his mouth is like a lamp of His tongue
fire .
3 3
is a consuming fire . His eyebrows are unto the splendour of
like
4 4
the lightning. His eyes are like sparks of brilliance His coun- .
2-2 B :
'
from his mouth there burns as it were a lamp of fire
'
D '
the opening
:
of his mouth burns like a lamp of fire' 3-3 so B. AD: 'consumes fire'
4-4 B omits. 5 D: 'arrow'
(3) His stature etc. The simpler reading of Hilkoth Kisse (see above) might
with advantage be adopted: "his stature is as high as the seven heavens and the
thickness of his stature is as the width of the sea ". On the measures of high angels
cf. ch. ix. i, xxi. i and notes. Also ch. xlviii 05.
(4) The opening of his mouth is like a lamp of fire etc. The description of
the body of this angel-prince is in the usual terms conveying that he is wholly made
up of fire. The substance of the angels' body is regularly fire. So it is said in 2 En.
xxix. 1,3, with regard to God's creation of the angels: "for all the heavenly hosts
I (God) fashioned a nature like that of fire: their weapons are fiery, their garment
is a burning flame. ". Descriptions of this kind are frequent. Cf. 2 En. i. 5
. .
("their faces shone like the sun, their eyes like burning lamps, fire came forth from
their lips. .their wings were brighter than gold"). Cf. also Chibbut ha Qeber, i,
.
Ace. to Shir Rabba, i, the explicit name was engraved on the crowns given to the
Israelites at mount Sinai.
the bow The (heavenly counterpart of) the bow in the cloud
of Shekina.
' '
is probably meant. This has become a regular part of the speculations on the
heavenly splendours, cf. ch. xxii c 4, 7. Then also it is understood as referring to
the angel's weapon.
(6) his sword is upon his loins. Sword is a frequent concomitant attribute of
the angel of death or of the angels of destruction. Cf. Rev. R. Joshua ben Levi,
BH. ii. 48.
74 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXII
are like lightnings in his unto a flame, and upon his armour and
girdle. And a shield of shield there is a consuming fire, and upon
consuming fire (is) on his hisneck there are coals of burning juniper
neck and coals of juniper and (also) round about him (there are
are round about him. coals of burning juniper).
(7) And
the splendour of Shekina is on his face and the horns of;
from 7 his body 7 And lightnings are cast forth from his face. With
.
him there is alway thunder upon (in) thunder, by his side there is
'the two princes of the Merkaba are in his place' B reads: 'are of his size
'
(like his stature)
(7) the splendour of Shekina is on his face. On the conception of the splen-
dour of Shekina see Abelson, Immanence, pp. 85-89, and cf. note on ch. v. 4.
When it is said to be on the face of KERUBIEL here, it is to be understood as a
reflection of God's glory, in analogy with the 'glory' that the first Adam possessed
before his fall (Ber. R. xii) and which is to be restored to the righteous in the
world to come (cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Kaph, beg.).
horns of majesty on his wheels. The angels are often depicted as horned, cf.
vs. 13 (horns of glory) and ch. xxix. 2 (horns of splendour). Horned angels are
referred to in Mass. Hek. v (angels of horns of majesty: ba'ale qarne hod). Instead
of 'on his wheels' one would have expected 'on his head'. Cf. vs. 13. No doubt
the angel was imagined as having 'wheels', but it is possible that the reading here
is corrupt (' 'ofa?i as a synonym of galgal 'having been put in the place of the latter?).
y
'
But cf. Ezek. x. 12. For Messiah ben Joseph as 'horned cf. note on xlv. 5.
(8) his body is full of eyes. The angels have eyes all round to be able to see
without turning: "there is no back in heaven" (Chag. 15 a). The passage forming
the point of support is such a one as Ezek. x. 12. Cf. further chh. ix. 3, xxv. 2, 6,
xxvi. 6, Hek. R. xxii. wings are covering the whole of his high stature. Cf. ch.
ix. 2, Hek. R. ib. For vss. 8 and 9 in general cf. Chibbut ha Qeber, i.
(10) the two princes of the Merkaba. Cf. ch. i. 7. The princes of the Merkaba
are carrying the Merkaba ace. to Widduy Yaphe, fol. 133 b. 'The princes of the
Merkaba are on the level with MIKAEL, GABRIEL, METATRON and SANDALPHON in
'
so far as they, in contrast to other angels, are exempt from being burnt in the
' '
fiery river and created anew ace. to Stunt, quoted by the Smaller Yalqut Re'ubeni
under Mal'ak'. In Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Mem, BH. in, they are one of the highest
'
classes of angels together with the Chayyoth they minister by the Merkaba. In
;
Midrash Sar Tora, BH. Hi, Hek. R. xxx, an angel, called SIRBIEL, is defined as "one
of the princes of the Merkaba ".
from the midst of thunder, earthquake roaring from the midst of earthquake.
CH. XXII] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 75
9
(u) Why is he called KERUBIEL *H', the Prince . Because he is
appointed over the chariot of the Kerubim. And the mighty Kerubim
10
are given in his charge. And he adorns 10 the crowns on their heads
and polishes the diadem upon their skull.
(12)
lx
He
magnifies the glory of their appearance.
11
And he glori-
fies 12
the beauty of their majesty. 13
And he increases the greatness of
their honour. He causes the song of their praise to be sung. He
intensifies their beautiful strength. He causes the brilliance of their
glory to shine forth. He beautifies their goodly mercy and loving-
kindness. He frames the fairness of their radiance. He makes their
merciful beauty even more beautiful. He glorifies their 14 upright
majesty
14
He extols the order of their praise, to stablish the dwelling-
.
9-9 Dom. 10-10 B: 'the chariots of the Chayyoth. And he adorns the
majesty and' n-n B om. 12 so D. AB: 'hastens' 13 BD ins. 'he
increases their beauty' 14-14 S: 'majestic strength' 15-15 Z): 'song
of praise' 16-16 B om. 17 B: 'majesty'
In the two latter of these instances the 'princes of the Merkaba' are clearly
indicated as more than two in number. Confer further on ch. i. 7 ('the princes of
the Merkaba and the flaming Seraphim').
The expression 'are on his place' or 'are together with him' is perhaps a sign
that the princes of the Merkaba had a function or occupied a position here ascribed
to KERUBIEL or the Kerubim, a view which the writer tried to harmonize with his
own in this way.
(n) KERUBIEL is the prince of the Kerubim. The Kerubim described here are
"the four Kerubim" (Ezek. x). In the Pseudepigrapha they are mentioned, esp. in
Apoc. Moses and i En. and 2 En. Further see the introductory section, mighty
Kerubim is the expression used also in Mass. Hek. iv. chariot(s) of the
Kerubim, also ch. xxiv. i. Cf. Apoc. Mosis, xxii. 3 ("when God appeared in
paradise, mounted on the chariots of his Kerubim"), and ib. xxxviii. 3.
(13) and Shekina is resting upon them and the. Glory is upon their faces.
. .
Cf. Ezek. x. 18. 'The brilliance of the Glory' is the resplendence of the Glory' of
'
Shekina. their hands are under their wings, perhaps deduced from Ezek.
x. 7. their feet are covered etc. obviously from Is. vi. 2. horns of glory
76 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XXII, XXII B
and sapphire stones are round about them
and columns of fire on their four sides
and columns of firebrands beside them.
18
(14) There is one sapphire on one side and another sapphire on
18 19 18
another side and under the sapphires there are coals of burning
juniper.
(15) And one Kerub is standing in each direction but the wings of
the Kerubim compass each other above their skulls in glory; and they
spread them to sing with them a song to him that inhabiteth the
clouds and to praise with them the fearful majesty of the king of
kings.
(16) And KERUBIEL H', the prince who is appointed over them, he
arrays them in comely, beautiful and pleasant orders and he exalts
them in all manner of exaltation, dignity and glory. And he hastens
them in glory and might to do the will of their Creator every
moment. For above their lofty heads abides continually 20 the glory
of the high king 20 "who dwelleth on the Kerubim".
CHAPTER XXII B
L(mr), following after the B:
rec. of ch. xxii c. vss. 1-3 R. Ishmael said to me: Metatron, the
(middle): angel, the Prince of the Presence, said
to me:
(i) And there is a court (i) How are the angels standing on
before the Throne of Glory, high? Pie said: Like a bridge that is
Cf. vs. 7. sapphire stones. Cf. Ezek. i, etc. (vs. 26). columns of fire on their
Cf Ezek x 7
f o ur si des . . . . .
(15) spread them, to sing with them. The Kerubim are represented as singing
with their wings. The 'sound' or 'voice of the cherubims' wings' of Ezek. x. 5 is
"
interpreted as the sound of a.song. Ace. to Hek. R. xi. 4 the wings of the Chayyoth
:
are full of rejoicing." The Kerubim themselves are singing ace. to vs. 13. Cf. 2 En.
xix. 6 e.a. ("the indescribable singing of the host of the Cherubim").
(16) Cf. chh. xxv. 5, xxvi. 8.
The additional fragments, here marked chh. xxii B and xxii C, follow in B
immediately after ch. xxii. Another recension of ch. xxii c occurs in Add. 27199,
L(o)' or 'Lo'. In the same MS. fol. 126 a (Helak
'
fol. 783, referred to here as
Merkaba) there is a third recension, containing a version of ch. xxii c 1-3 (middle), '
followed by a piece parallel to but differing markedly from ch. xxii 31,3,4: Lmr'.
(i) there is a court before the Throne of Glory (Lmr). The place of God's
manifestation in the highest heavens is depicted in the simile of the innermost part
CH. XXII B] MERKABAH (ADDITIONAL) 77
(2) which no seraph nor angel placed over a river so that every one can
can enter, and it is 36,000 pass over it, likewise a bridge is placed
myriads of parasangs, as it is from the beginning of the entry to the
written (Is. vi. 2): "and the end. (2) And three ministering angels
(4) And there are 24 my- (4) And how many are the ministering
riads of wheels of fire. And angels? 12,000 myriads: six (thousand
the ministering angels are myriads) above and six (thousand
12,000 myriads. And there myriads] below. And 12,000 are the
are 12,000 rivers of hail, and treasuries of snow, six above and six
of a Sanctuary. The seventh Hall is called 'the Holy of Holies'. The entry (B),
then, is the entry of the innermost part of the sanctuary. The conception of bridges
' '
in heaven is attested in Hek. R. BH. iii. 93. They are the bridges that are placed
over the fiery rivers (cf. ib.). (2) three ministering angels. Probably the leaders
of the song-uttering angels, who sometimes are represented as three, usually as four
(cf. note on ch. xxxv. 3). lords of dread and captains of fear. Guardian
angels who inspire dread and fear, cf. Rev. Moses, YR. ii. 66 b ("I saw the
angels of dread who surround the Throne")- thousand times thousand etc.
Derived from Dan. vii. 10. Cf. chh. xxxv. 6, xxxvi. i, Zohar, ii. 252 b.
(3, 4) rivers of fire, rivers of hail. Cf. ch. xlii. 1,7. wheels (galgallim) of fire.
The wheels of fire are possibly conceived of as angelic beings. Cf. Zohar, ii. 252 b
(in the fourth Hall) "under the Chayyoth are four Seraphim (cf. vs. i ace. to Lmr)
:
. .from these four Seraphim. .there go forth flames of fire and from these flames
. .
are made 72 galgallim burning in the fire and from that fire is made the Nehar
di-Nur". the treasuries of snow are usually said to be 'under the throne',
six above and six below etc. 'Above' and 'below' probably in relation to the
78 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXII B
bridges. for all the creatures that are standing in the midst thereof. . . .
The creatures probably refer to human beings, perhaps the souls or spirits who
' '
are ascending towards their abode near the Throne of Glory, i.e. after death. It is
improbable that the Yorede Merkaba are meant here. The angels are placed so as
to form an entry, through the midst of which the souls proceed.
(6) the king of Glory doth cover His face. . . This part of the verse recurs
.
literally identical in Hek. R. xi, BH. iii. 92, and Or. 6666, fol. 4 b. the veil with
which the Most High covers his face is often identified with the Pargod, cf. on
ch. xlv. i. Cf. also Mass. Hek. iii and Chag. 12 b.
(8) There go forth rivers of joy etc. The whole of this verse recurs in Hek. R.
viii. 4,BH. iii. 90, Or. 6666, fol. 3 a. Only the very last sentence is somewhat
different in Hek. R.:" (go forth with commotion) with Qedushsha, at the hour when
Israel say before Him: 'HOLY, HOLY, HOLY etc.' as it is written (Is. vi. 3) HOLY,
HOLY, HOLY ". In common with the rest of the book this chapter makes no reference
to theQednshsha chanted by the congregation on earth.
CH. XXII C] MERKABAH (ADDITIONAL) 79
CHAPTER XXII c
(1) What is the distance between one bridge and another? 12 myriads
1
ofparasangs. Their ascent is 12 myriads ofparasangs, and their descent
12 myriads ofparasangs 1 .
2
(2) (The distance) between the rivers of dread and the rivers of fear is
22 myriads of parasangs; between the rivers of hail and the rivers of
darkness 3 36 myriads of parasangs; between the chambers* of lightnings
and the clouds of compassion^ 42 myriads of parasangs; 6 7 between the
clouds of compassion* and the Merkaba 84 myriads ofparasangs; between
the Merkaba and the Kerubim i48 8a myriads of parasangs 1 ; between
the Kerubim and the 'Ophannim 24 myriads of parasangs; between the
9
Ophannim and the chambers of chambers 24 myriads of parasangs;
between the chambers of chambers and the Holy Chayyoth 10 4O,ooo
10
myriads of parasangs; between one wing (of the Chayyoth) and another
'heat' Lmr: 'consolation' 6 Lmr ins. the gloss: '(why) clouds of con-
solation? Because they console the Glory (the Most High)' 7-7 Lo om.
8 Lmr: 'consolation' 8a Lmr: '185' 9 Lmr ins. the explanatory gloss:
'and in these chambers are honour and majesty. This is the mystical meaning (of
the passage Ezek. i. 16), and the appearance of the 'Ophannim and their work'
10-10 so with Lmr and Lo. B: 1000' '
Ch. xxii C. (i) What is the distance between one bridge and another?
12 myriads of parasangs. The present chapter is mainly concerned with measures
and distances. This was an early theme of the mystical traditions. A striking
parallel is the well-known passage in Chag. 133 (the distances between the heavens
and the measures of the different parts of the body of the Holy Chayyoth). It was
probably referred to as Seder Shi'urin. Cf. the Shi'ur Qoma. The latter part of
vs. i is a variant of the former part. (2) Vss. 2 and 3, by way of an exposition of
the distances and measures gives a definite Merkaba-picture. The order is from
the lower to the highest parts rivers of dread rivers of fear rivers of hail rivers
:
myriads of parasangs
1
*. And the name of Him that sitteth on it: let the
name be sanctified!
[(4) And the arches of the Bozv are set above the 'Araboth, and they
are 1000 thousands and 10,000 times ten thousands (of parasangs) high.
Their measure is measure of the 'Irin and Qaddishin (Watchers
after the
15 As
and Holy Ones) written (Gen. ix. 13) "My bow I have set
. it is
in the cloud". It is not written here "I will set" but "I have set",
(i.e.) already;
clouds that surround the Throne of Glory. As His clouds
place, fearing lest it command them to go; and they "return" lest it
injure them from the other side. Therefore "they run and return"
i.
(Ezek. 14).
(6) these arches of the Bow are more 17 beautiful and radiant
And
than 18 the radiance of the sun during the summer solstice. And they are
whiter than a flaming fire and they are great and beautiful.
(7) Above the arches of the Bow are the wheels of the 'Ophannim.
n-ii Lmr: 'and the same (measure) is its length and its breadth' 12-12 so
with Lmr.
Lo: '30 myriads of parasangs' B: 'of that same measure'
13-13 Lmr: 'where He is seated' 14 Lmr continues here with a parallel to
ch. xxii C, see text ib. 15 Lo ins. the gloss: 'and this is what the poet lays
down: the arches of the Bow with the wing(s) of the dragon' 16 Lo om.
17 Lo om. i8Lo:'as' 19-1 9 Loom.
from the foot of the Throne etc. The R. Aqiba version of Shi'ur Qoma
(3)
has: "from the seat of His Glory (Yaqar, not Kabod) downwards is (a distance of)
118,000 parasangs" (half the numerical value of TO 3TT, "and of great power":
Ps. cxlvii. 5). Cf. Hek. R, x, BH. iii. 91 ("from His Throne of Glory upwards is
a distance of 180,000 myriads of parasangs").
Vss. 4-7 cannot be harmonized with the Merkaba-picture of the preceding verse.
They are in reality a mystical commentary on Ezek. i. 14 seqq., starting from the
conception of the Celestial Bow, brought about by the combination of Gen. ix. 13
with Ezek. i. 28. Also in Zofiar, i. 71 b, the passage Gen. ix. 13 is used to elucidate
the mystical meaning of passages in the first chapter of Ezekiel. These vss. may
have been added here on account of the reference to 'measures' in vss. 4 and 7.
after the measure of the 'Irin and Qaddishin. Cf. Rev. xxi. 17. The measures
'
laid down in Shi'ur Qoma are said ib. to be ace. to the measures of the Most High,
'
to whom a span (zret) means the distance from one end of the world to the other.
For the 'Irin and Qaddishin see ch. xxviii. Vs. 4 recurs in S. Raziel, 30 a, preceding
Shi'ur Qoma. (5) a fire of the voice etc. is an allusion to the Qol
a mulla H
of Ezek. i. 24. It is here conceived of as a Divine Voice. The Voice goes forth in fire.
The Chayyoth fearing the fire: cf. Hek. R. BH. iii. 104. (7) vs. 7 recurs in
S. Raziel, 4 a.
CHH.XXIIC,XXIll] MERKABAH ETC. 81
Their height is 1000 thousand and 10,000 times 10,000 units of measure
after the measure of the Seraphim and the Troops (Gedudim).]
CHAPTER XXIII
' '
The winds blowing under the wings of the Kerubim
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence,
said to me :
(1) There are numerous winds blowing under the wings of the
Kerubim.
There blows "the Brooding Wind", as it is written (Gen. i. 2):
"
and the wind of God was brooding upon the face of the waters ".
(2) There blows "the Strong Wind ", as it is said (Ex. xiv. 21):
1
"and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that
night".
i Ins. with BDE. A om. E continues here. DE put at the beginning of this chapter
as heading, 'Order of the winds'.
CI-IH. XXIII, XXIV.
Merkabah. The ninn and TTGDID.
Chh.
xxiii and xxiv stand out by themselves from the rest of the book.
They are nearest akin to the chapters describing the heavens from their quasi-
physical aspects, and can therefore conveniently be reckoned as belonging to
section 6. (See the survey of the contents of the present book.) The different
'winds' and 'chariots' are enumerated. Their names are deduced from passages
of the O.T. where the words 'rudch' resp. merkaba' 'rekcb' or similar occur in
'
',
face of the waters'; the third is 'the angel-wind' as it is written (i Kings xix. n):
'but the Lord was not in the wind', etc." As the word for 'wind' is also that for
'spirit', in all passages referred to here, where the English version has 'spirit',
this word has been replaced by wind in accordance with the significance ruach
' ' ' '
and Righteous-ness'.. .He has the Throne of Loving-kindness.. .He has the
. .
Throne of Yah, as it is written (Ex. xvii. 16) Because a hand is lifted up upon the
:
'
xix. 1 1) "and after that the wind of the earthquake but the Lord was
:
;
"and he carried me out by the wind of H' and set me down ".
"
There blows the "Evil Wind 3 as it is written (i Sam. xvi. 23)
(8) :
the point of connection with ch. xxii, treating of the Kerubim. (6) and after
that the wind. . The scriptural verse in question is interpreted in a sense different
. .
from the natural (' but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earth-
:
i.
19) : there came a great wind from the wilderness and
"and behold
smote the four corners of the house and it fell". 10
"
(15) There blows the Storm- Wind ", as it is written (Ps. cxlviii. 8) :
he rode upon a cherub and did fly, yea, and he flew swiftly upon the
wings of the wind".
(17) And whither go all these winds ? The Scripture teaches us,
13
that they go out from under the wings of the Kerubim and descend
" 14
on the globe of the sun, as it is written (Eccl. i. 6) The wind goeth :
toward the south and turneth about unto the north it turneth about ;
14
continually in its course and the wind returneth again to its circuits ".
And from the globe of the sun they return and descend upon [16 the
rivers and 15 the seas, upon] the mountains and upon the hills, as it
is written (Am. iv. 13): "For lo, he that formeth the mountains and
(18) And from the mountains and the hills they return and descend
to the seas and the rivers and from the seas and the rivers they return
;
and descend upon 17 16 (the) cities and provinces and from the cities ;
and provinces they return and descend into the Garden, and from
the Garden they return and descend to Eden, as it is written (Gen.
iii.
8): "walking in the Garden in the wind of day". And in the
midst of the Garden they join together and blow from one side to
Satan is standing among these winds etc. Satan, ace. to the reading adopted
(16)
represented by the Storm-wind '. The winds are thus divided into good and
'
above, is
evil ones. Cf. i En. xxxiv. 3 "and out of one portal they (the winds) blow for
:
good but when they blow through the other two portals it is with violence and afflic-
:
tion on the earth. The 'storm- wind' represents the destructive agency among the
winds.
(17) The winds are represented as going out from under the wings of the Kerubim.
The idea common to older and later Apocalyptic and Rabbinic is that the winds
are kept in treasures in heaven, from where there are sent out and whereto they
return.
(18) into the Garden, and from the Garden. .to Eden. On the relation be-
.
"in the world to come God will make the north wind and the south wind to blow
6-2
84 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XXIII, XXIV
the other and are perfumed with the spices of the Garden even from
\ts remotest parts, until 18 they separate from each other, and, filled
ivith the scent of the pure spices, they bring the odour from the re-
motest parts of Eden and the spices of the Garden to the righteous
and godly who in the time to come shall inherit the Garden of Eden
and the Tree of Life, as it is written (Cant. iv. 16) "Awake, O north :
wind; and come thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices
thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden and eat
his precious fruits".
CHAPTER XXIV
The different chariots of the Holy One, blessed be He
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, the
glory of all heaven, said to me :
(a) kerub
'
together as one". are perfumed with the spices of the Garden. For the
fragrance and sweet odour of the trees of Gan 'Eden, esp. of the Tree of Life, cf.
' ' '
2 En. viii. 2,3. In Apoc. Pauli the perfuming winds are replaced by evwfie (TTO.TOV
"
{JScop ', which flows from the root of the tree of life ". Cf. also Rev. R. Joshua ben
Levi, Paradise, 5th Compartment: "a perfume breathes through it, more exquisite
than the perfume of Lebanon" (Caster's translation).
they bring. .the spices of the Garden to the righteous. .in the time to
. .
come. Here we are at once translated into a picture of the future world. It would
have been more natural if the relative sentence ('who etc. ') had not appeared here,
for then the righteous and godly could have been referred to the common con-
' '
ception, according to which they are already living in Paradise, having been brought
there immediately after death. The author's glide from present to future time is,
however, comprehensible and excused by the poetical form of expression of the
chapter.
Also ace. to 2 En. ix, "the fragrancies of the Garden of Eden are prepared for
the righteous ". Cf. especially Num. R. xiii. 3 (there, as here, with reference to
"
Cant. iv. 16) In the world to come God will make a feast for the righteous in the
:
Garden of Eden. Neither balsam nor spices will then be needed, for the North
Wind and the South Wind will come down and bring with them all the spices of
the Garden of Eden and they will spread their perfume". See In trod. sect. 16, 6.
Ch. xxiv. The same method that is used in regard to the winds in the aforegoing
' '
chapter is here applied to the 'chariots'. The key to the understanding of the
often far-fetched deductions from scriptural passages can be expressed by the
principle: "WHENEVER IT is STATED IN THE HOLY WRIT THAT GOD APPEARS, IT MUST
BE ASSUMED THAT HE APPEARS ON A VEHICLE". Thus, e.g. when it is said (vs. 5),
'
I saw the Lord standing upon the altar ', this is interpreted as referring to
'
the
' '
"
I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar".
"I bare you on eagles' wings". 4 Eagles literally are not meant here
4
but "they that fly swiftly as eagles".
(12)
5
Hehas the "chariots of Shout", as it is written (Ps. xlvii. 6) :
(13) He
has the "Chariots of 'Araboth", as it is written (Ps.
Ixviii. 5):"Extol Him that rideth upon the 'Araboth".
(14) He has the "Chariots of Thick Clouds", as it is written
(Ps. civ. 3): "who maketh the thick clouds His chariot".
(15) He has the "Chariots of the Chayyoth ", as it is written
6
6 7
(Ezek. i. 14) "and the Chayyoth ran and returned".
:
They run by
permission and return by permission, for Shekina is above their
heads. 7
upon the children of men to see if there were any that did under-
11
of 'the Chayyoth (vs. 15), the Galgallim (vs. 16), the Kerub (vs. 17), the 'Ophannim
(vs. 1 8) and the Divine Thrones (vss. 19 seqq.)'. This order recalls the system
of the Merkaba-tepresentation in the angelological section, chh. xix-xxii, xxiv seqq. :
four classes of Merkaba-angels arranged according to rank under and next to the
Divine Throne. If the order here presented is intentional, it appears that the
Merkaba-picture of this chapter is different from that of the angelological section
referred to the arrangement (and names) of the superior classes of angels here is
:
not congruent with that of the latter. Cf. further note on ch. xix and Introduction.
(16) Chariots of Wheels (Galgallim). On the Galgallim cf. note on ch. xix. 2.
(17) Chariots of a Swift Kerub. Cf. P. R. 'EL iv: "When God looks out on
the earth his Chariots are on the wheels (Galgallim, cf. the preceding vs.), when
riding in heaven, on a swift Kerub".
before he sets the other foot etc. The expression occurs also Hek. R. iii. 2 et al.
he looks through 18,000 worlds at one glance. "It was presumed that our
present earth was preceded by many others which were not good in the eyes of the
Creator (Gen. R. iii. 9, ix. 2) who traverses in all 18,000 worlds ". The 18,000 worlds
are co-existent with the present world.
The number 18,000 is here deduced from Ezek. xlviii. 35. So also in S. Raziel, 36
(Ma' ase Bereshith) .
Ace. to 'Aboda Zara, 3 b, the number is derived from Ps. Ixviii. 18, interpreted
somewhat in the following sense: 'God rides (through) twenty thousands (i.e.
20,000 worlds) less two thousand (worlds)'. This interpretation is repeated in
'
later cabbalistic works, e.g. Peli'a' (cited YR. i. 7 b).
In the Talmud-passage just mentioned the Holy One is represented as traversing
allthe 18,000 worlds "on his SWIFT KERUB".
The number 18,000 is lastly deduced even in a third way, viz. from the first
word of the Tora Bereshith. The number of the letters of this word when written
:
in full (beth, resh, shin, etc.) is 18. Hence the interpretation: "18 (scil. thousand
worlds) created God".
With the conception of 18,000 worlds may be compared that of 955 heavens:
ch. xlviii A i (cf. note, ib.).
CHH. XXIV, XXV] MERKABAH ETC. 87
12
(i8) He
has the "Chariots of the 'Ophannim", as it is written
(Ezek. x. 12): "and the 'Ophannim were full of eyes round about". 12
"
(19) He has the Chariots of 13 His Holy Throne 13 ", as it is written
"
(Ps. xlvii. 8) God sitteth upon his holy throne ".
:
14
(2i) He has the "Chariots of the Throne of Judgement", as it
is written (Is. v. 16): "but the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in
14
judgment".
"
(22) He has the Chariots of the Throne of Glory ", as it is written
(Jer. xvii. 12) : "The Throne of Glory, set on high from the beginning,
15
is the place of our sanctuary 15 ".
(23) He has the "Chariots of the High and Exalted Throne", as
it is written (Is. vi. i): "I saw the Lord sitting upon the high and
16
exalted throne".
CHAPTER XXV
'Ophphanniel, the prince of the 'Ophannim.
Description of the 'Ophannim
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence,
said to me :
12-12 B om. 13-13 B: 'the Holy Throne' E: 'the Throne of His Glory'
cf. vs. 22. 14-14 ED om. 15-15 B om. 16 B ends with this chapter.
i DE: 'honoured'
(19-23) The Chariots of his Holy Throne. .of the Throne of Yah. .of the
. .
Throne of Judgement. .of the Throne of Glory. .of the High and Exalted
. .
(2) He
has sixteen faces, four faces on each side, (also) hundred 2
(3) And those two eyes of his face, in each one of them lightnings
are flashing, and from each one of them firebrands are burning and ;
burnt instantly.
(4) His height is (as) the distance of 2500 years' journey. No eye
5
can behold and no mouth can tell the mighty power of his strength 6
save the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, alone.
(5) Why is he called 'OPHPHANNIEL ?
Because he is appointed over the 'Ophannim and the 'Ophannim
2-2 -D om. 3 A repeats the last sentence. 4 so DE. A ins. 'to stand
(and)' 5 so D. A: 'house' 6 so DE. A: 'eyes'
other RAPHAEL. The former tradition is represented by this chapter, the latter by
Zohar, Ex. xliii. In Masseket 'Asilut the two are foisted together, so that there
RAPHAEL and 'OPHANNIEL are given as the chieftains of the 'Ophannim.
(2) he has 8466 eyes etc. The number of the eyes is a calendary one. The text
is, however, corrupt, the reading of DE
worse than that of A. If, instead of days '
of the year ', we read (as Jellinek suggests in note, ad locum, in E) hours of the
'
days of the year', the number 8466 would correspond to a lunar year of 352$ days;
the fourth part of 8466 is 21 16 (plus )> the number of eyes on each of the four sides,
according to one of the variants of A. The other variant, 2190, is the exact fourth
part of the number of hours of the solar year, if counted as 365 days of 24 hours
each. The variants of A
thus point to two different readings, one of which used
'solar' numbers, the other 'lunar' ones. This fact does not imply any contention
between solar and lunar calculations as in the earlier Apocrypha. In the present
book the solar and lunar numbers are merely cosmic numbers, used side by side,
apparently of equal value, although the solar ones are more frequent. The only
reason to consider the variant, giving the lunar numbers, as the original in this case,
is the fact that 'OPHANNIEL elsewhere chh. xiv. 10 and xvii. 5 of the present book
and S. Raziel, ig b is connected with the course of the moon (notice the use of
the number 354 in connection with 'OPHANNIEL, ch. xvii. 5). Besides, the numbers
8466 and 2116 may be corrupt for 8496 and 2124 resp., corresponding to a lunar
year of 354 days.
"
A parallel passage in Mass. Hek. iv runs (using solar numbers) In each Hall:
there are 8766 gates of lightnings, corresponding to the number of hours of the days
of a year". This parallel is pointed out by Jellinek in his note (referred to above)
and is the point of support for the emendations suggested by him.
(3) two eyes that are in his face. His face, being pictured as that of a man,
has two eyes only, whereas the rest of his body is wholly covered with eyes see the :
preceding verse.
(4) appointed over the 'Ophannim. On the 'Ophannim cf. Introduction. The
'Ophannim have here, as well as in i En. 2 En. xxix. 3, Yer. Ber.
Ixi. 10, Ixxi. 7, iv. 5,
CH.XXV] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 89
(6) And the 'Ophannim are full of eyes, 12 and they are all full
all
1314
seventy two sapphire stones are fixed on their
12
of brightness ;
14
garments on their right side and seventy two sapphire stones are
13
fixed on their garments on their left side .
7 A ins. 'And he is appointed to attend the 'Ophannim' 8 ins. 'over them A '
12-12 DE: 'and all of them are full of wings, eyes over against wings, wings cor-
responding to eyes, and in between them splendour and radiance are shining as
the light of the planet Venus' 13-13 E om. 14-14 om. 15 E: D
'seventy two' 16 so D. EA: 'sapphire' 17-1? so D. A: (Why is it
called Beraqot (lightnings) (carbuncles)' E: 'Why is he called by the name of
SIDQIEL?'
lost all traces of their original character of wheels (galgallim) . Cf. the similar
development of the traditions concerning the Galgallim (see note on ch. xix. 2).
Here the 'Ophannim are depicted as one of the classes of Merkaba-angels, with
the regular appearance of angels (with eyes, garments, crowns etc. cf. vs. 6).
Later the 'Ophannim are identified with the Galgallim, e.g. in the cabbalistic
treatise on the Throne, the Merkaba and the Shekina, contained in Harley Or.
5510, fol. 127 a: "the 'Ophannim, they are (the same as) the Galgallim".
When the Galgallim are identified with the spheres or heavenly bodies, the
conception of the 'Ophannim as those who 'move the spheres' arises. Such is the
ir
representation of the 'Ophannim in Shefa fal (by R. Sheftel Horwitz, ed. 1612),
fol. 41 c "... the 'Ophannim, who act in the 'Asiyyatic world (' the world of creative
:
'
matter') and move the spheres, as it is written (Ezek. i. 15) behold one 'Ophan . . .
(6) 72 sapphire stones are fixed on their garments. Cf. ch. xii. i, and for
the use of the number 72, vs. i of ch. ix.
(7) four carbuncle stones on the crown. Carbuncle stone is mentioned
. . .
" "
as one of the different kinds of precious stones fixed on the floor of the 'Araboth
in Mass. Hek. iv, where a similar statement is made to its splendour as here:
"its splendour proceeds through the whole universe and through all the seven
heavens".
why is it called Carbuncle? There is a certain confusion in the readings of
the latter part of the verse. The reading of D
is adopted in the translation, as being
90 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XXV, XXVI
CHAPTER XXVI
SERAPHIEL, the Prince of the Seraphim.
Description of the Seraphim
1 8 E: '(the planet)
Jupiter' 19-19 A: 'the shining appearance of them (the
'Ophannim), and of their eyes and before them (=and of their faces?)'. The
adopted reading is that of DE.
i-i DE om. 2. A omitting 'goodliness' has here a lacuna.
'
the most plausible: the unfamiliar word Bareqet' is explained as derived from
'Baraq' ('lightning'). The reading of E
is based on the assumption that the word
to be explained is that of an angel the expression weldmma niqrd shSmd
:
'
= why . . .
'
is he called by the name is the regular phrase introducing the explanation of
. . .
possible that a copyist, missing a clear reference to the identity of the scribes or
' '
scribe in the present angelological section, there being only an occasional mention
' '
of scribes in ch. xxvii. 2, concluded that SERAPHIEL, the highest of the princes of
the Merkaba-angels held this function. To the scribes was assigned a high position
' '
near the Throne of God. The conception is mainly connected with that of the
Judgement.
CH.XXVl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 91
(3)His countenance is altogether like (that of) angels, but his body
is likean eagle's body.
(4) His splendour is like unto lightnings, his appearance like fire
3 3
brands, his beauty like unto sparks, his honour like fiery coals his ,
majesty like chashmals, his radiance like the light of the planet Venus.
The image of him is like unto the Greater Light. His height is as
the seven heavens. The light from his eyebrows is like the sevenfold
light.
(5) The sapphire stone upon his head is as great as the whole
universe and like unto the splendour of the very heavens in radiance.
(6) His body is full of eyes like the stars of the sky, innumerable
and unsearchable. Every eye is like the planet Venus. Yet, there
are some of them like the Lesser Light and some of them like unto
the Greater Light. From his ankles to his knees (they are) like unto
stars of lightning, from his knees to his thighs like unto the planet
Venus 4 , from his thighs to his loins like unto the moon, from his
loins to his neck like the sun, from his neck to his skull like unto the
5-5 DE om.
(6) The description of the appearance of the body of SERAPHIEL in this verse
seems to indicate that his body was conceived of as having human form, in con-
tradiction to the statement made in vs. 3.
(7) The crown on his head. On the crown as regular accompaniment-feature
of descriptions of high angels, cf. ch. xii. 3 note (also ch. xviii. i). The measure
of the crown is. ... Cf. SM'ur Qoma, Bodl. OPP. 467 the measure of the crown
:
(9) How
many are the Seraphim"? Four, corresponding to the four
winds of the world. And how many wings have they 7 each one of
them 7 ? Six, corresponding to the six days of Creation. And how
many faces have they? 7 Each one of them 7 four faces. 8
(10)
9
The measure of the Seraphim and the height of each one of
them correspond to the height of the seven heavens. 9 The size of
each wing is like the measure of all Raqia' The size of each face is
.
5-5 DE
om. 6 A ins. the Holy Seraphim and
' '
7-7 DE om. 8 DE
add: 'in each direction' 9-9 E om.
the style of this section, as well as of the whole book, in so far as it is the only instance
where a special, artificial, name is given to any part of an angel's body or adornment.
The attribution of special names to the different parts of the body of the Godhead
is a marked feature of Shiur Qoma, and even of Hek. Zot. The sentence is no doubt
a gloss.
in all manner and Sanctification. The Seraphim are singing praises
of Praise
to their Creator especially the Qedushsha or Trisagion. That the Seraphim
and
perform the QSdushsha is definitely stated also in the Testament of Adam (Patrologia
Syriaca), in Ma'yan Chokma, BH. i. 58-64, and in the Q&dushsha of the Additional
service for Sabbath and Festivals (the Qedushsha le-MnsapK) The last mentioned
.
"
runs : We
will revere and sanctify thee as in the secret whisper of the Holy Seraphim
who sanctifyThy name in Holiness, as it is written by the hand of the prophet
(Is. vi. 3), 'And one cried unto another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, etc."' The
entire conception of the Qedushsha-sing'mg Seraphim is of course deduced from
Is. vi. whether Qedushsha here is really
It is uncertain =
Trisagion.
The Seraphim are identical with the Chalkadri of 2 En. xii and xv. i (according
to CHARLES) and, probably, also with the 'serpents' of i En. xx. 7 ("Gabriel, one
of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim").
Cf. 2 En. xix. 6.
In Apoc. Mosis, xxxiii. 3, the Seraphim are connected with the Merkaba as here.
They appear as one of the classes of superior angels in i En. Ixi. 10: "And He
will summon all the host of the heavens, and all the holy ones above, and the
host of God, the Kerubin, Seraphin and 'Ophannin"; and ib. Ixxi. 7: "And round
about were Seraphin, Cherubin and Ophannin. ". Cf. further 2 En. xix. 6, xxix. 3,
. .
