CHAPTER 76
And on the ends of the earth I saw for all the winds twelve portals opened, from which the winds come and blow over the earth.
2. Three of them are open on the face [i.e. the east] of the heavens, and three in the west, and three on the right [i.e. south] of heaven, and three on the left [i.e. north].
3. And the first three are those towards the east, and three towards the north, and three behind those which are on the left, towards the south, and three in the west.
4. Through four of these come winds of blessing and of peace, and through those eight come winds of injury: when they are sent they bring destruction to all the earth and to the water on it and to all those who dwell on it and to everything that is in the water and on the land.
5. And the first wind from these portals, which is called the eastern, comes forth from the first portal which is towards the east, inclining towards the south; out of it comes destruction, dryness and heat and death.
6. And through the second middle portal comes forth the right mixture; there come forth rain and fruitfulness and peace and dew. And through the third portal, which is towards the north, come forth coldness and dryness.
7. And after these the winds towards the south come forth through three portals; firstly through the first portal of them, which inclines towards the east, there comes forth the wind of heat.
8. And from the middle portal, which is beside that one, there come forth a sweet incense and dew and rain and peace and life.
9. And through the third portal, which is towards the west, there come forth dew and rain and grasshoppers and destruction.
10. And after these northerly winds from the seventh portal, which is towards the east, inclining to the south, there come forth dew and rain, grasshoppers and destruction.
11. And out of the middle portal direct there come forth rain and dew and life and peace, and through the third portal, which is towards the west, which inclines towards the north, there come forth fog and hoar-frost and snow and rain and dew and grasshoppers.
12. And after these the winds which are towards the west: through the first portal, which inclines towards the north, there come forth dew and rain and grasshoppers and coldness and snow and frost.
13. And from the middle portal there come forth dew and rain, peace and blessing, and through the last portal, which is towards the south, there come forth dryness and destruction, burning and death.
14. Thereby the twelve portals of the four portals [directions] of heaven are completed, and all their laws and all their destructions and their virtues I have showed to you, my son Methuselah.
CHAPTER 77
They call the first wind the eastern, because it is the first, and they call the second the southern because the Most High descends there, and especially does the Blessed One in eternity descend there.
2. And the name of the west wind is the diminishing, because there the luminaries of the heavens diminish and go down.
3. And the fourth wind, called the north, is divided into three parts, one of them is for the dwelling of men, the second for the seas of water and for the valleys and for the woods and for the streams and for the darkness and for the fog; and the third part with the garden of justice.
4. I saw seven high mountains, which were higher than all the mountains which are on the earth, and from them there comes hoar-frost; and days and times and years cease and depart.
5. I saw seven rivers on the earth, larger than all the rivers; one of them coming from the west empties its water into the great sea.
6. And two of them come from the north to the sea, and empty their water into the Erythræan sea in the east.
7. But the other four come from the side of then north over to the sea, two of them to the Erythræan sea, and two empty in the great sea; according to others, in the desert.
8. I saw seven great islands in the sea and on the land: two on the land and five in the great sea.
CHAPTER 78
The names of the sun are these: the first Orjârês, the second Tômâs. 2. And the moon has four names: first Asônjâ, the second Eblâ, the third Benâsê, the fourth Êrâe.
3. These are the two large luminaries; their circuit is like the circuit of heaven, and in size both are equal.
4. And in the circuit of the sun there is a seventh portion of light from which some is given to the moon, and according to a measure it is added till the seventh portion of the sun is ended.
5. And they set and enter the portals of the west, and go around by the north, and come out of the portals of the east on to the surface of the heavens.
6. And when the moon is raised she is seen in the heavens, having in herself the half of the seventh part of the light, and in fourteen days her light is completed.
7. Also three times five portions of light are put into her, so that on the fifteenth day her light is completed, according to the sign of the year, and it becomes three times five portions, and the moon becomes so by the half of the seventh part.
8. And in her decrease on the first day she decreases to fourteen parts of her light, and on the second she decreases to thirteen parts, and on the third she decreases to twelve parts, and on the fourth she decreases to eleven parts, and on the fifth she decreases to ten parts, and on the sixth she decreases to nine parts, and on the seventh she decreases to eight parts, and on the eighth she decreases to seven parts, and on the ninth she decreases to six parts, and on the tenth she decreases to five parts, and on the eleventh she decreases to four parts, and on the twelfth she decreases to three parts, and on the thirteenth she decreases to two parts, and on the fourteenth she decreases to the half of the seventh part, and her light which was left on the whole disappears altogether on the fifteenth day.