TB. Chag. 12 b.
As the first (and highest) rank of angels they are represented (as here) in the
"
Coptic Mysteries of St John and the Holy Virgin, fol. 6 b (Budge's ed.) I saw all
:
the ranks of the angels. The first rank contained the Seraphim".
CH.XXVl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 93
(i i) And each one of them gives forth light like unto the splendour
of the Throne of Glory: so that not even the Holy Chayyoth, the
honoured 'Ophannim, nor the majestic KeruUm are able to behold it.
For everyone who beholds it, his eyes are darkened because of its
great splendour.
(12) are they called Seraphim? Because they burn (saraph)
Why
the writing tables of Satan Every day Satan is sitting, together with
:
10-10 DE: 'he writes* ii-n E: 'in a vision from' 12-12 ins. from
D. A om.
Berith Menucha, 38 b, also puts the Seraphim in the highest rank, under the
leadership of YBHOEL.
Further on the Seraphim, see the Introduction.
(12) Every day Satan is sitting, together with Sammael etc. Satan is here the
Prince of the Accusers, SAMMAEL and DUBBIEL being merely his assistants. This
function tends more and more to be transferred to SAMMAEL, who as the repre-
sentative of Rome, the head of the Gentile Nations, naturally becomes the chief
supraterrestrial enemy of Israel. So, ch. xiv. 2, SAMMAEL is explicitly named 'the
Prince of the Accusers'. Likewise, in the Pirqe Mashidch, BH. iii. 68, SAMMAEL
appears as the official accuser of Israel. In the earlier Apocrypha he is the angel of
death, e.g. Sir. xxv. 24; 3 Bar. iv. 8, ix. 7. He is also identified with the serpent
of the Genesis narrative of the primordial sin, or at least considered as the angel
who led Adam astray ace. to 3 Bar. iv. 8, ix. 7. Traces of his character as angel of
death are found even in later writings, e.g. Midrash Petirath Moshe, BH. i. 125,
ace. to which 'SAMMAEL, the head of the Accusers' aspires to fetch Moses' soul at
the time of his death. In the same line fall his functions of prince of the Nehar
di-Nur, the fiery river (Zohar, i. 40 a, ii. 243 b), and angel of Gehenna (Midrash
Konen, 'Arze Lebanon, 3 b, P. R. 'EL xxxi, xiii). As Prince of Rome Sammael is
mentioned in Gen. R. Ixxvii, in Pirqe Mashi'ch, ib., in Hek. R. iv, v and freq. As
such he obtains a prominent place among 'the Princes of Kingdoms ', even at times
represented as their leader. Cf. notes on chh. xiv. 2 and xvii. 8.
For DUBBIEL as the Prince of Persia cf. TB. Yoma, 77 a. Vide Introd. sect. 7.
For 'Satan' and 'Satans' as having access to heaven, vide CHARLES, The Book of
Enoch, p. 66, on the relation of 'The Parables' of i En. to the rest of the book.
Ace. to i En. xl. 7, the Satans have access to heaven.
that they may present them before the Holy One. This conception of the
Seraphim as having the function of handing over documents or petitions to the
Holy One, is represented in a somewhat different form in the statement occurring
in Lev. R. xxii and Eccl. R. x, that the record of man's deeds during the past day
is during his sleep transmitted by the 'neshdma' to a Kerub and by the Kerub to
a Seraph, who in his turn presents it before the Holy One, blessed be He. The
conception is based on the assumption that the Seraphim are the class of Merkaba-
angels who stand next to the Throne.
know from the secrets of the Holy One. It was thought that some of the
highest angels enjoyed the privilege of partaking in the knowledge of God's secrets ;
94 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XXVI, XXVII
CHAPTER XXVII
RADWERIEL, the keeper of the Book of Records
1
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel of H' 1 ,
the Prince of the
Presence, said to me :
(i) Above the Seraphim there is one prince, exalted above all the
13 E adds: 'of Glory' 14-14 so DE. A: 'he may not present them.'
Ch. xxvii. i-i .Bom.
they decrees and the reasons of the decrees. Cf. chh. xxviii. 4,
knew beforehand the
and notes resp., xviii. 16 and note. A technical term for this knowledge
x. i, xlv. i, 2
of the Divine secrets was the expression "know from inside the Curtain" or "hear
from behind the Curtain". Cf. Chag. 16 a (concerning the ministering angels),
Chibbut ha Qeber, iv (of the angel of death), Ma'yan Chokma, etfreq. (of the angel
Gallisur).
receive them from the hand of Satan and burn them that they may not . . .
come before the Holy One etc. Cf how ace. to i En. xl, " the four presences on
.
"
the four sides of the Lord of Spirits "fend off the Satans and forbid them to come
before the Lord of Spirits to accuse them who dwell on the earth" (vs. 7). The
accusations have no power to alter the Divine decrees concerning Israel, so far as
they are sufficiently counterpoised by high merits on the part of Israel (for instance
their acceptance of the Tora on mount Sinai, without which acceptance the whole
world could not have subsisted). Of this impotence of the accusations the burning
'of the writing tables of Satan' is a metaphor.
The Seraphim are here represented as frustrating the plottings of the accusing
angels. In P. R. 'El. on the contrary, SAMMAEL, the Chayyoth and the Seraphim
in unity desire man's fall and plan to bring it about.
sitting upon the Throne of Judgement, judging the whole world in truth.
The interest begins to turn to the Judgement. Similarly, in the independent
angelological exposition contained in ch. xviii, the functions of the last enumerated
angels centre round the different aspects of the Divine Judgement. The Throne of
Glory seems to the visionary as he directs his gaze higher, to reveal itself as the
Throne of Judgement. For the expression 'judging in truth' cf. ch. xxxi. i.
Ch. xxvii. Ch. xxvii, although belonging to the same angelological section as
the preceding chapters, leaves the subject of the angels of the Merkaba and the
princes appointed over them and approaches the subject of the Judgement, already
alluded to by the last verse of the aforegoing chapter. It treats of RADWERIEL, the
heavenly registrar, the keeper of the Case of Writings, of which the most important
is the Book of Records '. On the Book of Records the Judgement is to be based.
' ' '
(i) Radweriel H'. The name is, so far as is known to the present writer, an aira%-
'
\ry6/j,evov. So is also
the reading of E: DaryoeV But it seems very probable that
.
CH.XXVIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 95
princes, wondrous more than all the servants. His name is RAD-
WERIEL 2 H' who is appointed over the treasuries of the books.
(2) He fetches forth the Case
3
of Writings (with) the Book of
Records in it, and brings it before the Holy One, blessed be He.
4
And he breaks the seals of the case 43 6 opens it, 5 takes out 5 the books
,
and delivers them before the Holy One, blessed be He 6 And the .
Holy One, blessed be He, receives them of his hand and gives them
in his sight to the Scribes, that they may read them 7 in the Great
Beth Din in the height of 'Araboth Raqia', before the heavenly
3
household.
'gives' 6-6 D om. 7-7 so DE. A (seemingly) :' before the Holy One,
blessed be He, the Great One'
there exists a connection as well with regard to name as function between RADWERIEL
here and the VRETIL' of 2 En. xxii. n, 12 (and xxiii) "And the Lord called one of
'
:
his archangels, by name Vretil, who was more wise than the other archangels and wrote
down all the doings of the Lord. And the Lord said to Vretil, Bring forth the books
'
from my store-places, and give a reed to Enoch and interpret to him the books' etc."
The affinities between this and the features represented in the present chapter are
obvious. 2 En.: VRETIL, an archangel, more wise than the other archangels here:
RADWERIEL, above the Seraphim, the highest of the Merkaba-angels, exalted above
all the Princes etc.; 2 En. VRETIL brings forth the books from God's store-places
:
here: RADWERIEL is appointed over the treasuries of the books and fetches forth
'
the Case of Writings with the Book of Records '.
The derivation of the words 'RADWERIEL' or 'VRETIL' is uncertain: from the
Greek fvppeirrjs (thus signifying 'fluent speech, fluent reading'?). Cf. vs. 3. He
may originally have had the function, here assigned to the scribes, of reading the
'
sense in TB. Sofa, 22 d, Meg. 26 b et al., also Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Qoph.
Book of Records (or ' of remembrance '). On the three main lines of conceptions
of the 'books' at the Judgement cf. note on ch. xviii. 24. The 'book of records'
evidently is conceived of as recording all the deeds of the inhabitants of the world
relevant to the issues at the Judgement. The Book of Records is the basis of the
'
Judgement also ace. to the liturgical prayer 'p]pn njJIJI ("and thou wilt remember
all that is forgotten, and wilt open the Book of Records").
takes out the books. The plural might either refer to other books besides
and inclusive of the Book of Records or be due to a confusion between two traditions,
one knowing one 'Book' only, the other speaking of 'the books'. The second
tradition is represented, e.g. in 4 Ez. vi. 20, Ap. Bar. xxiv. i, Rev. xx. 12, not to
mention Dan. vii. 10.
gives them. .to the scribes, that they may read them.
. Asimilar situation,
with the same expressions, is pictured in the Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Qoph, only with
the difference that it there takes place at the court of the Pharaoh. The illustrative
features are borrowed from the writer's ideas of the proceedings at a royal court.
The Great Beth Din or Sanhedrin or Court of Justice. Cf. chh. xxviii. 9 and
xxx. i The Sanhedrin on earth had its counterpart in heaven, the Beth Din Shel-
.
ma'ala under the presidency of the Most High himself. The members of the Beth
Din on high were the highest angels, according to ch. xxx evidently the seventy-two
princes of kingdoms together with the Prince of the World, ace. to ch. xxviii. 9,
96 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXVII
that goes forth from his mouth an angel is created and he stands in :
the songs (in the singing company) of the ministering angels and
utters 9 a song before 10 the Holy One, blessed be He 10 when the time
draws nigh for the recitation of the (Thrice) Holy.
presumably, the 'Irin and Qaddishin (cf. notes, ad loco). See also Hek. R. v. 3,
BH. iii. 87.
' '
' '
there is only one Scribe as such e.g. ch. xxxiii. 2 (in the reading of E) and Hek. R.
:
v. i. Ace. to chh. xviii. 23-25 and xxxiii. 2 (in the adopted reading) the Scribes
are two in number. They record the deeds of the inhabitants of the world in the
'books', and also write down the divine decrees (Hek. R. v. i). Here they are even
more represented as reading what is written in the books before the Beth Din
(cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, letter Qoph, referred to above). The last function was perhaps,
as already suggested, originally assigned to VRETIL-RADWERIEL in 2 En. xxii. 12, :
The ascribing to an angel-prince of the faculty of creating an angel by the word '
of his mouth' is rather singular. Such a statement is otherwise made of God, e.g.
ch. xl. 4, Chag. 14 a, Gen. R. Par. Ixxviii, Lam. R. on iii. 23. It would seen that the
present passage could be made to refer to 'RADWERIEL' only on the assumption
that it is one of the different names of the Godhead, and not the name of an angel.
The whole of vs. 3 might have been adduced from a treatise on the Divine Names.
The instances where the same name at one time or in one writing is represented as
the name of an angel, and in another as one of the names of the Godhead, are
frequent in the cabbalistic literature. Cf. the case of 'TAG' AS', note on ch. xviii. 5 ;
'
the Pardes' (quoted YR. i. 90 a) discusses the "Akatriel' of Ber. 7 a, rejecting the
view that it is the name of the Most High, and maintains that "Akatriel' is "a
Prince on high".
he stands etc. The 'he' probably refers to the created angel. in the songs.
The Hebrew here might be translated 'in the service' instead of 'in the songs,
i.e. in the singing company' of the ministering angels. But the latter is presumably
the correct interpretation. The exact meaning is: 'he stands and sings the songs
(shiroth as a technical term) which the ministering angels sing '. Cf Gen. R. Ixxviii . :
"
God creates every day a new order of angels who utter a song, etc." See note on
ch. xl. 4. On RADWERIEL vide Introd. sect. 13 A (6).
CH.XXVIIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 97
CHAPTER XXVIII
The 'Irin and Qaddishin
R. Ishmael said :
Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence,
said to me :
the Servants. For each one of them is equal to all the rest together.
x
(2) And their dwelling isover against the Throne of Glory, and
their standing place 2
over against the Holy One, blessed be He 2 ,
i i E om. 2-2 so D,
'
A uncertain, corr. ; perhaps :
'
is the place of the Throne
(Beth ha-kKisse)
Ch. xxviii. (i) 'Irin and Qaddishin, i.e. the Watchers and the Holy Ones.
The 'Irin and the Qaddishin
are ace. to the present angelological system at the
summit of the hierarchy of angels. They form the council of the Most High (vs. 4),
have executive power over the terrestrials (vs. 6) and, ace. to the latter part of the
chapter, they assist at the forensic as well as retributive judgement, being both
' '
court-officers and executors of the Divine decrees.
The 'Irin are mentioned in i En. (as 'Watchers'), alone or together with the
Qaddishin (= 'Holy Ones') in chh. vi-xvi, xix, Ixxxvi et al. In 2 En. they appear
'
as the Grigori', ib. xviii.
The expression 'Holy Ones' occurs frequently in i En. (chh. ix. 3, xii. 2, xiv. 23,
xxxix. 5, xlvii. 2, 10, 12, Ixv. 12, Ixix. 13, Ixxi. 8, Ixxxi. 5, cvi. 19.
Ivii. 2, Ix. 4, Ixi. 8,
Vide CHARLES, i En. Index n, "Angels, the holy ones"). In ch. ix. 3 it refers to the
four archangels or 'Presences', in ch. Ixxxi. 5 to the seven archangels, in ch. xlvii. 2
possibly to the Chayyoth, in chh. xxxix. 5, Ix. 4, Ixi. 8, Ixv. 12 to the angels or
' '
children of heaven in general, the distinction from other classes of angels or as
a definite class being uncertain, as is the case also with chh. Ivii. 2 and Ixxi. 8.
Of special interest here are ch. xii. 2 ("watchers and the holy ones"), ch. xiv. 23
(" the most holy ones who were nigh to him did not leave by night [= watchers]
nor depart from him"). These passages indicate a conception of the 'Irin and
Qaddishin as a special class of angels, intimately connected with each other, and
hence show affinity with the presentations of our chapter. Cf. also ch. Ixix. 13.
As regards the 'Watchers' we meet with two different traditions in i En. One,
the more prominent, is embodied in chh. vi-xvi, xix, Ixxxvi, represents the watchers
as fallen angels, identifying them with "the sons of God" (Gen. vi). The other
view agrees with that of the present chapter in placing the Watchers near the
Divine Presence and is represented in chh. xii. 2, xiv. 23, Ixi. 12 ("those who sleep
not above in heaven" = 'the Watchers') and, possibly, ch. cvi. 19. (Cf. however,
CHARLES'S distinction in Pseudepigrapha (A and P. 11), p. 188, note 5.)
"
Notice the expression, i En. xx. i the holy angels who watch", with reference
:
OHB 7
98 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXVIII
3
a reflection of 3 the splendour of Shekina.
(3) And they are glorified by the glory of the Divine Majesty
4
i-i E om. 3-3 so DE. A: 'like unto, similar to' 4-4 E: 'Shekina'
5 here the parallel of D breaks off.
Holy One. .the brilliance of their dwelling is a reflection of. .the Throne etc.
. .
This best paralleled by what is said with regard to Metatron, chh. vii, x. i seq.,
is
xlviii 04, 5,7. These expressions will presumably convey the exclusive position of
the 'Irin and Qaddishin. They are depicted as having their abode at the very top
of the hierarchical structure face to face with the Throne of Glory and the Shekina.
:
' '
For the splendour of Shekina see note on ch. v. 4. Ch. xxii. 7 and 13, the splendour
of Shekina is said to be on the face of KERUBI'EL, resp. the Kerubim. But there the
'
splendour of Shekina is received from above the Shekina is resting upon them ',
;
ib. 13.
(3) they are glorified by the glory of the Divine Majesty and praised by
the praise of Shekina. The glorification and praise directed towards the Shekina
are reflected also on the 'Irin and the Qaddishin, owing to their near association
with the Godhead.
(4) the Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing. .without first consulting .
them. Cf. TB. Sanh. 38 b: "the Holy One, blessed be He, doeth nothing without
consulting the heavenly household, as it is written (Dan. iv. 17) 'The sentence is :
by the decree of the watchers etc.'" What in Talmud is applied to the angels in
general (' the heavenly household ') is here referred to the definite class of angels
called 'Irin and Qaddishin. The idea of God consulting the angels is common in
Rabbinic: "when God wished to create the first Adam, he took counsel with the
ministering angels" (e.g. Gen. R. viii. 4). The important feature here is that the
function of Divine counsellors is limited to a specified class of angels and this is ;
(and Holy Ones)" of i En. are numerous: ace. to ch. vi. 6 they are 200. There
might possibly be some connection between the passage i En. ix. 3 and the present
vs. (traces of the same tradition?). Cf. note on ch. xxviii. 9.
CH.XXVIIl] ANGELOLOGICAL SECTION (Al) 99
ground those that are proud, and they exalt to the height those that
are humble.
And every day, as the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting upon
(7)
the Throne of Judgement and judges the whole world, and the Books
of the Living and the Books of the Dead are opened before Him,
6-6 A om.
high the world', abase. .those that are proud and. .exalt. .those that are
. . .
humble. This idea is deduced from Dan. iv. 17: "the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the
basest of men", which follows after the words cited in support of the conception
of the 'Inn and Qaddishin. What there is said with reference to God has been
transferred to the 'Irin and Qaddishin, the counsellors and executors of the Divine
decrees. Cf. ch. xlviii c 9.
vs. 9 presupposes a considerably larger number. Chh. xxix and xxx furthermore
maintain the identity of the 'Irin and Qaddishin with the seventy-two princes of
kingdoms. (Ace. to the angelological section the 72 princes of kingdoms
probably occupy a comparatively low place in the angelic hierarchy, see note on
ch. xvii. 8.)
For divergences within the section notice e.g. (i) ch. xxviii. 7, the books on which
'
the judgement is to be based are the Books of the Living and the Books of the
Dead ch. xxx. 2 speaks only of the book in which all the doings of the world are
'
;
'
representations of the same idea the relation between the agencies of Justice and
:
Mercy at the Judgement (esp. from the point of view of mediation between them).
For the different conceptions of the Judgement cf. also the Introduction, sect. 16.
(7) every day as the Holy one ... is sitting upon the Throne of Judgement,
i.e. every day, at the time when. The judgement here is daily. Cf. the dictum of
R. Yose, Tosephta Rosh ha Shana, i, "man is judged every day". It is both forensic
and retributive. The
cases (vss. 8, 9) refer to the continual happenings in the daily
life of man (and the world in general), and the decrees are executed immediately.
the Books of the Living and the Books of the Dead. Cf. ch. xviii. 23 seq.
In view of the character of the Judgement as daily, the Books of the Dead are here
probably of the same significance as in ch. xviii. 24; they record the time destined
for every man's death. The Books of the Living may be the records of the time
destined for a man's entering life on earth, but are perhaps also conceived of as
7-2
100 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXVIII
then all the children of heaven are standing before him in fear, dread,
awe and trembling. At that time, (when) the Holy One, blessed be
7 8 9
He, is sitting upon the Throne of Judgement to execute judge-
9
ment his garment is white as snow, the hair on his head as pure
,
wool 10 and the whole of his cloak 10 is like the shining light. And he
is covered with righteousness all over as with a coat of mail.
(8) And those 'Irm and Qaddishin are standing before him like
court officers before the judge. And they raise and argue every case
and close the case tkat comes before the Holy One, blessed be He,
in judgement, according as it is written (Dan. iv. 17) "The sentence :
is by the decree of the 'Irm and the demand by the word of the
Qaddishin"
(9) Some of them argue and others pass the sentence in the Great
Beth Din in 'Araboth. Some of them make the requests from before
u the Divine Majesty 11 and some close the cases before the Most
High. Others finish by going down and (confirming =) executing
12 12
recording the deeds (merits and transgressions) of the living (= the Book of Records,
chh. xxx. 2, xxvii. 2).
Throne of Judgement garment is white as snow etc. This is deduced from
. . .
issues arising from the course of the daily life of the inhabitants on earth. Ace. to
Ex. R. xxxi, angels act as defensors and accusers of man at the judgement "when :
a man has committed a transgression and stands before God to receive judgement,
then some angels plead in his defence, others accuse him guilty".
(9) Some of them argue and others pass the sentence some of them
. . .
make the requests. .some close the cases. .others finish by. .executing
. . .
the sentences. Cf. Sa'adya's commentary on Dan. iv. 17: "The 'Irin are the Holy
Angels of anger and fury who pass the sentence ". (Notice, by the way, how Sa'adya
represents the angels in question as one class only, called 'Irin, regarding" the
Qaddishin = Holy Ones as an attribute further, how he identifies them with the
' '
angels of anger and fury" usually but another name for the 'angels of destruction',
cf. note on ch. xxxi. 2.) Cf. also Hilkoth Mal'akim, Add. 27199, fol. 124 a: "the angel
who passes the sentence and who issues the demands is called 'Ir and Qaddish" .
It is evident from the way in which the various functions are depicted as divided
CH. XXVIIl] DIVINE JUDGEMENT IOI
"
iv. 13 ,
Behold an 'Ir and a Qaddishcame down from heaven and
14) :
cried aloud and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches,
shake off 14 his leaves 14 and scatter his fruit: 15 let the beasts get away
,
from under it, and the fowls from his branches 15 ".
(10) Why are they called 'Irin and Qaddishint By reason that they
sanctify the body and the spirit with lashes of fire on the third day
of the judgement, as it is written (Hos. vi. 2): "After two days will
he revive us on the third he will raise us up, and we shall live before
:
him."
between the 'Irin and Qaddishin, that they are in this verse regarded as comprising
a comparatively large number. One might, with some certainty, venture the con-
jecture that the underlying idea here is the representation of the 'Irin and the
Qaddishin as the Heavenly Beth Din. The 'Irin and Qaddishin would then be
conceived of as 70 or 72. This is confirmed by the confusion in the two
chapters following next, between these angels and the 72 princes of king-
doms who ace. to ch. xxx constitute the heavenly Beth Din. Also, in Zohar,
e.g. ii. 6 a, the 'Irin and Qaddishin of Dan. iv. 14 are explicitly interpreted as "the
72 members of Sanhedrin who consider the judgements of the world".
That the 'Irin (and Qaddishin) in i En., according to the prevalent representation
there, are counted as a large number (e.g. ch. vi. 6: 200) is already recalled
above. On the other hand, in later cabbalistic writings, they are likewise often
pictured as a numerous class of angels, e.g. YR. i. 162 b .(quotation from Sode
Razd), they are referred to with the formula "the troops of 'Irin and Qaddishin".
(10) they sanctify the body and the spirit with lashes of fire. The ex-
pression 'the body and the spirit' may be taken in two different senses, viz. as
referring either to the angels in question (the 'Irin and Qaddishin) or to the body
and spirit of a man who has undergone judgement the judgement of man, referred
;
to here, would in this case be the so-called Din ha-qQeber, the judgement on man
immediately after his death. The interpretation of the present sentence in the sense
of sanctify the body and spirit of the judged man is probably the correct one,
' '
esp. in view of the difficulty, that otherwise arises, of explaining the meaning of
the words immediately following: 'on the third day of judgement '. 'The third
day' cannot very well be meant 'absolute', since the judgement here is daily and
continual. But with the assumed interpretation it will naturally take on the meaning
'the third of the three days that man is judged', the third day being also the final
one, on which the sentence passed on man is consummated through his purification
in fire ('by lashes of fire'). Cf. ch. xliv.
The result thus arrived at accords with Masseket Chibbut ha-qQeber, BH. i. 151 :
"The ministering angels (corresponding to the 'Irin and Qaddishin of the present
verse) receive man, after his death, from the hands of the angel of death; they judge
him on the first two days on account of his character as developed during his life,
through his observance or neglect of the statutes of Tora; on the third day they
judge him, spirit, soul and body, by strokes with lashes of fire ". This is a description
of the Din ha-qQeber, referred to above.
The bath of sanctification or purification in fire is depicted as forming the
conclusion of judgement also with regard to the ministering angels, in Revelation
of Moses (tr. Gaster, rec. B, in Royal Asiatic Society's Journal, 1893) "the Almighty
:
sits and judges the ministering angels, and after the judgement they bathe in that
river of fire and are renewed". Cf. ch. xxxvi.
'
It is true that in other connections the Qaddishin are represented as sanctifying
102 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XXIX
CHAPTER XXIX
\L
\ said to
(i)
:
Description of a class of angels
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence,
me
u+ri
vA
\
i-i E om.
1
And all of them are (based) upon
.
themselves in fire '. Thus in Shemoth shel Metatron, Bodl. MICH. 356, fol. 40 b,
we read: "Metatron admonishes the angels every third day to bathe and purify
themselves in the fiery river (Nehar di-Nur) ".
Ch. xxix. Ch. xxix contains a short description of angels, the names or class of
which are not defined in the chapter. As the context now stands, the description
'
is, by the opening words each one of them ', made to refer to the 'Inn and Qaddishin
of the aforegoing chapter. On the other hand, the following chapter, xxx, in de-
fining the great princes who are called H' by the name of the Holy One as the
' '
and usually connects the angels or angel of which it is used, with the conception
of the seventy nations and their representative body in the heavens.
Still it seems to be a necessary conclusion that to the Redactor, responsible for
the present arrangement of chh. xxviii-xxx seqq., the identity of the 'Irin and
Qaddishin with the Princes of Kingdoms, did not, at least, present any difficulty.
Some tradition to this effect might have obtained. As a trace of such & tradition,
although from a late source, may perhaps be regarded the passage on the Princes
of Kingdoms in Menahem Reqanati's Commentary on the Pentateuch, Gen. x. 5 (EJ) :
"70 princes are set over the 70 nations. .they are the 70 princes who surround the
.
Throne of Glory and they are the same that are called in the Song of Solomon
(Cant. iii. 3) 'the Watchmen (Shomerim) that go about the city', for by their hands
the decrees from on high are issued (cf. ch. xxviii. 8 seq.) ".
Convergences between the conceptions of the Watchers and of the Representa-
tives of the Nations (the Princes of Kingdoms) may have occurred at an early
period, although then perchance in another aspect. The Watchers (i En.) as well
as the Princes of Kingdoms, ace. to a different trend of traditions, were regarded
as evil agencies in the world (cf. i En. Ixxxix. 59-65 and note on ch. xxviii. i).
The Watchers become the leaders of corrupt mankind on earth and the Princes of
Kingdoms are the rulers of the Gentile nations: occasionally the leader of the
Watchers is mentioned as SATANIEL or SAMMAEL, and the Princes of Kingdoms, as
evil agencies, are later regularly represented as headed by SAMMAEL. Cf. on this
TB. Sota, 9 a, Sha'are 'Ord, 65 a,'Emeq ha-mMelek, 121 b et al.
CH.XXIX] DIVINE JUDGEMENT 103
the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. And every several name
iswritten with a flaming style 2 upon the Fearful Crown (Keiher
Nora) which is on the head of the high and exalted King.
(2) And from each one of them there go forth sparks and lightnings.
And each one of them is beset with horns of splendour round about.
From each one lights are shining forth, and each one is surrounded
3
by tents of brilliance so that not even the Seraphim and the Chayyoth
who are greater than all the children of heaven are able to behold
them.
name of the Holy One. Exactly the same, is said with regard to Metatron, chh.
iii. i and xlviii c 9.
'
[The expression 'seventy names corresponding to the seventy
tongues is a formula, conveying the connection of the angels in question with the
seventy nations^ So ch. xlviii c 9 the ascribing to Metatron of seventy names is
clearly connected with his character of chief of the seventy princes of the seventy
nations. The phrase 'based upon the Name of the Most High' with regard to a
name, means that it contains the elements of the Tetragrammaton. Cf. note on
ch. x. 3 and the angelic names ch. xviii. 9-24. written with a flaming style. Cf.
chh. xiii. i, xxxix. i, xli. 4. upon the Fearful Crown. .on the head of the.
. . .
King. The Fearful Crown 'Keiher Nora' is the technical term for the crown on
the head of the Most High as seated on the Throne of Glory. In magical writings
the 'Fearful Crown' plays a prominent role, being, together with 'the Great Seal',
the most effectual of magical formulas. Cf. Hek. Zot. (Bodl. MICH. 9, fol. 66 a) :
"the Fearful Crown ... (follow some mystical letters) ... this is the crown with
which one conjures all the Princes of Wisdom". Cf. also Mass. Hek. vii: "the
crown on the forehead of the Holy One, blessed be He, on which the Explicit Name
is graven".
(2) And from each one of them there go forth sparks and lightnings etc.
This verse repeats the phraseology of the angelological section. For 'horns of
splendour' cf. ch. xxii. 6. For 'tents of brilliance', ch. xxv. 6. "not even the
Seraphim and the Chayyoth etc.' cf. ch. xxvi. n. Does the present fragment
know only the Seraphim and the Chayyoth as Merkaba-angels ? Or does it regard
the Seraphim and the Chayyoth as the two highest classes of superior angels by
the Merkaba? (Cf. Zohar, ii. 252 b. JD1K J^NO , , , ,
fSn&J' njmtf WllTl 'Nil
CHAPTER XXX
The 72 princes of Kingdoms and the Prince of the World
officiating at the Great Sanhedrin in heaven
'every day at the hour that', and 'pleads. .before the Holy One, blessed be He'.
.
The sittings of the Beth Din are here for judgement, although the judgement may
include all the various decisions with regard to the affairs of the world. But the
Celestial Beth Din has even a wider scope. So, e.g. in Gen. R. xlix. 6, it is said that
God introduces new Halakas daily in His Celestial Beth Din. For the Beth Din
Shelma'ala as giving daily decisions with regard to the happenings of the world
cf. Hek. R. i-iii seqq.
there is no opening of the mouth for anyone in the world etc. For the
expression in this sense cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 57. Cf. also the phrase 'opening
of the mouth for the Minim (heretics, Christians) = scriptural points of support
'
for heretical beliefs. Here it apparently means that no one is allowed to speak either
as accuser or defender except the Great Princes called H'.
great princes . called H' by the name of the Holy One. Ch. x. 3 speaks
. .
of '8 great princes called H' by the name of their King', to whom also is assigned
an exceptional status. Cf. note, ib., and Hek. R. xxi. -called H' etc. In most
cases simply means that the Tetragrammaton forms the latter part of the name.
It seems to have been a general assumption, that the highest circle of angels were
marked out from the other angels by the common distinction of the Tetragrammaton
as part of their name, whereby their names were 'based upon the Name of the
Holy One '. But the traditions are at variance as to the further character, number
and function of these highest angels. Thus, in the present book, ch. x. 3 (already
referred to), 'the 8 Great Princes, called H' etc.' occupy so high a position as to
be above the jurisdiction of Metatron (the Lesser YHWH), which includes all the
other angels and princes; in the angelological classification of ch. xviii each one of
the sixteen highest princes have the H' at the end of their names; in the angelo-
'
logical section, chh. xix-xxii, xxv-xxvii (xxviii), the six princes there named have
likewise all the Tetragrammaton as part of their names. (It is in fact altogether in
harmony with that angelological section, when ch. xxix, the 'Irin and Qaddishm,
the highest of the princes ace. to ch. xxvii. 1-6, are in ch. xxix represented, or made
CH.XXX] DIVINE JUDGEMENT 105
(2) How many are those princes? Seventy- two princes of the
kingdoms of the world besides the Prince of the World who speaks
(pleads) in favour of the world before the Holy One, blessed be He,
to be represented, as having their names 'based upon the name of the Holy One'.)
Ace. to Hek. R. xxii. i, the highest angels who are there the door-keepers of the
Seventh Hall and seven in number, have all names of the form X-H' in the pre- ;
ceding chapter of Hek. R. one meets with the statement that the awe-inspiring
power of these guardians of the seventh Hall and of their names lies just in the
fact that "each one of them, his name is called (based) upon the name of the King
of the Universe".
In the present chapter again, the Princes H' are denned as the
(2) Seventy-two princes of the kingdoms, and this evidently because, ace. to the
view contended here, the seventy-two princes of kingdoms, inclusive of the Prince
of the world, form the highest angelic order in their capacity of constituting the
Celestial Beth Din.
For the different conceptions of the Princes of Kingdoms, cf. note on ch. xvii. 8.
Here they are decidedly conceived of as the REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NATIONS OF
THE WORLD. The conception of representatives in heaven of the various kingdoms
on earth is a well-known, early idea attested in the O.T., Dan. x. 20, 21 it occurs ;
in Sir. xvii. 17 ("for every nation He appointed a ruler. But Israel is the Lord's
part"). Since the nations were counted as seventy, the number of these representa-
tives was at first usually given as seventy (cf. ch. xlviii c 9) so in i En. Ixxxix. 59
;
(seventy shepherds). Apposite for the resemblance to vs. 2 of the present chapter
is Targ. Yer. to Gen. xi. 7, 8 ("every nation has its own guardian angel -who pleads
the cause of the nation under his protection"). In Talmud the conception occurs,
e.g. TB. Yoma, 77 a (MIKAEL, the prince of Israel, DUBBIEL, the prince of Persia etc.),
Sukka, 29 a (the Gods of the nations suffer punishment with them). Cf. further Gen.
R. Ixviii, Ixxvii, Ex. R. xxi, Lev. R. xxix, Pesikta R. xxiii, xxvii, P. R. 'El. xxiv. Notice,
how in Mass. Hek. the conception of seventy princes is replaced by that of " 70 thrones
of the Holy One, blessed be He, corresponding to the nations of the world".
For discussion of the origin of the number 72 as ascribed to these princes, see
note on ch. xvii. 8. In the present connection the seventy-two princes of kingdoms
constituting the Great Sanhedrin of heaven one is reminded of the fact that the
Great Sanhedrin proper, of which the Beth Din shelma'ala is a counterpart, is in a
few Mishna passages represented as consisting of seventy-two members M. Zebachim,
:
For the princes of kingdoms as the Celestial Beth Din cf. also Bachya's Commen-
tary on the Pentateuch, Par. Beha'aloteka (162 b): "The Holy One, blessed be He,
said to the 70 angels who surround the Throne of Glory . . and they are the Beth
.
Din of the Holy One". Cf. Zohar, i. 173 b, and Mass. Hek. v. 70, thrones always
surrounding the Shekina. The 'thrones' in Zohar are angelic beings when termed
IIID^IS,
and similarly their 'thrones' are termed 'NIT Dp.
the Prince of the World who speaks in favour of the world. The Prince of
the World is here, then, the leader of the princes of kingdoms. He combines the
functions of the rulers of the nations they plead each one the cause of his nation,
:
the Prince of the World pleads the cause of all the nations together, of the world
in its entirety. There is no reference here to any contrast between the Gentile
Nations, the idolaters, and Israel. On the contrary, the representation is strikingly
universal in its character. The Accuser is God himself, whereas ace. to other views,
the Prince of Israel and the princes of the nations, especially the prince of Rome
(or of Persia) are represented as accusing each other before the Most High. Cf.
the Introduction.
For the conception of the nations (or their representatives) appearing before God in
judgement or pleading before God, cf. inter alia 4 Ezra vii. 37, and the reference in
BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse, p. 124, note ad loc., to the passage in TB. 'Aboda Zara, 2 a b
=
106 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XXX, XXXI
every day, at the hour when the book is opened in which are recorded
allthe doings of the world, according as it is written (Dan. vii. 10) :
CHAPTER XXXI
(The attributes of) Justice, Mercy and Truth
by the Throne of Judgement
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence,
said to me :
(i) At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting on
the Throne, of Judgement, (then) Justice is standing on His right
and Mercy on His left and Truth 1 before His face.
"the nations appear before God in the future age to receive their reward. They are
summoned up singly, are asked what they have done in the world, and each is
condemned (Rome, Persia and other nations)".
On the Prince of the World see note on ch. xxxviii. 2, and cf. notes on chh. iii. 2,
ix. 2-3, x. 3, xlviii 09. In the Enoch-Metatron pieces, chh. iii-xv and xlviii c,
Metatron occupies the same position as the Prince of the World here, i.e. leader of
the princes of kingdoms and, notably, Metatron and the Prince of the World are.
ace. to one trend of traditions, identical. Here, in so far as Metatron is represented
as the speaker, this is not the case.
at the hour when the book is opened etc. This is the same view of the
book, forming the base of the judgement, that we meet with in ch. xxvii. 2, the Book
'
of Records'. Cf. note, ib. The 'records' are here perhaps conceived of more from
the point of view of the nations or the world at large than of the individual.
Ch. xxxi. Another short, independent, piece on the Judgement, characterized
by the representation of the hypostasized attributes of Justice, Mercy and Truth
as agencies at the Divine Judgement.
Justice and Mercy as attributes of God is a subject of speculation from the earlier
periods: "Palestinian as well as Alexandrian theology recognized the two attributes
of God, 'middath ha din' and 'middath ha rahamim' (Sifre Deut. 27, Philo, De
Opific. Mundi, 60) and the contrast between justice and mercy is a fundamental
doctrine of the Cabala" (JE, article 'Justice'). Among the Tannaites the doctrine
of Justice and Mercy as the two main attributes of God was connected particularly
with the name of R. Meir. Cf. Bacher, Agada der Tannaiten, vol. ii. p. 60, and TB.
Ber. 48 b, Gen. R. xxvi, Ab. R. Natan, xxxii, R. 'Aqiba, TB. Sank. 67 b.
(i) At the time (or: in the hour) when the Holy One. .is sitting on the.
his face, (and) all the angels of destruction fear and tremble 4 before
him 4 according
,
as it is written (Is. xvi. 5): "And with mercy shall
the throne be established, and he shall sit upon it in truth."
2 E: 'a wicked man' 3-3 E prob. corr. : 'the Mercy goes out from judgement
towards him' 4-4 E: 'on his right'
For the hypostasized attribute of Justice as accusing cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, znd rec.,
"
BH. iii. 50 : In that hour the attribute of Justice said before the Holy One, blessed
be He, 'Lord of the Universe, even the righteous are designated for death (i.e.
have sinned according to Law no man shall be justified)'".
For a later representation of the roles of Justice and Mercy cf. Sha'are 'Ora,
quoted YR. 7 b, vol iii: "The attribute of Justice gives to the supplicant...
riches and all good things, but the attribute of Justice prevents (interrupts, annuls)
the decision and says, Let us consider whether this supplicant is worthy that his
supplication be granted him, and if not, let him be judged in the Great Sanhedrin
etc." Notice the combination here of the two conceptions of Justice-Mercy and of
the Great Sanhedrin.
The distinctive feature of the present chapter, vs. i, is the introduction of the
third attribute, the Truth, as mediating between Justice and Mercy. The combina-
tion of truth with judgement is deduced from or, rather, occurs already in the O.T.
Reference is in vs. 2 explicitly made to Is. xvi. 5. Then in 4 Ezra, vii. 34 ("But
judgement alone shall remain and truth shall stand"). For references to parallels
in Rabbinic see BOX, Ez. Apoc. p. 122, note ad loc. Cf. further Alph. R. 'Aqiba, beg.
("The Holy One. .is called Truth, and He sits on His Throne. .in Truth. .all'
. . .
his judgements are judgements of truth, and all his ways are Mercy and Truth"),
and ch. xxvi. 12. The mediating character of the attribute of Truth is here symbolic-
' '
ally indicated by the place assigned to it before the face of the Most High between
'Justice' to the right and 'Mercy' to the left. Another expression of the mediation
at the judgement is found, ch. xxxiii. i ('Angels of mercy, of peace, and of de-
struction').
The distinction involved in the expressions 'to the right', 'to the left', does not
carry the extreme symbolical significance of certain gnostic systems and esp. the
later Qabbala there the accusing role is always assigned to the left side, the favour-
:
pleading to the right. In the system of Ten Sefiroth Justice is on the left, Mercy on
the right (contrast here).
(2) when man enters before Him to (receive) judgement, i.e. immediately
after death, cf. note on ch. xxviii. 10. there comes forth from the splendour of
the Mercy towards him as (it were) a staff and stands in front of him. This evi-
dently means that the attribute of Mercy wields a protecting, supporting influence
over man against forces working for the strict application of the principles of justice.
And this influence is represented as prevailing over the latter, at least such seems to
be the import of the words following: all the angels of destruction fear and
tremble before him. The angels of destruction represent the execution of the
decrees of justice (cf. ch. xxxii. i), i.e. the punishment of man's sin. Here it appears
that 'the staff' from the 'splendour of the Mercy' protects man from the rage of
the angels of destruction.
For the conception of the angels of destruction cf. i En. liii. 3 (" I saw all the
angels of punishment abiding and preparing all the instruments of Satan [for the
sinners] "), Ivi. i, Ixiii. i (" In those days shall the mighty and the kings. .implore
.
God to grant them a little respite from His angels of punishment"). 2 En. x. 3 ;
Ap. Petri, 6, 8. TB. Shab. 55 a, presents an instance of the connection between the
108 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXXII
CHAPTER XXXII
The execution of judgement on the wicked. God's sword
(i)
1
When the Holy One, blessed be He, opens 1 the Book half of
angels of destruction and the attribute of Justice (as accusing and desiring the strict
enforcement of the Law) " God said to Gabriel (with reference to the situation,
:
Ezek. ix. 4 seqq.), Go and write on the forehead of the righteous a mark of ink, that
'
the angels of destruction may not get power over them, but on the forehead of the
wicked a mark of blood, that the angels of destruction may have power over them '.
Then said the attribute of Justice before the Holy One ... ... In what respect are
'
those better than these?'" Cf. ib. 152 b, 89 a; Yer. Shebu'oth, vi. 37 a; Rev. vii. 2,
xii. 7; Test. Abr. xii, xiii; Gedullath Moshe, section Gehinnom; Masseketh Gehinnom,
BH. i. 142; Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 62. See also ch. xliv. 2 and note. In these
instances they appear mainly in two aspects one is that of executors of punishment
:
and of the divine decrees in general in the world, the other that of officials of
Gehenna appointed over the wicked (and intermediate).
On their number and names the different sources are at variance, from those
speaking of two angels of destruction, usually called 'APH and CHEMA (i.e. anger and
fury), cf. SIMKIEL and ZA'APHIEL, ch. xliv. 2, to those counting them in thousands
and myriads. Rev. of Moses (tr. Gaster, RAS's Journal, 1893, p. 589) represents
the angel-prince QEMU'EL as the chieftain of 12,000 angels of destruction.
The 'man' who ace. to the present chapter, obtains the support of the attribute
of Mercy is apparently man in general, the vast majority, perhaps those who else-
'
where (e.g. ch. xliv) are referred to as the class of intermediate, benoniyyim '.
Instances of the attribute of Mercy pleading for man in opposition to the
prosecuting activity of the attribute of Justice are numerous in later Qabbala.
YR. i. 94 a, quotes from 'Asara Ma'amaroth the following passage: "The
attribute of Mercy occupies itself with the merit of every creature. .if a man
.
commits a transgression, then the attribute of Justice comes to punish the man on
account of the transgression but the attribute of Mercy says: 'Even if the man's
hand has sinned, lo, yet his eye has not sinned. .if thou wilt punish his body on
.
account of the sin of the hand, lo, even the eye will suffer, and so it will be punished
"
unjustly'", and continues the passage : in this way the Mercy prevents tribulations
and plagues from visiting the world (as punishments for the sins of mankind)".
Ch. xxxii. This chapter treats of the aspect of the judgement consisting in the
execution of judgement on the wicked. The execution of the Divine decrees is
referred to in ch. xxviii. 9, the executors there being the 'Irin and Qaddishin. The
identity of the executors of judgement is in the present chapter not revealed.
Regarded as immediate continuation of ch. xxxi. i of this chapter would imply
that they are 'the angels of destruction'. That is, however, the natural conclusion
presenting itself at a slight examination of the chapter, since the execution of
judgement is here that on the wicked only, not of the Divine decrees in general.
The plurality of angelic beings indicated by the words 'they go out from before
Him in every moment can in this connection scarcely be interpreted as any others
'
than the angels of destruction, whose essential function is the punishment of the
wicked.
(i) When the Holy One. .
.opens the Book etc. One book as the basis of
judgement here as chh. xxx and xxvii. 2 (i.e. the Book of Records). Cf. notes, ib.
CH.XXXIl] DIVINE JUDGEMENT 109
which and half flame, (then) they go out from before Him in
is fire
2
every moment to execute the judgement on the wicked by His sword
splendour of which
2
(that is) drawn forth out of its sheath and the
shines like a lightning and pervades the world from one end to the
other, as it is written (Is. Ixvi. 16): "For by
3 fire will the Lord plead
(and by his sword with all flesh)."
(2) And all the inhabitants of the world (lit. those who
come into
the world) fear and tremble before Him, when they behold His
sharpened sword like unto a lightning from one end of the world to
the other 3 and sparks 4 and flashes 4 of the size of the stars of Raqia'
,
"5
going out from it; according as it is written (Deut. xxxii. 41): If
5
I whet the lightning of my sword".
2-2 E: 'and His sword is' 3-3 E omits from 'as it is written etc.' vs. i till
'and sparks etc.' vs. 2. 4-4 E om. 5-5 E om.
'the angels of destruction'; cf. above and note on ch. xxxi. 2. For the angels of
destruction as executing punishment on the wicked in the world, cf. Hek. R. v:
"R. Ishmael said: 'What did the Beth Din on high do? In that hour they com-
manded the angels of destruction and they went down (to earth) and made a
" " '
consumption even determined upon Caesar Lupinus ". Further Alph. R. 'Aqiba,
"
BH. 50, 51 (with
iii. reference to the destruction of Jerusalem) In that hour six :
angels of destruction were sent down on Jerusalem, and they destroyed the people
in it. .and these they were: 'Aph, Chema (cf. note, ch. xxxi. 2}, Qeseph (= 'wrath'),,
.
"
in his hand";
ib. BH. iii. 62 (in a context, treating of the idolaters of the world), Forthwith 'Aph
and Chema, two angels of destruction,. .drew their sword. .in order to destroy
. .
the world". Cf. further the references adduced in the note on ch. xxxi. 2. The
expression every moment prompts the conclusion that the execution of the
punishment is one that takes place in this world continually (as well as through
periods of great crises) this is confirmed by pointing to the parallel passages just
;
referred to. We are even in this chapter concerned with the daily judgement. Against
this conclusion does not speak what follows :
by His sword (that is) drawn forth out of its sheath. In the two passages from
R. 'Aqiba cited above, the angels of destruction are represented as armed with
swords. Here the sword by means of which the punishment is executed is 'the
sword of God', a conception, ace. to the statements in the present chapter itself,
deduced from Is. Ixvi. 16 and Deut. xxxii. 41. The sword of God is a well-known,
eschatological, symbol of the O.T. Cf. Is. xxvii. i, xxxiv. 5, xlvi. 10, xlvii. 6, Ixvi. 16,
Ezek. xxi. 3 seqq. Later we meet with the same symbol of punishment and vengeance
in i En. e.g. xc. 17, 19 (connected with the opening of the 'book'), "opened the
book. .and a sword was given to the sheep"; ib. xci. 12, "and a sword shall be
.
given to it, that a righteous judgement may be executed ". Add ib. xc. 34, Ixxxviii. 2.
Other instances of the same symbolic use of 'the sword' are Rev. i. 16, ii. 12, 16,
vi. 3, 4, xix. 15. It may be noted that 'the sword' in this chapter again, as in the
the style of a description of the Last Judgement. Perhaps the writer unconsciously
falls in with the eschatological phraseology. Or, more probably, the situation in
HO THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXXIII
CHAPTER XXXIII
The angels of Mercy, of Peace and of Destruction by
the Throne of Judgement. The scribes, (vss. i, 2)
The angels by the Throne of Glory and the
fiery rivers under it.
(vss. 3-5)
(i) At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, is sitting on the
Throne of Judgement, 1 (then) the angels of Mercy are standing on
His right, the angels of Peace are standing on His left and the angels
of Destruction are standing in front of Him.
the writer's mind may be that of a great general Divine visitation, such as a war.
Passages representing the Divine sword as visible to an assembly or large number
of people simultaneously, occur in Rabbinic: e.g. Sifre on Deut. xi. 12 (cf. Lev. R.
xxxv, Deut. R. iv): "(At Sinai) A
book and a sword came down from heaven.
'
. .
and the Voice was heard, saying If you practise the doctrine of this book, you shall
:
be saved from the sword, but if not, you shall be punished by it'". It should be
noted that the 'sword' in this passage is said to be identical with the sword of
Gen. iii. 24, which is another of the fundamental references on which the con-
ception of the 'sword' is based. See Gen. R. xxi. 14 (the sword personified).
Ch. xxxiii. 12. Vss. i and 2 of the present chapter constitute the last fragment
of the context treating of the Judgement. The representation of vs. i is but another
version of the conception of the principal agencies at the Judgement, already met
with in ch. xxxi. The hypostasized attributes of Justice, Mercy and Truth of
ch. xxxi. i are here replaced by the angels of mercy, peace and destruction. It is
safe to assume that the angels of mercy here more or less exactly correspond with
the attribute of Mercy there as to significance and function, i.e. represent the
activity of plea in favour of man. As regards the angels of peace their character of
mediating forces is confirmed by the frequent usage of the term 'peace' for the
mediation between two opposites, see ch. xlii. 7. The correspondence between the
angels of destruction and the attribute of Justice was attested, note on ch. xxxi. 2,
esp. in the passage quoted from TB. Shab. 55 a. The attribute of Justice perhaps more
emphasizes the accusing part, the angels of destruction, again, the punishment,
the strict carrying out of the principles of justice.
(i) the angels of Mercy are standing on His right. In contrast with ch.
'
xxxi. i, the defending agencies, the melammedim zakuth' are assigned the place to
the right side, cf. note, ib. The strict system of the later Qabbala is however not
applied even here, since the opposing agency of the 'melammedim choba' on the
left is missing.
For the angels of mercy pleading in favour, cf. Hilkot ha-kKisse (Add.
27199, fol. 139 a): "211 myriads of angels of mercy are standing there (by the
Throne) and they plead in favour of Israel". Ib. fol. 125 a (Hilkot Mal'akim): the
'angels of mercy' are the performers of the Thrice-Holy part of the QSdushsha,
perhaps a symbolic expression of the meritorious properties of the performance of
the Qedushsha (ch. xl. i). The angels of mercy have their attentions and efforts
'
fixed on the 'merits cf. end of note on ch. xxxi. 2.
:
CH.XXXIIl] MERKABAH, ETC. Ill
3
(2) And one scribe scribe 3
2
is standing beneath Him, and another
above Him.
(3) And the glorious Seraphim
A: E:
surround them like fire- surround the Throne on its four sides with
brands round about the walls of lightnings, and the 'Ophannim
Throne of Glory. surround them with fire-brands round
about the Throne of Glory.
The expression 'angels of peace' is perhaps derived from Is. xxxiii. 7. The
' '
angel of peace is Enoch's guide ace. to i En. xl. 8, lii. 5, liii. 4, Ivi. 2 et al. Cf also
.
statutes, all the doings of the world ', not only as to individuals but with reference
to nations and the world at large (chh. xxvii. 2, xxviii. 7, xxx. 2). Besides such
'facts' the scribes also write down the decisions of judgement, the Divine decrees
with regard to man after death as well as to the living.
For instances related to the ideas here presented cf. Chibbut ha-qQeber, BH. i.
150: "a scribe and one appointed with him (function at man's death). .counting .
the number of his days and years"; Sefer Chasidim (EJ. ii. 333): "two scribes
'
record the place assigned for every man, whether in Paradise or Hell"; Hek. R.
v. i (in the Legend of the Ten Martyrs): "in that hour, the Holy One, blessed be
He, ordered the Scribe incessantly to write down dire decrees and terrible plagues
. .for the wicked Rome". Note also Hek. R. xx, where GABRIEL, the scribe, is
.
represented as writing down the merits and deeds of a man, desiring to behold the
vision of the Merkaba, and also his application for the grant of this privilege.
Ch. xxxiii. 3-5. With vss. 3 seqq. of the present chapter the theme of the Divine
Judgement is abandoned. What follows in this chapter is a short representation of
the Throne of Glory, the Merkaba-angels surrounding it and the seven fiery rivers
flowing through all the seven heavens down to Gehenna, thus forming a concise
summary of the Merkabah-picture the heavenly glories with the Throne at their
:
put this chapter in its present place merely because the two opening verses referred
to the subject of the preceding chapters, the Judgement.
Considered as a unity the present chapter forms another instance of the Merkabah
picture revealing the Throne in its highest aspect as a Judgement-Throne. This
tendency is noticeable in both the angelological expositions ch. xviii and chh. xix-
:
And clouds of fire and clouds of flames compass them to the right
and to the left; and the Holy Chayyoth carry the Throne of Glory
from below: each one 4 with three fingers. 5 The measure of the
4 6
fingers of each one is 800,000 and 700 times hundred, (and) 66,ooo
parasangs.
(4) And underneath the
feet of the Chayyoth seven fiery rivers
are running and flowing. And the breadth 7 of each river is 365
thousand parasangs 8 and ifs depth is 248 thousand myriads of para-
8
sangs Its length is unsearchable and immeasureable.
.
(5) And each river turns round in a bow in the four directions of
'Araboth Raqict and (from there) it falls down to Ma' on and is
,
angelological section (besides the wheels of Merkaba). Apart from this, the adopted
reading presents the same order as that of the angelological section: Seraphim,
'Ophannim, (Kerubim), Chayyoth.
For the 'clouds of fire and clouds of flames' cf. the 'four clouds', ch. xix. 4
and chh. xxxix and xxxvii.
the Holy Chayyoth carry the Throne of Glory. -This is a frequent statement.
Cf. Gen. R. Ixxviii, Lam. R. to iii. 23.
each one with three fingers. Cf. ch. xvii. 6. The measures of the fingers present
some difficulty. Originally the passage might have contained some reference to
the different measures ascribed to each of the three fingers, e.g. the first one 80,000,
the second 70,000, the third 66,000, in a gradation intended to convey a corre-
spondence in proportions to the second, third and fourth fingers of a human hand,
respectively. For measures of the Chayyoth cf. ch. xxi. 1-3 and note, Chag. 13 a.
(4) seven fiery rivers running and flowing underneath the feet of the Chayyoth.
Cf. ch. xix. 4 (under the wheels of the Merkaba, upon which the feet of the Chayyoth
are resting, four fiery rivers are continually running) and note, ib., ch. xviii. 19
and note (the four heads of the fiery river), the fiery river of ch. xxxvi, the fiery
rivers between the camps of Shekina in ch. xxxvii. Note also 'the rivers of fire',
flowing in the midst of rivers of water', ch. xlii. 7. In i En. cf. ch. xiv. 19: "from
"
underneath the throne came streams of naming fire so that I could not look thereon
(seven rivers, ib. Ixxvii. 5-7). 365 number of positive, 248 of negative statutes.
The conception of rivers of fire from underneath the Throne of Glory or the
' '
Chayyoth is an amplification of that of the fiery river, derived from Dan. vii. 10,
"a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him", and after this passage
frequently called Nehar di-Nur and sometimes Rigyon (e.g. Rev. of Moses, BH.
i. 59). Ace. to Gen. R. Ixxviii, Lam. R. iii. 21 (with reference to Lam. iii. 23); the
Nehar di-Nur goes forth from the perspiration of the Chayyoth who are perspiring
under the burden of the Throne(s). Ace, to Mass. Geh. simply "from under the
Throne of Glory".
The amplification of the conception of one fiery river into that of several rivers
of fire, beginning with the assumption of four heads of the Nehar di-Nur (ch. xviii)
is at variance as to the number of these rivers, one tendency being to make them
into four (corresponding to the number of the Chayyoth and the 'winds'), another
to count them as seven (so here).
(5) And each river turns round in a bow in the four directions of
'Araboth Raqia'. Cf. ch. xxiii. 17, 18. and (from there). .to Ma'on and is
.
CH.XXXIIl] MERKABAH, ETC. 113
stayed (?), etc. The heavens are enumerated with the omission of Makon and the
substitution of the Hebrew name Shamayim for the Latin Wilon (velum or Greek
/3)jAoi>). In ch. xvii. 3 both these names are given for the first heaven. In Seder
Rabba di Ber. Rabba the Wilon and Shamayim appear as two different heavens, viz.
the first and second respectively.
A parallel to the present conception of the fiery river(s) going through all the
heavens and eventually falling down upon the heads of the wicked in Gehenna
is found in Mass. Geh. iv (BH. i. 149) "the fiery river goes down upon them (the
:
wicked in Gehenna) and it runs from one end of the universe to the other". Simi-
larly in the fragment, translated by Gaster, RAS's Journal, 1893, pp. 599-605,
called Description of Hell: "the river Di-nur floweth from beneath the Throne of
Glory and falleth over the heads of the sinners". Cf. 2 En. x. 2: "in Gehenna
there is a fiery river coming forth and it floweth from one end of the world to the
other". In TB. Chag. 13 b, the fiery river from the perspiration of the Chayyoth is
said to "fall down upon the heads of the wicked in Gehenna" with reference to
Jer. xxiii. 19, the scriptural passage adduced also by our verse. Cf. further Apoc.
Petri, 8, Apoc. Fault, 57. Hek. R. xiii (Rigyon surrounds His Throne. . .and covers
all the chambers of the Hall of 'Araboth Raqia' with fire-smoke).
In the vss. 4 and 5 of the present chapter we meet with a conception of fiery
rivers that is brought about through an amalgamation of various views concerning
the Nehar di-Nur.
(1) Founding upon Dan. vii. 10 the Nehar di-Nur became a constituent part of
the picture of the splendours by the Throne. Flowing from underneath the Throne
its origin was explained from the perspiration of the Chayyoth, heavily burdened
by the weight of the Throne. In this aspect it serves no definite purpose other than
to add to the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, who sitteth on the Throne of
'
Glory'.
(2) Brought into connection with the 'thousand thousands and ten thousand
'
times ten thousand angels ministering before the Throne ace. to the same passage,
Dan. vii. io,from which the conception of the Nehar di-Nur was deduced especially
' '
in their function of performers of the Qedushsha or the Song the fiery river became
the bath of purification, by which the song-uttering angels were thought to prepare
themselves for the saying of the Thrice Holy see ch. xxxvi.
:
(3) Once connected with the ministering angels even other functions than the
last named were assigned to the Nehar di-Nur. In the fiery river the angels were
"
renewed every morning " (in accordance with Lam. iii. 23). To the tradition holding
the view that the song-uttering angels live only so long as to perform the QSdushsha
and then perish, the fiery river was the substance from which they were formed and
whither they were sent back again: TB. Chag. 143, Gen. R. Ixxviii, Lam. R. iii. 21.
From this conception there is only a short step to that of the fiery river as the
place of punishment for those of the ministering angels who uttered the Song
untimely or improperly: ch. xlvii. 2.
(4) Lastly the Nehar di-Nur, as derived from Dan. vii. 10, is brought to bear
upon the "judgement and the books" mentioned ib. Already serving the purpose
of sanctification, purification and punishment of the ministering angels, it was
easily made an integral part of the Divine Judgement. On one hand it served to
purify man in general from sin after death (on the third day of judgement cf the : .
purification with lashes of fire, ch. xxviii. 10, Chibbut ha-qQeber, BH. i. 151),
OHB 8
114 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXXIV
CHAPTER XXXIV
The different concentric circles round the Chayyoth, con-
sisting offire, water, hailstones etc. and of the angels uttering
the Qedushsha responsorium
R. Ishmael said: Metatron; the Angel, the Prince of the Presence,
said to me :
the means of purification and preparation of the Intermediate (the benoniyyim ',
'
cf. ch. xliv. 5), on the other hand it became the means of punishment of the wicked
(in Gehenna), a conception which is attestedly old and related to that of the punish-
ment of the wicked in a sea of fire etc. Cf. Rev. xix. 20, compared with 2 En. x. 2,
CHARLES'S notes on both passages, and Boeklen, Die Verwandtschaft der jiid.-
christlichen mil der persischen Eschatologie, pp. 119 seqq.
In the present vss. it is primarily the conceptions indicated in the points (i) and
(4) that have been foisted together. As the place of the wicked was conceived of as
Gehenna, Gehenna being situated below the heavens, it was necessary, in order
to reconcile the different views (Nehar di-Nur in 'Araboth and as means of punish-
ment) to present the Nehar di-Nur or the fiery rivers as flowing from the Throne
of Glory in the 'Araboth through the heavens down to Gehenna. In Ma'yan Chokma
(Rev. Mosis), BH. i. 58-64, the points (3) and (4) are combined: "after having
undergone the judgement the ministering angels bathe in the fiery river and are
renewed. And then the fiery river. .falls down upon the heads of the wicked in
.
Gehenna, as it is written (Jer. xxiii. 19): 'Behold a whirlwind of the Lord. .it
'
.
shall burst upon the head of the wicked ". Cf. vs. 5 above.
Ch. xxxiv. This chapter, in common with the latter part of the aforegoing chapter,
treats of the glories of heaven with emphasis laid on the celestio-physical parts of
these. The centre is the Throne of Glory, the feet of the Chayyoth carrying the
Throne, and out from this centre the heavenly splendours are represented as
evolving in concentric circles. This tendency towards a view arranging the heavenly
objects concentrically round the Throne of Glory is noticeable in a number of
earlier and later cabbalistic writings, and is, moreover, extended to the cosmological
theories of the structure of heavens and earths and their foundations. Cf especially .
Midrash Konen.
A parallel to the present chapter is ch. xxxvii. For parallels in other writings
reference can be made to Midrash Konen, BH. ii. 33, Seder Rabba di Bereshit Rabba
(in Werthheimer's Batte Midrashot) and Helak Merkaba, Add. 27199, fol. 126 a.
' '
In Midrash Konen, ib., where the concentricism is already extended so as to
'
include the whole cosmos the lowest of the seven earths, the Eres ha-tTachtona',
and the highest of the heavens, the 'Araboth with the Throne of Glory, being on
the same circle the passage runs: "the outside of the 'Eres ha-tTachtona is sur-
rounded by fire and water, the water by earthquake and trembling, these by light-
ning and thunder, the lightning and thunder bysparks and commotion, the sparks and
commotion by the likeness of the Chayyoth (Ezek. i. 5), the likeness of the Chayyoth
by Raso zva-Shob' (Ezek. i. 14), the Raso zvd-Shob by (those who utter) the Voice of
'
Speech (Ezek. i. 24). .(these by) the still small Voice (i Kings xix. 12). .(this by)
. .
those who utter the 'Holy',. .(these by) those tvho utter the 'Blessed be the Glory of
.
"
'
for ever H
Seder R. di Bcreshith R., repeating this, adds (after those who utter
'
and ever . . .
the Holy"): "and behind all these are the Holy Chayyoth, and the 'Ophannim and
CH.XXXIV] MERKABAH, ETC. 115
2 2
(2) Round about the fire and the water are those who utter the
the Throne of Glory here ch. xxxiii. 3 and beginning of this chapter) and the
(cf.
feet of Shekina are resting upon their heads. .and thousand thousands and ten
.
thousand times ten thousand ministering angels are standing round the feet of
Shekina (cf. 'thousand camps of fire etc.', vs. 2. here) ".
Helak Merkaba, referred to above, has the following representation: "Behind
the Throne is the Wind, that surrounds the Throne, and Light surrounds the Wind,
and splendour surrounds the light, fire surrounds the splendour etc. and the . . .
colour of chashmal (Ezek. i. 4) surrounds the flames, and clouds surround the chash-
mal etc."
are surrounded on the outside by, lit. 'in front of or 'before. .are placed .
'
chashmal' to have been a difficult and hence mysterious word which, especially as
',
appears as a definite part of the cosmological structure (after the mountains and
'the wind' and next to "Eres ha-tTachtona'). As an illustration of the use of ex-
pressions like those of the present chapter in a mystical-technical sense, attention
may be drawn to the passage preceding the one just referred to, Midrash Konen
(BH. ii. 32 seqq.) in a long enumeration of the foundations of the universe (the
:
one resting upon or in the other) we meet with the statement: "the 'Eres ha-
tTachtona is stretched out upon (over) the waters, the waters upon pillars of chashmal,
the pillars of chasmal rest upon mountains of hailstones, the mountains of hailstones
upon the mountains of hail, the mountain of hail upon the treasuries of snow etc."
See also ch. xix. 3, 4.
For the walls of flames, walls of fire, flames of fire etc. (fire being the celestial
substance, /car' e'^o^?/), cf. Mass. Hek. iv, according to which four walls surround
'
the splendours in Araboth Raqia', "one of lappid (firebrands), another of flames,
the third of burning fire, the fourth of lightnings". And ib. "the seven Halls (of
'Araboth) are all of them full of coal, firebrands, sparks, lightnings, pillars of coal,
pillars of burning fire, pillars of lightnings, pillars of fires, pillars of flames ".
fire and water. Cf. ch. xlii. 7. The counterbalance of the two polar opposites
of fire and water is a well-established part of the cosmological speculations as well
as of those of the mysteries of the heavens.
(2) Round about. . .are those who utter the "Holy". . .those who utter the
8-2
1 1 6 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XXXIV, XXXV
"Holy". Round about those who utter the "Holy" are those who
utter the "Blessed" Round about
'. those who utter the "Blessed"
are the bright clouds. The bright
clouds are surrounded on the
outside by coals of burning jumper and on the outside surrounding ;
the coals of burning juniper there are thousand camps of fire and
ten thousand hosts of flame(s). And between every several camp and
every several host there is a cloud, so that they may not be burnt
by the fire.
CHAPTER XXXV
1
The camps of angels Araboth Raqia in
'
:
2
506 thousand myriads of camps has the Holy One, blessed be
(i)
Raqia And each camp is (composed
1
i E puts as heading :
'
the Order of the Camps
'
2 E: 496
"Blessed," i.e. the angels whose function is the performance of the responses of
the Qedushsha. This in the present context forms the transition to the section,
beginning with the following chapter, a section which has the performance of the
Qedushsha in the heavens as main theme. Cf. Introduction, section 17.
thousand camps of fire and ten thousand hosts of flame(s). Referring to
the angels arranged in camps (ch. xxxv. i), hosts and armies. Cf. ch. xix. 6. The
angels are made of fire, cf. note on ch. xxii. 4.
between every several camp. .there is a cloud lest they be burnt by fire.
.
For 'clouds' as protecting the angels cf. Mass. Hek. iii: "and clouds (are set) to
protect the ministering angels from the splendour of the Throne of Glory".
Ch. xxxv. With this chapter begins a new section centering round the conception
of the heavenly Qedushsha, the counterpart of the Qedushsha on earth. Vss. 1-4
form an introduction, treating of the numerous camps in which the song-uttering
angels are arranged. The different fragments all begin with an explicit reference to
the performance of the (Thrice) Holy (" When the time for the saying of the Holy
' ' ' '
draws nigh" or "when the ministering angels utter the Song") and are contained
in chh. xxxv. 5, 6, xxxvi, xxxviii, xxxix, xl.
On the conception of the celestial Qedushsha see Introduction, section 17.
(i) The number of camps: 506 thousand myriads of camps has the Holy
One .each camp
. .
496 thousand angels. For parallels cf Alph. R. 'Aqiba,
. . . .
BH. iii. 21, and Hilkoth ha-mMal'akim {Add. 27199), fol. 125 a.
The passage of Alph. R. 'Aqiba, placing the camps in Shechaqim (the third heaven)
instead of, as here, in the 'Araboth (the highest of the heavens) by reason of the
CH.XXXV] CELESTIAL QEDUSHSHA 117
(2) And every single angel, the height of his stature is as the great
(3) And they are all standing before the Throne of Glory in four
rows 3 .And the princes of the army are standing at the head of each
row.
3-3 E om.
assigning of the celestial Sanctuary to the Shechaqim runs: "In Shechaqim 1018
camps are standing before the Shekina in the Sanctuary which is the Shechaqim,
saying before Him the 'Holy' every day, and each camp is (composed of) 1008
myriads of ministering angels. For 'Shechaqim' is by Gematria 1018. .From the
. .
morning until the evening they say 'before Him: 'Holy, Holy, Holy', and from the
evening until the morning they say Blessed be the glory of H
from His place ". '
Hilkoth Mal'akim, ib., presents both conceptions, that of the present chapter and
"
that of Alph. R. 'Aqiba, in a developed form :
(Of) the angels 906,000 myriads
(the number 906 is developed from '506' of vs. i here through the addition
of a 'n' to the numerical letters: 'Ipnn' instead of *1pn') are standing to the
right of the Throne and as many are standing to the left of the Throne, together
with a troop without number and a host without reckoning. They teach song(s)
and hymn(s). And in Shechaqim there are 1018 camps of angels (cf. the passage
in Alph. R. 'Aqiba above) who say Holy' and Blessed from morning until evening.
' ' '
Before Him there are 496,000 angels who utter the 'Holy' by day and the 'Blessed'
by night. And all the angels and all the camps bathe in fiery rivers seven times and
restore themselves by fire 365 times (cf. ch. xxxvi. 2)."
Vss. i and 4 seem to indicate that the 'camps' here represent all the ministering
angels. But the emphasis is clearly on the song-uttering angels and in the two
'
parallel passages just referred to as well as in ch. xl. 3 the camps' refer only to the
angels as performing the Qedushsha. There was, moreover, a definite tradition
current, to the effect that the number of ministering angels in general was countless,
"
infinite (basing upon Job xxv. 3 : Is there any number of his armies ? ") Cf Hilkoth
. .
Mal'akim above (" a troop without number etc.") and esp. TB. Chag. 13 b, where it
is said expressly, that the passage Dan. vii. 10, which vs. 4 here uses as scriptural
support, is to be interpreted as referring to the number of one troop only, "for the
troops are without reckoning". The 'camps', then, are understood as the armies
of angels which have the performance of the Qedushsha for their special object.
Apart from this, of course, the view obtains that all the higher (and lower) classes
of angels utter the 'Thrice Holy' or the 'Blessed'. Cf. chh. xx. 2, xxv. 5, xxvi. 8.
The numbers 506 and 496 are arrived at by means ofgematncal calculations, as
' ' ' '
it is expressly stated to be the case with the number '1018' of the camps of
(2) From the appearance of their countenance the description of the angels
'
in this verse is in the literal terms of Dan. x. 6. The speculations concerning the
song-uttering angels and the judgement are to a large extent drawn from inter-
pretations of different passages of Daniel. Cf. vs. 4.
(3) they are all standing before the Throne of Glory in four rows. Cf. ch.
xxxvi. 2. The four rows here represent the same idea as the four camps of Shekina ',
'
chh. xviii. 4, xxxvii. i (see note on ch. xviii. 4) and as "the four camps of angels"
glorifying the Most High, P. R. 'El. iv. the princes of the army at the head
of the rows (the meaning is probably "one prince at the head of each row'') are,
Il8 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXXV
(4) And some them utter the "Holy" and others utter the
of
"Blessed", some them run as messengers, others are standing in
of
attendance, according as it is written (Dan. vii. 10): "Thousand
thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before him the judgment was set and the books were opened ".
:
(5) And in the hour, when the time draws nigh for to say the
"Holy", (then) first there goes forth a whirlwind from before the
Holy One, blessed be He, and bursts upon the camp of Shekina and
there arises a great commotion among them, as it is written (Jer.
xxx. 23): "Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury,
a continuing commotion".
4
(6) At that moment thousand thousands of them are changed into
sparks, thousand thousands of them into firebrands, thousand thou-
sands into flashes, thousand thousands into flames, thousand thousands
into males, thousand thousands into females, thousand thousands into
4-4 E corr. from 'at that moment, etc.' to 'until they take upon themselves, etc.'
'
the four camps of Shekina', ch. xviii. 4, and identical with the "four angels at
the head of the four camps of angels etc.", P. R. 'El., ib., whose names are MIKAEL,
URIEL, GABRIEL and RAPHAEL. On these grounds it is possible to point to a con-
nection between the tradition preserved in the present chapter and i En. The four
' ' '
Presences of i En. xl, uttering praises before the Lord of Glory', MIKAEL, RAPHAEL,
GABRIEL and PHANUEL, are there introduced in the close company of "the thousands
of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand etc.", xl. i, and of "those who
stand before Thy glory and bless, praise and extol, saying, 'Holy, Holy, Holy',
and, 'Blessed be Thou and blessed be the name of the Lord for ever and ever'",
ch. xxxix. 12 f. Cf. ib. ch. ix. i and Ixxi and 2 En. xviii. 9 (" the Grigori are standing
in four orders, while singing [the Praise of the Holy One] with one voice"). Cf.
Zohar, iii. 50 a: "four pn^O". (Vide Introduction, section 17 A.)
(4) Some of them utter the "Holy" etc. some of them run as messengers
etc. Cf. note above on vs. i. Thousand thousands ministered unto him etc.
Dan. vii. 10. This verse seems to have been used as an epitome of mystical gnoseis:
it was the starting-point for the computation of the number of the angels, was used
as support for the conception of the Nehar di-Nur, the fiery river(s), the ministration
of the Qedushsha by hosts of angels, the Celestial Beth Din, the Judgement and the
Book(s) of judgement.
Some say the 'Holy', some the 'Blessed', i.e. the Qedushsha, consisting of the
Thrice Holy and the response 'Blessed', of which latter there are at least two forms
within the present book: (i) 'Blessed be the glory of H' from His place (ch. i. 13),
and (2) 'Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever' (ch. xxxix. 2).
The Qedushsha responsorium, as performed by the angels, is attested in i En.
xxxix. 12 f., referred to above note on vs. 3. (Notice the form of the 'Blessed'
there.)
(5) when
the time draws nigh for the recital of the Holy. .there goes .
forth a whirlwind. The moment before the Qedushsha was one of commotion
and shudder through all the heavens, of a 'momentous' significance. Cf. chh.
xviii. 7, xix. 6, xxxviii. i.
(6) thousand thousands of them are changed into sparks. .flames. . . .
males. .females. .light etc. The angels are thus represented as changeable
. .
CH.XXXV] CELESTIAL QEDUSHSHA 119
5
kingdom of heaven, the high and lifted up, of the Creator of them
5
all with fear, dread, awe and trembling, with commotion, anguish,
terror and trepidation. Then they are changed again into their former
shape to have the fear of their King before them alway, as they have
set their hearts on saying 6 the Song 5 continually, as it is written
(Is. vi. 3): "And one cried unto another and said (Holy, Holy, Holy,
etc.)".
into various forms from their original state of angels with bodily form. This is
"'
stated Gen. R. xxi. 13, with reference to Ps. civ. 4 : (who maketh his angels spirits),
his ministers a flaming fire', which changes, for they change, appearing at one time
as males, at another as females, now as winds (or, spirits), now as angels". This
dictum (attributed to Rab?) is quoted and commented upon by Maimonides in
his More Nebukim, vol. I, ch. xlix. The expression 'are made into males. .made .
into females' is somewhat suspect in its present connection, where the changing
of the angels into all sorts of fiery, lifeless substances, is apparently conceived of
as a punishment ad premonitum, till they acquiesce in performing their duty, the
performance of the Qedushsha.
until they take upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, the
high and lifted up, of the Creator. By the recitation of the Qedushsha, the
angels take upon themselves the yoke of heaven. In the Qedushsha they recognize
the Holy One, blessed be He, as the king of the heavens cf. the response in
the Qedushsha of the Liturgy: "H' shall reign for ever etc." Ps. cxlvi. 10. So the
' '
Israelites every day, when they recite the Shema' take upon themselves the yoke
of the kingdom of heaven, M. Ber. ii. 2, and when praying in general, TB. Ber.
10 b. The Qedushsha is in itself the religious duty of the song-uttering angels. In
the performance of the Qedushsha they put themselves as a harmonious unity in
the heavenly kingdom, hence they are changed again into their former shape,
described in vs. 2 as individual, manifested angelic beings, in which existence they
remain only as long as they continue in the performance of the duty that is their
only raison d'etre. Cf. chh. xl. 3, xlvii. I f.