9. And in certain months the moon has each time twenty-nine days, and once twenty-eight.
10. And Uriel showed me another law, when the light is added to the moon, and from which side of the sun it is added.
11. All the time in which the moon continues in her light she increases opposite the sun, till on the fourteenth day her light is completed in heaven; and when she shines in full her light is completed in the heavens.
12. And on the first day she is called the new moon, for on that day the light is raised upon her.
13. And she is completed exactly on the day the sun descends in the west and when at night she ascends from the east and shines all night till the sun rises opposite her and the moon is seen opposite the sun.
14. Whence the light of the moon comes, there again she decreases till all her light disappears, and the days of the moon cease, and her circuit remains empty without light.
15. And three months she makes thirty days in her time, and three months she makes each time twenty-nine days, in which she makes her decrease, in the first time and in the first portal for one hundred and seventy-seven days.
16. And in the time of her departure she is seen each time thirty days during three months, and each time twenty-nine days during three months.
17. At night she appears each time as a man twenty times, and during the day like the heavens, for there is nothing in her except her light.
CHAPTER 79
And now, my son Methuselah, I have showed you all things, and the whole law of the stars is completed.
2. And he showed me all their laws for every day and for every time and for every government and for every year, and her departure, according to her order in each month and in every week;
3. and the decrease of the moon, which takes place in the sixth portal, for in that sixth portal her light is completed, and from then there is the beginning of the month;
4. also the decrease which takes place in the first portal, in its time, till one hundred and seventy-seven days are completed; in the law of weeks, twenty-five weeks and two days;
5. and how she tarries behind the sun and according to the law of the stars five days in one time exactly; and when this place which thou dost see is completed.
6. This is the picture and the portrait of each luminary which the great angel Uriel, who is their leader, showed to me.
CHAPTER 80
And in those days Uriel answered and said to me: “Behold, I have showed thee all things, O Enoch, and have revealed to thee that thou shouldst see this sun and this moon, and those who lead the stars of heaven and all those that revolve, their deeds and their times and their departures.
2. And in the days of the sinners the years will be shortened, and their seed will be tardy on their lands and on their meadows, and everything on the earth will change and will not appear in its time; the rain will be prevented, and the heavens will retain it.
3. And in those times the fruit of the earth will be tardy and will not grow in its time; and the fruit of the trees will be prevented in its time.
4. And the moon will change her order and will not appear in her time.
5. And in those days it will be seen on the heavens that a great unfruitfulness will come on the outermost chariot in the west; and she will shine more brightly that according to the order of light.
6. And many of the leaders of the stars of command will err, and they will change their paths and deeds, and those subject to them will not appear in their time.
7. And the whole order of the stars will be kept from the sinners, and the thoughts of those who dwell on the earth will err concerning them, and they will be turned from all their ways, and will err and consider them gods. 8. And evil will increase over them, and punishment will come upon them to destroy them all.”
CHAPTER 81
And he said to me: “O Enoch, contemplate the writing of the tablets of heaven, and read what is written thereon, and learn each one.”
2. And I contemplated everything on these tablets of heaven, and read everything that was written, and learned everything and read the book and everything that was written in it, all the deeds of men and all the children of flesh who will be on the earth to the generation of eternity.
3. And then I immediately blessed the Lord and the everlasting King of glory, that he had made all the things of the earth, and I blessed the Lord on account of his patience, and blessed him on account of the children of the world.
4. And at that time I said: “Happy the man who dies as a just and good one, concerning whom there is no book of iniquity written, and against whom no blame is found.”
5. And those three holy ones brought me and placed me on the earth before the door of my house and said to me: “Announce everything to thy son Methulselah, and show to all thy children that no flesh is just before the Lord, for he has created them.
6. One year we will leave thee with thy children, till thou art again strengthened, that thou mayest teach thy children and write for them, and mayest testify before them all, thy children; and in the second year they will lift thee up out of their midst.
7. Let thy heart be strong, for the good will announce justice to the good, the just will rejoice with the just and will congratulate themselves among themselves.
8. But the sinner will die with the sinner, and the renegade sink down with the renegade.
9. And those who do justice will die on account of the deeds of men, and will be gathered in on account of the deeds of the impious.”
10. And in those days they completed conversing with me, and I went to my people blessing the Lord of the worlds.
CHAPTER 82
And now my son, Methuselah, all these things I relate to thee and write for thee, and I have revealed to thee everything, and have given thee books concerning them all: preserve, my son, Methuselah, the books from the hand of thy father, and give them to the generations of the world.