On the meaning of the expression ' take upon oneself the yoke of the kingdom of
heaven' see article "Kingdom of heaven" in JE and Abelson, Jewish Mysticism,
p. 84.
120 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXXVI
CHAPTER XXXVI
The angels bathe in the fiery river
before reciting the 'Song'
(1) At the time when the ministering angels desire to say (the)
*
Song, (then) Nehar di-Nur (the fiery stream) rises with many
"thousand thousands and myriads of myriads" (of angels) of power
and strength of fire 1 and it runs and passes under the Throne of
2
Glory, between the camps of the ministering angels and the troops
of 'Araboth.
(2) And all the ministering angels first go down into Nehar di-Nur,
and they dip themselves in the fire 3 and dip their tongue and their
mouth seven times and after that they go up and put on the garment
;
'
of Machaqe SamaV and cover themselves with cloaks of chashmal
and stand in four rows over against the Throne of Glory, in all the
heavens.
Ch. xxxvi. The ministering angels, before singing the 'Song', i.e. in this con-
nection presumably the Qedushsha, purify their bodies, in particular their tongue
and mouth, in the Nehar di-Nur, the fiery river, see note on ch. xxxiii. 5.
(1) Nehar di-Nur rises etc. The beginning of the verse is a covert inter-
pretation of Dan. vii. 10. The fiery river is represented as bringing with it the
"thousand thousands etc." of Dan. vii. 10, all of which are fire "in strength and
might". of power and strength of fire. The present writer is unable to
translate this into intelligible English it means that the fiery substance of the angels
:
the Thrice Holy needs special purification. Cf. the passage from Hilkoth Mal'akim,
quoted above, note on ch. xxxv. i. Machaqe Samal. No reasonable translation
of this term seems possible. See Jellinek, E, ad loc. chashmal. Derived from
Ezek. i. 4. four rows. Cf. ch. xxxv. 3.
CH.XXXVIl] MERKABAH ETC. 121
CHAPTER XXXVII
The four camps of Shekina and their surroundings
(1) In the seven Halls there are standing four chariots of Shekina,
and before each one are standing the four camps of Shekina. Between
each camp a river of fire is continually flowing.
(2) Between each river there are bright clouds [surrounding them],
and between each cloud there are put up pillars of brimstone. Between
one pillar and another there are standing flaming wheels, surrounding
them. And between one wheel and another there are flames of fire
1
round about 1 Between one flame and another there are treasuries
.
i-i E: 'riding' 2-2, 3-3 E om. 4-4 E om. 5-5 E: 'and behind the
sparks there are earthquakes'
Ch. xxxvii. This chapter belongs to the same category as ch. xxxiv. Cf. notes, ib,
The reason why it was placed in its present context is probably the mention in vs. i
of 'the four camps of Shekina' since the 'camps' are understood of the song-
uttering angels.
(1) seven Halls, in 'Araboth, the highest of the heavens. Cf. note on ch. xviii. 3.
The camps are conceived of as filling all the Halls, radiating from the centre of the
Throne of Glory. The chariots of Shekina are here four, corresponding to the
four Chayyoth of the Divine Chariot, an amplification of the One Chariot similar
to that of one fiery river into four or seven. four camps of Shekina. See note
on chh. xviii. 4, xxxv. 3. E
misreads 'seven', probably by false analogy to the
seven Halls.
(2) The text has probably suffered a confusion. Instead of between ... and
' '
' '
read throughout behind as in the latter part of the verse and as in the parallels
of Midrash Konen and Seder Rabba di Bereshith Rabba referred to note on ch.
xxxiv, Introduction. The reading 'between. .and' was presumably caused by the
.
use of this expression with reference to the rivers as flowing between the camps of
ministering angels. Cf. how in ch. xxxiii it is said about the fiery rivers: "each
river turns round in a bow in. .'Araboth Raqia'". The original intent of the
.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
The fear that befalls all the heavens at the sound of the
(i) At the time, when the ministering angels utter (the Thrice)
Holy, then all the pillars of the heavens and their sockets do tremble,
and x the gates of the Halls of Araboth Raqia' 1 are shaken and the
l
mayed, and the globes of the sun and the moon haste away and flee
out of their courses 5 and run 6 12,000 parasangs and seek to throw
themselves down from heaven, (2) by reason of the roaring voice of
their chant, and the noise of their praise and the sparks and lightnings
that go forth from their faces; as it is written (Ps. Ixxvii. 18): "The
voice of thy thunder was in the heaven (the lightnings lightened the
world, the earth trembled and shook) ".
back(ward)
'
mented by the description of the fear of all the angelic hosts and different classes
'
of angels at the time of the Song' in ch. xix. 6. A
parallel in similar terms as those
of the present verse and of ch. xix. 6 and of the same import is found in Ma'yan
Chokma, BH. i. 59 seqq.: "all the heavenly hosts shake and tremble, and the
Holy Chayyoth are struck dumb, the Holy Seraphim roar like lions. .the Galgallim .
of the Throne .are moved, the thresholds of brilliancy quake and all the heavens
. .
connection of each of the seven earths with the corresponding heaven (elaborated
in Midrash Konen and often repeated in cosmological Oabbala), only that usually
Shechaqim is represented as connected with the earth called 'Arqa, whereas the earth
called Tebel is combined with the Raqia' -heaven.
the orders of Raqia' and the constellations and planets. .and. .the sun . .
and the moon. The heavenly bodies are situated in the Raqia', the second heaven
(cf. Chag. 12 b).
CHH. XXXVIII, XXXIX] CELESTIAL QEDUSHSHA
'
123
(3)Until the prince of the world calls them, saying: "Be ye quiet
in your place Fear not because of the ministering angels who sing
!
CHAPTER XXXIX
The explicit names fly off from the Throne and all the
various angelic hosts prostrate themselves before it at
the time of the Qedushsha
(i) When the ministering angels utter the "Holy" then all the
explicit names that are graven with a flaming style on the Throne of
(3) until the Prince of the World calls them. The Prince of the World is here
the ruler or prince of the heavenly bodies, the constellations, planets, sun and moon.
Ch. xxx. 2, he is the leader of the 72 princes of kingdoms and pleads the cause of
the world (i.e. all the inhabitants of the world) before the Most High when seated
on the judgement- throne. These two functions, leader of the planets-constellations
and of the princes of kingdoms are naturally combined, when, according to the
development of the conception of the princes of kingdoms, they are represented
as the rulers of the planets and constellations (so even in this book, ch. xvii. 8, in
its present redaction).
The Prince of the World has been identified with Metatron by one party of
cabbalistic traditionists. Within the present book functions are attributed to Metatron
that are essential to the Prince of the World. Metatron is indicated as the ruler
over the princes of kingdoms, chh. x. 3, xlviii C 9 et al., and he has authority over
the planets (and constellations) ace. to ch. xlvi. 2, and over the princes of kingdoms
and the rulers of the world, ch. xiv. 1,3.
The Prince of the World was present at the Creation and in the days of Creation
he uttered the words of Ps. civ. 31 ("The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever:
the Lord shall rejoice in his works"). TB. Chullin, 60 a, hence to him refers the
passage, Ps. xxxvii. 25, "I have been young and now am old": TB. Yebam. 13 a.
Cf. further, note on ch. iii. 2.
Ch. xxxix. This chapter continues the picture of the preceding chapter (the com-
motion of all the heavens with the inclusion of the constellations and the planets
at the sound of the Thrice Holy) the Explicit Names on the very Throne of Glory
:
and the highest classes of angels are all moved into expressions of glorification of
the Most High at the time of the Qedushsha.
the explicit names that are graven with a flaming style on the
(i) all
Throne of Glory. The explicit names are represented as a plurality; hence we
are here on the ground of mystical speculations concerning the different Divine
Names consisting of various permutations of the Tetragrammaton and of the other
names of God and expressions representing the Godhead occurring in the O.T.
'
For the various meanings attached to the term Shem Mephorash' see JE (e.g.
vol. i. 622); Gaster, The Sword of Moses, intr. Bousset, RJ. pp. 344 et al. The
;
124 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XXXIX
Glory fly off like eagles, with sixteen wings. And they surround and
compass the Holy One, blessed be He, on the four sides of the place
of His Shekina 1 .
(2) And the angels of the host, and the flaming Servants, and the
mighty 'Ophannim, and the Kerubim of the Shekina, and the Holy
2
Chayyoth, and the Seraphim, and the 'Er'ellim, and the Taphsarim
i so E. A: '(the place of the) Glory of His Shekina' 2 A ins.: 'the troops of
flame'
meaning that suggests itself in the present connection is that of "names that are
explicit, have an individual, fixed form or appearance". Cf. ch. xlviii B i, ace.
to the reading of FGH: "The Holy One, blessed be He, has 70 names that are
explicit, the rest that are not explicit are innumerable and unsearchable". The
Explicit Names are here distinguished as being graven on the Throne of Glory
(with a flaming style; cf. chh. xiii. i, xxix. i, xli. 4). Cf. the enumeration of the
different categories of Names in Alph. R. 'Aqiba, EH. iii. 26. The Explicit Names
are there in a separate class from those on the Throne, if the reading is correct:
"
The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Moses all the Names both the Explicit :
Names, the Names that are graven on the royal crown on his head, the names that
are graven on the Throne of Glory, the names that are graven on the ring of his hand,
the names that are standing as pillars of fire round his chariots, the names that
surround the Shekina like eagles of the Merkaba, and the names by which heaven
and earth are sealed. ". The intent of the passage is probably to denote all these
. .
Crown and stood before the Throne of Glory". Similarly, ch. xlviii B i, the Names
of the Holy One are represented as going forth 'from before the Throne of Glory'.
The names are thus represented as self-existent and capable of taking on the form
of living beings. The object of the names flying off as eagles (angels of the form of
eagles) is their participation in the responses of the Qedushsha. This is explicitly
stated with regard to the letters (the letters and the Names being vastly inter-
changeable terms) in the quotation from "the book of Enoch" in Mishkan ha-'Edut
by Moses de Leon (BH. ii. p. xxxi): "the letters in the four different quarters
round the Throne (cf here on the four sides of the place of His Shekina (fly
. :
off. .and when flying off say: 'Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for
.
25. For the present enumeration of various angelic classes cf. chh. vi. 2, vii, xiv. i.
xix. 6. No doubt the present verse is to be regarded as presenting a tradition of the
orders of the highest angel- classes. This is indicated by the mention of the four
' '
classes of Merkaba-angels ('Ophannim, Kerubim, Chayyoth and Seraphim).
' '
angels of the host. Cf the expression prince of the host applied to the princes
.
of the seven heavens, ch. xvii. 2 f. In each heaven there is one 'host'. The term
'host' need not necessarily refer to the whole multitude of angels, it might also
mean one special class of angels. 'The angels of the host' would then, here, mean .
'
the angels of the host of the highest of the heavens '. Cf. ch. xiv. i .
the flaming Servants. This expression occurs also ch. vii. Cf. note, ib.
the mighty 'Ophannim and the Kerubim of the Shekina, the holy Chayyoth
and the Seraphim. The mighty 'Ophannim or 'the 'Ophannim of Gebura': Gebura
CHH. XXXIX, XL] CELESTIAL QEDUSHSHA 125
3
and the troops of consuming fire3 and the fiery armies, and the
,
flaming hosts, and the holy princes, adorned with crowns, clad in
4
kingly majesty, wrapped in glory, girt with loftiness, fall upon their
saying: "Blessed be the name of His glorious
4
faces three times ,
CHAPTER XL
The ministering angels rewarded with crowns, when uttering
' ' ' '
the Holy in its right order, andpunished by consumingfire
(i) When the ministering angels say "Holy" before the Holy One,
3-3 emendated. both omit AE 'fire' 4-4 emendated. A: 'fall upon three
times E fall upon their faces
' ' '
:
alsomeans the Divine Majesty. The 'Ophannim, Kerubim, Chayyoth and Seraphim
are the four classes of Merkaba-angels, described in the angelological section,
chh. xx-xxii, xxv, xxvi. Cf. also ch. vi. 2. The Galgallim or 'Wheels of the
' '
the troops of consuming fire. The term used is '('Esh) 'Okela', used ch. xlii. 3
as a Divine Name. the fiery armies and the flaming hosts. The attributes prob-
ably only convey the fiery substance of the angels. Cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 25.
the holy princes. This might refer to the 'princes of Kingdoms', ch. xiv. 2
(mentioned after the 'Erellim and Taphsarim), ch. xvii. 8 ('crowned with royal
crowns, clad in royal garments etc.', cf. here: 'adorned with crowns, clad in kingly
majesty', in the present connection of course referring to all the enumerated angels
and princes), chh. xxix and xxx (identical with the Watchers and Holy Ones, cf.
note on ch. xxix, intr.).
Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. This
'
is then the form of the response to the 'Holy, Holy, Holy. according to the . .
present chapter. Ch. i. 13 has the regular response: 'Blessed be the glory of H'
from His place'. The present response is a glorification of God as King, of the
Kingdom of Heaven, a form implied by ch. xxxv. 6.
Ch. xl. The ministering angels receive crowns as reward when uttering the
'Thrice Holy' in the proper manner. Hereby the performance of the Qedushsha
is indicated as a meritorious act, an observance of a religious duty. As such it is
already characterized, ch. xxxv. 6 (the angels when singing the 'Holy' take upon
themselves the yoke of the Kingdom of heaven). It signifies the sustainment of
the whole order of the heavens by the recognition of God's sovereignty (the whole
earth is sustained by the Qedushsha, TB. Sofa, 49 a). The reward of the ministering
angels performing the Qedushsha is hence exactly paralleled by the rewarding of
the Israelites with crowns at the time when they said, "We will do and hear (Ex.
xxiv. 7)", related in TB. Shabb. 88 a ("60 myriads of ministering angels put
crowns on every single one of the Israelites etc.") but for the acceptance of the
126 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XL
blessed be He, in the proper way, then the servants of His Throne,
1
the attendants of His Glory, 1 go forth with great mirth from under
the Throne of Glory. (2) And 2 they all carry in their hands, each
one of them 2 thousand thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand
crowns of stars, similar in appearance to the planet Venus, and put
them on the ministering angels and the great princes who utter the
"Holy". Three crowns they put on each one of them: one crown
because they say "Holy", another crown, because they say "Holy,
Holy", and a third crown because they say "Holy, Holy, Holy, is
the Lord of Hosts" .
(3) And in the moment that they do not utter the "Holy" in the
right order, a consuming fire goes forth from the little finger of the
Holy One, blessed be He, and falls down in the midst of their ranks
i-i E om. 2-2 so E. A:' every two of them carry between them
'
Tora implied in those words the whole world could not have subsisted. The im-
portance of the Qedushsha in the present section always refers to the Celestial
QSdushsha, at any rate in the first place. The importance of the earthly Qedushsha
is the subject of Sota, 49 a, and Hek. R. ix et al. to the latter at times the greater
;
' '
importance is assigned (the angels must be silent while the Israelites say the Holy
on earth).
the servants. of His Throne. .go forth. .from under the Throne. The
(1) . .
servants of His Throne are the angels entrusted with the care of the treasuries of
the crowns which are under the Throne of Glory and hence also over the other
treasuries that are conceived of as having their place under the Throne. From under
the Throne was brought forth the fire of deafness for the Chayyoth ace. to ch. xv B,
and go forth the 'horns' ace. to Hek. R. xii. In the secret chamber under the
Throne God hid Moses away from the fury of the ministering angels ace. to Ex. R.
xxii.
(2) they all carry in their hands . crowns
. . and put them on the ministering
. . .
angels. The crowns are made of stars, in appearance like unto the splendour of
the planet Venus. The 'planet Venus', 'the shining star', is a frequent term of
comparison, cf. ch. xxvi. 6 et al. one crown, because they say Holy ' etc. One '
would have expected 'one crown for each "Holy"' or similar. The same division
of the Thrice Holy is found in the Siddur of R. 'Amram Ga'on, Morning Prayer,
p. 4 (ed. Warsch), closely connected with the present chapter by reason of its being
"
attributed to R. Ishmael: R. Ishmael said: There are three companies of ministering
angels who say the 'Holy' every day. One company says 'Holy', the other says
'Holy, Holy', and the third company says 'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts.
The whole earth is full of His glory'". The same is repeated in a different version,
ib., Evening Prayer, fol. 18, and also, with slightly corrupt readings, in Seder Rabba
di Bereshith Rabba (ed. Werthheimer, Batte Midrashot). Vide Introduction,
section 17 D.
(2) And in the moment that they do not utter the Holy in the right order
or in the right time a consuming fire consumes them in one moment. The
. . .
same punishment of the ministering angels that utter the song out of order is set
forth in ch. xlvii. 2. The fire is here not the fiery river, the regular means of punish-
ment, but a fire sent out for the purpose from the little finger of the Holy One.
In ch. xlvii. 2 the two ideas of the fire from the Most High and the fiery river are
'
combined the immediate extinction of the angels is effected by the fire from their
:
Creator', but their continued punishment takes place in the fiery river.
CH.XL] CELESTIAL QEDUSHSHA 127
3
and is divided into 496 thousand parts corresponding to the four
camps of the ministering angels, and consumes them in one moment,
as it is written (Ps. xcvii. 3): "A
fire goeth before him and burneth
3E:< 796'
The idea of the punishment by extinction in fire of the angels who utter the Holy ' '
in the wrong way is echoed in Hilkoth Mal'akim, Add. 27199, fol. 123 a: "Every
angel who begins earlier or later than his fellow-angels when singing the Song, is
immediately burnt by lashes of fire through CHAYYLIEL, the Prince who attends
the Chayyoth" (cf. ch. xx. 2).
Rekanati quotes from Sepher Hekaloth (one of the names of the present book),
cited BH, ii. p. xvii "All the ministering angels
: who are standing before Him
. . . . . .
none of them begins (the Song) too early or too late anyone who tarries with his
:
voice after his neighbour as much as a hair's breadth is instantly pushed into fire
and flames". The singing the 'Song' in the wrong order is ace. to both these
passages understood of the time. Cf. ch. xlvii. 2.
is divided into 496 thousand parts corresponding to the four camps of the
They are treated as a whole, a unity. (Contrast the quoted passages, Hilkoth
Mal'akim and Recanati.)
a fire goeth before Him and burneth up his adversaries. The angels who do
not utter the Song in the right way are identified with the 'adversaries of God'
of Ps. xcvii. 3 this is altogether in accordance with the view of the performance
;
chapter (and section) the angels who continue their existence as individual, corporeal
beings as long as they rightly perform their duty: the uttering of the Trisagion,
are consumed by fire only as punishment for their non-observance of this duty
after which new ones are created by a word of God. This view is a harmonization
of the different views concerning the origin and fate of the song-uttering angels
recorded TB. Chag. 14 a, Gen. R. Ixxviii, Lam. R. iii. 21 (i) the angels are created out
:
of the fiery river and thither they are sent back again after they have uttered a
' '
Song; (2) the angels are created from the dibbur (word) of God.
Cf. ch. xxvii. 3 and note on ch. xlvii. 2 (the angels after being consumed in the
fire, viz. as corporeal beings, subsist in soul and spirit).
They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness: Lam. iii. 23. This
was the fundamental starting point and basis of the speculations on the creation
and duration of the angels. It is used, TB. Chag. 14 a, as support of view (i) above,
and the review of the various traditions in Lam. R., ib., is attached to this passage.
128 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLI
CHAPTER XLI
Metatron shows R. Ishmael the letters engraved on
the Throne of Glory by which letters everything in
heaven and earth has been created
(1) Come and behold 1 the letters by which the heaven and the
earth were created,
2
the letters by which were created the mountains and hills,
the letters by which were created the seas and rivers,
the letters by which were created the trees and herbs 2 ,
the letters by which were created the planets and the constellations,
2
the letters by which were created 2 the globe of the moon and the
globe of the sun, Orion, the Pleiades and all the different luminaries
of Raqia' .
3
(2) the letters by which were created the Throne of Glory and
the Wheels of the Merkaba,
2-2 E
' '
i E: I will show thee words of the following chapters.
Cf. the opening
om. 3 E by which were created the ministering angels; the
ins.: 'the letters
'
letters by which were created the Seraphim and the Chayyoth
In ch. xlvi. 4 this passage is used with reference to the renewal of the planets (stars)
in the time to come.
Ch. xli. This chapter marks the beginning of a new section distinguished from
the rest of the book by the setting in which the revelations of the heavenly mysteries
are here framed. Whereas according to the preceding chapters the various celestial
facts are represented as orally transmitted to R. Ishmael by Metatron, the various
wonders of heaven are ace. to this section actually shown to R. Ishmael.
The contents of the revelations thus presented in this section are greatly varied
and can scarcely be comprised under one heading. Three main themes are, however,
discernible. One is the physical-cosmological aspect of the heavenly mysteries;
to this may be reckoned the letters engraved on the Throne of Glory (in the present
chapter), the various polar opposites (ch. xlii) in which the cosmological interest
is apparent the Curtain spread before the Holy One (ch. xlv), and the stars and
planets (ch. xlvi).
The second theme is that of the conditions of the souls and spirits, comprising
not only the spirits and souls of the departed (righteous, wicked and intermediate
chh. xliii, xliv), but also those of the unborn, and, even more, those of the punished
angels (chh. xliii, xlvii).
The third theme, connected with and partly interwoven in the others is of escha-
tological character: chh. xliv. 7-10, xlv. 5, xlviii A. Ch. xlviii A forms the conclusion
of the section.
(1) This verse is an almost literal copy of ch. xiii. i, on which see note, ib.
(2) by which were created the Throne of Glory and the Wheels of the
Merkaba. The letters are thus prior even to the Throne of Glory, the vehicle of
CHH. XLI, XLIl] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 1
29
4
the letters by which were created the necessities of the worlds ,
are graven with a flaming style on the Throne of Glory and sparks :
CHAPTER XLII
Instances of polar opposites kept in balance by several
Divine Names and other similar wonders
(i) Come
and I will show thee, where the waters are suspended
2
in the highest, where fire is burning in the midst of hail, where
2
lightnings lighten out of the midst of snowy mountains, where
thunders are roaring in the celestial heights, where a flame is burning
God's manifestation in the heavens. The Throne of Glory (pre-existent before the
creation of the world) created, cf. Gen. R. i. 5.
(3) the letters by which were created wisdom etc. by which the whole
world is sustained. By ten things the world was created (wisdom, knowledge, etc.),
TB. Chag. 12 a, 'Aboth R. Natan, xxvii; upon three things the world is based, Pirqe
Ab. i; by "knowledge, wisdom, understanding and faculty of speech the whole
world, is sustained", Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 43.- The conceptions of creative
agencies and of sustaining ideal forces are here recognizable together with an initial
tendency towards the speculations emerging in the ideas of the Sephiroth.
(4) graven with a flaming style etc. Said of the Divine Names, ch. xxxix. i.
" A
The mystical letters are the constituents of the Divine Names. reads showed :
me the Ophan (i.e. circle, circuit) of the letters". The expression "Ophan of the
letters" occurs in Berith Menucha, 3 b (ed. Amsterdam, 1648).
Ch. xlii.(For this chapter cf. notes on ch. xiii and i En. Ixix. 14-25.)
The central idea of the present chapter is the COUNTERBALANCE OF POLAR OPPO-
SITES, effected by one of the Divine Names in each case. The instances refer to the
physical aspect of the highest of the heavens, where R. Ishmael is represented as
shown the various wonders by Metatron. They however, certainly of cosmo-
are,
logical significance, since the heavens, esp. the 'Araboth, are the
realm of causes and
' ' ' '
the correspondence between the upper world and the lower world is a funda-
mental presumption of the present book in general. Hence what R. Ishmael beholds
in the 'Araboth is the fountain of cosmical realities, which although they are the
basis of the terrestrial world, are hidden from the eyes of man on earth.
OHB o
13 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLII
in the midst of the burning fire and where 3 voices make themselves
heard 3 in the midst of thunder and earthquake.
(2) Thenwent 4 by his side 4 and he took me by his hand and
I
lifted me up on his wings and showed me all those
things. I beheld
the waters suspended on high in 'Araboth Raqia' by (force
of) the
name YAH 'EHYE 'ASHER 'EHYE (Jah, I am that I am), 5 and
their fruits going down from heaven and 5 watering the face of the
world, as it is written (Ps. civ. 13): "(He watereth the mountains
from his chambers :) the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy work".
(3) And I saw fire and snow and hailstone that were mingled to-
gether within each other and yet were undamaged, by (force of) the
name 'ESH 'OKELA (consuming fire), as it is written (Deut. iv. 24) :
3-3 E: '(the) voice makes itself heard' 4-4 E om. 5-5 E om.
(2) I beheld the waters suspended on high in 'Araboth Raqia'. The waters
suspended on high are in all probability the 'Upper Waters', divided from the
'Lower Waters' by the Divine command, Gen. i. 6, 7. The cosmological specula-
tions concerning these form a prominent part of Midrash Konen and the tractate
called Ma'ase Bereshith (e.g. in S.Rasiel and Seder Rabba di Bereshith, 9 a). The polar
opposition is here not apparent, but is implied in the relation of the 'suspended
waters' to the lower waters. The upper waters are referred to in a similar form in
"
Test. Levi, ii. (6), 7 I saw there (in the first heaven) a great sea hanging".
:
The upper waters are also conceived of as male, the lower as female (an ancient
idea of cosmology), a clear polar opposition. This is attested in i En. liv. 8: "(And
all the waters shall be joined with the waters) that which is above the heavens is
:
the masculine, and the water which is beneath the earth is the feminine " and in ;
Gen. R. xiii. 14, where the fructifying, engendering function of the upper waters
'
is connected with their nature of zekarim, males' (with reference to Isa. xlv. 8).
Of this idea the expression in the present verse, 'their fruits going down from
heaven', is a trace.
by the name YAH
'EHYE 'ASHER 'EHYE. The expression 'beshem, in
the name
'
. .is in this chapter to be understood literally, as referring to a Divine
.
Name. The names are here all such as are derived from the O.T. YAH: Ex. xv. 2,
xvii. 16, Isa. xxvi. 4, Ps. Ixviii. 5. 'EHYE 'ASHER 'EHYE: Ex. iii. 14. The names
here in general represent the mediating, sustaining force, and this is probably
conceived of as depending upon their character as expressing the creative and
ever-sustaining activity of the Most High himself. Their function is hence to be
understood in a similar way as that conveyed by the frequent expression "the
Holy One created and sealed with the Name
. . . ". . . .
(the hand upon the Throne of the Lord) as it is written (Ex. xvii. 16) :
"9
And he said 9 for the hand is upon the Throne of the Lord ".
:
(7) And
beheld rivers of fire in the midst of rivers of water 10
I
and they were not damaged (quenched) by (force of) the name 'OSE
'ESH 'OKELA (consuming fire). Here the name seems to be chosen simply with
regard to the fire, which is represented as unquenched in spite of its surroundings
of snow and ice. For the idea of fire and its opposites kept in balance see vs. 7.
'Esh 'Okela as attribute of God, see Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 37. In fact 'ESH
'OKELA, in later Oabbala, very often follows immediately on 'EHYE 'asher
'EH YE in enumerations of the Divine Names, a fact that drew the special attention
of Reuchlin who comments upon it in his De Verbo Mirifico, chh. xvii, xviii.
(4) lightnings out of mountains of snow ... by (force of) the name
. . . YAH
SUR 'OLAMIM. This is only another instance of the contraries of fire ice (snow,
water). The connection between instance and name seems to be, that the word
'SUR: Rock' suggests a relation to the 'mountains (of snow)'. Else this verse,
Is. xxvi. 4, is the regular point of support for the statement God created the worlds :
by the letters Yod He (of YaH). In that case the Sur' is interpreted from the
'
force of the name 'EL SHADDAI RABBA. The voice of God was thought to
go forth in the midst of fire. The connection of the Voice with the name 'EL
SHADDAI is established by Ezek. x. 5 " as the voice of the Almighty God when
:
nor the other dried up". The juxtaposition of fire and water is a frequent cosmo-
logical simile. TB. Pes. 3 a, Yer. Rosh. ha-shShana, 583, Cant. R. to iii. "the n :
sky is made of water, the stars of fire and yet they do not damage each other".
Gen. R. iv. 9: "The Holy One, blessed be He, took fire and water, mixed them
together and out of them the heavens were created". Gen. R. x. 3: "The Holy
One, blessed be He, took fire and snow, mixed them and so out of them the universe
was created". In the last two passages the cosmology is apparent.
Emphasis is laid on the mediating function of the Divine Name, in this verse
most significantly 'OSE SHALOM, i.e. 'maker of peace'. 'Peace' is the technical
'
term for the mediation, the synthetical agency or Divine activity. Cf. the angels
9-2
132 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XLII, XLIII
SHALOM (Maker Peace) of n 12 as it is written
(Job xxv. 2): "He
maketh peace in his high places 12 ". For he makes peace between
the fire and the water, 13 between the hail and the fire, 13 between the
wind and the cloud, between the earthquake and the sparks.
CHAPTER XLIII
Metatron shows R. Ishmael the abode of the unborn spirits
and of the spirits of the righteous dead
R. Ishmael said: Metatron said to me:
(i) Come and show thee 1 where are 1 the spirits of the righteous
I will
that have been created and have returned, and the spirits of the
righteous that have not yet been created.
the fire nor the fire lick up the water". As denoting mediation and synthesis the
'OSE SHALOM, 'maker of peace', was understood and used in Qabbala. Cf.
e.g. the quotation from the 'Pelt' a', YR. i. 7 b "Why is it called heaven (Shamayirri) ?
:
Because water (shemmayim) is to the right and fire to the left and it is in the middle
and receives from both, and to this is to be referred the 'OSE and the SHALOM
(saying) 'he mixed fire and water and made out of them the heavens', and it is
called 'truth' (the mediating agency, ch. xxxi. i) and 'mercy' and receives from
(i.e. stands in the middle between) the Mercy and the Fear (= the second pair of
'
opposites in the Sephirotic system, also called Mercy and Justice', cf. ch. xxxi. i) ".
he makes peace between the fire and the water, between the ice and the
for
between the wind and the cloud. This, referring to God, denotes that the
fire,
names set forth in the present chapter represent God himself in his different aspects
as sustainer and mediator between the dual forces, the syzygies. The Names are
part of God's being and essence.
Ch. xliii. This chapter enters upon the subject of the condition of the 'spirits',
one of the traditional subjects of mystical literature in general and of the Enoch-
literature in particular ace. to 2 En. xxiii: among the secret instructions given to
Enoch were those of "the souls of men, those of them which are not yet born and
the places prepared for them for ever", further represented in Apocalyptic (Ap.
Bar., i En.).
(i) Come and
I will show thee the spirits of the righteous that have been
created the spirits of the righteous that have not yet been created.
. . . . . .
the spirits that have been created and had returned. The spirits of the righteous
dead are here represented as having their abode by the Throne of Glory. Cf. TB.
Chag. 12 a: "the 'Araboth Raqia', the highest of the heavens, contains the Throne
of Glory and the spirits and souls of the righteous"; ib. 12 b: "the spirits of the
righteous dead under the Throne of Glory"; TB. Shab. 152 b: "the spirits of the
righteous are hidden under the Throne of Glory"; contrast here 'flying above'
CH. XLIIl] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 133
(2) And he lifted me up to his side, took me by his hand and lifted 2
me up 3
near the Throne of Glory by the place of the Shekina and he ;
having a different abode from that of the righteous dead, e.g. in special chambers
under the Throne of Glory. On this assumption it would be necessary to conclude
'
that a piece describing the place of the spirits of the righteous that have not yet
been created' has fallen out. For the possibility of this place having been the
traditional
'
GUPH' see below, note on vs. 3.
The place of the spirits yet unborn is ace. to 2 Bar. xxiii. 5 et al. 'the chambers '
referred to above (which ace. to 4 Ez. iv. 35, are the abode of the righteous dead).
"
Ace. to TB. Chag. 12 b, the souls and spirits that are to be created together with the
spirits of the righteous (soil, dead) are in 'Araboth, the highest of the heavens".
"
Ace. to Ber. R. viii. 6, the souls of the righteous dwell with their King (in accord-
ance with i Chron. iv. 23)" already before the Creation of the world: with them
God took counsel before creating man. Ace. to a dictum of R. Assi (repeated TB.
Nidda, 133, 'Aboda Zara, 5 a, Yebamoth, 62 a) the unborn spirits await creation in
the GUPH, the storehouse of souls. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 26 (apparently
dependent upon the same tradition as that of Chag. .12 b) mentions in the 'Araboth:
"the Throne of Glory, the stores of life, the treasuries of blessings, of dew. .and .
the treasuries (contrast Chag., ib.) of the spirits of the living and of the dead",
the "treasuries of the spirits of the living" being a rather singular expression,
probably meaning the treasuries of the unborn spirits (cf. Sifre, 143 b). Ace. to
Tub ha-' Ares, i. 50 a, the spirits "go out to the world from the Libnat ha-sSappir
(one of the seven Halls of 'Araboth)."
Hence one might conclude that the unborn spirits here referred to have their
place in the proximity of the Throne of Glory, whether in special chambers or not.
The expression 'the spirits of the righteous, that have not yet been created'
compels the question whether this implies a distinction between the righteous,
wicked (and intermediate) even before this life. Such a distinction is met with in
Wisdom of Solomon, viii. 19, 20 ("For I was a witty child, and had a good spirit.
Yea, rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled. .
"). This idea in its strictest
.
connotation implies that the moral character of the spirits is already determined
before their embodiment the different courses of the living on this earth being
merely a consequence of their qualities as developed in their pre-terrestrial exist-
ence; it reappears in Zohar in contexts treating of the problems of metempsychosis.
134 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XLIH
that have been created and had returned and they were flying above :
4-4 E om.
" "
The fully righteous spirits are there termed the spirits from the side of Shekina ;
cf. Zohar, ii. 94 a b. But another interpretation of the expression 'spirits of the
righteous not yet born' is "the spirits that when once having entered earthly life
will turn out righteous. They are foreseen to be righteous". Their future per-
fection reacts upon their pre-existent state. This seems to be the underlying idea
of the passage Ber. R. viii. 6 referred to above, and is represented in Zohar, ii. 96 b.
(Cf ib. iii. 168 a and ii. 94 a b, referred to above, et al.)
.
If chh. xliii and xliv be treated as a whole, it is evident that here the life on earth
is regarded as determining the character of man, and indeed so that it is the ter-
restrial life that taints the previously pure souls. Treated as a whole then, these
chapters convey an interpretation of the words 'spirits of the righteous not yet
created' more in line with the latter of the two connotations just referred to, but
rather to the effect that there are no unrighteous spirits in the pre-existent state.
No other unborn spirits are referred to in these chapters. Although only available
as a demonstratio e silentio, this fact tends to show that at least the compiler of the
present section moves on the basis of the orthodox conception expressed in the
"
prayer 'Elohe Neshdma (given in TB. Ber. 60 b) O God, the spirit which thou hast
:
set within me is pure etc." (BOX, Ezra-Apocalypse, p. 120). Cf. Eccl. R. xii. 7:
"
the spirit I have given thee is pure if thou give it back to me in the same state
;
it is good for thee if not, I will burn it before thee ". (Cf ch. xliv. and TB. Nidda,
;
.
30 a, Shab. 32 b, Baba Batra, 16 a.) Also 4 Mace, xviii. 23 ("having received pure
and immortal souls from God").
Still it is evident that the expression by itself presupposes a distinction between
righteous and not righteous already in the pre-existent state, in one form or the
other. Hence the impression is left, that this tradition is suppressed in the present
context and the possibility remains, that a fragment describing the conditions and
abodes of the unborn spirits is missing, which originally would have had its place
after vs. 2.
(3) went to interpret etc., lit. 'after that I went and studied this
After that I
and I found according as it is written etc.' 'This scriptural
scriptural passage
passage' means the well-known scriptural passage traditionally used as support
for the doctrines concerning the subject in question. The passage, Isa. Ivii. 6,
adduced here, is the starting point for the speculations as to the conditions of the
unborn spirits both in TB. Chag. 12 b and Yeb. 62 a, 'Aboda Zara, 5 a, Nidda, 13 a
(see above). Ace. to the J. Targum, ad locum, it is also used with reference to the
doctrine of resurrection. Here the way in which the passage is used for its present
purpose is set forth thus the former part of the verse, 'the spirit was clothed before
:
CHAPTER XLIV
Metatron shows R. Ishmael the abode of the wicked
and the intermediate in Sheol. (vss. 1-6)
The Patriarchs pray for the deliverance of Israel
(vss. 7-10)
R. Ishmael said: Metatron, x
the Angel, the Prince of the Presence, 1
said to me :
4-4 E om .
to quit their heavenly abode each soul appears before the Holy One, blessed be He,
clothed with an exalted pattern (or image or form) on which are engraven the features
which it will bear here below". The GUPH is here rather the chamber containing
"the pre-existent forms or types of bodies" (Abelson's expression, ib. p. 165) than
" "
the abode of the spirits. The unborn spirits have not yet been created in the Guph
of creation.
Itshould be added that there is a certain indication here of a beginning differen-
'world of Creation' (Beri'a) as a form of existence different from the
tiation of the
'
3-3 E om.
probably at or immediately after the judgement which is daily ace. to the section
i.e.
on the judgement, chh. xxviii. y-xxxiii. 2. the spirits of the intermediate
whither they go down and the spirits of the wicked whither they go down,
i.e. ace. to the following verses, Sheol.
(2) The spirits of the wicked (supply here, in accordance with the following
verse: 'and the spirits of the intermediate) go down to She'ol through two
angels of destruction. They are sent down from the Throne of Glory, before which
they have undergone judgement. For the angels of destruction see notes on
chh. xxxi. 2 and xxxii. i. The angels of destruction carry out the judgement on
the wicked, and are appointed over the different compartments of Gehenna according
to numerous descriptions of the punishments assigned for the wicked in Gehenna.
(Cf. 'Descriptions of Hell' and other translations by Gaster, RAS's Journal (1893),
further Masseket Chibbut ha-qQeber, BH. i. 150, Masseket Gehinnom, ib., i. 147-149,
Gan 'Eden we-Gehinnom, ib.,v. 49 seqq., Test. R.Eliezer, Seder Yesirat ha-wWalad,
ib., i. 151158.) They are then usually represented as numerous and as being
assigned to a leader, 'the Prince of Gehenna' (Gedullat Moshe, Gehenna) (cf.
QEMU'EL, note on ch. xxxi, 2). Here only two angels of destruction are mentioned.
The older traditions speak of two angels of destruction as executioners of the divine
decrees, 'APH and CHEMA. The angels of destruction function at the judgement, ace.
to chh. xxxi-xxxiii, but represent there altogether the severe execution of judgement.
Here one represents the attribute of Mercy, SIMKIEL (support of God), who is
appointed over the intermediate to 'support and purify them' (cf. the staff of
Mercy, ch. xxxi. 2).
The idea of the benoniyyim' the intermediate class, the large majority of those who
'
are neither wholly righteous nor wholly wicked, belongs to "the orthodox Rabbinic
theology" of Palestine. See BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse, p. 155. The classical passages
are TB. Rash ha-shSHana, 16 b, 17 a, Tos. Sanhedrin, xiii. 3, Aboth R. Natan, xli,
TB. Shab. 33 b. In Rosh ha-shSHana, ib., it is the second dictum introduced there
that is particularly apposite in this connection (" there are three divisions [companies]
for the day of judgement: one that of the fully righteous, another that of the fully
wicked, the third that of the intermediate. The fully righteous are immediately
written down and sealed for eternal life, the fully wicked. .for Gehenna, the
.
intermediate go down into Gehenna, but when they scream in prayer [transl. of
"
BOX] they are permitted to come up again (ace. to Zech. xiii. 9 "And I will bring the
:
"and of them said Hanna (i Sam. ii. 6): the Lord Idlleth and maketh alive (cf.
ch. xviii. 24)".
because of the great mercy of the Prince of the Place. The Place, the Maqom,
isthe Divine Majesty. The Prince of the Place is an unusual expression. It may
be a synonym for 'Prince of the Presence'. A
better reading would perhaps be
' '
obtained by substituting shel' (of) for sar' (Prince) and transl. simply: 'because
of the great mercy of the Place, i.e. the Divine Majesty'.
ZA'APHIEL, 'the wrath of God'. In contrast to the supporting and helping
attitude shown the intermediate from the Divine Mercy, expressed by the name
CH.XLIV] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 137
of the wicked in order to cast them down from the presence of the
4
Holy One, blessed be He, and from the splendour of the Shekina
5
5
to She'ol, to be punished in the fire of Gehenna with staves of
burning coal.
(4) And I went by his side, and he took me by his hand and showed
me all of them with his fingers.
(5) And I beheld the appearance of their faces (and, lo, it was)
as the appearance of children of men, and their bodies like eagles.
And not only that but (furthermore) the colour of the countenance
of the intermediate was like pale grey on account of their deeds, for
there are stains upon them until they have become cleaned from their
iniquity in the fire.
(6) And the colour of the wicked was like the bottom of a pot on
account of 6 the wickedness of their doings 6 .
SIMKIEL, "support of God", stands the attitude of merciless wrath with regard to
the wicked, symbolically expressed by the name ZA'APHIEL.
to be punished in the fire of Gehenna with staves of burning coal, prob-
ably pictured similarly to the passage BH. ii. 51 (of the angels punishing the wicked
"
in Gehenna): angels. stand close by and with their staves drive them back into
the fire and burn them". Cf. the punishment with lashes of fire, chh. xvi. 5, xx. 2
(the word translated 'lashes' Rashi interprets 'staves').
(5)the appearance of their faces as the appearance of children of men etc.
The spirits have bodily form and actual bodies like eagles, i.e. winged. These
bodies are of course different from those they were invested with in the GUPH.
The spirits of the righteous, that are flying above the Throne are probably pictured
' '
in bodies of similar form. For the souls or spirits as having bodily form cf. i En.
xxii. 9-14 ("these hollow places have been made that the spirits of the dead might
be separated. .their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain. .scourgings and
. .
torments of the accursed for ever"), 4 Ez. vii. 78 seqq. (see BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse,
note p. 121 "it seems clear that they (the souls qf the unrighteous) are already
:
endowed with bodies suitable to their altered condition.. .This conception appa-
.
rently characterizes also 2 Enoch"). Cf. also how ace. to ch. xlvii. 4 the spirits and
' '
souls of the punished angels whose manifested bodies have been consumed with
'
fire, are represented as having bodily form, their countenance like that of angels
and their wings like those of birds'.
the colour of the countenance of the intermediate was like pale grey. . . .
(6) And the colour of the wicked was like the bottom of a pot. The sins are
depicted as having tainted the spirits originally white and pure the intermediate
being merely stained so that their original nature is still recognizable, but the wicked
black 'like the bottom of a pot' their original character is totally blotted out. This
:
simile presupposes the conception of the absolute purity of the pre-existent spirits,
cf. note on ch. xliii. 1-2 (end).
like the bottom of a pot is used of the wicked also in Masseket Gehinnom,
BH. i. 149, and Pirqe Mashiach, BH. iii. 75 ("their faces were black like the bottom
of a pot"). As to the special sins that caused such an entire corruption there is
no explicit reference here. The traditions were different on this point. TB. Baba
Mesia', 58 b, mentions three sins that consign for ever to Gehenna (cf. the fate of
138 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XLIV
(7) And I saw the spirits of the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and
Jacob and the rest of the righteous whom they have brought up out
of their graves and who have ascended to the Heaven (Raqirf). And
they were praying before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying in
the wicked as compared with that of the intermediate), and the same is repeated
in the 'Treatise on Hell' which appeared in translation by Gaster, RAS's Journal,
1893, p. 602: "(three sins cause those who commit them to go down to Gehenna
and never return :) blaming one's neighbour in public, slandering him and adultery ".
Masseket Gehinnom, i. BH. i. 147, apparently follows another tradition as to the
distinction between wicked and intermediate: there the full punishment in the
class of the wicked is designed for those who cannot point to one single act of
fulfilment of the Tora, "who have not one single statute in their hands". This
"
corresponds with the statement, TB. 'Aboda Zara, 5 a the fully righteous are those
:
who have fulfilled the Tora from the beginning to the end, from 'Aleph to Taw".
The benoniyyim ace. to this view are those who have endeavoured to fulfil the Law
but have failed to keep all the statutes. A third view identifies the benoniyyim with
those who have kept the negative statutes only, the fully righteous with those who
have kept all the positive statutes as well as the negative ones.
As to the length of the period of purification assigned for the intermediate it is
probably here conceived of as proportionate to the degree in which the sins have
'
tainted them they are kept in the purgatory until they have become cleaned from
:
their iniquity'. Cf. the passage Rosh ha-shSHana etc. above note on vs. 2 and the
transl. in BOX, Ezra Apocalypse, p. 155, where it is pointed out that the benoniyyim
were thought to go up after screaming in prayer for one hour, ace. to Yalqut on
Zech. xiii. 9. Rashi likewise (ad loc. Rosh ha-shSHand) puts as an explanatory
' '
remark on the difficult word mesafsefim "it means: they cry and weep in their
:
agony for one hour and then (are permitted to) come up again". Cf. Se'uddath
Gan 'Eden, BH. v. 45, OM. i. 89 b: "the wicked of Israel tormented in Gehenna
are brought up from Gehenna to partake in the Feast of the Righteous ".
Israel etc.. .". An apocalyptic fragment of similar character with Metatron, the
.
(7) And I saw the spirits of the Patriarchs . .and the rest of the righteous
.
who they have brought up out of their graves etc. This evidently marks the
beginning of a new fragment. R. Ishmael is already shown the spirits of the
righteous, ace. to ch. xliii. The expression 'have been brought out of their
CH.XLIV] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 139
their prayer:"Lord of the Universe! How long wilt thou sit upon
(thy) Throne like a mourner in the days of his mourning with thy
right hand behind thee 7 and not 7 deliver thy children and reveal
8
thy Kingdom in the world? And for how long wilt thou have no
8
pity upon thy children who are made slaves among the nations of
the world? Nor 9 upon thy right hand that is behind thee wherewith
thou didst stretch out 10 the heavens and the earth and the heavens
of heavens? When wilt thou have compassion?"
(8) Then
Holy One, blessed be He, answered every one of
the
them, saying: "Since these wicked do sin so and so, and transgress
with such and such transgressions against me, how could I deliver my
11
great Right Hand in the downfall by their hands (caused by them) .
7-7 E:' when wilt thou' 8-8 E: 'When wilt thou have' gE:'And' loE
ins.:
'
and didst span '
1 1 E reads :
'
graves and have ascended to Raqia' is also suspect in this connection it sounds :
as ifwe were here confronted with a different conception as to the fate of men after
death, according to which the Patriarchs and (some of) the righteous enjoy the
privilege of bodily resurrection before the final consummation.
How long wilt thou sit. thy right hand behind thee. The Right Hand or
. . .
the Right Arm of the Lord represent the actualization of the kingdom of God on
earth, the deliverance of Israel. That the Right Hand is laid behind the Lord is
a symbol of cessation in His activity for this purpose. The deliverance of the Right
Hand, hence, becomes synonymous with the deliverance of Israel. Cf. ch. xlviii A.
It was God's Right Hand that stretched out the heavens and the earth, and so it
must be His Right Hand that shall bring about the final establishment of the
Kingdom on earth.
(8) Since these wicked do sin I deliver my great Right Hand
. . . how could
etc.The delay in the deliverance of Israel is
caused by the wicked in their own ranks.
That the downfall of Israel was caused by the wicked among them is a dictum
attributed to R. Gamaliel II. In particular the idolatry was made responsible for
the delay in the establishment of God's Kingdom. The coming of Messiah is
suspended for a period which exactly corresponds to the number of years
that Israel has been worshipping idols, ace. to 'Echo. R. Proem. 21. Similarly, in
the Apocalyptic Fragment, Bodl. MICH. 175, referred to above, R. Ishmael is repre-
sented as asking for the reason of the present sufferings of Israel, whereon he is
informed that the deliverance is to be suspended for a time corresponding to that
of their idolatry (700 years). Here evidently see vs. 9 the 'sins' of the wicked
comprise all 'transgressions of the Tora'.
'These sinners' was perhaps by the compiler thought to refer to the wicked of
being then one of the reasons why this fragment was given its present
vss. 1-6, this
place.
(9) Take the books, and read their evil doings On the conception of books !
recording the deeds of righteous or unrighteous etc. see note on ch. xviii. 24. The
books here seem to be the records of the deeds of the wicked, cf. i En. Ixxxi. 4
(book of unrighteousness), ib. xcviii. 7-8 ("every sin is every day recorded in
heaven all your oppression ... is written down every day till the day of your
140 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLIV
thy Law". It is not written 'at torateka but 'et (JIN) torateka, for
13
they have transgressed from 'Aleph (tf) to Taw (fi), 4O statutes
have they transgressed for each letter.
14
(10) Forthwith Abraham, Isaac and Jacob wept. Then said to
them the Holy One, blessed be He: "Abraham, my beloved, Isaac,
my Elect one, Jacob, my firstborn! 15 How can I now 15 deliver them
from among the nations of the world?" And forthwith MIKAEL, the
Prince of Israel, cried and wept with a loud voice and said (Ps. x. i) :
"
"Why standest thou afar off, O Lord?
judgement"). Since Metatron here seems to have the 'books' in his charge, there
must be a trace here of Metatron 's function of scribe (Chag. 15 a).
36 transgressions (written down) with regard to each wicked one. . . .
Both readings (A and E) seem to be corrupt. The meaning seems to be for each :
wicked one were recorded 36 transgressions of the Tora and in addition thereto a
great many transgressions of each single letter of the Tora. from 'Aleph to Taw.
Cf. Lam. R. Proem. 24: "the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: 'thy
children have sinned and have transgressed the whole Tora and the 22 letters of
Tora, as it is written (Dan. ix. n), all Israel have transgressed thy Law' (thus here
also the passage, Dan. ib., is used as point of support)". The transgressing a letter
of the Tora is in Lam. R. ib., understood as equivalent to the transgressing a com-
mandment beginning with that letter, or vice versa. But the expression 'from
'Aleph to Taw' represents the entirety of a thing, in this case the Tora, any part of
which is based upon one or the other of the letters. In an absolute sense it repre-
sents the entirety of things in general, and is to be compared with the expression
'Alpha and Omega', Rev. i. 8. (See CHARLES, Comm. on Rev. i. 20, and Riedel in
Theologische Studien und Kritiken, 1901, pp. 297 seqq., both regarding the 'Alpha
'
and Omega' as an imitation of the 'Aleph to Taw'.)
(10) Mikael, the Prince of Israel, cried and wept with a loud voice. This
is the only passage in the present book where Mikael is explicitly referred to as the
Prince of Israel. Ch. xvii. 3, Mikael is the prince of the seventh (highest) heaven.
The scarce occurrence of 'Mikael' (only twice) is remarkable. His position seems
to have been taken over by Metatron. Ctr. the frequent reference to Mikael as
the prince of Israel in i En. (ix. i, x. n, xx. 5, xxiv. 6, xl. 9, liv. 6, Ix. 4, 5, Ixvii. 12,
Ixviii. 2-4, Ixix. 14 f., Ixxi. 3, 8, 9, 13).
For Mikael bewailing calamities that have befallen Israel, cf. Pesik. R. xliv and
the parallel trait : God
answers that the deliverance is dependent upon Israel
there :
".(the apostates of) Israel must first turn to me, even if it were only as much as
the point of a needle". Cf. also Midrash Petirath Moshe: when Sammael is about
"
to take away Moses' soul, Mikael cried and wept with a loud voice".
CH. XLV] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 141
CHAPTER XLV
Metatron shows R. Ishmael past and future events
recorded on the Curtain of the Throne
(1) Come, and I will show thee the Curtain of MAQOM (the
Divine Majesty) which spread before the Holy One, blessed be
is
He, (and) whereon are graven all the generations of the world and
all their doings, both what they have done and what they will do
until the end of all generations.
(2) And I went, and he showed it to me pointing it out with his
fingers Mike a father who teaches his children the letters of Tora.
And I saw each generation,
the rulers of each generation 1 ,
i-i so E. A: and
'
like a father who teaches his children (he showed me) each
'
generation
Ch. xlv. R. Ishmael is shown the Curtain (Pargod) of MAQOM (the Place, i.e.
the Divine Majesty as manifested on the Throne of Glory). This Curtain is spread
before the Holy One. The Curtain of the Throne of Glory is referred to also, ch. x. i .
The Curtain separates the Throne of Glory and its innermost mysteries from the
other parts of the highest heaven and from the world of angels in general, just as the
curtain veiled off the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary. (Cf. TB. Yoma, 77 a.) The
Curtain hence becomes the symbol of the last secrets of heaven and earth which
are kept with the Godhead, hidden even from the angels. Occasional revelations
of these secrets 'the reasons of the Creator' are described either as obtained
by 'hearing from behind the Curtain' or expressed by the phrase 'to know from
behind the Curtain': this is one line of ideas. Or, according to another line, the
secrets are represented as 'written down on the (inside of) Curtain'. As instances
of the former line of conception reference may be made to the tradition concerning
GALLISUR-RAZIEL (see note on ch. xviii. 16), further to Mekilta on Ex. xix. 9 (voices
from behind the Curtain announce the answers of prayers), and TB. Ber. 18 b (there
is heard 'from behind the Curtain, what tribulations are in store for the world').
It seems, that this tradition also contained the idea of special high angels being
allowed inside or having their place inside the Curtain, in the immediate Presence
of the Holy One, thus partaking of the Divine secrets: so ace. to ch. x. i in the
reading of BC(cf. note, ib.) the case of GALLISUR, and in Mass. Hek. vii ("A curtain
is spread before the Holy One and the seven angels who were created first,
. . .
minister before Him [i.e. inside the Curtain]"). The second conception is repre-
sented here and also Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 44 where it is as here called the
Pargod of MAQOM. As a parallel in earlier Enoch-literature is to be noted
especially I En. xciii. 2 and cvi. 19: "I Enoch will declare them unto you. .ace. .
to that which appeared to me in the heavenly vision, and which I have known
through the word of the holy angels and have learnt from the heavenly tablets"
(the heavenly tablets correspond to the Pargod here).
(1-3) R. Ishmael is shown all generations and their doings, both past and coming.
This implies the idea of pre-determination. In TB. Sank. 38 b, one finds " The Holy :
One, blessed be He, showed Adam every generation and its learned men (inter-
142 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLV
and the heads of each generation,
the shepherds of each generation,
the oppressors (drivers) of each generation,
the keepers of each generation,
2
the scourgers of each generation, 2
the overseers of each generation,
the judges of each generation,
the court officers of each generation ,
and the generation of the flood, their doings and their thoughts,
Shem and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Nimrod and the generation of the confusion of tongues, and his
generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Abraham and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
Isaac and his generation, their doings and their thoughts,
7
Ishmael and his generation, their doings and their thoughts, 7
'
2-2 so E. CrpjniD) lit. cf. Zohar i. 177 a: '"HDDIpl N
'flayers, hatchellers ;
on the Curtain of Maqom how he was lecturing on the letters of Tora, expounding
on each of the ornaments of each single letter 365 different significations of the
Tora etc." The Curtain is here the repository of all past, present and future
events, and it seems, as if the idea were rather, that the events, the 'generations,
CH. XLV] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 143
the heads of (the councils in) the nations of the world, their genera-
tions, their works and their doings;
14
the rulers of Israel and their generation, their works and their
doings ;
the nobles of Israel and their generation, their works and their
doings the nobles of the nations of the world and their generation(s),
;
the judges of Israel, their generation, their works and their doings ;
the judges of the nations of the world and their generation, their
works and their doings ;
their thoughts and their doings', are pourtrayed on the curtain the images are
imprinted on it than that the various facts are merely recorded.
144 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLV
and their doings ;
the teachers of children in the nations of the world,
their generations, their works and their doings;
the counsellors (interpreters) of Israel, their generation, their works
and their doings the counsellors (interpreters) of the nations of the
;
all the prophets of Israel, their generation, their works and their
doings all the prophets of the nations of the world, their generation,
;
16
(5) and all the fights and wars that the nations of the world
wrought against the people of Israel in the time of their kingdom.
And I saw Messiah, son of Joseph, and his generation "and their
"
works and their doings that they will do against the nations of the
world 17 And I saw Messiah, son of David, and his generation, and
.
1 6 so E. A corr. from here to 'the people of Israel': '(that the nations) of Israel
wrought against the people of Israel' 17-1? E: 'and all the deeds of the
'
nations of the world at that time
(5) And I saw Messiah son of Joseph etc. From here to the end of the verse
there follows a short eschatological piece. R. Ishmael, through the medium of the
Curtain of the Throne, sees the events of the last times. The end of the course of
the present world is marked by the appearance of Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah
' '
ben David in whose times there will be wars between Israel and Gog and Magog ;
the final consummation will then, so it seems, be brought about by the Holy One
Himself.
For the conception of the two Messiahs, reference may be made to the scholarly
expositions by Dalman (Der
leidende und sterbende Messias, pp. 1-26), Buttenwieser
(in JE. 511 b, 5123), Klausner (Die messianischen Vorstellungen des jiidischen
viii.
Volkes, etc., pp. 86-103), Rabinsohn (Le Messianisme dans le Talmud et les
Midrachitn). Vide also Eisenmenger, Entdecktes Judenihwn, ii. 729, Schoettgen,
Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae, i. 139, 267, 360-5, Wuensche, Die Leiden des
Messias, pp. 65 seqq., Castelli, II Messia secondo gli Ebrei, pp. 224-9.
It will perhaps be best to follow Klausner (and Dalman) in assuming that the
origin of a double Messiah was the realization of the duplicity inherent in the
traditional Messianic picture, e.g. the political and military traits as against the
"
spiritual and ethical (esp. of Isa. xi and Zech. ix. 9). Die Doppelnatur des Messias
muss in einen Doppelmessias umgesetzt werden" (Klausner). (Cf. Dalman in a
somewhat different vein: "es muss als moglich gelten, dass uberhaupt ein etwa
durch die hadrianischen Verfolgungen neu hervorgerufenes Interesse an dem Trost
der Messiashoffnung zu erneutem Schriftstudium trieb.. .Alles was in der heiligen
.
Schrift darauf zu deuten schien, dass Edom-Rom gestiirtzt und Jerusalem, wenn
auch nur vorlaufig, an Israel zuriickgegeben wird, musste dad en Forscher an-
ziehen, und das Unbestimmteste gewann fur das nach Erlosung diirstende
Gemut deutliche Umrisse und konkrete Gestalt. So erstand Messias ben Joseph,
der sterbende Messias des Judentums".)
As to the designation 'ben Joseph' (son of Joseph), Klausner (op. cit. p. 97)
holds that "when once a second Messiah has become necessary, he cannot be
"
taken from any other tribe but that of Joseph (" Der erste Messias ist ein Davidide,
also ein Judaer. Was sollte nun der zweite Messias anders sein, als Josephite, bezie-
"
hungsweise Ephraimite [Messiah ben Ephraim is sometimes a variant of Messiah
ben Joseph, vide below]). Also should be noted Klausner's remark that it "is highly
CH. XLV] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 145
all the fights and wars, and their works and their doings that they
.probable that Bar Kochba's death as hero in the war with the enemies of Israel,
after having for a time been victorious and even reigned as a king, became the
starting-point (Vorbild) for the conception of a Messiah who at first is victorious
but in the end is overcome by the enemies of Israel ". This is, most probably, the
right explanation of the conception of a Messianic forerunner of the real Messiah :
One had long been conscious of the duplicity in the Messianic picture the Hadrianic
;
persecutions and the Bar Kochba incident forced the attention on the Messianic
ideas and hopes the circumstances made one conscious of Israel's fate of having
;
them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth and they are the
:
ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh"). "The
firstling of his (Joseph's) bullock is nearly as much the emblem of Messiah ben
' '
Joseph: Ren. R. Ixxv. 6, Ex. R. to xlix. 14 ace. to Pugeo Fidel, Num., R. xiv. 2,
Midrash Tanchuma, ed. Buber, 82 b, as the 'foal of an ass' of Zech. ix. 9 is the
emblem of Messiah ben David". "Was dort (Deut. xxxiii. 17) von Joseph gesagt
ist, fiihrt den Gedanken an das spatere Kdnigtum Ephraims, oder, wenn man
das Wort zu der messianisch verstandenen Weissagung auf Juda in Gen. xlix in
Parallele setzt, an einen in der Endzeit auftretenden machtigen Kdnig Israels aus
Josephs Stamm, einen Messiah ben Joseph. Die Rabbinen, welche in Deut.
xxxiii. 17 wirklich einen Messias geweissagt glaubten, wurden dann in diesem
Glauben durch ein Wort Jeremias bestarkt (viz. Jer. xlix. 20)".
[Schoettgen (op. cit.), adducing, apart from earlier sources, Zohar and Zohar
Chadash, arrives at the conclusion that Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David
are identical, and that the former represents the human nature of Messiah, destined
to suffer death. The designation 'son of Joseph' Schoettgen believes to be derived
' '
from the Christian designation of Christ, the Messiah, as the son of Joseph and
points out how, in the genealogy of St Matthew (i. i), Christ is called 'the son of
David', in that of St Luke, on the other hand, 'the son of Joseph'.
Wuensche, in his first discourse on the present problem (op. cit.), also maintained
that Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David really were identical. The identity
he found established already in TB. Sukka, 52 a (where he, however, mis-
translates; vide below and Klausner, op. cit. p. 91, note 2); in common with
Schoettgen he further pointed to the fact that scriptural passages which receive
Messianic interpretation are promiscuously referred now to Messiah ben Joseph,
now to Messiah ben David although passages interpreted as referring to the
suffering Messiah are, according to Wuensche, more often applied to the former
than to the latter from the last-named fact he concluded that the figure of Messiah
;
Bertholdt (in Christologia Judaeorum, 157) conjectures that the origin was from
certain Messianic speculations among the Samaritans.
Castelli (op. cit. pp. 234-6) thinks that Messiah ben Joseph- was the Messiah
contrived for the ten tribes exiled in Media who was to lead them back to Palestine
from their distant abode beyond the river Sambatyon (on the river Sambatyon,
a definite detail of the eschatological scheme, vide BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse, pp. 296,
298, 300 seq.).
Hamburger (Messianische Bibelstellen, in) and Levy (Worterb.) think that the
Messiah ben Joseph originated from the Bar Kochba incident. Bar Kochba, who
OHB to
146 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLV
will do with Israel both for good and evil. And I saw all the fights
had been proclaimed as Messiah even by the great R. 'Aqiba (so Yer. Ta'an,
iv. 68 d) was made to retain his Messianity by the formation of the doctrine of
Messiah ben Joseph as the forerunner of the victorious Messiah ben David.
Jellinek (BH. iii. xlvi seqq.) expresses the view that the victory of Joseph Flavius
in Galilee (thought as the region of the ten tribes or as part of the Northern King-
dom) followed by his defeat through Vespasianus influenced the 'saga' of the
Messiah ben Joseph.
Buttenwieser (in JE. loc. at.) says: "it is possible that the idea of Messiah ben
Joseph is connected in some way with the Alexander- Saga". He points out how
Messiah ben Joseph and Alexander (in the Koran) both are represented as horned.
Rabinsohn (op. cit.)~ finds the explanation of the 'son of Joseph' in Deut. xxxiii. 17.
Cf. above on Dalman's theory.]
The conception of a Messiah ben Joseph goes back to Tannaitic times. The
most important passages speaking of Messiah ben Joseph are found in TB> Sukka
52 a, dated by Levy, Hamburger, Friedmann, Dalman and Klausner as post-
Hadrianic. One of the said passages is a Baraitha (p3~) IJn) running as follows:
"Messiah, the son of David, who will shortly be revealed in our days, to him
says the Holy One, blessed be He Beg of Me anything and I will give thee
' '
:
as it is written (Ps. ii. 8): 'Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for
thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession'. As soon
as he (i.e. Messiah ben David) saw Messiah, the son of Joseph, that he was (or:
would be) killed, he says before Him: 'Lord of the Universe! I do not ask of
Thee anything but Life'. He says to him: 'Life! Before thou didst say it, David,
thy father, has already prophesied (this, i.e. life) concerning thee, as it is written
(Ps. xxi. 4) He asked life of thee and thou gavest it him, even length of days for
:
the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart'; They say: 'Must
not the rule qal wachomer (a minori ad majtis) be applied here if with reference to
:
the time to come when they are occupied with wailing and the evil inclination does
not have power over them, the Scripture says "men apart and women apart"
hovf much the more (ought this to be the law) now when they are occupied with
pleasure and the evil inclination does have power over them?' This wailing, what
does it really signify? Rabbi Dosa and our teachers are divided on this point. The
one says It (refers) to Messiah the son of Joseph who is (will be) killed ', and the
:
'
other says: 'It (refers) to the evil inclination which will be exterminated'. Surely
(the right lies) with the one who says (that it refers) to Messiah the son of Joseph
who will be killed, according as it is written (Zech. xii. 10): 'And they shall look
upon the one whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth
for his only son'".
'En Ya'aqob preserves the following version of TB. Sukka, 12 b: "(Zech. i. 20,
Hebrew Bible, ii. 3): 'And YHWH showed me four charashim'. What are they (i.e.
the charashim)'} R. Chunna bar Bizna says: R. Sim' on the Chasid says: this means
Messiah ben David, Messiah ben Joseph, Elijah and the Priest of Righteousness."
Targ. Yer. I to Ex. xl. n
speaks of Messiah the son of Ephraim through whom
Israel will in the end of time overcome Gog (" utherabbe yath kiyyura weyath besiseh
meshiimshanakh rabba de-Sanhedrin de 'ammeh
'
goes no further he : is to appear before Messiah ben David and will be engaged in
warfare. Though it is not expressly stated here that Messiah ben Joseph will be
killed, this isprobably presupposed.
Later passages in Num. R. xiv. 2, in Pesiqtha Zut. to Num. xxiv. 13, Midrash
'Asereth Melakhim, Pirqe Mashiach, BH. iii. 70, Pereq R. Yoshiyyahu, BH. vi. 115
(Messiah ben Joseph called Nehemyah ben IJushiel) appears after the victory
over Rome, is killed in the struggle with the Arabs and resuscitated by Elijah in
the time of Messiah ben David. Midrash Wayyosha', Nistaroth de R. Shim' on
ben Yochai (BH. iii. 80), Tefillath R. Shim' on ben Yochai (BH. iv. 124), Othoth
ha-mMashiach (BH. ii. 58), Sefer Zerubbabel (BH. ii. 55) (vide Introduction,
Sources and Literature, A 3 (B)) give the tradition that Messiah ben Joseph will
be killed in the war with Armilos. In the Nistaroth de R. Shim'on ben Yochai there
are three names of Messiah(s): Messiah ben Joseph, Messiah ben Ephraim and
Messiah ben David. Num. R. xiv. 2, evidently dependent upon the tradition
preserved in TB. Sukka, 12 b" (ace. to 'En Ya'aqob, vide above), interprets the
four charashim of Zech. ii. 3 as Elijah, the Messiah who shall rise from the children
:
of Manasse, the Anointed for War (meshuach milchamd) who will come from Ephraim
and the Great Redeemer who is one of the sons of the sons of David ".
Attempts at systematization of the various traditions in respect of the two
Messiahs were made by Sa'adya in 'Emunoth we De'oth, viii, and Hai Gaon in
Ta'am Zeqenim (ed. Frankf. am Main, 1854, pp. 59 seq.). For these vide Dalman,
op. cit. and Buttenwieser (in jfE. loc. cit.). A display of still later, especially cab-
balistic, traditions on Messiah ben Joseph is given in Eisenmenger's Entdecktes
jfudenthum, ii. 729 seqq. (from Menorath ha-Ma'or, Shene Luchoth ha-bBerith,
Yalqut Chadash, 'Emeq ha-mMelek, etc.). Passages in the Zohar treating of Mes-
sianic times are: Zohar, i. 118 a, 119 a, 134 a b, 139 a b; ii. 7 a b, 32 a, 105 b, 109 b;
iii. 67 b, 124 b, 125 a b, 153 a b, 212 b; in the Tiqqunim, 78 a, 95 a.
Gog and Magog play the role of "a collective anti-Messiah" (M. Friedlander,
Der Antichrist, pp. 171-3). The war with Gog and Magog was speculated upon
already in pre-Hadrianic Tannaitic times. Klausner says (op. cit. pp. 90, 100), basing
upon Siphra, Par. Bechuqqothai, 2, Siphre Deut. Pisqa. 343 ".We can with some
:
certainty maintain that the belief current in pre-Hadrianic times was that the
Messias ben David, supported by the presence of" the Divine Glory (the Shekind),
would wage war against and overcome the enemies of Israel (i.e. Gog and Magog),
but in the post-Hadrianic times the warfare was assigned to Messiah ben Joseph
destined after a temporal victory to be conquered, and the final victory, brought
about by God Himself without shedding of blood, crowns Messiah ben David".
This distinction is evidently correct. It will easily be seen that our passage reflects
the post-Hadrianic belief in respect of the Messianic times ; but it may also be noticed
that the vivid impression of the fate of the Messiah ben Joseph characteristic of
the Tannaitic dicta has been somewhat blurred out there is not the same nearness
;
of the picture of war and the conquering and death of Messiah ben Joseph; on
the other hand there are no traces of new developments .and elaborations of
the original conceptions found in later sources. This suggests that the present
passage belongs to a time of peace not too far removed however from the time
of origin of the Messiah ben Joseph conception, probably some time during the third
century A.D.
and all that the Holy One. . .will do with them: the final consummation will
be brought about by the Holy One Himself.
IO-2
148 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CHH. XLV, XLVI
(6) And all the rest of all the leaders of the generations and all
19 19
the works of the generations both in Israel and in the nations of the
20 20
world, both what is done and what will be done hereafter to all
generations until the end of time, (all) were graven on the Curtain
of MAQOM. And I saw allthese things with my eyes; and after
I had seen it, I opened my mouth in praise of MAQOM (the Divine
Majesty) (saying thus, Eccl. the King's word hath viii. 4, 5): "For
power (and who may say unto him: What doest thou?) Whoso
keepeth the commandments shall know no evil thing". And I said:
(Ps. civ. 24) "O Lord, how manifold are thy works!"
CHAPTER XLVI
The place of the stars shown to R. Ishmael
1 a
(1) (Come and I will show thee) the space of the stars that are
3 3 42 of the Almighty
standing in Raqia' night by night in fear
(MAQOM) and (I will show thee) where they go and where they
stand.
walked by his side, and he took me by his hand and pointed
(2) I
out me with his fingers. And they were standing 5 on sparks
all to
of flames round 5 the Merkaba of the Almighty (MAQOM). What did
(or "high") in Raqia' and every night in fear (1?DN^ obviously miswritten for
IflE&O)' 3-3 emendated ace. to E. A: D^TH, an easy corr. of yip")^,
'lightnings' perhaps under influence of vs. 2: 'they are standing on sparks'
4 emendated with regard taken to E; see 2-2. 5-5 E: 'in sparks of flames of
(from)'
Ch. xlvi. In this chapter R. Ishmael is shown the place of the stars who are
'
standing by the Throne of the Merkaba praising the Holy One during the time
'
that they are not occupied by 'doing service to the world' in Raqia', the second
heaven. For the stars, ace. to vs. 3, have two functions: one (during the night)
of lighting the world, the other of singing hymns to their Creator.
(1) The text of the chapter is in a bad state, both ace. to the reading of and ace. A
to that of E. Especially is this the case with vs. i. Emendations have been made
in the translation with the help of a comparison of the two readings. (Come and I
will show thee) is omitted in both readings but is obviously to be inserted by
analogy with the opening words of the surrounding chapters, since the rest of the
present chapter follows the scheme and phraseology of the other chapters of the
section.
(2) standing onsparks of flames round the Merkaba of the Almighty (MAQOM)
. . . flew off on flaming wings. The stars are depicted as standing by the Merkaba
CH. XLVIJ METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 149
them all their names", teaching, that the Holy One, blessed be He,
has given a name to each one of them.
(3) And they
all enter in counted order under the guidance of
(lit. through, by
the hands of) RAHATIEL to Raqia' ha-shSHamayim
to serve the world. And they go out in counted order to praise the
and evidently conceived of as living beings, presumably as angels, cf. vss. 3 and 4.
'
Wings' are the regular attribute of angels arid angelicized beings, cf. ch. ix. 2 and
the Names flying off like eagles ', ch. xxxix. i The stars are hence probably pictured
'
.
as having bodies and wings after the scheme of the description of angels. Cf. the
representation of the fallen stars as having bodily form, in i En. Ixxxvi. i seqq.,
Ixxxviii. i, xc. 21.
Metatron .
clapped his hands and chased them off. Metatron here is re-
. .
presented as having authority over the stars although their special 'memunne'
(appointed one) is RAHATIEL. The authority over the heavenly bodies is a special
distinctive mark of the Prince of the World, ace. to ch. xxxviii. 3 hence this may
be regarded as a trace of the identity between Metatron and the Prince of the
World, maintained by one trend of traditions cf. note on ch. iii and intr.
: told
me the names. .has given a name to each one. Cf. i En. Ixix. 21 "through
. :
that oath (i.e. Akae) the stars complete their course. And He calls them by their
names. And they answer Him from eternity to eternity". (Charles, i En. p. 140.)
(3) they all enter in counted order under the guidance of Rahatiel. For RAHA-
TIEL as the ruler of the constellations, planets or heavenly bodies in general, see
ch. xvii. 6 and note, ad loc. to Raqia' ha-shSHamayim, i.e. the second of the
seven heavens, which is the region of the heavenly bodies (Chag. 12 b, chh. xvii. 4, 7,
xxxviii. i). Here the stars are represented as entering the Raqia' in order to serve
the world, i.e. to give light, etc. to serve the world. For the expression and
idea cf. 4 Ezra vi. 46: "and didst command them (the sun. .moon and order of .
"
the stars) that they should do service unto man and see BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse,
;
thought that the stars are man's servants because by all the rest of the world they
were regarded as gods".
And they go out in counted order. go out is here obviously meant as the
' '
opposite of 'enter (the Raqia'Y Hence the stars are here thought to leave the
'.
second heaven after having fulfilled their function of 'serving the world'. From
1
the Raqia they are presumably pictured as proceeding to the 'Araboth, the seventh
'
heaven, since they are said (vs. 2) to be standing round the Merkaba or the Throne
of the Merkaba'.
to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, with songs and hymns. In their
function of praising the Most High with songs and hymns the stars are clearly
' '
every morning". And they open their mouth and utter a song.
Which is the song that they utter? (Ps. viii. 3): "When I consider
thv heavens".
Maimonides, More Nebukim, vol. ii, ch. v, uses the same scriptural reference as
the present verse (Ps. xix. 2) in support of his view, that "the globes are living and
rational beings and they serve their Master and praise and glorify him with
. . .
'
great praise and mighty glorification, as it is written (Ps. xix. 2) the heavens declare :
the glory of God ". The idea of the planets and stars as living, acting and domina-
'
planet-angels, whereas the conception of special angels as rulers of the stars, con-
stellations etc. or of the whole of the heavenly bodies is uncommonly frequent.
The 70 princes of kingdoms are sometimes identified with the planets and con-
stellations, although more often they are represented as the rulers of them. 'The
angels are the souls of the heavenly spheres' is a comparatively frequent dictum.
The 'Ophannim are the angels who move the spheres, cf. note on ch. xxv. 5. The
identification of the heavenly bodies with angel-princes or demons was also prompted
by the astrological speculations. The archangels are identified with the seven planets
or represented as rulers of the seven planets, thus preserving the old conception of
the seven sideric rulers from which the conception of the seven archangels is
supposed to have originated. (See YR. i. 16 a.)
(6) But in the time to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will create them
anew . and they open their mouth and utter a song. The creating the stars
. .
and planets anew is here explicitly connected with their character of song-uttering
angelic beings. It is, moreover, supported by the scriptural reference which tradi-
tionally was used as basis for the speculations concerning the song-uttering angels,
who also are said to be created anew They are new every morning, great is thy
' ' '
:
faithfulness', Lam. iii. 23. See ch. xl. 4, Chag. 143, Lam. R. iii. 21, Gen. R.