2. Wisdom I have given thee and thy children and those who will be thy children, that they give it to their children, the generations to eternity, namely this wisdom above their thoughts.
3. And those who understand it will not sleep, but will hear with their ears, that they may learn this wisdom, and it will please those who eat of it more than good food.
4. Happy are all the just, happy all those who walk in the paths of justice
and have no sin like the sinners, in the counting of all their days, in which the sun goes through the heavens, entering and departing from the gates, each time thirty times, together with the heads of the thousands of this order of the stars, together with the four that are added and separate between the four portions of the year, which they lead and enter with them four days.
5. And on their account men will be at fault, and will not count them in the reckoning of the whole world; but men will be mistaken and will not know them exactly.
6. For they belong to the reckoning of the year and are exactly marked forever, one in the first portal and one in the third and one in the fourth and one in the sixth, and the year is completed in three hundred and sixty-four days.
7. And the account of it is true, and the marked reckoning exact; for the luminaries and the months and the festivals and the years have been shown and given to me by Uriel, to whom the Lord of all creation had given
command, in reference to me, of the host of the heavens.
8. And he has power over night and day in the heavens, that he may show light over men; the sun and the moon and the stars and all the powers of heaven which turn in their circuit.
9. And this is the order of the stars that set in their places and in their times and in their festivals and in their months.
10. And these are the names of those who lead them, who watch that they enter in their times and in their order and in their occasions and in their months and in their powers and in their positions.
11. Their four leaders who divide the four portions of the year enter first; after them the twelve leaders of the orders, who separate the months and the year into three hundred and sixty-four days, together with the heads of the thousands who divide the days; for the four intercalary days these are the leaders who separate the four parts of the years.
12. And of those heads of the thousands, one is placed between the leader and the led, back of the position, but their leader divides.
13. And these are the names of the leaders who separate the four parts of the year which are ordained: Melkeêl and Helemmêlêch, and Mêlêjal and Nârêl.
14. And the names of those they lead: Adnârêl and Ijasusâêl and Ijelumîêl, these three follow after the leaders of the orders, and one follows after the three leaders of the orders, who follow after those leaders of positions who separate the four portions of the year.
15. In the commencement of the year Melkejâl rises first and rules, he who is called Tamaânî and sun, and all the days of his government that he rules are ninety-one days.
16. And these are the signs of the days which are seen on the earth in the days of his government: sweat and heat and anxiety, and all the trees producing fruit, and the leaves appearing on all the trees, and the harvest of wheat, and the blooming of roses, and all the flowers blooming in the fields, but the trees of winter become withered.
17. And these are the names of the leaders who are under them: Berkeêl, Zalbesâêl, and one other who is added, a head of a thousand, called Hêlojâsêph; and ended are the days of the power of this one.
18. The other leader, who is after them, is Helemmêlêk, whom they call the shining sun, and all the days of his light are ninety-one days.
19. And these are the signs of the days of the earth: burning heat, dryness, and the trees bringing their fruit to ripeness and completion, and the sheep mate and become pregnant; and all the fruit of the earth is gathered in, and everything that is in the fields; and the making of wine; this takes place in the days of his power.
20. These are the names and the orders and the subordinate leaders of those heads of the thousands: Gêdâêl and Kêêl and Hêêl, and the name of the head of a thousand, which is added to them, Asfâêl; and completed are the days of his power.
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CHAP. 76. This and the following chapter treat of the winds and speak of some geographical matters, and may be regarded as a continuation of chap. 34-36, as the twelve portals for the winds there spoken of are here treated in detail.—2. The points of the compass here given are taken from the position of a man standing with his face to the east, although the writer says west, or literally the descent, instead of back. This method of designating the four directions is frequently found in the Old Testament.—3. The first three, beginning in counting them from the east, the place where the sun rises; cf. vs. 4, 7, etc.—4. Through four of these portals, i.e. through the middle one of the three in each direction, come winds of blessing, while the outer two in each group produce winds of injury.—5. The first wind described comes from the portal in the south-east, i.e. the south-east wind. Its character is destructive.—6. Like all those winds from the middle portal of a group, the east wind has the right mixture, i.e. is neither too warm nor too cold, too wet nor too dry. Peace; Dillmann, Wohlsein; Hoffmann, Heil. The north-east wind brings coldness and dryness.—7.