Ixxviii. i. The creation anew in the case of the angels is depicted as going on con-
tinually every day, whereas that of the stars is designed for the 'time to come'.
The future world is sometimes represented as referred to in the said passage
(Lam. iii. 23), cf. Gen. R. ib. and Alph. R. 'Aqiba.
NOTE. It is significant that there seems to be no remnant in 3 En. of the Gnostic
idea of the planets and constellations as evil agencies, as enemies of the spirit and
the spiritual world. Contrast e.g. the 'Seven Great Princes' and the 'Seventy-two
'
Princes of Kingdoms' of 3 En. xvii. with the Seven' in Mandaitic. Vide also i En.
xix. 13-16, xxi. 3-6. There are, however, indications that this idea was known at
the time of our book. Thus the inimical r61e of the planets is in our book replaced
by that of 'Uzza, 'Azza and 'Azzael (chh. iv, v), and the opposing angels in
general. Possibly the present chapter is intentionally directed against the Gnostic
(Parsic-Iranian) idea in question. (Cf. also Zimmern in Schrader, Die Keilin-
schriften und das Alte Testament, 8th ed., p. 459, and Reitzenstein, -Das iranische
Erlosungsmysterium, pp. 59 seq.)
CH.XLVII] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 151
CHAPTER XLVII
Metatron shows R. Ishmael the spirits
(i) Come and show thee the souls 1 of the angels 1 and the
I will
2 3
spirits of the ministering servants whose bodies have been burnt
2
in the fire of MAQOM (the Almighty) that goes forth from his little
finger. And they have been made into fiery coals in the midst of the
fiery river (Nehar di-Nur). But their spirits and their souls are
i-i E om. 22 so E. A om., but 3 A has a lacuna which represents 2-2 and is
Ch. xlvii. As a sequel to the exposition in chh. xliii, xliv the spirits of the
righteous, the wicked and those not yet born the spirits and souls of the song-
uttering angels who have been burnt by the fire from their Creator (cf. ch. xl. 3)
are here made the subject of treatment in the general scheme of the section they :
of the fiery river. The two traditions of the fire from God's little finger (ch. xl. 3)
and the Nehar di-Nur (see note on ch. xxxiii. 5) as means 'of punishment of the
angels, are here harmonized, see further, vs. 2. but their spirits and their
souls are standing behind the Shekina. Even here the two terms 'spirit' and
'soul' are best understood as being synonymous. The juxtaposition of 'spirit' and
'soul' is a mere repetition of that in the beginning of the verse.
(2) Whenever the ministering angels utter a song at a wrong time they. . .
152 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XLVII
4 4 5 6 6
or as not appointed to be sung they are burnt and consumed
by the fire of their Creator and by a flame from their Maker,
A: E:
in the places (chambers) of the in their place (= on the spot) ;
and
whirlwind, for it blows upon a whirlwind blows upon them and
them and drives them throws them down
into the Nehar di-Nur and there they are made into numerous
\
mountains 7 of burning coal. But their spirit and their soul return 8
to their Creator, and all are standing behind their Master.
are burnt. .by the fire of their Creator. Cf. on ch. xl. 3.
. and drives them
into the Nehar di-Nur. This is to be understood as an harmonization between
the view, ace. to which the song-uttering angels, when uttering the Song untimely
or improperly, are consumed by a fiery stream from the little finger of the Holy
One, and that, ace. to which the Nehar di-Nur is the place and medium of extinction
of the angels. The latter view includes that represented in Lam. R. iii. 21, Gen. R.
Ixxviii. i, which maintains that new angels are created continually to sing the song
and then disappear whither? answer: into the Nehar di-Nur from which they
were created. there they are made into numerous mountains of burning
coal. This should be compared with the statement of ch. xxxv. 5 seq. the angels, :
until they acquiesce in performing the Qedushsha, are changed into all sorts of
lifeless, fiery substances,
"
by a 'whirlwind from before the Holy One' (cf. here).
Cf. also i En. xxi. 3 I saw seven stars of the heaven bound together in it (the
:
Master. This recalls ch. xliii, where the spirits of the righteous who have
been created are said to 'return'. It implies that the spirits of the song- uttering
angels like those of men are pre-existent before being manifested with bodies for
the purpose of performing the Qedushsha or singing hymns and songs. But in
contrast with the case of men the punishment of the failing angels is assigned not
to their spirits but to their bodies alone. That the permanent abode of the spirits
of the angels, not only after the severance from their bodies but even in their
pre-existent state, is the place 'behind the Shekina' may be hinted at in vs. 3:
' '
R. Ishmael sees all the souls of the angels and the spirits of the ministering servants
standing behind the Shekina. Such a view may have developed from a wish to
harmonize the different traditions concerning the creation or origin of the angels,
one maintaining their pre-existence or creation on the second or fifth day of Creation,
the other their continual or successive creation daily. The first view would then be
made to apply to the creation of the spirits and souls, the second to their bodily
manifestation. In fact the wish to harmonization in this case is sometimes attested
in cabbalistic commentaries, cf. the statement: 'the angels who are created daily,
sing a song, and then perish, are those who were created on the fifth day those who ;
were created on the second day do not perish'. On the other hand the view that
the angels continue to exist in spirit after their destruction in fire is explicitly refuted
"
in Hilkoth Mal'akim (Add. 27199, fol. 123 a) for the angels who have been burnt,
:
there is no kind of continued life (or resurrection). It is not as with men, whose
bodies die, their souls however are living on high and their spirits return to God
CH.XLVIl] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 153
showed me all the souls of the angels and the spirits of the ministering
servants who were standing behind the Shekina ]0 upon wings 11 of
the whirlwind 10 and walls of fire surrounding them.
(4) At that moment Metatron opened to me the gates of the walls
within which they were standing behind the Shekina, And I lifted
up my eyes and saw them, and behold, the likeness of every one was
as (that of) angels and their wings like birds' (wings), made out of
9-9 with E.
ins. 10-10 E: 'forthwith a whirlwind passed by' emendated n
(cf. chs. xxxiv. i, xxxvii. 2): D33 instead of *~J3.
I|
12 Emend. quotes Ps. E
cxi. 2: 'the works of the Lord (are great)' A
confuses Ps. xcii. 5 with cxi. 2.
punishment being assigned to the spirits of the song-uttering angels. Cf. how ace.
to ch. xviii. 25 the two high angels SOPHERIEL H' MECHAYYE and SOPHERIEL H' MEMITH
are said to be standing on the wheels of the stormwind. The Kerubim ace. to ch.
xxii. 13 are surrounded by 'columns of fire on their four sides and columns of
firebrands beside them'. Ace. to ch. xxxiii. 3 'clouds of fire and clouds of flame
compass the angels to the right and to the left'. Cf. also the Enoch-Metatron piece,
ch. xv. 2.
the likeness of every one was as angels and their wings like birds' (wings).
Although separated from their bodies of manifested existence, the spirits and souls
of the angels have bodily form; cf. chh. xliii. 2 and xliv. 5 and note on the latter.
ms'inn ? Tnyjy n IIDSWI, but immediately preceding: D'-pHV h& JHD^J. Is this
passage dependent upon our book, chh. xliii and xlvii? Also in Mandaitic the
juxtaposition of 'spirit' and 'soul' in a similar vein is quite frequent. On the
'
spirit (or perhaps better soul ') as the non-physical body of the soul (spirit) in
Mandaitic vide Reitzenstein, Das iranische Erldsiingsmysterium, p. 35. Cf. Introd.
section on 'the conception of spirit and soul'.
154 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(A)
(i) Come, and I will show thee the Right Hand of MAQOM, laid
behind (Him) because of the destruction of the Holy Temple from ;
which all kinds of splendour and light * shine forth 1 and by which
the 955 heavens were created and whom not even the Seraphim and
;
Ch. xlviii (A). Ch. xlviii (A) is an apocalyptic eschatological fragment, closely
connected with that contained in ch. xliv. 7-10. Like the latter it uses the symbolical
expression of the Right Hand of MAQOM as representing Israel and the Kingdom
of Heaven on earth. The inactivity of God's Right Hand its being laid behind him
is the symbol of Israel's oppression and sufferings among the nations of the
world and the temporary suspension of the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven
on earth. The deliverance of God's Right Hand is the deliverance of Israel and the
establishment of the Heavenly Kingdom. Besides, God's Right Hand also repre-
sents God's activity for bringing about the deliverance, and is the instrument of
the realization of the Kingdom.
Vss. 1-4 are in the frame of the present section: R. Ishmael is represented as
shown the Right Hand of Maqom and sees the five streams of tears that go forth
from its five fingers: it is bewailing the downfall of Israel. Vss. 5-10 on the con-
trary cannot in a strict sense be joined into that frame without any transition we
:
are there presented with a picture entirely eschatological and treating of the end
of times that will see the final redemption God himself will deliver His right Hand
:
and by it work salvation for Israel and set up His Kingdom, the establishment of
which will be marked by the appearance of Messiah and the banquet for the righteous
in the restored earthly Jerusalem.
The fragment is distinguished by a more frequent use of scriptural quotations
than the other chapters of the section and of the present book in general (with the
exception of chh. xxiii and xxiv).
(i) the Right Hand of MAQOM, laid behind (Him) because of the destruction
of the Holy Temple. The inactivity of God's Right Hand is here connected with
the destruction of the Holy Temple. The cause of its continued inactivity is ace.
to ch. xliv. 7-10 the sins of the wicked, here it is hinted that the dearth of saints
and righteous in Israel accounts for its present downfall.
The destruction of the Holy Temple, the sign of the downfall of Israel, also
implied the total suspension or cessation of the activity for the realization of the
Kingdom on earth (the cessation of the activity of the Divine Right Hand), and
this again was caused by the sins of Israel. The real catastrophe in the destruction
of the Temple was the removal of the Shekina from earth, the presence of the
Shekina in the Temple having made it the representative of God's Kingdom on
earth. See Lam. R. Proem. 24 (God removes his Shekina from the Temple on
account of Israel's sin, and this is the cause of the destruction of the Temple.
'
I have no longer an abode on earth ') .
by which the 955 heavens were created. Cf. ch. xliv. 7: 'thy right hand that
is behind thee, wherewith thou didst stretch out the heavens and the earth and the
CH.XLVHI(A)] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 155
the 'Ophannim are permitted (to behold), until the day of salvation
shall arrive.
(2) And I went by his side and he took me by his hand and showed
me (the Right Hand of MAQOM), with 2 all manner of praise, re-
joicing and song: and no mouth can tell its praise, and no eye can
behold because of its greatness 3 dignity,
it, , majesty, glory and beauty.
4
(3) And not only that
4 but all the souls of the righteous who are
,
heavens of heavens'. The 955 heavens are, ace. to Masseket Hek. iii, above the
seven heavens, constituting the Divine World from which the Holy One goes down
when manifesting himself in the 'Araboth on the Throne of Glory "in the hour :
when the Holy One, blessed be He, descends from the 955 heavens and seats
himself in the 'Araboth upon the Throne of Glory. a
". Y. Ch, s.v. Mal' ^im, no. 98,
. .
derives the number 955 by gematria from the letters of hassdmaim (='the heavens ',
the final mem counted as 600). Metatron alone of all the heavenly household can
ascend into 900 of these heavens, but the remaining 55 heavens are the exclusive abode
of the Holy One. Cf. Lam. R. Proem. 24. In Seder Gan 'Eden, BH. iii. 139, the
many heavens above the seven heavens are also connected with the 18,000 worlds, '
and both are conceived of as the impenetrable Jenseits into which no one from '
the manifested universe, whether from heavens or earth can enter. "A multitude
of heavens above heavens did the Holy One, blessed be He, create and the(se)
highest heavens have no measure and no place (but they are the place of the worlds,
cf the similar saying about God)
. and no eye has seen these higher heavens except
. . .
. .God alone. .and the 18,000 worlds (above the many thousands of worlds that
. .
are attached to and comprised in the seven heavens) have not been entered by any
one save the Holy One, blessed be He, alone, as it is written (quoting Ps. Ixviii. 18,
cf. note ch. xxiv. 17). .for there is none who knows them save H'
. .alone". . .
whom not even the Seraphim and the 'Ophannim are permitted to behold.
The Seraphim and the 'Ophannim are apparently represented as the two highest
classes of Merkaba-angels, in agreement with the angelological section (chh. xxv,
xxvi).
(3) all the spirits of the righteous who are worthy and (i.e. to) behold the joy
of Jerusalem, are standing by it. The spirits of the righteous have their abode in
the Presence of the Holy One, as ace. to ch. xliii. The 'joy of Jerusalem' may refer
either to the earthly or to the heavenly Jerusalem. The centre of the Messianic
Kingdom in the end of times is ace. to vs. 10 the earthly Jerusalem. But the wording
rather supports the interpretation of the expression 'the joy of Jerusalem' as re-
ferring to the heavenly Jerusalem the spirits of the righteous are counted worthy
:
and (are now) beholding the joy of Jerusalem. For the conception of the heavenly
City, and its different shades (the pre-existent Jerusalem, preserved with God in
heaven; the heavenly city which is to descend on earth in the future age; "the
heavenly counterpart of the earthly city, the eternal reality of which the literal city
is but a shadow") in Apocalyptic, cf. 2 En. Iv. 2, 4 Ez. viii. 52 (x. 26 seq., 54, vii. 26,
xiii. 36), 2 Bar. iv. 2-6, Rev. xxi. 2, g-xxii. 8 (Hebr. xi. 10-16, xii. 22, xiii. 14,
I En. xc. 28, 29) and for a full discussion see BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse, pp. 198 seq.
(further references given there). CHARLES, Commentary on Rev., ch. xxi. 2, 10,
BOUSSET, Die Offenbarung Johannis, 5 Aufl., 1906, pp. 453 seqq. The heavenly
Jerusalem is, ace. to TB. Chag. 12 b, contained in Zebul (the fourth heaven), ace. to
Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 21, in Shechaqim (the third heaven). Here it is perhaps
156 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(A)
(Is. li.
9): "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord"
according as it is written (Is. Ixiii.
12): "He caused his glorious
arm to go at the right hand of Moses".
(4) In that moment the Right Hand of MAQOM
was weeping.
And there went forth from its five fingers five rivers of tears and fell
down into the great sea and shook the whole world, according as it
is written (Is. xxiv. 19, 20): "The earth is utterly broken (i), the
earth is clean dissolved (2), the earth moved exceedingly (3), is the
earth shall stagger like a drunken man (4) and shall be moved to and
fro like a hut (5)", 5 five times corresponding to the fingers of his
Great Right Hand.
But when the Holy One, blessed be He, sees, that there is no
(5)
righteousman in the generation, and no pious man (Chasid] on earth,
and no justice in the hands of men and (that there is) no man like
;
Kingdom, that it be revealed in the whole world; and for His great
Right Hand that He put it before Himself again to work great
6 7
regarded as having its place in the highest heaven by the Throne, since there is
probably the permanent abode of the spirits of the righteous.
(4) the Right Hand of MAQOM
was weeping. Cf. Ber. 33: the Voice
goes forth three times every day (night) in the ruins of the Temple, bewailing
its destruction and the dispersion of Israel among the idolatrous nations, and Lam.
R. Proem. 24: God weeping on account of the destruction of the Sanctuary.
five rivers of tears. . .shook the earth. .five times. The number 'five' is
.
for His Kingdom, that it be revealed in the whole world; and for His great
Right Hand, that He put it before Himself again. 'Again', i.e. 'as in the
ancient days, in the generations of old' (Is. li. 9) when it wrought salvation for
Israel by the Red Sea (Is. li. 10) or when it stretched forth the heavens and laid the
foundations of the earth (ch. xliv. 7 and Is. li. 13).
CH.XLVIIl(A)] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 157
Lord".
(7) And not only that, but He joined fellowship with Moses 9 in
every place
9
,
as it is written (Ps. xcix. 6): "Moses and Aaron among
His 10 n And again it is written
11
(Jer. xv. i): "Though
priests." .
8-8 E om. 8a-8a E om. 9-9 E om. 10 E adds : 'and Samuel among
them that call upon His name' ii-n E: 'and He says'
(6) then forthwith will the Holy One, blessed be He, remember His own
justice, favour, mercy and grace: and He
will deliver.... The final con-
summation brought about by God Himself is the burden of the whole fragment.
The thought here is, that when the expectations for prayers and intercessions from
the righteous in Israel are shown to be in vain, then God will support His work
for the deliverance of Israel, i.e. the establishment of His Kingdom, by His own
righteousness, merits and mercies on their ground the establishment of the King-
:
dom by God Himself and alone will be justified in spite of the lack of merits on
the part of Israel.
Moses and Samuel. The interceding power of Moses with the Most High is a
frequent theme in Rabbinic it is especially attached to the narrative of the golden
;
calf of Ex. xxxii (TB. Her. 32 a, Meg. 243, Ex. R. xlvii. 14, Num. R. ii. 14, Dent. R.
i. 2). Cf. also- Midrash Petirath Moshe, BH. i. 121 (Moses says: Rather sooner let
Moses and a thousand like him perish than that one of the people of Israel should
perish!" ib. BH. i. 129: "Numerous times did Israel provoke me to anger, but he
(Moses) prayed for them and placated me"). Cf. further TB. Ber. 7 a, Yoma,
36 b, Baba Bathra, 8 a.
The 'And he saw that there was no man' etc. is also in 'Othioth
verse, Is. lix. 6,
ha-mMashiach, BH. ii. 60, used of the end of times, preceding the appearance of
Messiah ben Joseph. and His righteousness will support Him. This re-echoes
'
the latter part of the quoted passage (Is. lix. 6) his righteousness, it sustained him '.
:
Samuel fulfilled his desire, even if it was not fit. The scriptural reference,
. . .
i Sam. xii. 17, is to support the statement that God granted Samuel his requests,
even when their fulfilment might not be in accordance with His own plan. To
understand this the following part of the passage must be supplemented :"...! will
call unto the Lord and he shall send thunder and rain, that ye may perceive and
see that your wickedness is great. .so Samuel called unto the Lord, and the Lord
.
sent thunder and rain". The underlying idea is that God on this occasion inter-
rupted the pre-determined course of events (implying a weather not destructive
for the wheat-harvest) in favour of Samuel (sending thunder and rain).
(7) He joined fellowship with Moses, 'nizdawweg'i associated Himself with,
revealed Himself face to face to.
158 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(A)
Moses and Samuel stood before me" (Is. Ixiii. 5): "Mine own arm
brought salvation unto me".
"
(8)Said the Holy One, blessed be He 12 in that hour: How long
12
12-12 E: 'The Holy One, blessed be He, will say (in that hour)' 13-13 E:
'my children' 14-14 so E. A: 'as my arm' 15-15 E om, 16 E adds:
'from one end of the world to the other' 17-17 E: 'them'
(8) How long shall I wait for the children of men (E: my children) to work
salvation according to their righteousness. The salvation was ideally to be
brought about by the righteousness and merits of Israel (in particular by their
proclaiming His sovereignty every day in their prayers), but in the present lack of
righteousness in Israel God will depend only on His own merit and righteousness.
The expression, how long shall I wait for my children to work salvation ',
'
shows that the righteous and pious man' (vs. 5) of whose total absence from within
'
Israel the writer is conscious does not refer to a desired leader in spite of the fact
that Moses and Samuel are chosen as examples of righteous intercessors but to
a whole class of saintly men whose prayers and intercessions would have had the
effect of drawing the Shekina and with it the Kingdom of Heaven down to earth
again.
The symbolical expression, 'the Right Hand' of the Holy One, is in vss. 6-10
changed into that of God's Arm'. To the writer these two terms are apparently
'
synonymous, since already, vs. 3, the 'arm of the Lord' in Is. li. 9 and 'His glorious
arm' in Is. Ixiii. 12, are made to refer to 'the Great Right Hand' of God. The
variance of expressions is merely a reflection of the phraseology of the scriptural
passages referred to in the fragment.
(9) In that moment
will the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal His Great
Arm and show to the nations of the world. The scriptural basis for this
it
statement is given at the end of the following verse (Is. lii. 10): "The Lord
hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations". The revelation of the
Arm is the revelation of the Kingdom but at the same time the Arm is the instrument
for the realization of the Kingdom on earth.
its length is as the length of .the world etc. Cf. ch. xxxii: God's sword 'like
a lightning from one end of the world to the other '.
(10) Forthwith Israel will be saved from among the nations of the world
i.e. Israel's dominion will be established.
And Messiah will appear unto them and He will bring them up to Jerusalem.
In contrast with ch. xlv. 5 this fragment apparently knows only one Messiah, the
CH. XL VIII (A)] METATRON SHOWS R. ISHMAEL SECRETS 159
will bring them up to Jerusalem with great joy. And not only
that but
A: E:
they will eat and drink for they will Israel will come from the
glorify the Kingdom of Messiah, of four quarters of the world
the house of David, in the four quarters and eat with Messiah. But
of the world. And the nations of the the nations of the world
world will not prevail against them, shall not eat with them,
Messiah of the house of David; his role is to lead the dispersed Israelites up to
Jerusalem. No Messianic wars bringing about the victory of Israel and the Kingdom
are mentioned (contrast ch. xlv ib.) on the contrary the actual consummation is
to be effected by God Himself, through the aid of His Arm. Hence Messiah's role
'
here is essentially passive he will appear, be revealed to them '. Cf i En. xx. 37, 38,
: .
Ixii. 6, 7, 4 Ez. vii. 28 ("my Son, the Messiah shall be revealed, together with those
who are with him"), ib. xiii. 32 ("then shall my Son be revealed"), 2 Bar. xxix. 3
("it shall come to pass. .that the Messiah shall begin to be revealed"), Mysteries
.
R. Shimeon B. Yochai, BH. iii. 80 ("after that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will
reveal to them Messiah, the son of David Messiah will spring forth "), TB. Sukka,
. . .
52 b. In ch. xlv. 5 and 2 Bar. xl, on the other hand, the role of Messiah is decidedly
active.
they will eat and drink (A) Israel will come. .and eat with Messiah (E). .
The Kingdom of Heaven as a feast is a well-known picture in the Gospels and Rev. :
Matt. viii. n, xxvi. 29, Luke xiv. 15-24, xxii. 16, 18, 30, Rev. ii. 7, iii. 20, xix. 9.
For the banquet prepared for the righteous (with Messiah in the time to come)
cf. i En. Ixii. 14 ("And with that Son of man shall they [the elect] eat and lie down
and rise up for ever and ever"), 2 En. xlii. 5 ("At the last coming they will lead forth
Adam with our forefathers, and conduct them there that they may rejoice as a
man calls those whom he loves to feast with him"), 2 Bar. xxix. 3, 4 ("Messiah
shall then begin to be revealed.. .And Behemoth and Leviathan shall be for food
.
for all that are left "), Pirqe Aboth, iii. 20 (" Everything is prepared for the banquet "),
Pesikta, 118 b ("Behemoth and Leviathan are reserved for the feast of the righteous
in the time to come"), Pirqe Mashiach, BH. iii. 76 ("Then [in the Messianic time]
will the Holy One, blessed be He, make a feast for the righteous on Behemoth,
Leviathan and the wild beasts of the field [Ps. i. n, Ixxx. 13] "), Mysteries R. Shimeon
ben Yochai, BH. iii. 80 ("And Jerusalem will come down built and completed from
heaven and Israel will dwell therein in safety for thousand years and will [sit and]
eat Behemoth and Leviathan and the wild beasts of the field [ziz-ha-s Sade, cf
. . . .
above, perhaps treated as a technical term]"). Cf. Bousset, Rel. des Judentums,
2nd ed., p. 327, BOX, Ezra- Apocalypse, p. 208.
To this conception is correlated that of the righteous in the future enjoying the
(fruits of) the Tree of Life and spices of the Garden of Eden. Cf. ch. xxiii. 18,
i En. xxv. 5, 2 En. ix, Test. Levi, 18, Sibyll. ii. 318, iii. 46, Num. R. xiii. 3.
(E) But the nations of the world shall not eat with them. Cf. and contrast
St Matthew viii. 1 1, 12 "many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit
:
down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children
of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness". Cf. and contrast also
Rev. xxi. 8 and especially xxi. 24, 27: "and the nations of the. world shall walk in
the light of it (the glory of God in Jerusalem) and the kings of the earth do bring
their glory and honour into it. .and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing
.
'
its precincts, even desiring to conquer it (A) the nations of the world will not
:
160 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(A, B)
it is written (Is. Hi. 10): "The Lord hath made bare his
as holy arm
in the eyes of all the nations and all the ends of the earth shall see
;
the salvation of our God". And again (Deut. xxxii. 12): "The Lord
alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him".
(Zech. xiv. 9) "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth".
:
i FGH begin :
'
The Holy One, blessed be He, has seventy names that are explicit,
and the rest that are not explicit are innumerable and unsearchable. And these
they are. (The names are missing.) These are the names etc.
prevail against them. There is no idea of a new earth nor even of the heavenly
Jerusalem coming down (although this is not actually refuted). Contrast the passage
in Mysteries R. Shimeon ben Yochai, BH. iii. 80, cited above, and Rev. xxi. The
tradition embodied in the present fragment thus bears marks of being rather old
(or at least archaistic).
(A) the Kingdom of Messiah, of the house of David. There is no hint that
the kingdom of Messiah here is conceived of as temporary. On the contrary it is
from the context to be identified with the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of
God, see the reference to Zech. xiv. 9: "And H' shall be king over all the earth".
The Kingdom of Messiah as identical with the Kingdom of Heaven represents the
final consummation, in approximately the same sense as that of the prophetic
eschatologies from which passages are drawn as scriptural support.
Metatron). C, a short Enoch-Metatron piece is laid in the mouth of the Holy One,
'
blessed be He'. D, dealing with the 70 names of Metatron and the revelation of
the treasuries of wisdom to Moses, is partly attributed to Metatron (vss. 6, 7),
partly in general narrative form.
Neither E
nor A
can be made responsible for putting these additional fragments
in their present place. In A
they follow immediately on the preceding without the
slightest break in the text; hence it is safe to conclude that they were already
extant as concluding parts of the book in the MS. that A
copied. Since is in no A
way directly dependent on E, nor vice versa, both must be traced back to a common
source in which the said fragments had been embodied.
The same fragments, however, recur in printed editions of the well-known Alph.
R. 'Aqiba (rec. A), letter 'Aleph (although missing in some editions). And the MS.
CH.XLVIII(B)] DIVINE NAMES 161
AEFGH: K:
are the names of the Holy One, blessed be He: SS, SeDeQ {righteous-
of the Holy ness}, SaHPeL SUR {Is. xxvi. 4}, SBI, SaDdlQ
in the text-critical notes referred to as m-? (Lm), explicitly states its indebtedness
for its recension of C 3-10, 12 and D (abridged) to Alph. R. 'Aqiba.
A A E
common feature of and on one hand and the editions of Alph. R. 'Aqiba
on the other is, that in the fragment B the actual Divine Names, there referred to,
are missing and were apparently missing already in the MSS. on which the said
printed editions of 'Othiyyot R. 'Aqiba were based (since they contain no express
statement as to their being omitted in print, as in the case of the names of Metatron,
fragment D, see text-notes, ib.).
In Bodl. MICH. Add. 61, fol. 13 a, however, following on a recension of the
so-called Sepher ha-qQoma and Seder Ma'ase Bereshith (fol. 12 b) there occurs a
fragment which no doubt is closely related to the present fragments ch. xlviii B, c
although it represents only an abridged version. This fragment is embodied in
text and translation in a separate column and is marked 'K' and 3 resp. The
distinguishing feature of K is that it gives the Divine Names and thus supplements
the other sources.
Cf. further note on ch. xlviii c beginning and introduction.
(i) (K): These are the 72 names.. . . FGHcount 70 'names that are ex-
plicit', and besides them innumerable names 'that are not explicit'. Ch. xlviii
c 9, D 5, also refer to the '70 names of the Holy One'. The tension between the
two tendencies of giving the precedence as holy or mystical number to 70 or 72
resp. is noticeable in the case of the Divine Names as well as of the Princes of
Kingdoms (cf. note on ch. xvii. 3). In Add. 27180, foil. 39 b-6i a the Divine
Names are given as 72, likewise in S. ha-Chesheq, where the (72) names are enu-
merated (Add. 27120, fol. 17 b). Cf. also the conception of the 72-lettered name.
that are written on the heart of the Holy One .... The specific place of the
Divine Names is in different sources differently designed. The names are sometimes
represented as written on the Fearful Crown, sometimes on the Throne, sometimes
on the forehead of the Most High. Cf. the quotation from Alph. R. 'Aqiba in note
on ch. xxxix. i. Here the Names are represented as written on the heart of the
Most High. In the Shi'ur Qoma or Sepher ha-qQoma, treating of the various
members of the Godhead, it is said " on the heart of the King of Kings there are
:
written 70 names" (Bodl. MICH. 175, fol. 18 b; Bodl. OPP. 467, fol. 59 a b, in the
second recension, the R. Ishmael version; Bodl. OPP. 563, fol. 92 b, also in the
R. Ishmael-recensiori)
.
The names enumerated here are on the whole identical with those of the Shi'ur
Qoma passage just referred to. The resemblance between K
(ch. xlviii B) and that
passage is as striking as to prompt the conclusion that one is dependent on the
other. Hence the Shi'ur-Qoma passage in its different readings may be used as
a text-critical aid to the present fragment.
The enumeration of Divine Names given here presents the following different
categories: (i) firstly, the various synonyms of the Divine Name, originally drawn
from the O.T., may be singled out from the rest. They comprise the category of
Divine Names known as 'the Ten Names'. They are here SUR, SADDIQ, SCBAOTH,
shaodaY, 'ELOHIM, YHWH, van, chav, ROKCB 'ARaBOTH .... The omission of the
important name 'EHYE 'asher 'EHYE is, however, remarkable. In the Shi'ur-Qoma
passage this name occurs after SEBAOTH in all the readings. It is probable that it
was originally included also in the present fragment. The addition of this name,
moreover, gives the number 72 as the number of names, agreeing with the specifica-
tion in the opening of the fragment. For the name 'EHYE 'asher 'EHYE cf. ch. xlii. 2.
(2) Another category is that of various permutations of the four letters constituting
the Tetragrammaton and the "EHYE', i.e. 'Aleph, Yod, He, Waw. (3) A
third category
comprises the permutations of other letters, derived from O.T. names or passages
OHB II
1 62 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(B)
AEFGH: K:
One, blessed {righteous}, S'Ph, SHN, SeBa'oTh {Lord of Hosts},
be He, ShaDda Y {God Almighty}, 'eLoHIM {God}, YHWH,
SH, DGUL, W'DOM, SSS", 'YW, 'F, 'HW, HB,
YaH, HW, WWW, SSS, PPP, NN, HH, HaY
{living}, HaY, ROKeB 'aRaBOTh {riding upon the
<Araboth,'Ps. Ixviii. 5}, YH, HH, WH, MMM, NNN,
HWW, YH, YHH, HPhS, H'S, 'I, W, S", Z', "',
QQQ {Holy, Holy, Holy}, QShR, BW, ZK, GINUR,
GINURYa\ Y\ YOD, 'aLePh, H'N, P'P, R'W,
YYW YYW, BBS, DDD, TTT, KKK, KLL,
y
power to the faint etc. The names are inclosed in the responses of the QSdushsha
and in other glorifications. This is also the case with the names in the ShVur-Qoma
fragment which in all readings ends with the response 'Blessed'. The letters
' ' ' '
representing the responses Holy (QQQ) and Blessed (sshKMLw) are to be regarded
as together forming actual Divine Names, ace. to the Notariqon-system. Some of
the other names are perhaps also derived from the responses, e.g. BBS, KKK, KKL. As
Divine Names and not as private additions of praise by the writer are also to
be considered the JVbtan^ow-complexes at the end of the enumeration. As a support
for these statements may be adduced the following commenting remark on Sepher
ha-Qoma in Bodl. OPP. 658, fol. 102 b: "the Names written in this book (Sepher
ha-qQoma, thus including the parallel to our passage) are derived from scriptural
'
verses and some of them are deduced from the Blessed be the name of His glorious
kingdom for ever and ever'". For the early connection of the Divine Names with
the Notariqon-system cf. the so-called Prayer ofR. Nehunya ben ha-qQana embodied
in the liturgy, the Notariqon of which forms the 42-lettered Name (known as
Glory. This echoes the idea represented in ch. xxxix. i: 'the explicit names that
are written with a flaming style on the Throne of Glory. .fly off like eagles on .
sixteen wings'. See note ad loc. and cf. vs. 2 here: 'when they bring them back
to their place, the Throne'. It is not actually stated here (as in ch. xxxix. i)
that the Names are written on the Throne, only that their place is before or by the
Throne, and this in reality accords with the expression of (and Shi'ur Qomd) K :
'written on the heart of the King of Kings, the Holy One', the 'heart' being in
CH. XL VIII (B)] DIVINE NAMES 163
AEFGH: K:
JBRH LB' {the beginning of Wisdom for the children
i here follows a short fragment of C, see ib. 2 E ins. 'with numerous crowns
:
Shi'ur Qoma, the symbolical expression for the centre of the Throne. The Names
are probably here as in ch. xxxix. i conceived of as self-existent beings. This is
confirmed by the fact that they are depicted as crowned 'with flaming crowns,
crowns of chashmal, crowns of lightnings etc.' and as escorted like 'kings'
or 'mighty and honoured princes' (vs. 2) by hosts of angels. As self-existent
heavenly beings the Names are naturally pictured in the form of angels crowned :
(cf. note on ch. xviii. i, xvi. 2, xl) and winged (ace. to ch. xxxix. i). Cf. vs. 2. For
the conception of the Names as crowned cf. Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 24, where the
letters of the Divine Name ('EHYE YHWH)
are depicted as crowned: "and all
of them (the letters) are crowned with crowns of brilliant flashes" ib. BH. iii. 36 ; :
"At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Merkaba. .then the .
letters on the Merkaba come to meet him with songs and the Holy One, blessed
. . .
be He, embraces them, kisses them and wreathes two crowns on each one of them :
from Ezek. i. 4, is regarded as a celestial matter or substance. Cf. ch. xxxvi. 2 and
note on ch. xxxiv. i (esp. the quotation from Midrash Konen, ib.). From the same
word is also derived the angelic class Chashmallim (cf. chh. vii and xlviii c 4).
thousand hundreds of power, i.e. angels. For this expression denoting angels
cf ch. xxxvi. i (' the Nehar di-Nur rises with many thousand thousands and myriads
.
1 1-2
164 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XLVIIl(B)
An Enoch-Metatron piece
AEFGH: \ K:
(i) Aleph
1
I made him (i) "I seized him, and I
n-ii EG: 'unto them glory and praise of strength* 12 GF add: 'As it
is written and one cried unto another and said: Holy, Holy, Holy'
(Is. vi. 3):
13 E corr.: 14-14 so
'fill' EFG
and H. A: 'their place' 15 Eadds:
'And those names of the Holy One, blessed be He, that are not explicit, are
innumerable and unsearchable. And these they are ( !) ADIRIRON, Holy, Holy, :
Holy I have written it in another place KPhTBIB, that is YaH, the great:
name. They are written in another place'
Ch. xlviii(c). i E: 'thousand thousands'
(2) And they give glory unto them and they answer and cry before them :
'
(and the Chayyoth say :) Blessed etc. The going forth of
'
the Names from the Throne of Glory is thus here, as in ch. xxxix. i, connected
with the heavenly performance of the responses of the Qgdushsha. Cf. vs. i (K).
In ch. xxxix the performance of the QSdushsha is treated as the central event to
which the flying off* of the Divine Names was an accessory, here the representation
'
israther the reverse the central interest is attached to the Names, the QSdushsha-
:
responses are even represented as addressed to the Names (just as the Divine Names
are the objects of prayers and glorifications from the side of man).
they roll them. The 'rolling' is perhaps to be understood as referring to the
names as angels mounted on wheels, cf. chh. xviii. 25, xxii. 7.
Ch. xlviii (c). This fragment is a version of the Enoch-Metatron tradition and
exhibits traits very much resembling those of the Enoch-Metatron piece contained
in chh. iii-xv of the present book. In fact, vss. 1-9 present the same details as
those of chh. iii-xv, although in an epitomized form, vss. 10-12 add statements
about Metatron's functions as establisher of the Divine decrees and as teacher of
the prematurely dead children.
Both in A, E
and the editions of Alph. R. 'Aqiba the present fragment appears
as a sequel to the fragment treating of the Divine Names (ch. xlviii B), and likewise
in K. In the present context of AE
as well as of edd. Alph. R. 'Aqiba there seems
to be no internal connection between the two. In AE
the fragment, ch. xlviii B,
in its present form gives the impression of being quite out of place. Its only appro-
priate place would have been by ch. xxxix (also treating of the Divine Names).
And also in Alph. R. 'Aqiba although of a much looser structure than the present
book the reason for placing the fragment B in the context in which it is now
introduced is not very apparent. The insertion of the fragment c, on the other hand,.
CH.XLVIIl(c)] SHORT ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 165
1EFGH: K:
trong, took him,
I ap- I took him and I appointed
ointed him: (namely) Me- him" that is Enoch, the
is justifiable both as regards the present book and as regards the Alph. R. 'Aqiba :
in the present book in view of its dealing with Enoch-Metatron, in Alph. R. 'Aqiba,
letter 'Aleph, on account of its beginning with 'Aleph, representing the Notariqon
(or mnemotechnical formula) for the three opening words liJVON (' I made him
strong'), Vnnpb ('I took him'), VmpS('I appointed him'), E5^'N
= P|!?K. The close
connection that seems to prevail between the two fragments is hence neither to
be explained by the assumption that they originally belong to Alph. R. 'Aqiba
(and when borrowed by other writings having been regarded as a unit) nor by
the same assumption applied to the present book.
The explanation is presumably to be found in K, the only version that preserves
the enumeration of the Divine Names in fragment B, an enumeration which must be
presupposed as the original part of the fragment. In this enumeration of the Divine
Names we find the word "Aleph' as one of the Names (the 55th from the
beginning). The "Aleph' as representing the sentence 'I seized him, I took him,
I appointed him (K) is now the starting-point and basis of the exposition of the
'
fragment, ch". xlviii c. Hence it is possible to conjecture that the present fragment
in reality is framed as a 'midrash' (in the proper sense) on the Divine Name 'Aleph.
On such a hypothesis the close connection between B and c would be easier to
understand. Both B and c may have originated in the circles attaching great im-
portance to the conception of Metatron, God's representative whose names are
based upon the names of his Creator (cf. vs. 9, chh. iii. 2, iv. i, x. 3 seq., xii. 5).
Among the Divine Names the 'Aleph was chosen here as symbolizing the relation
between the Holy One and His vice-regent, Metatron. 'Aleph is represented as
the symbol of God's sovereignty in Alph. R. 'Aqiba, in passages preceding the
version of B and c. 'Aleph as the name or one of the names of the Godhead is also
vindicated by the Shi'urQoma passage (cf. above on ch. xlviii B). 'Aleph, Beth, etc.,
as symbolical for the Godhead, expressing different aspects of the Divinity, are dwelt
upon in TB. Shabbat, 104 a. ('Aleph-Beth is. explained as referring to the instruc-
tion in 'Intelligence', or the Tora.) As symbolical of Metatron the 'Aleph (and
Beth) is expressly designed in Hek. R., BH. iii. 104; Metatron 's name is there
"
'Aleph, Beth ", BB, GG, DD, HH, WW, ZZ, gg, Metatron etc. (cf. ch. xlviii D) ".
The name 'Alpha' seems also to have been ascribed to Sandalphon ace. to Hek. Zot.
(Bodl. MICH. 9, fol. 67 a) that angel occupying a position similar to or identical
with Metatron's position (scil. in Hek. Zot.).
(i) I made him strong. .in the generation of the first Adam. The word
.
that the word was to express some activity from God's part in regard to Metatron.
But Metatron is evidently from the beginning of the fragment identified with
Enoch. Hence the meaning seems to be to allude to God's special care for Enoch
during his life on earth, among the men of the generation of Adam.
'
has the K
easier reading I seized him ', which of course is a mere synonym for I took him ','
and like the latter expression is made to refer to Enoch's removal to heaven.
For the details of the present exposition cf. on the parallel passages of the Enoch-
Metatron section, chh. iii-xv. when I beheld the generation of the flood:
ch. iv. 3. I removed my Shekina etc.: ch. v. 13, 14.
For vs. 2 cf. chh. vi. i, 3, iv. 3.
For vs. 3 cf. chh. x. 6, viii. i.
For vs.4 cf. ch. x. 3 seq. I appointed him over the Chayyoth, the 'Ophan-
nim etc. Cf. the angelic classes enumerated, ch. vii. Metatron is here represented
distinctly as the Prince of the Merkdba-angeh. (Contrast the angelological section,
chh. xix seqq.)
1 66 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(c)
AEFGH: K:
tatron,
2
my
servant who 2
son of Jared, whose name is
is one (unique) among all the Metatron (2)/ and I took him
\
;
(3) I appointed him over (3) He committed unto
\
allthe treasuries and stores Metatron that is Enoch,
: that I have in every heaven. the son of Jared all trea-
And I committed into his suries. And I appointed him
hand the keys of every sev- over all the stores that I
eral one. ! have in every heaven. And
I committed into his hands
|
I
the keys of each heavenly
store.
AEFGH: Lm:
(4) I made (of) him (4) I made (of)him the
thej
prince over all the princes prince over all the princes,
and a minister of the Throne! and I made
(of) him a min-
of Glory (and) the Halls
4
my
ister of Throne of Glory,
of 'Araboth: open their to to provide for and arrange
doors to me
and (of) the5
,
the Holy Chayyoth, to wreathe
Throne of Glory, to exalt an crowns for them (to crown
arrange (and I appointe
it; them with crowns), to clothe
him over) the Holy Chayyot them with honour and ma-
crowns jesty to prepare for them a
6
to wreathe upon
their heads 6 ;
the majestic seat
'Ophannim, to crown them
with strength and glory; the;
honoured Kerubim, to clothe:
them in majesty 7 over the ;
radiant sparks,
8
to make
them 8
to shine with splen-
dour and brilliance; over the
flaming Seraphim, to cover
them with highness ;
9
Chashmallim of light, tp
make them radiant with
light
9
and to prepare th
seat for me every morning
%. . _.__.... *"***'"""'"" ' "r1ji ***~
A: FG1 Lm:
as I sit upon the wheri I am seated when he is
Throne of Glory. upon my Throne in sitting on his
And to extol and glory and dignity
,
throne to
magnify my glory in that he may see my magnify his
a minister of the Throne of Glory. .to exalt and arrange it. Cf. chh. vii .
and viii. i.
to wreathe crowns upon their heads etc. Cf. in the angelological section,
chh. xxii. 12, xxv. 5 et al.
as I sit upon the Throne of Glory etc. The reading of seems to be the best A
one. In Lm 'he' and 'his' should be emendated into 'I' and 'my' resp. For the
present representation cf. Hek. R. xi, BH. iii. 91 "When the angel of the Presence :
enters to exalt and glorify the Throne of His (God's) glory, and to prepare the
seat for the mighty God of Jacob, then he puts thousand thousand crowns on
i68 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(c)
A: FGH: Lm:
the height of my glory in the height glory in the
power; (and I have of my
power, in the height.
committed unto secrets of above and
him) the secrets of in the secrets of be-
above and the se- low.
crets of below (hea- .
the honoured 'Ophannim. . .on the glorious Kerubim. . .the holy Chayyoth. . .the
spark(s)".
(I committed unto him) the secrets celestial and the secrets terrestrial (K:)
I committed to him Wisdom and Intelligence. Cf. chh. x. 5, xi. i, 2.
(5) I made him higher than all. Cf. ch. ix. i. The measure here ascribed to
Metatron, 70,000 parasangs, is unique to this fragment. As compared with the
statement of ch. ix. i and the measures of the Throne of Glory ace. to ch. xxiii c
the size here assigned to Metatron is remarkably small. Was the original reading
' '
perhaps surpasses all the others that are high of stature, with 70,000 parasangs ?
The Shi'ur Qoma counts in thousands of myriads of parasangs in its description
of the measures of the Throne (with the special units of measure prevailing in
heaven) and TB. Chag. 13 a, in journeying distances of 500 years (the size of the
world), cf. with that ch. ix. i.
I made his Throne great by. .my Throne of Glory. Cf. ch. x. i.
.
(6) I transformed his flesh into fire etc. Cf. ch. xv.
CH.XLVIII(C)] SHORT ENOCH-METATRON PIECE 169
AFGH: Lm:
face bright as the splendour
of the sun, and his eyes as
the splendour of the Throne
of Glory.
(7) I made
honour and 13
(7) his garment honour and
majesty his clothing, beauty majesty, his royal crown 500
and highness 14 his covering by 500 parasangs.
cloak and a royal crown of
500 by (times) 500 para-
sangs (his) diadem.
AFGHLm:
And I put upon him of my honour, my majesty and the
splendour. of my glory that is upon my Throne of Glory.
I him 15 the LESSER YHWH, the Prince of the Presence,
called
the Knower of Secrets: for 15a every secret 15a did I reveal
to him 16 as a father 16 and all mysteries declared I unto
him 17 in uprightness 17 .
Secrets, 'Wise in Secrets' is part of the name of Metatron ace. to Hek. R. BH. iii.
104. K. by Gematria 71 the numerical value of ^IIN is 71.
:
(8) I set up his throne at the door of my Hall. Cf. ch. x. 2. that he may
sit and judge the heavenly household. Cf. ch. x. 4, 5, xvi.. i, 2.
And I placed every prince before him. ... Cf. ch. x. 4, 5, xvi. i, 2.
(9) Seventy names did I take from my names. Cf. chh. iii. 2, iv. i and
xlviii D 5 (contr. xlviii D i).
Seventy princes gave I into his hand, to command ... in every language.
17 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(c)
AFGHLm:
unto them 18b
my precepts and my words 18b in every lan-
guage:
AFGH: Lm:
to abase 19a by his 19 word the and to abase the proud to the
proud to the ground, and to ground
exalt 19a by the utterance of and to exalt the humble to
his 19 lips the humble to the the height
height to smite kings by his
; and to smite kings
20
speech, to turn kings away and to bring rulers low
from their paths 21 to set up , and to set up kings and
(the) rulers over their do- rulers
minion as it is written (Dan.
ii.
21): "and he changeth the and he changeth the times
times and the seasons, 22 and ' '
and the seasons
to give wisdom unto all 23 the he removeth kings and set-
wise 23 of the world and un- teth up kings
derstanding (and) knowledge he giveth wisdom unto the
to all who understand 24 wise
knowledge, as it is written and knowledge to them that
" 25
(Dan. ii. 21): and know- know understanding
ledge to them that know
understanding",
to reveal to them the secrets and I appointed him to re-
of my
words and to teach the veal secrets and to teach
decree of my
righteous judge- judgement and justice,
ment, (10) as it is written (Is.
Iv. n):
' '
the Princes of Kingdoms are meant. Metatron is here definitely designated as
the ruler over the princes of kingdoms, cf. chh. x. 3, xvi. 2.
to abase by his word etc. As chief of the princes of Kingdoms Metatron has
general executive and governing power over the world. Through vs. 9 he is essen-
tially denned as a 'Prince of the World'. Cf. on chh. xxx. i and iii. 2.
I appointed him to reveal secrets and to teach judgement and justice.
AFGHLm:
"so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth;
shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish (that
26
it
which I please) ". "E' seh> (I shall accomplish) is not
26 e
30 30a "
man ,
as it iswritten (Prov. xi. 8) : The righteous is delivered out of
trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead".}
(12) And not only that but Metatron sits three hours every day in the
31 31
high heavens, and he gathers all the souls of those dead who died in
their mother's womb, and the sucklings who died on their mother's breasts,
and of the scholars who died over the five 32 books of the Law. And he
brings them under the Throne of Glory and places them in companies,
divisions and classes round 33 the Presence 33 : and he teaches them the
himself 28-28 ins. with FG. A om. 29 FG: 'masliach' 30-30 FG:
'send him into punishment, but send them (the decrees) upon another, wicked
man' 303 FG ins. 'instead' 31-31 so FG. A om. 32 FG om.
33-33 FG' himself
(10) Metatron stands and carries it out. .the decrees. Metatron standing .
and executing the Divine decrees represents another trend of traditions than
'
those contained in the statement Metatron sits and judges the heavenly house-
hold'. But both seem to have been connected already at an early time. So in a
pregnant (and contradictory) form in Rev. of Moses (Gaster, RAS's Journal, 1893):
"Metatron, the angel of the Presence, stands at the door of the Palace (Hall) of
God. And he sits and judges all the heavenly hosts before his Master. And God
pronounces judgement and he executes it". Cf. further on ch. xvi. 5.
(n) they do not execute it etc. This verse has no reference to Metatron, and
it would seem that it does not belong to the Enoch- Metatron piece. It is a midrashic
exposition on the continuation of Is. Iv. n, the scriptural passage used as support
for the view on Metatron as executor of the decrees. It is omitted by Lm and may
be regarded as additional.
(12) Metatron sits three hours every day. and teaches the prematurely dead.
. .
written (Is. xxviii. 9): "Whom will he teach knowledge? and whom will
he make to understand tradition 3*? them that are weaned from the milk
and drawn from the breasts".
(i) Seventy names has Metatron which the Holy One, blessed be He,
took from his own name and put upon him. And these they are:
^YeHOEL YaH, zYeHOEL, YOPHIEL
and ^Yophphiel, and
3
5 'APHPHIEL and MaRGeZIEL, iGIPpUYEL, sPa'aZIEL, g'A'aH,
34 so FG. A plural 35~35 FG: 'for them the book of the Law'
Ch. xlviii (D). i-i In the printed editions FGH
the names are left out except
'
no. 105 saGNezaciEL Lm: '(omission of names marked by a lacuna). Na'ar
'
(= Youth, cf. chh. iii. 2, ix. i). Ne'eman [= Faithful; again a lacuna] the LESSER
YHWH [again lacuna] and he is called (NecaNzecaEL) '
Ch. xlviii (D). This fragment of the present chapter consists of mixed pieces
last
of traditions only loosely bound together. The first, vs. i, treats of the names of
Metatron. Seventy names has Metatron. The number is given as 70 in ac-
cordance with chh. iii. 2, iv. i, xlviii c 9. They are as in the passages mentioned,
represented as a reflection of or based upon the Divine Name(s). The enumeration
contains a larger number of names than the indicated 70. It evidently is a list of
all the names that were known by the writer to be applied to Metatron. So also
other enumerations, e.g. S. ha-Chesheq, ed. Epstein, and the commentary on
Metatron's names, Bodl. MICH. 256, foil. 29 3-44 a, exceed the number 70.
As to the character of the names here enumerated the majority are angelic
names of the usual pattern. Nos. 83 and 85-86 (= Zehanpuryu) occur as names of
angels in ch. xviii. 8, 21 of the present book. Cf. also no. 82 with Zakzakiel, ch.
xviii. 17, and no. 73 with Simkiel, ch. xliv. 2, 3. In Schwab, VA., the following
names of the present enumeration recur as names of individual angels attested in
other writings, viz. nos. i, 3 and 4 (companion of Metatron, Zohar, i. 149 a, Prince
of the Law, ib. iii. 197 b), 5 (Prince of Understanding, S. Raziel, 45 a), 6 (Prince
of the Presence, Hek. R. xvii, xxvi, cf. xxx), 19 (in a variant form), 20, 21, 22 (in
many variants), 24, 25, 48, 49, 51, 54, 60, 63, 83, 84, 85-86, 96, 104 (i En. vi. 7).
These names which probably are understood as representing different aspects
and functions of Metatron perhaps indicate that Metatron was to be conceived of
as combining all the different functions assigned to the special angels of the resp.
names. Cf. YR. i. 56 b, referred to below.
Another group among the names enumerated consists of variants of the name
CH. XLVIII (D)] NAMES OF METATRON ETC. 173
1
go TTYaH, gi'eMeQ, gzQaMYaH, g^MeKaPpeR YaH, g^PeRISHYaH,
Metatron, e.g. nos. 23 (Metatron), 30, 31, 46, 47. This category of names forms
part also of other enumerations of Metatron's names.
A few names are permutations of the letters of the Tetragrammaton and 'EHYE,
after the pattern of the enumerations of Divine Names: nos. 13 = 16, (53), 80, 81.
Cf note on ch. xlviii B i
. .
Among the other names may be of special interest: Pisqon (no. 48), occurring
Sank. 44 b, and by Rashi referred to Gabriel. It evidently denotes Metatron's
office of deciding, passing judgement, cf. ch. xlviii c 8, 10, x. 5. This name also
occurs in the form 'Ru'ach Pisqonith, the deciding spirit' (Bodl. MICH. 256, name
no. 25); cf. Pesiqtha 27 b. Senegron (no. 22), i.e. 'defensor', whereby Metatron is
indicated as occupying the same position as in Rabbinic is usually assigned to
Mikael: defending Israel against the accusations of Satan, Sammael, or the repre-
sentatives of the heathen nations, cf. on ch. xxx. Gal Razayya (no. 88) cf.
Razrazyah (no. 68), i.e. 'Revealer of secrets' or 'knower of secrets.' Cf. ch.
xlviii c 7, ch. xi. He is the mediator transmitting the celestial secrets to man.
The name Galli-Razayya ' is the sixty-seventh of the names enumerated, Bodl.
'
MICH. ib. Related to this name is no. 91 ('depths soil, of secrets'). Noteworthy is
174 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH. XLVIIl(D)
Mekapperyah (no. 93) which would seem to assign to Metatron an atoning function.
Yehoel (no. i) is as well in earlier as in later literature the name of the high angel
of the 'Presence' (cf. BOX, Ap. Abr. x, xii). His name is composed of the letters of
'
the Divine Name, hence the shemi beqirbd' ('my name is in him') could appro-
priately be applied to him. Cf. Ap. Moses, and in a later attestation e.g. Add.
26922, foil. 41 b seqq. (Yehoel on a level with Metatron as the Prince of the Presence).
Lastly the Tetragrammaton itself appears as one of the names no. 14. :
For enumerations of the names of Metatron cf. inter al.: (i) Hek. R. xxvi. BH.
' '
iii 1 04 (the centre of this enumeration are the eight names
.
Margeziel, Giyothiel, etc.,
:
" '
Yehoel. Sagnesagiel)
. . In the camps of the holy angels they call him: Metatron,
:
picture YHWH
of Deutero-Isaiah. (4) Shi'ur Qoma, e.g. Bodl. OPP. 467, fol. 59 a, Bodl. OPP. 563,
"
a
fol. Metatron, Ru h Pisqonith (cf. above), Itmon, Hegron, Sigron, Maton,
92 b :
Miton Netif, Netiph ". (5) YR. i. 56 b from Tiqqunim. This passage makes an
attempt at explaining the meaning of the names. Metatron, it says, is called by
the resp. names ace. to the various functions he is performing. He is called Otmon
' '
'
(from atam =
stop, shut') when he seals the guilty in Israel, 'Sigron' ('sagar
shut') when he
shuts the doors of prayers (i.e. the doors through which man's
prayers are let into heaven), 'Pithhon' at the time when he opens for the prayers,
'Pisqon' (cf. above) at the time when he decides Halakoth in Raqia', in the (celestial
Beth Din.. .And this angel is called by 60 myriads of names of angels (cf. above).
.
He is called ' Chasdiel' when he does kindness to the world, 'Gabriel" at the time 1
when 'gebura' is in the world, SiihrieV when he hides the children of the world
'
under his wings from the angels of destruction. He is also called Sidqiel, Raphael
and Malikiel. (6) YR. i. 60 b, from a 'midrash', with reference to Alph. R. 'Aqiba,
hence possibly a fragment of a recension of the present verse. In fact, the following
names of the present verse occur there: nos. i, 3, 4, 5, 6, u, 27, 28, 17, 30, 49
(variant), 21 (and variant), 22, 48 (as Pisqonith), 25. Of the remaining twenty names
of that passage five recur in S. ha-Chesheq and the related commentary on Metatron's
names, Bodl. MICH. 256 and a couple of the rest in the Hek. R. and Hek. Zot.
passages referred to above. (7) S. ha-Chesheq (Add. 27120, foil, i seqq.). The
following names of the present verse occur there: nos. n, 17, 21, 25, 30, 41, 49,
Si, 54,. 58-59, 60, 61, 64, 75, 77, 90, 94, 95. (8) Bodl. MICH. 256, foil. 29 3-443,
a treatise called Shemoth shel Metatron: 'The Names of Metatron', presenting
77 different names with commentary. The names and order of names are on the
whole identical with or resembling those of S. ha-Chesheq. It may be noted that
the Yephiphyah' of vs. 4 of the present fragment (the Prince of the Law who
'
6
Torah in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues, the Prophets in
the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues, the Writings in the seventy
6
aspects of the seventy tongues , ''the Halakas in the seventy aspects of
the seventy tongues, the Traditions in the seventy aspects of the seventy
tongues, the Haggadas in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues and
the Toseftas in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues'*.
(4) But as soon as the forty days were ended, he forgot all of them in
8
one moment. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, called Yephiphyah,
*
the Prince of the Law, and (through him) they were given to Moses as
a gift 9
As it is
. written (Deut. x. 4): "and the Lord gave them unto
me". And after that it remained with him. 10 And whence do we know,
that remained (in his
w Because written (Mai. iv. 4):
it memory) ? it is
"
Remember ye the Law of Moses
my servant**- which I commanded
lz
unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even my statutes and judgements 1*" .
The Law of Moses': that is the Tora, the Prophets and the Writings,
'
3-3 G :
' '
wisdom is committed F:' the wisdoms are all committed
all 4-4 Lm
'
:
5 FG ins
' '
him them in forty days while Metatron was standing
for they taught . :
'on the mount of the Torah* 6-6 ins. with FGLm. 7-7 Lm om. 8 Lm
ins.: 'short' 9-9 FG: 'he gave them to Moses as a gift' Lm: 'he gave him
all of them as before (i.e. he had forgotten them) as a gift' 10-10 Lm om.
ii here Lm ends 12-12 so ins. with FG, for the sake of the following
contex.
suspended from the finger of the Holy One, blessed be He; it is by gematria
'
Shuah' (from shi ah = prayer ') for he is appointed to receive the prayers. The
'
name Titrasyah is by gematria Gash' ('come near', numerical value 303), for he
'
'
comes nearer to the Throne than any other angel. -It is by gematria ha-Rahdman
(' the Merciful '), for when the Holy One is wroth with his children, Metatron prays
before him and turns him from the attribute of justice to the attribute of mercy
(cf. ch. xxxi, Ber. 7 a) and so on.
(2) Sagnesakiel. On this name confer note on ch. xviii. 1 1 . Because all
the treasuries of wisdom are committed in his hand. Cf. chh. x. 5, 6, viii. i,
xi, xlviii c 7.
(3) all of them were opened to Moses on Sinai. The treasuries of wisdom
. . .
contain the heavenly Tora which was revealed to Moses. The narrative contained
in vs. 3 and occurs in variant forms in Ex. R. xlvii, Num. R. xviii et al. It is also
in a similar form extant in Rev. Moses (Pes. R. xx), BH. i. 60 seqq. and in this
recension it recurs in YR. ii. 67 b, quoted from Pirqe Hekaloth. Ace. to Lm and
vss. 7 seqq. it seems that Metatron was the transmitter of the Tora to Moses. This
would account for the insertion of the fragment here.
(4) he forgot all of them etc. 'when he began to go down and saw all. .the .
angels of fear, of trembling, of awe and dread, then trembling seized him and he
forgot all of them in one moment', ace. to Rev. Moses, YR. ii. 67 b.
176 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XLVIIl(D)
the Haggadas and the Toseftas. And all of them were given 13 to Moses
14
on high on Sinai. u
(5) These seventy names (are) a reflection of the Explicit Name(s) on
the Merkaba which are 15 graven upon the Throne of Glory. For the
Holy One, blessed be He, took from His Explicit Name(s) and put upon
the name of Metatron: Seventy Names of His by which 16 the ministering
16
angels call the the kings of kings, 17 blessed be
King of He, in the high
heavens, and twenty-two letters that are on the ring upon his finger
19
with which are sealed the destinies of the princes of kingdoms on high
20
and power and with which are sealed the lots of the Angel
in greatness
22
(6) Said Metatron, the Angel, the Prince of the Presence; the Angel,
the Prince of the Wisdom; the Angel, the Prince of the Understanding;
23
the Angel, the Prince of the Kings; the Angel, the Prince of the Rulers;
The seventy names are here referred to the Most High as King of the kings of
kings, probably indicating the aspect of rulership over the world, the seventy
nations. When ascribed to Metatron they signify, as may be assumed, Metatron's
character of representative ruler of the world, esp. over the princes of kingdoms ;
cf. the statement following: '(put upon Metatron's name. .the twenty-two letters .
destinies of every nation and tongue. Cf. also on chh. iii. 2, x. 3, xvi. 2,
xlviii c 9 and vs. 6 here: Metatron. .the Prince of the. .princes, the exalted,
. .
ceived of as contained in the Divine Names that were 'put upon Metatron'. The
holy letters constitute the Names, hence Names and letters are terms interchanged,
with which are sealed. The creations and decrees of the Holy One are often re-
presented as stablished by, sustained by or sealed with a Divine Name or a letter.
Cf. Aiph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 24: "All the Explicit Names are written with He etc.
And heaven and earth are sealed with it (them) and this world and the world to
come and the days of Messiah. And how many are the letters by which heaven
and earth are sealed? They are 12. , namely the letters of the Name 'Ehye 'asher
. .
'
'Ehye' (Aleph, He, Yod, He, etc.)". on the ring upon his finger. Cf. ib. 25:
"
they are sealed with the ring: 'EHYE 'asher 'EHYE". the destinies of the. . .
Angel of Death and the destinies of every nation and tongue. 'The lots,
"pDS, of the angel of death' presumably means 'the records of the ultimate fate '
of individuals and nations, kept with the angels of Death'; cf. Alph. R. Aqiba,
rec. B, BH. iii. 63 "the Pittaqe, the records of destinies of every nation are kept
:
with thee (the angel of Gehenna, Negarsanael,) but the Pittaqe of thine do not
include the people of Israel".
CH. XLVIII (D)] NAMES OF METATRON ETC. 177
i24 25
^the angel, the Prince of the Glory ; the angel, the Prince o/ the
and of the princes',
high ones, the exalted, great and honoured ones, in
heaven and on earth:
(7) "H, the God of Israel,
is
my witness in this thing, (that] when I
revealed this secret to Moses, then all the hosts in every heaven on high
raged against me and said to me: (8) Why dost thou reveal this secret
to 26 man z*, born of woman, tainted and unclean, 28 Z9 a man
son of
and the wild beasts, and the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea,
31 and Behemoth 31 and
Leviathan, and the creeping things, the worms,
F: 'of the high princes' 26-26 FG: 'the children of men' 27 A: 'tailed'
28 FG ins.: 'men of blood and gonorrhaea' 29-29 FG: 'men of putrefying
drops' 30-30 FG om. 31-31 ins. with FG. A om.
(7) when I revealed this secret to Moses the secret by which were created
. . .
and Knowledge etc. all the hosts of every heaven raged against me. With
this may be compared the fragment, containing protesting words of the angels,
preserved in Hek. R. xxix: "This Secret may not go out from the house of thy
treasures and the mystery of subtle understanding from thy treasuries. Do not
make and blood equal to us ''.
flesh
Another parallel is found in Hek. Zot. MICH. 9, fol. 68 b: "Thou didst reveal
secrets and secrets of secrets, mysteries and mysteries of mysteries to Moses, and
Moses to Joshua etc. (cf below) and Israel made out of them the Tora and the
. . . .
Talmud...". So also here the Tora, Wisdom and Knowledge are said to be
'
formed through the Secret*.
The 'secret' is hence the Wisdom or totality of Gnosis on which the written
and oral Tora is based, and by which the whole manifested world is created. If
brought into connection with vss. 2, 3 the 'secret' of the present verse refers to
the contents of 'the treasuries of wisdom' that were all opened to Moses on Sinai.
What the inner essence of the secret is conceived to. be is not immediately apparent
here. The chain of tradition set forth in vs. 10 suggests that it was thought to be
contained in the mystical knowledge or traditions of the secluded circles of 'the
men of faith '. In the present connection it would seem that the ultimate constituent
parts or elements of the secret is the Letters and Names '. By the letters heaven
'
and earth are created, ace. to chh. xiii, xli, and wisdom, understanding etc. 'by
which the whole world is established' (ch. xli. 3, cf. here). The Tora itself, either
celestial or as transmitted to Israel, is constituted by the letters in the mystical
sense. God's conferring His Names and 'Letters' on Metatron symbolize Meta-
tron's initiation in the celestial gnoseis thereby he is the Prince of Wisdom, the
;
guardian of the 'treasuries of Wisdom' (vs. 2). This view is supported by the
following passage in Alph. R. 'Aqiba, BH. iii. 26: "God revealed to Moses on
Sinai all the (Divine) Names, both the names that are explicit, the names that are
graven upon the Crown of Kingship, the names graven upon the Throne of Glory,
the Names graven upon the Ring on his hand, the names that are standing like
fiery pillars round his chariots, the names that surround the Shekina as eagles of
the Merkaba, and the Names, by which are sealed heaven and earth, the sea and the
OHB 12
178 THE HEBREW BOOK OF ENOCH [CH.XLVIIl(D)
the dragons of the sea,and the creeping things of the deserts; and the
Tora and Wisdom and Knowledge and Thought and the Gnosis of things
above and the fear of heaven. Why dost thou reveal this to flesh and
blood?
A: FG:
Hast thou obtained autho- I answered them: Because the Holy One,
rityfrom MAQOM? And blessed be He, has given me authority,
again: Hast thou received And furthermore, I have obtained per-
permission? The Explicit mission from the high and exalted Throne,
Names went forth from be- from which all the Explicit Names go
fore me forth
with lightnings of fire and 32 flaming chashmallim.
(9) But they were not appeased, until the Holy One, blessed be He,
rebuked them and drove them away 33 zvith rebuke 33 from before him,
saying to them: "I delight in, and have set my love on, and have en-
trusted and committed unto Metatron, my Servant, alone, for he is One
3*
(unique) among all the children of heaven.
(10) And Metatron ^brought them out from his house of treasuries
35
36
and committed them to Moses, and Moses to Joshua, and Joshua to
the elders, and the elders to the prophets and the prophets to the men of
the Great Synagogue, and the men of the Great Synagogue to Ezra 37
and Ezra the Scribe to Hillel the elder, and Hillel the elder to R. Abbahu
and R. Abbahu to R. Zera, and R. Zera to the men of faith, and the
dry land. .the orders of the world and the orders of Creation. .Zebul, 'Araboth,
. .
"
and the Throne of Glory, the treasuries of life and the treasuries of blessings. . .
(Graetz: "the secret=Shi'ur Qoma\" see Introd.). (10) And Metatron brought
them out ... to heal all diseases etc. The verse may be additional here, since it as-
' '
signs to the mysteries primarily a practical, magical import, whereas the practical
interest in the mysteries is nowhere represented in the rest of the chapter nor the
whole of the present book. Besides it is not a direct continuation of vs. 9: it refers
to the transmitted lore as 'them', in the plural, vs. 9, speaking only of 'it', the
'secret'. The transmitted secrets are included in the revelations of oral Tora
from the treasuries on high to Moses, as in vss. 3 and 4. committed them to
Moses, and Moses to Joshua. The chain of tradition is modelled on the character-
istic pattern, attested in Pirqe Aboth, i. i (Moses received the Tora from Sinai,
and transmitted it to Joshua and Joshua to the elders etc.). A close parallel to the
present passage is found in Hek. Zot. Bodl. MICH. 9, fol. 68 b, already referred to
"
above, . .revealed. .the secrets. .to Moses, and Moses to Joshua and Joshua
. . .
to the elders, the elders to the prophets, the prophets to the chasidim, the chasidim
to those who feared the Name, and these to the men of the Great Synagogue,
and the men of the Great Synagogue to all Israel, and Israel made out of them the
Tora". For chains of secret tradition cf. also 2 En. xxxiii. 10, TB. Chag. 14 b, Yer.
Chag. 77 b, Zohar, i. 55 b, 58 b. to R. Abbahu and R. Abbahu to R. Zera.
CH.XLVIII(D)] NAMES OF METATRON ETC. 179
w
men of faith (committed them) to give warning and to heal by them all
diseases that rage in the world, as it is written (Ex. xv. 26): "If thou
wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord, thy God, and wilt do
that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to his commandments,
and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which
I have put upon the Egyptians : for I am the Lord, that healeth thee".
(Ended and finished. Praise be unto the Creator of the World.)
'
itself was used as a magical formula ace. to the denouncement of those who recite
'
Ex. xv. 26 with a view to healing attributed to R. Aqiba (recorded in Ab. R. Nathan,
xxxix). Naturally the verse was also used to supply efficacious names (through
permutations of the letters, acrostics etc.) for the same practical purpose. Cf. Tos.
Sabb. 7, 'Ab. Zara, 67 b, Mishna Sanhedrin, xi. i, Tos it, xii. 10, Gem it, 101 a;
TB. Sheb. 15 b. For the ' secrets committed to Moses containing ' n&OEH
'
HIT cf.
A: FG:
Hast thou obtained autho- I answered them: Because the Holy One,
rityfrom MAQOM? And blessed be He, has given me authority,
again: Hast thou received And furthermore, I have obtained per-
permission? The Explicit mission from the high and exalted Throne,
Names went forth from be- from which all the Explicit Names go
fore me forth
with lightnings offire and 32 flaming chashmallim.
(9) But they were not appeased, until the Holy One, blessed be He,
rebuked them and drove them away 33 zvith rebuke 33 from before him,
saying to them: "I delight in, and have set my love on, and have en-
trusted and committed unto Metatron, my Servant, alone, for he is One
3*
(unique) among all the children of heaven.
(10) And Metatron ^brought them out from his house of treasuries
35
36
and committed them to Moses, and Moses to Joshua, and Joshua to
the elders, and the elders to the prophets and the prophets to the men of
the Great Synagogue, and the men of the Great Synagogue to Ezra 37
and Ezra the Scribe to Hillel the elder, and Hillel the elder to R. Abbahu
and R. Abbahu to R. Zera, and R. Zera to the men of faith, and the
dry land. .the orders of the world and the orders of Creation. .Zebul, 'Araboth,
. .
"
and the Throne of Glory, the treasuries of life and the treasuries of blessings. . .
(Graetz: "the secret=Shi'ur Qomal" see Introd.). (10) And Metatron brought
them out ... to heal all diseases etc. The verse may be additional here, since it as-
' '
signs to the mysteries primarily a practical, magical import, whereas the practical
interest in the mysteries is nowhere represented in the rest of the chapter nor the
whole of the present book. Besides it is not a direct continuation of vs. 9 it refers :
to the transmitted lore as 'them', in the plural, vs. 9, speaking only of 'it', the
'secret'. The transmitted secrets are included in the revelations of oral Tora
from the treasuries on high to Moses, as in vss. 3 and 4. committed them to
Moses, and Moses to Joshua. The chain of tradition is modelled on the character-
istic pattern, attested in Pirqe Aboth, i. i (Moses received the Tora from Sinai,
and transmitted it to Joshua and Joshua to the elders etc.). A close parallel to the
present passage is found in Hek. Zof. Bodl. MICH. 9, fol. 68 b, already referred to
"
above, . .revealed. .the secrets. .to Moses, and Moses to Joshua and Joshua
. . .
to the elders, the elders to the prophets, the prophets to the chasidim, the chasidim
to those who feared the Name, and these to the men of the Great Synagogue,
and the men of the Great Synagogue to all Israel, and Israel made out of them the
Tora". For chains of secret tradition cf. also 2 En. xxxiii, 10, TB. Chag. 14 b, Yer.
Chtig. 77 b, Zohur, i. 55 b, 58 b. to R. Abbahu and R. Abbahu to R. Zera.
CH.XLVIII(D)] NAMES OF METATRON ETC. 179
men of faith M (committed them) to give warning and to heal by them all
diseases that rage in the world, as it is written (Ex. xv. 26): "If thou
wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord, thy God, and wilt do
that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to his commandments,
and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which
I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord, that healeth thee" .
'
itself was used as a magical formula ace. to the denouncement of those who recite
'
Ex. xv. 26 with a view to healing attributed to R. Aqiba (recorded in Ab. R. Nathan,
xxxix). Naturally the verse was also used to supply efficacious names (through
permutations of the letters, acrostics etc.) for the same practical purpose. Cf. Tos.
Sabb. 7, 'Ab. Zara, 67 b, Mishna Sanhedrin, xi. i, Tos it, xii. 10, Gem it, 101 a;
TB. Sheb. 15 b. For the ' secrets committed to Moses containing ' flfcOS*! nil' cf.
'
Abbahu,R. 48 D
10 3 1. 2 1' 2 8 2 3
Kingdoms io I4 I6 17 i8
10 3
3o 48 C (seventy princes) 48 D ;
2 9 5
Abraham 44' 45
abundance 25 B 3 of the Merkaba. I 7 22 10 ; of the
2 1
academy 45 ; celestial academy, see seven heavens i7 ff.
'
colleges
'
The eight great princes io3
accuse 4 ;
see also 6
bring charges
'
The four great princes, of the camps
4 5
against
'
viShekina i8 .
; ('/n'and Qad-
2
Accuser, Accusers (angelic) I4 dishiii)28 ; great princes ap-
Acker (Elzska ben AbuyaK) i6 2 4 pointed over the books of the
~
Adam, the first Adam 5 > 10 4S 3 48 C
X 1 23 25
living and the dead i8 great ;
I7 s_ I 8i-23 I9 20 22 i, 11,
is
25
i i i
Ditbbiel 26 12
208,12 27 1 3 g3 ^2,10 48 C4 8 48 D U '
Gabriel I44 I7 1 ' 3
10 4
Prince of Israel (Mikaef) 44 ; (the) Galgalliel 14" i7
Kings 480"; (the) host 17"; Gallisur i8 1H . 17
MAQOM 4 9
2
44 ; the Presence (Me- Gebtirathiel i8 13 >"
tatron) I
1
3 15 B
2 4 6
48 C 48 D
7 6
Hamon i8 7 8
x 1
5 -42 44 ; Tora (the Law) 48 D ;
4
a
Kembiel 22 1 ' 11 ' 16
Understanding io5 48D6 Wisdom ; Kokbiel I44 \f
io 48 D 1 no. 105 48 D 6 (the) World
5
;
Lailiel I44
2 3
3o 3 8 Matariel I44
Princes i v > 10 41 io3 I41 15 B 1 I7 1 Mi'kael i7 1 3 44 10
i8 2 > 3 4 5 22 > 23 > 24 igi.e 22 i0 22 B 7 Na'aririel i8 10 n
1 1 1 2 3 2 9 5 1* 6
27 28 30 35 48 B , 48 C
'
of ; 'Ophanniel 14* I7 25
the army (the chieftains of the Pachriel \^(A}
angels chanting the Trisagion or Pazriel \f(A)
2-2
20 INDEX AND VOCABULARY
2
Angel, Angels (contd.} :
dread, Lords of (angels) 22 B
Rd'amiel I44 eagles of the Merkaba 2
1
3 1
anger, troops of 7 ; angel of I4 Mighty ones 4
' S 6 2 10 14 1
armies, see camps below
'
6 1 3 2 5
47 48 c (K] 48 D
4 1 3 7
camps of Shekina i i8 37 (4o ) 39 40% ,
Chayyoth i
12
6 2 I5B1 ig5 7 2o2 2I 1 . His (God's) 'Ophannim 22 B 8 ;
22 1 3 22 B 8 22 C2 6 2415 26 11 29 2
' '
chariots of 2418 ; crowns of 25 7
3 4 1 a 2 2 4 ~
wheels of 22 C7 Prince of 2^ 1 &
;
33 '
34 39 48 B 48 C Holy '
; ;
12 2 1 5 7
Chayyoth i 6 I5B ig 2O2 .
parties of angels, see camps above ' '
1 3 8 2 5 15 11 2 1
2I 22]
22 B 22 C
'
24 2& 29 '
peace, angels of 33
3 4 1 2 2 2 4 2
33 34 39 48 B 48 C
' four 2I 1 '
; ; Presence, angel of the 3 ; see above,
chariots of 24 15 Chayyoth by the ;
'Prince of the Presence'
1 4 5 > 8 -10
Merkaba 48 B 2 48 C 2 prince of 21 ;
4
Qpddishin 22 c 2S *
death, angel of 48 D
5
26 a-io, 12 27 i 29 2 33 3 39 a 48 Ai 48 c i .