The south-east-south wind produces heat.—8. But from the middle portal of this group comes a good wind, and brings with it proofs of the sweet vegetation in the south; cf. chap. 24 and 25.—9, 10. South-west-south and north-east-north winds. After northerly the translator adds whose name is the sea. The Palestine writer had northerly winds; but to him the Mediterranean Sea was in the west, while it was in the north for the Ethiopian.—11. The symmetry of his description demands that even the north wind should be a good one; but the north-west-north wind is again injurious. On the rains cf. Prov. xxv. 23.—12. The western group, and first the north-west wind.—13. The west and the south-west winds.—14. Methuselah. It is a peculiarity of these parts that they are entrusted to Enoch’s son Methuselah; cf. 79:1; 82:1. It is manifestly the object of the writer to explain how these mysteries, already made known by Enoch, were preserved so many years. This is especially shown by 82:1.
CHAP. 77. This presents a clear proof that the author wrote Hebrew or Aramaic. The first wind is called eastern, i.e. HTR east because it is the first, i.e. HTR.—The second is the southern, the GTR or HTR, because either the Holy One descends there, HTR, or because he abides there HTR cf. 25:3.—2. The west wind is the diminishing. The Hebrew probably had HTR and the Greek GTR, hence GTR.—4. Of course these seven hills are not those of 18:6; 24:2; 32:1. The use of the word seven is based on its sacred character.—5. Great sea is the Mediterranean Sea; cf. Num. xxxiv. 6, 7. West, probably a corruption for south; cf.
Dillmann on Ethiop. Ex. xxiv. 20. The river here meant is the Nile.—6. These two rivers are the Tigris and the Euphrates.—7. The first two are the Indus and Ganges, and the last two possibly the Oxus and Jaxartes. The author evidently pictured the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian seas as one. But others, says the translator (not the author, for these words are evidently interpolated), claim that these last two empty into the desert.—8. What islands he means must remain uncertain.
CHAP. 78. Names of the sun. To give these was suggested by his giving the names of the winds above. Orjares is HTR, the latter word being used for sun already, Judg. viii. 13, 14, 18. Tomas is probably HTR used of the sun, Isa. xxiv. 23. He has thus the three names used for the sun in the Old Testament HTR, HTR, and HTR.—2. Names of the moon. Asonja is uncertain. Dillmann thinks it contains a remnant of HTR known as the name of the moon (in Heb. Aram). Ebla may be corrupted from Lebna, i.e. HTR; Eccl. vi. 10; Isa. xxx. 26. Benaze is explained by Hoffmann as HTR, i.e. son of the half, i.e. the half moon; but Dillmann thinks of HTR. Erae is the ordinary HTR. 4. Cf. 72:37; 73:3.
This portion of light the moon receives gradually.—5. Cf. 72:5.—6. On the topic commenced here and continued to verse 17, cf. 73:4-74:2. On the first day the moon receives the one half of the one seventh part of the light of the sun.—7. But it happens that it takes the moon fifteen days to become full, and in this case she receives three times five portions, i.e. fifteen fourteenths, of light.—8. In this case, in the decrease she decreases on the first day from fifteen portions to fourteen, etc.—9. Evidently flatly contradicts plain statements made elsewhere. The verse is probably an interpolation.—10. This second, or other, law refers to the relative positions of sun and moon.—11. The full moon.—12. The new moon.—15, 16. Length of the months.
CHAP. 79. Methuselah; cf. 76:14.—2. For every time; cf. 78:15, 16. Every government, i.e. of the leaders of the stars; cf. chap. 82.—3, 4 are both objects of he showed me, vs. 2.—5. Cf. 74:10-17.
CHAP. 80. But all these laws, now so firm and fixed, shall be set entirely aside on account of the sinners. The revolution in the laws of nature is recognized by other writers also as the sign of the last times; cf. 3 Sibyl. 795-807; 2 Macc. v. 2, 3; 4 Ezra v. 1-13; vi. 7-28; viii. 63-ix. 6; xiv. 15-17. Those that revolve, either winds, 72:5; 73:2, or stars.—2. In 72:1 it has been stated that these laws should continue to the time of a new creation. But, on account of their sins, men have occasioned a change in these laws. As a punishment from God these laws are changed; cf. Jer. v. 22-25. Cf. Book of Jubilees, chap. 23.