2 1 7 8 4 3
destruction, angels of 3i 33 44* flaming I 26 48 c ; glorious 33 ;
INDEX AND VOCABULARY 21
1
of consuming fire 1 1 1 Prince of Barad 34
" ;
7
servants of the princes of kingdoms Bareqeth (carbuncle) 25
I7
8
ministering servants 47 '
;
1 3
base v. (a name upon another) 3 2 see ;
3 2 3 5
'
Gedudiiri1 (the Merkaba), 5 ii 14!. i6 2
vehemence, angels of 7 258,
4
i6u 29 2 32 2 4I 1 42 2 ' 6 7 47 4
1 2' 3 9
48 A
1 5
For other classes of angels see 19 -
48 C ; 28 qu. 33 qu.
2 5
Anger 7 22 ; troops of 7 35 qu-
8 1
animals 4* ; see ' beast, beasts '
beloved i
(Ishmael), 4 (Metatron),
'Aniyel i6
6
i6 i8 22 ig 1 23 18 qu. 261 28 1 44"
5
1
^Aphaphiel (name of Metatron) 48 D
2 9 1
Beth Din, the Celestial 27 28 3O
bird 44 447
'
no. 19
*Aphphiel (name of Metatron) 48 D1 black, grow black 22 B
7
no. 5 blameless i8 23 I9 1
12
7 3
appearance i s lo
1 5 25
I4 18 22 22 B
6
bless 91
7 4 2 9 6
25 26 352 4o 44 48 A 48 c
8
blessed (i) see 'Holy One, the, Blessed
appoint over (see also 'set over') io6 be He'; (2) the response in the
3 1 3
I7 48c Qedushsha, see
'
Trisagion
'
and
1 * 3 . 4 , 5 , 6 ,* ' 1
body I5 i8 22 ' 26
3 6
28 10 44 5 47 1
6
see 'heaven, heavens' 48 C
14 15 19 24
'Araphiel i8 -
books 18
qu., 1 8 (books of the dead
3 6 7 8 9 10
arm/. 352 48 A (qu.)
. . . . '
and books of the living), 27 1 22 '
armies of angels, see 'Angel, Angels, (books of judgement and the book
camps of' armies of vehemence
;
of records), 28 7 (books of the living
8 6 114
7; i? i9 22 , prince of the
S and books of the dead), 3o 2 (the
3 2
army 35 ; fiery9 armies 39 book in which are recorded all
art (of sorceries) 5 the doings of the world), 32 1 (book
10
l
Asah 48 c of fire and flame), 3S 4 qu., 449 (the
1 7 14 2 2 7
ascend i 4 5 6 15 B 44 books of records, esp. of evil
12
ascension of Moses 15 B 2 doings), 48 c (books of Tora)
ascent 22 c1 born of woman 2 2 6 2 48 D 8
Ashruylu i89
15 >
16
bow 2 1 4 (the bow in the cloud), 22 5
10 4 6 7 s
'Atrugiel i8 > (bow of Shekina), 22 C > > 33
attend 5 8 7 8 1 is 1 2$ 5 branch s. 28 9 qu.
attendance 35 4 bridge s. 22 B
1 3 *
22 C 1 --
(attributes, qualities) 8X 2
brightness 25 > 22B 6 5 7
1
authority I6 i8
24
48D )J
brilliance 8 2 9 5 io 1 i2 2 i8 18 22 4 . 12 . 13
'Azbuga i8
22
22 B 6 25 7 26 2 ' 7 28 2 29 2 48 C4 ' 6
3 10
bring v. 2$ qu. 48 A , bring back
2 6 10
48 B , bring charges against 4 5 ,
2-3
22 INDEX AND VOCABULARY
8
Brooding Wind 23*
22
cloak I7 (royal), i8 (of life),
burn v. i$ z 15 E z i8 26 25 3 2612 342 (of the Divine manifestation on
3 1 2
40 qu. 47 '
the Judgement Throne), 36 2 (of
burning 5
1
1
22 3 9 14
22 C4 25 3 2612 34X 2
.
7
chashmal), 48 c (of Metatron)
clothe I2 1 I7 8 i8 22 25 39 2 43 3 qu. 48 C 4
7
clothing j. 4&C
3 4
2 1 10
io3 12 5 17 i8 18 19 20 ' 21 ' 24 4 6 4
cloud, clouds I9 (four), ig 2i (bow
2
20 2 22 11 25 5 7 268 > 12 27 3 2810
>
in the), 22 1S (He that inhabiteth
2 3' 4
the), 22 c (of compassion), 24
7 14
camps of angels, see 'Angels, camps of (chariots of), 24 qu., 24 (chariots
3 X> 2
camps of fire, see ib. of), 33 (of fire and flames), 34
-
2
camps of Shekina, see ib. 2
(of burning coals), 37
7 1
(bright
captains of fear (angels) 22 B clouds), 42 48 B
15
carbuncle stone 25 7 colleges, celestial i8 ; see 'session'
2
case, Case of Writings 27 ; case in command io5 2*2 C5 48 C 9 48 D4 qu.
8 9
judgement 328 >
commandment 45 6 qu. 48 D 10 qu.
cast down -z/.
44 ;
cast forth 22 9 commission i6 5
8
cattle 4* 48 D commotion 35 5 6
4
Celestial Court I61 ; see also
'
Beth commotion, angel of I4
Dm' companies of angels, see 'Angels, camps-
1 '
Celestial heights 42 of angels
Celestial Princes 28 1 2
compassion, clouds of 22 c (compassion.
18 l 7
chamber, chambers i8 (of Araboth), 44 )
22 c7 (chambers of chambers), 22 c2 confounded in deeds 4 3
1
(of lightnings), 34 (of the whirl- confusion of tongues 45 3
2 1 8 3 4
wind), 37 (of the tempest), 38 (of constellations 5 13*, i4 (angels of) r .
4 2 6 1 1
Makon), 4 1 (of Araboth), 42 qu., I7 38 48
3 2
43 (chamber of creation), 47 (of consuming fire 21 6 2 (ministers of), ,
angels), 26 7 >
29 (the Fearful
chief 26 1 45 2 see also head
;
' '
K
Crown, ether Nora), yf 4o 48 B
4
2 1
,
,,
darkness, rivers of 22 c
2
22 2 22 B 8 28 9 4I 1 44 7 48 A4 qu. 5
6 8
David 45 5 48A10 10
48A qu. 48 D '
3 4 4
day, angel of the I4 > earthly 48 C
10 1 1 4 2
day, days 4' (of the Flood), 4 7 5 earthquake I3 I4 (angel of), I5 ,
17
s
18
24 25 1
23 qu. 24" 2 5
2 5
26 8 9 > ia >
3 5 9 6
I9 ' 22 23 (wind of), 37 42
s 1 7
,
*
3
28 7 ' 10 3o2 44 7 4S 5 48 A1 3 48 c12 east i7 5 6 i8 25 2i 1 ' 4 23 2 qu. 26
-
1
48 D
3 4 '
"Ebed (Servant, name of Metatron) i 4
dead i8 24 (books of the), 28' (books of io3 48 C1 48 D 1 no. 17 48 D 9
12
the), 48 c Eden 5 1 . 6 23 18 48D 8
deafness, fire of 15 B 1 Egyptians 48 B qu.
10
48 c
9 > 10 u Eight Great Princes io
3
3 3
deed, deeds 4 6 44
5
'El Shadday Rabba (Divine Name) 42 5
2 4 10
deep s. ii 3 elder, elders 45 > 48D
degalim (divisions of angels) 19 Elect One 63 (of Enoch), 4410 (ot
deliver 4* 27 2 44'. 8 > 10 48 A6 > 8 48 C11 Isaac)
deliverance 48 A5 Elemental angels I43
1
deluge, see 'flood' *Elgabish (a celestial matter) 34
4 4
demons 5 Eli I5
depth n 33
1 2 3 4
Elim (angels) I4
1
diadem I61 ,
22 7 (royal), 22 11 480'; enter i 1 .?. 6 2 2 48 5 s :8 19 22 B 1 3i 2 46 3
9
entrust i8 19 48D
' '
see crown
11
Dibbur i (gates of), I5B see 'Word' 1
; 'Er'ellim I41 39 2
Dibburiek (name of Metatron) 48 D 1 Esh 'Okhelah (Divine Name) 42 3
:
everlasting 42
Divine Majesty I5B1 28 9 1 '
demons '
45 ;
see evil spirits, see ; evil wind
MAQOM 3
23
8
9 1 11
Divine Powers (ReshuyyotK) :6 execute 28 7 32 48 c >
1
Divine Voice i64 expel 5
Explicit Name 22 ;see Names, Divine'
2 8 6 5 c
divisions I5 IQ (of angels), 22 B (of
1 B
Explicit Names
12
flaming fire), 48 C 39 , 48 D (on the
Merkaba), 48 D ; see Names, Di-
z 1
do the Holy One
1
will of the $ 22
domestic animals 44 vine'
19
dominion 48 C 9 expound i82 7 4 4 8
door i 2 (of the Seventh Hall), io2 16* eye, eyes i
8 12 5 a
4 9 i6 i8 22
25
. . . .
4 8
48 c '
22 B 7 2418 qu. 25 2 3 6 7 26 6 11 35 2 ' ' ' '
3 4 4 2 10 10
qu. 48 C 48 D
6 6
doorkeepers i8 >
4S 47 48 A -
downfall 44 8 eye-balls 1
5
1
dragon 48 D
8 4 4 6
eye-brow 22 26 48 C
dread s. i6 2 22 B 3 (Lords of, i.e. angels),
, eye-lids I5
1
10
dwelling s. 25* 28* 22 B 5 . 6 7
2 2' 3
26 9 3I
1'
12 2 6
dwelling-place 22 42 48 c
faith 6 3 48 D 10 (men of faith)
,
1 2
Eagle, eagles 2 (of the Merkaba), fast s. I5B
11 3 1 5
24 2<5 39 44 fast v. 1 5 B2
earth 42 qu. 5 12 13 I31 I7 8 i8 18 qu. 2O1 father 4 9 is 2 48c
7
INDEX AND VOCABULARY
fear s.8 1 (fear of heaven), i6 2 ig 6 22 2, garment I2
1
, I7
8
(of kingship), i8
22
46 48 B 48 D (fear of heaven)
3
gate, gates i (of Shekina\ 5 (of the
fear v. I41 . 2 . 3 15 B 5 i6 2 22 c 5 3i 2 32 2 Garden of Eden), i8 25 22 B 8 381
3
i8 21 '
23 4
38 ,/r 47
fellowship 48 A
7
Geburah (Divine Majesty) 28 3
14
female s. 35 Geburathiel i8 13 >
1 2 6
fiery 6 7 i5 19* (four fiery rivers),
,
Gedudim (class of angels) ig 22C 7 ;
22 9 13 25 3 264 2 i
firebrand 15 (glories of Araboth\ 2O (Divine),
35
6 22 12 22 13 (horns of), 22 15 16 22 B 5
,
'
,
7 1 25 '
flaming i (Seraphim), I3 (style), i8 crown of glory', 'Throne of Glory'
Glory of all heavens = Metatron I3
22 B 6 22 c6 291 37 2 391 2 4 6 2 1
' 14 42 46
4 8 1 1 1
48 c 48 D
1 1
I5 I6 I7 i8 24
8
flesh is^Sc^SD gnosis 48 D8
flood 4
3 4 7
'
3
45 (generation of
'
, the), God 43 5
14
qu.
5
qu. 15 B , 22 B >
I5B
2 4 3
1
48 c ; see 'deluge' (God of 22 B B 23 1 qu. 23 13
Israel),
6 12 17 > 19 3 3
foundation 22 2 38* qu. 24 qu. 42 qu. 46 qu.
>
10
four camps of Shekina 37 1 4O3 , 48 A qu. 48 C 1
qu. 48 D 7 ' 10
; see
Holy One, the, Blessed be He
' '
four chariots of Shekina 37*
4> 5 5
four great princes i8 Gog 4S
1 1 6
four rows of angels 362 grace 8 lo 48 A
friend I 8 (God's, of R. Ishmael) grave s. 44?
5 1 4 1 6
48 D
8 5
friendship, streams of 22 B graven prt. 22 39 4i 45 '
4
48 D
1 7
chariots of the Galgallim 2416
8
of), 22 C (angels of), 42
.
4 2. 6 2 2 4 7 1 3 1 19 25 22 3 22 c 7 4
qu. 4i 42 43 44 >
46 ' height 4' I4 17" i8 25
47
3
48A1 2' 4' 5
C3 '
9
D2 264 10 27 2 28 6 35 1 2 42 1 48 C4 5 9 ' ' >
6 > 10
head (chief, chieftain, leader) 5
11,12 2 3 48,4,5,6,8 jl, 5, 8, 10,13 61,3 y
4
81,2 g l IQ1 jjl I2 1 I3 1 I41 I5 1 I5B
2 2
45 ;
heads of the councils 45 ;
head (of the row of angels chant- I61 ' 5 I7 6 I8 20 24 22 B 6 241 25 4 2612
'
3 1 1
ing the Trisagiori) 3 5 ;
four heads 272,3 232,4,5,6-8 2 gi 301.331! 32 33
1 3> 4 2 7 8 10
of the fiery river i8 19 5 3
3^1, 3 8 391 40 43
2 3
44 > ' > >
2. 3' 4 5' 6 8 9 1
48 D
10 1. 5
heal z/. 45 46 48A 48 B
4 9
hear i5B 3 (Shetna?), ig
7
24 qu.
1 4
42 Holy Ones 22 c see 'Angels, 'Irin ;
heart 13
i5B 35
i n1 2
and Qaddishin\ and Qaddishin ' '
3
heaven, heavens i 4
1 *
3* 6' 8
5
a 8> u 63 holy prince 22
1
3 1 18
7 io I3 i6 I7 i8
1 3
22 3 24" qu. holy Temple 48 A
1
2 3 4
264,5,io 3 6 2 38 1 4I 1 42 44' 46 >
hoofs of the Chayyoth 341
48 A 48
1
D 6 high heavens 5 14 & z
, ; Horeb 48 D 4 qu.
io6 i8 24 48c a D 5 every heaven ; horn 5 14 22 7 (of Majesty), 22 13
, (of
1
io 3 I4 48 B c D
2 3 7 2
seven heavens ; glory), 29 (of splendour)
4 > 10
I2 4 I7
2
iS 1 2 . 25 22 3 26 955 .
; horsemen i7 8, i9 6 (a class of angels)
heavens 48 A1 Raqia!" (synony- .
hosts, see 'Angels, camps of; hosts
7 2 5 25 2 1
mously with 'heavens') 4 5 i8 of flames 34 35
44
7
see below second heaven
;
'
'. hour i
3 , 10 ." 2 1 3 1 4 6 8 2 3o a 35 5 48 A8
12
First heaven, Wilon-Shamayim 48 C
3 see 5
I7 , 33 (Shamayim)-, second household, heavenly; see 'Angels,
3 4 7 8
heaven, Raqia!- 17 22 B4 2610 . . .
heavenly household'; household
2 5 1 1 1' 3
32 33 38 4I 46 Raqict- ; of God I2 5 household on high ;
4 3 1
Shamayim 22 B 46 see 3iS 5 third , ; I6 1
1 12
heaven, Shechaqim I7 33 38 , hymn i 22 B2
see iS 1 ; fourth heaven, Zebul I7 3
6 1
33 see iS,
fifth heaven, Mcfon ; idol, idols57,8,10,1253
3 1
5 1
I7 33 3& see iS sixth heaven,
, ; idol worshippers 5 6 > 10
Makon I7 38 1 see iS 1 seventh
3
, ; image 264 i
7
l 12 5
heaven, Araboth (^ArabothRaqia\ iniquity 26 44
Raqia
l
Araboth} 5
U 14 7 io6 I24
1
innumerable 15 B 2 26 6
1 1 2 3 6 18 3 7 2 6 7 8
I4 I7 IS ' ' ' * I9 22 22B ' ' instruct -z/. io 5
22 c 4 2413 25 7 27 a 28 9 301 33 5 35 1 instruction I3 2 48 C12
1 1 1 a 1 4 7
36 38 4I 42 48 B C chariots ; intelligence 48 c (1C)
of 'Araboth 2413 ; paths of ''Ara- intercessor 48 A5 48 A 6 qu.
8
intermediate (Benoniyyini) 44X 3 6
1
both Raqia 22 B ; treasuries of the >
6 3
palaces of 'Araboth io angels of ; interpret 43
each of the seven heavens I41 I7 2 interpreter 45
4
1 3
kingship 4 (Metatron), I2 (crown of),
7 10 3
Jacob 44 45 I&1 17 8 (cloaks of), I7 8 (crowns
,
7 ' 8 s
Jah 1
5 qu. ; see
'
Yah of), 7 (garments of); 1 8 (crown
1
2 1 2> 3 25 7
Jared 4 48 C (AT) 48 C of), i8 (crown of), 22 (diadem
5 7 25
jealousy 23 of), 48 c (crown of), i8 (gar-
3 10
Jerusalem 48 A ' ments of)
3 5
Joseph 45 know 1 1 2 i8 22 24" 2612 45 6 qu. 48 C9 qu.
4 10
Joshua 45 48D Knower of Secrets (of Metatron) 48 c7
4 8 3 3 10 9 3
joy I 22 B (rivers of) ; 38 qu. 48 A
, knowledge 4
3 2 1
qu. 8 23 4i 48 B 48 c9
48c 12 qu. 48 D
8
Judah 45*
2 *
judge s. 28* 45 Kokbiel I44 I7 7
judges. i6 1
26 12
28 7 48c8
19 21 12 7 3 10
judgement i8 qu. 24 26 28 . . Lailiel 14*
2 1 2 1 1 4 9 9
30 qu. 3I 32 33 35 qu. 48c '
language 48 c
4
48 D qu. lashes of fire i6 5 2O2 28 10
Celestial Beth Din, vide sub voce Law (see
l
Tora), 48 D 5
18 8
'Angels, Princes of Kingdoms' 23 48 D
1 5 6 9 23 . 24
justice 3 1 48 A '
48 c Lifegiver iS
Light, see also 'Greater Light' and
Kabod, see 'Glory' 'Lesser Light'; 9* (the great
keepers of the doors of the heavenly luminary), g
5
id1 I2 1 3 14* if 1 '
lighten v. 42
1' 2 3 4
Kerubiel 22 1 11 16 * '
lightning I3 , I4 (angel of), is
1
2 2 4 1 6
King (appellation of the Holy One) 32 1,2,3 35 3? 3 g2 42 1, 48 B C
jS.io 3
2 i5
JQ^ 22 (king of kings), Lion 1 5 B 2
11
22 16 (High King), 22 B 6 (the King
5
literally 24
3
of Glory), 22 B 7 25 4 (King of ,
littlefinger 4O 47 (of ,
1
God)
8
kings), 26 29* (the high and ex- ,
live?/. i8 22 28 10 qu.
10
alted King), 35 6 45 6 48 A , 48 D
5
living beings
1
n
3
(the King of the kings of kings) Living (God) I5B
INDEX AND VOCABULARY
books of the i8 24 a8 3
living, merciful 22 12
Lord (God) i 3 4' 5 10 14 15 B 3 22 B 8 >
mercy 8 1* 2
ro1 I3 1 15 B 2 22 12 3I 1
33 '
2 1
23 qu. qu.
2
24
6
32 qu.
u 5 7 8 > 21 23 1
44
3
48 A
8
angels of mercy 33* ;
;
5 5 3 10
33 q u 35 qu. 42 qu. 44'' 45' qu.
- the D i vine Attribute of
Mercy 3 1 *>
2
4 3 6 10 10
qu. 48c qu. D qu.
1 9
47 qu. 48A '
Mercy-Seat 24
1 3 20 8
lordly I9 25
1
merit i (of Aaron), 1 8 17 > 48 A
2. 4
lords of dread (angels) 22 B 2 3 Merkaba, Merkabah i
1' 8' 7
2 1. 62 7
lot 48 D
s.
5
I5
1
B 2 i6 2 ig 1 2 22 10 22 c 2 4i 2
15
.
of), 48 D
9
kaba 2 1 "He who sitteth on the
;
1 1
love v. I2 I3 Merkabah" iSB 2 Galgalltm-of ;
2
47 Prince of the', "Ebed\ 'Na'ar ,
3
Makon (the sixth heaven) I7 38 ; see 'World, Prince of the', 'Lesser
'heavens, sixth heaven' YHWH\ 'Ruler'; see atso' Enoch'
MaFaki 46 (^) middle 2i 3
male 35 midst 43 5 13 6 1 22 B 4 6 23" 4o3 42^ 4 5 6 7 > > .
1
Mamlakhethi 4 s (Z-) 47 48 C
5
1' 3 10 3 2 2 25
man 4", 5 first), 5 6 II 24"
(the
16 8
might 8 i8 22 26 4S 48 A B qu.
2 9 1
2 5 24 10 1 11
31 (men of might), 45
44 , 45 mighty I 4 (Mighty Ones), 5
,
4 5 6 8
(men of reputation), 48 A qu. >
I8 2o,2i,23 I9 6 (Mighty Ones), ig 1
5
48 B C
1 8 1' u
48 D (son of man), ,
201 22 1 22 B 5 25 4 261 39 2 48 B 2
1
Migon (name of Metatron) 48 D no. 29
10
48 D (men of the Great Syna-
10
gogue), 48 D (men of faith) Mtkael I7 1 3 4410 (prince of Israel)
'
,
D8
ministering angels, see 'Angels, Minis-
48 A
2 - ' - - >
44 45 46 47 '
tering angels'
Margeziel (name of Metatron) 48 D
1
ministers of the consuming fire (angels)
no. 6 62
10 2 1 4
47 48 D no. 102; see Lord'
(
master 5 Mirjam 45
and 'Universe' Mitmon (name of Metatron) 48 D1
Matariel I44 no. 46
4 7 10
measure s. 22 C2 >
26 7 >
33
3
Mitton (name of Metatron) 48 D1
Mekhapperyah (name of Metatron) no. 30
48 D 1 no. 93 moon 5 8 I3 2 I4 3 ,
>
4
(angel of the), I7
5 6
38 qu.;
Merciful One, the 43 see 'planets'
28 INDEX AND VOCABULARY
Moses 2
15 B (Ascension of) I5B 45
5 3
Nehar di-Nur (the fiery river) i8 19 . 21
3 4 ' 7 ' 10
48A 3 qu. 48 D
5 6 7
18 5 6
music, musick 22 B
8
24 25 26" 33 3 39 2 48 A 1 C 4
'
;
1 a 1
mystery, mysteries 1 1 (of the Tora, '
flaming 2 ; burning 7; honoured
22
'wonderful'), i8 (mystery of the 2611 .mighty 39a majestic 48 c4
; ; ;
22 1 22 C 3 25 1 26 8 27 1 28 1 2Q1 39a 1
(of the Kerubim), 38 (orders of
3 3
McSon, orders of Raqtcf], 4o 46
Divine Name of the Holy
Names : Orion 41 x
One 2 3 41 5 11 io8 5 I2 B qu. I97 qu. Ose Shalom (Divine Name) 42 7
l
'
s 3 1
22 22 C 29 301 48 A8 B 2 D 1 ; the overseer 45 2
abode of God's glorious Name
5
U ; Names of the Holy One Pa'aziel (name of Metatron) 48 D1
15 B
4 5 2 3 4 > 5 > 6> 7 9
42 48 C ; the Ex-
> no. 8
plicit Name (Shem ha-mMephor- Pachriel (an archangel) I7 1 (A)
6
asfi) Names 39
22 5 ; the Explicit 1
palace 7, io (of Araboth), 48 c
8
5 8 2 19 25
48 D Explicit Names on the 22 B 1 22 c 1 2 3
7
5 6 if iS
' ' ' '
; parasang
3 4
Merkaba 48 D Explicit Names 48c5 7
5 ' '
; 33
on the Throne of Glory 391 48 D 8 ;
Parashim (horsemen, a class of angels)
6
seventy-two Names 48 B
1 2 1
see B '
; I9
(K} (written on the Heart of Patriarch 44 7
MAQOM, going forth from the Pazriel I7 3 (A) (archangel, prince of
Throne of Glory) seventy-two ; the first heaven)
1 3 5 u 8 1
Names, enumerated 48 B (K} ; peace I (gates of), 26 33 (angels
' >
,
seventy Names 48 D
5
of), 42'
Divine Names, see Ge- 1
MA QOM\ ' 3
12
people 2 (God's), 2 i8 qu. 26 45
s 4 7
ther 'Akatriel Yah Yehod Sebaoth* Perfect Law (the mysteries of) n 1 ;
4 8
(15 B ) and the enumerations, see Ps. ig
2~ 7
42 (YAH >EHYE 'ASHER perfection 6
3
4. 5 6 8 9 10 5
48 D Pisqon (name of Metatron) 48 D
10 1
44', 45 48 A '
2
necessity 4i ; see 'need' no. 48
1 1 7
need s. I3 is ; see 'necessity' pity s. 44
INDEX AND VOCABULARY 29
15
22 12,13, 22 B 2 25 5 26 2, 8 28 (myriads of camps, arranged in
6 2 2 10
45 47 48 A 48 B 48 D four shuroth, presided over by the
3
15
praise v. 22 28 46 48 A
3 3
four princes of the army), 35 4 (as
3 2 4 3. 5. 6
pray 1 1 5 B 44' 48 A ' in 34 2 ), 35 5 (transformation of the
a 2 4 9 ' 1 2
prayer i 1 5 B > 44' 48 c angels chanting the Holy '), 36 '
Presence 48 io4 I2 5 i8 20 443 48 C12 ;
1 1 2
(their purification), 38 39 * (the ,
see 'Angels, Prince of the Presence'; higher angelic orders chanting the
~4 ~4
Divine Presence 4* io4 i8 20 443 'Blessed'), 4o ,47
1 1
(the reward
12
48 C Prince of the Presence, see
;
or punishment meted out to the
3 2 12
'Angels, Prince of the Presence angels of the Qedushsha), 2o 22
preside v. 16* i8 26
16 8
22 B 8 25 s 26 8 27 3
2 1* 2
president of academy 45 qualities, abstract, attributes, 8
priest 48 A7 qu.
3 3
priesthood, crown of I 2 Ra'amiel (the Prince appointed over
4
Prince(s), (i) Angelic, see 'Angels, the thunder) i4
2 4
Prince(s)'; (2) 45 . , 26" (Prince Ra^ashiel (the Prince appointed over
of Peace; the earthquake) i44
proper way (of chanting the Qedushsha) radiance g 5 22 12 22 B 6 22 C6 264 5 > 7
1 1
40 48 B
4
prophet 45 48 D ; 'The Prophets'
10
radiant i 7 5 3 22 c 6 48 c4
3 4
(Nebi'im, part of the O.T.)48D > Radweriel (the keeper of the Book
6
proud, the proud 28 48 C
9
of Records) 27^ 3
3
prudence 41 Rahatiel (the angel-prince appointed
12
psalm i over the constellations) 14* 17
3 3
punish 44 (the wicked in the fire
v. 46
3
of Gehenna) rank s. 4o
18 7 1
kiel}
3
pursuer of peace (Aaron) I Razrazyah (name of Metatron) 48 D 1
putrefy (putrefying drop) 48 D8 no. 68
recital, recitation of the Qedushsha io 6
Qaddishin (Holy Ones), see 'Angels, 2 73
2
Qaddishin', "Irin and Qaddishin '; record, records, book of 27 see ;
4 1 4 5 9 10
'Holy Ones' 22 C oS . . * '
'judgement, books of and 'books'
Qafsiel (one of the Watchers of the record v. i8 17 3O 2
3
Halls) i redeem 48 A8
Qaspiel (one of the Watchers of the reflection 28 2 48 D 5 (the names of
,
3 10 2
right 4o (right order), 48 D qu. 27
8 2 l 12
right hand, right side 5 I5 i6 22* saraph (burn) 26
2 5 6 3 1 * 33 1 ' 3 48 A3 qu. Sasni^iel (angel-prince) iS
11 12
(Prince '
roar v. iq
5
352 38 42
2 X> 5
seat J. 22 C 3 (of the Throneof Glory), 25 5
roaring i5
2
seat v. io 2 301 48 c 4
robe (of Metatron) I2 2 Sebdim (a class of angels) I9 6
Rome, the prince of (Sammael) 2612 secret(s)
1
n
(of the Universe),
1 2
n '
1 7
rulership I6 Seraph I9 ;
see 'Angels, Seraphim'
run v. I7 8 ' 6 22 C5 24 15 33* 35* 36 1 Seraphiel (the Prince of the Seraphim)
26 8
Sagnesakiel (name of Metatron) 48 D2 ; Seraphim, see 'Angels, Seraphim"
1
' ' l
see Sasmgtel' Servant (i) Ebed\ i.e. Metatron, see
:
x 5- 7 8 10
salvation (day of, etc.) 48 A >
INDEX AND VOCABULARY 31
2
(2) Aaron, the servant of the Holy shepherd 45
One 2 3 see 48 D 4 qu. ; shield s, 22 6
(3) Metatron calls R. Ishmael My '
Shimshiel (angel of the day) I44
9 '
servant '
',
'
Names '
Song i
10 , 11 , 12
s
5 14
17 i8 196 22
12 13 . 15
Qedushsha Trisagiou ;
6 6
Shalgiel (angel of the snow) 14* 'the Song '(i.e. Qedushsha} I9 35
1 3
shallishim (chieftains, a class of angels) 36 38 Qedushsha and 'Blessed',
i
;
19* see
Qedushska'
Shamayim (name of the first heaven), Sopheriel H
Mechayyeh and Sopheriel
see
'
heavens
a
'
H
Memith (angel-princes set over
sharpen v. 32 (the sword of God) the books of the living and the
23 24
Shathqiel (archangel, prince of the dead) i8 >
1 3 9
fifth heaven) i; '
sorceries 5
20
sheath 32* S'other 'AsMel i8 19 .
3
Shechaqim (name of the third heaven), soul i6 2 43 3 48 A c
12
14 7 8 1 2
see 'heavens' sound 5 qu. ig 22 B 48 c '
6 ' 11 4 4 4 4 2
Shekina I 51,3,4,5,13,14 51,3 7 gi spark I4 (angel of), 2i 22 26 29
19 24
1 3
IS 15 B l8 ' 22 5 7 ' 13 22 B 7 2415 '
11 1 4. 5 2 5 1 2 4 1 18
(L); gates of i ; needs of is ; splendour s 8 9 lo I2 is i8
splendour of 5
4 5
22 7 13 22 B 7 28 2 >
;
2 1 4 22 4 > 7 > 13
26 2 > 4 ' 5 ' 7 '22B 6> 7 25
7 U
Throne of 7 wings of 7 ; 28 2 29 2 3i 2 32 1 44 3 48A1 9 48 C 4 6 ' ' '
7
;
Shema'- 1 5 B 3 staff.?. 3i 2 44 3
Ske'ol 44 2 3 '
stain s. 44 5
INDEX AND VOCABULARY
2 9 8 2 5 23 . 24 25 12
stands/, i 4 s i6 > i8 teach 5 9 i8 24 8 2 2
23" 26 4S 46 48 C
9
37
2 war s. 45 5
Tree of Life 5 1 23 1 48 D 8 ; tree 28 9 qu. Watchers of the doors of the Halls i8 3 > 4
4I
1
Watchers, 'frtn, see"Inn and 'Angels, 1
tribe 2 2 3 45 3
tribute 6 3 water 44 (of the Deluge), 23 1 qu. 13
qu.
1 2 1 2 7
12 7 8 34 42 . .
Trisagion (i) 'the Holy' i i8 22 B
268 27 3 3412 35*. 5 6 38 1 391 .
water z/. 42 2
20
4O
1 2 3 1
48 B (as a Divine Name),
' '
,
weighs. i8
6
48 B
2 West I7
25 2 ? -
(2) 'The Song' (i.e. the Qedushsha) wheel, wheels \$-(M} i8 i9 (^f),
1 3 3 22 B 3 . 4 (of fire), 22 c 7 (of the
198 358 36 38 (see 27 )
'
(3) the Blessed', the response of the 'Ophannim)) 24" 27 372
7
^(M\
Qedushsha I
12
34
1
35* 39
2
, 48s
1 (M) denotes 'wheels of the Mer-
(as a Divine Name), 48 B 2 kabd >
(a)
'
Blessed be the Glory of YHWH wheels of the Merkaba, see 'Merkaba'
and Galgallim ' '
1
Tutrisyah (name of Metatron) 48 D 11
no. 83 Wisdom i
(gates of), 8 YR)
1
(BDEL
8 2 io 5 (Prince of), io 5 (of heavenly
,
12 12 1 9 3
under the Throne I 48 c things), ii (secrets of), 23 41
1 2
understanding 8 * io5 (prince of), ,
9 3 1 9
23 4i 48B 48c D
6
wise 48 c 9
1 9 5 2
unique 48 C D witness 4 3 > 48 C D
7
unit 22 c 7 woman 2 2 6 2 48 D
8
7 5 1 1 2 4
of), 4 (Lord of), 9 io 1 1 (secrets , 35 4o (angels created out of
,
2 7 5 7 1 7 3 9 10
of), 2i 25 26 3 8 44 one word), 43 45" qu. 48 C qu.j ,
2
1 3
39 40 46* 47 work s. 42 a 45 4 5 6 47 4 48 A5 (v.\ A 8 (v.~)>
9 > 10
utterance 48c world 3 2 44 5 2 4 .8,7,i 6 3 9 2 3 io5 ii 3
>
l
Uzza (one of the three Fallen Watch- '
I2 15 B i8 18 19 22 . .
ers') 4
5
5
9
2 1 1 24 17 26 9 12 28 4 7 29 1 30 X 2 '
34 INDEX AND VOCABULARY
world (contd.}
1 2 2 3 2 7 10 1 4
YHWH, the Lesser (i.e. Metatron)
32 ' 38" 4i 42 44 45 ,s,6 I2 5 48 c7 48D1 no. 102
4 6 8 9 10 2 9 10
48 A - > > > 48 C > 48 D ; future yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven
world 45 j see 'time to come'; this 35
6
2
writings, case of 27 writing tables
,
on the Throne of Glory 18". 19 5
ia
(of accusation) 26 Zazriel (angel-prince) i8 12 13
2
wrong 47 Zebul(\hz fourth heaven), see 'heavens,
the fourth heaven'
6
Yad AI Kes Yah
1
5
;
2116 25 2
15 I/ 2
2 1 2190 25
16 25 39 2
2191 25
22 myriads 22 C 2 48 D5 (22 letters) 2
2
2196 25
24 myriads 22 B* C 2500 25
4
3 3 2 9
36 9 22 B 22 C 44 3000 i8 25
9 3 *
40 44 48 D >
5360 6 2 (Z)9 1
3
49 I2 5380 6(YK)
60 i65 7000 i8 19
5 2
68 i7 (>) 8466 25 .
1 14
70 jfi,? 'Names ',
9
29 48 C 48 D3 10000 5 22 1 34 2 ten thousand times,
IOO 2 3
4OOOO 22 C '
148 22 C 2 66000 33 3
3 3 5
248 2 1 33* 70000 33 48c
5
354 i? 300000 81
4 6
365 5 62 < i8 25 2i 3 339000 I7
4 2 1 3
33 496000 i7 35 4o
7
500 48 C (500 by 500) 506000 35
1
5 r
81 : 2 3 13 Ecclesiastes i 6 23" :
13
9 : 22 C 4 84 : 45
13
Exodus to :
23 Canticles 416 2318 :
21
I4 : 2 32 Isaiah 5 16 24 21 :
26 10
I5 48 D :
16 20 6
I7 : 24 42 62 : 22 B1
11
19*: 24 53. 356
9 2 fl
I9 ii :
23
D 1 HO. 2
i66
.
12 48 102 :
3l
10
24 :
24'
1 8 19'. 20 4
Leviticus i :
24 24 :
48 A
14 4
Numbers 5 :
23 26 4 :
42
89 9 12
7 :
24 28 9 :
48 C
ii 31 :
23* 33
3
: i8 7
2 3 29 1
Deuteronomy 4 *: 42 4o 48 B :
4
6 :
15 B3 46
4
4
6
:
io4 :
48 D
4
48
11
48 A
8
:
15 7 9 3
3i :
24 5i 48 A :
12 10 10 10
32 :
48 A 52 48 A :
41 2 11 10
32 :
32 55 48 c :
6 12 12 3
I Kings 19": 23 63 48 A :
22 19 K
i8 24 6616 32 1 :
II Chronicles i8 18 : i8 24 Jeremiah 3
14 22 > : i64
19
Job i :
23" io13 :
23"
1
2 1 14 :
4
3
I5 48 A :
7
O
r^ *7
12 22
*> A'J*
^j *
*f I7 : 24
7 3
38 :
38
Psalm 8 3 :
3o23 ;
(336)355
10 16
84 :
5 5 1 :
23"
10 23 4
IO 1 44 Lamentations 3 :
4O
24-
17
Ezekiel I 14 : 22 c 5 24"
:810 23
16
24
1 * 2 ' 17 io2 2416 :
46
3 io12 2418 :
5 14 12 1 7
47 S 24 48 c 371 :
23
19 35 18
478 24 48 24 :
68": 4 * 2o
i8. ^17
77
6
92 :
97
3
:
7
9
Hosea 6a
11
^ 28 10
99: 48 A 13
:
I04 24
3
:
14
Amos 4 :
23"
13 2 1 s
I04 42 :
9 :
24
18
I04
24
456 : Habakkuk 3*: i8
I44
19 24 : Zechariah 14": 48 AM
I47
4
: Malachi 44 48 D4 :