This verse is probably the basis of Barnabae Epistola, iv. 3.—5. 4 Ezra says that in the last times the sun will shine at night and the moon by day.—7. The effect of this change in the laws of nature will, instead of bringing about the sinners’ return to God, only cause them to sin more, by learning to worship them as stars; cf. similar sentiment in Sibyl. Prooem. I. 25.—8. Then after these certain signs of the approaching evil the judgment will come; cf. on the whole Matt. xxiv. 29; Luke xxi. 25, 26.
CHAP. 81. An account of the end of his trip. First, however, he is allowed to see the tablets of heaven. Tablets; cf. 93:2; 103:2; 106:19 (107:1; 108:7); mentioned frequently in the Book of the Jubilees, are the GTR of the Test. XII. Patriarcharum. Synonymes are writing, book, and books, 81:1, 2; 93:1, 3; 103:2, 3; 108:7; cf. 104:1. The idea from passages like Ex. xxv. and xxvi.; xxxii. 32; Ps. lxix. 28; cxxxix. 16; Dan. xii. 1; cf. Harnack on Past. Her. Vis. 1, 3, 2.—2. Not only the deeds of men, but even their names—for this is meant by and all the children —are recorded; cf. 82:1; 83:10—3. Cf. note on 22:14 and Apoc. Bar. xxiv. 2. Patience, that notwithstanding the record of men’s sin in heaven God was so slow in his judgment.—4. Yet the judgment shall come, and therefore he is to be esteemed happy whose name is not recorded in the book of
iniquity.
It should be noticed here that the author teaches a retribution after death: cf. 22:12, 13.—5. From 87:2, 3; 90:31 we learn that the expression the other three angels is used to distinguish three archangels from Michael as the head and chief. If the author of the Parables had written this we could know the names of these three (cf. chap. 40), but our author nowhere states that there were but four archangels. The passage is a strange one, and points to an omission in the previous verses. Compared with the justice of God no flesh is just before him; cf. Job iv. 17. The creature is nothing compared with the Creator.
Methuselah, cf. 76:14.—6. Strengthened, i.e. rested from the effects of thy travels; cf. Dan. viii. 16-19. But this year shall be devoted to instructing his children in the important secrets he has received.—7. Although there is so much wickedness, as the records in heaven show, yet the generation of the just will not die out, and in the Messianic times after the period of the sinners, the just will rejoice together.—8. As he is speaking of the final judgment, this sinking refers to their sinking in the valley of Hinnom; cf. chap. 26 and 27.—9. Death, indeed, comes to the just also on account of the sinners; but there is a retribution after death, vs. 4, and these just shall rise again, 22:12, 13; Gathered, cf. Isa. lvii. 1 and 2 Kings xxii. 20; Job iii. 13; Wisd. iv. 7-14. Lord of the world, cf. note on 1:3.
CHAP. 82. Address of Enoch himself.—2. Wisdom, cf. note on 37:1; cf. Ps. lxxviii. 5, 6. Above thought, i.e. that could not have been developed by human thought.—3. And those who understand this wisdom will be so interested in it and desirous of it that they will forget sleep. Good food. cf. Ps. xix. 10; cxix. 103; Prov. xvi. 24; xxiv. 13, 14; Sir. xxiv. 26 sqq. Tertullian also considers Methuselah as the recipient and transmissor of Enoch’s revelation; cf. De Cultu Fem. I. 3. “Enoch filio suo Matusalae nihil aliud mandaverit quam ut notitiam eorum posteris suis traderet.”—4. As he is treating specially of the luminaries in this book, from chapter 72 to here, he speaks of the true reckoning of the year.
The four days, i.e. the intercalary days, are introduced by four leaders; cf. 75:1, 2; 82:11.—5. Cf. 75:2; 80:6.—6. They, i.e. the intercalary days. Portal, cf. chap. 75.—7. Uriel had been commissioned by God to give these instructions to Enoch.—9. With the exception of a few casual remarks, nothing has been said of the stars. Hence his account here.—11. These four leaders are named in verse 14; cf. 75:1 sqq.; 82:4.—12. Chiliarchs.—13. Melkeel, vs. 15, Melkejal, i.e. HTR; Helemmêlêk, i.e. HTR; Melkejal, i.e. HTR; Nadel, HTR.—14. A verse defying all attempt at explanation.—15. In the commencement, i.e. in the time from spring to summer.—16. Roses, unknown in the Old testament; but cf. Sir. xxiv. 14; Wisd. ii. 8; En. 106:2.—17. The subordinate leaders, those in each one of the three months of which he is here treating.—18. The hot time from summer to autumn. The names are all Semitic, but mostly of uncertain etymology.
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