Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil (10 page)

When men had begun to be plentiful on the earth, and daughters had been born to them.

The sons of God [the Watchers], looking at the daughters of men, saw they were pleasing, so they married as many as they chose.

Yahweh said, “My spirit must not for ever be disgraced in man, for he is but flesh; his life shall last no more than a hundred and twenty years.”

The Nephilim were on the earth at that time (and even afterward) when the sons of God [the Watchers] resorted to the daughters of man, and had children by them. These are the heroes of days gone by, the famous men.

Genesis 6:1–4
Jerusalem Bible

N.B. The
italicized
words supply a gap in the text.

1 The word of the blessing of Enoch, how he blessed the elect and the righteous, who were to exist in the time of trouble; rejecting all the wicked and ungodly. Enoch, a righteous man, who
was
with God, answered and spoke, while his eyes were open, and
while
he saw a holy vision in the heavens. This the angels showed me.

2 From them I heard all things, and understood what I saw; that which will not take place in this generation, but in a generation which is to succeed at a distant period, on account of the elect.

3 Upon their account I spoke and conversed with him, who will go forth from his habitation, the Holy and Mighty One, the God of the world:

4 Who will hereafter tread upon Mount Sinai; appear with his hosts; and be manifested in the strength of his power from heaven.

5 All shall be afraid, and the Watchers be terrified.

6 Great fear and trembling shall seize them, even to the ends of the earth. The lofty mountains shall be troubled, and the exalted hills depressed, melting like a honey comb in the flame. The earth shall be immerged, and all things which are in it perish; while judgment shall come upon all, even upon all the righteous:

7 But to them shall he give peace: he shall preserve the elect, and towards them exercise clemency.

8 Then shall all belong to God; be happy and blessed; and the splendour of the Godhead shall illuminate them.

Behold, he comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them, and destroy the wicked, and reprove all the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed against him.
[106]

1 All who are in the heavens know what is transacted
there
.

2
They know
that the heavenly luminaries change not their paths; that each rises and sets regularly, every one at its proper period, without transgressing the commands
which they have received.
They behold the earth, and understand what is there transacted, from the beginning to the end of it.

3
They see
that every work of God is invariable in the period of its appearance. They behold summer and winter:
perceiving
that the whole earth is full of water; and that the cloud, the dew, and the rain refresh it.

They consider and behold every tree, how it appears to wither, and every leaf to fall off, except of fourteen trees, which are not deciduous; which wait from the old, to the appearance of the new
leaf,
for two or three winters.

Again they consider the days of summer, that the sun is upon it at its very beginning; while you seek for a covered and shady spot on account of the burning sun; while the earth is scorched up with fervid heat, and you become incapable of walking either upon the ground or upon the rocks in consequence of that heat.

1 They consider how the trees, when they put forth their green leaves, become covered, and produce fruit; understanding everything, and knowing that He who lives for ever does all these things for you:

2
That
the works at the beginning of every existing year, that all his works, are subservient to him, and invariable; yet as God has appointed, so are all things brought to pass.

3 They see, too, how the seas and the rivers together complete their respective operations:

4
But
you endure not patiently, nor fulfil the commandments of the Lord; but you transgress and calumniate
his
greatness; and malignant are the words in your polluted mouths against his Majesty.

5 Ye withered in heart, no peace shall be to you!

6 Therefore your days shall you curse, and the years of your lives shall perish; perpetual execration shall be multiplied, and you shall not obtain mercy.

7 In those days shall you resign your peace with the eternal maledictions of all the righteous, and sinners shall perpetually execrate you;

8
Shall execrate you
with the ungodly.

9 The elect shall possess light, joy, and peace; and they shall inherit the earth.

10 But you, ye unholy, shall be accursed.

11 Then shall wisdom be given to the elect, all of whom shall live, and not again transgress by impiety or pride; but shall humble themselves, possessing prudence, and shall not repeat transgression.

12 They shall not be condemned the whole period of their lives, nor die in torment and indignation; but the sum of their days shall be completed, and they shall grow old in peace; while the years of their happiness shall be multiplied with joy, and with peace, for ever, the whole duration of their existence.

1 It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days, that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful.

2 And when the angels,
[107]
the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamoured of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.

3 Then their leader Samyaza said to them; I fear that you may perhaps be indisposed to the performance of this enterprise;

4 And that I alone shall suffer for so grievous a crime.

5 But they answered him and said; We all swear;

6 And bind ourselves by mutual execrations, that we will not change our intention, but execute our projected undertaking.

7 Then they swore all together, and all bound themselves by mutual execrations. Their whole number was two hundred, who descended upon Ardis [or, “in the days of Jared” Charles, p. 63], which is the top of mount Armon.

8 That mountain therefore was called Armon, because they had sworn upon it,
[108]
and bound themselves by mutual execrations.

9 These are the names of their chiefs: Samyaza, who was their leader, Urakabarameel, Akibeel, Tamiel, Ramuel, Danel, Azkeel, Saraknyal, Asael, Armers, Batraal, Anane, Zavebe, Samsaveel, Ertael, Turel, Yomyael, Arazyal. These were the prefects of the two hundred angels, and the remainder were all with them.
[109]

10 Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees.

11 And the women conceiving brought forth giants,
[110]

12 Whose stature was each three hundred cubits. These devoured all
which
the labour of men
produced;
until it became impossible to feed them;

13 When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them;

14 And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another,
[111]
and to drink their blood.

15 Then the earth reproved the unrighteous.

1 Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows,
the use of
stones of every valuable and select kind, and of all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered.

2 Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.

3 Amazarak taught all the sorcerers, and dividers of roots:

4 Armers
taught
the solution of sorcery;

5 Barkayal
taught
the observers of the stars;
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6 Akibeel
taught
signs;

7 Tamiel taught astronomy;

8 And Asaradel taught the motion of the moon.

9 And men, being destroyed, cried out; and their voice reached to heaven.

1 Then Michael and Gabriel, Raphael, Suryal, and Uriel, looked down from heaven, and saw the quantity of blood which was shed on earth, and all the iniquity which was done upon it, and said one to another,
It is
the voice of their cries;

2 The earth deprived
of her children
has cried even to the gate of heaven.

3 And now to you, O ye holy ones of heaven, the souls of men complain, saying, Obtain Justice for us with [literally, “Bring judgment to us from” (Laurence, p. 9)] the Most High. Then they said to their Lord, the King,
Thou art
Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings. The throne of thy glory is for ever and ever, and for ever and ever is thy name sanctified and glorified. Thou art blessed and glorified.

4 Thou hast made all things; thou possessest power over all things; and all things are open and manifest before thee. Thou beholdest all things, and nothing can be concealed from thee.

5 Thou hast seen what Azazyel has done, how he has taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens.

6 Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom thou hast given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;

7 And have discovered crimes [or, “revealed these sins” (Charles, p. 70)] to them.

8 The women likewise have brought forth giants.

9 Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity.

10 And now behold the souls of those who are dead, cry out.

11 And complain even to the gate of heaven.

12 Their groaning ascends; nor can they escape from the unrighteousness which is committed on earth. Thou knowest all things, before they exist.

13 Thou knowest these things, and what has been done by them; yet thou dost not speak to us.

14 What on account of these things ought we to do to them?

1 Then the Most High, the Great and Holy One spoke,

2 And sent Arsayalalyur
[113]
to the son of Lamech,

3 Saying, Say to him in my name, Conceal thyself.

4 Then explain to him the consummation which is about to take place; for all the earth shall perish; the waters of a deluge shall come over the whole earth, and all things which are in it shall be destroyed.

5 And now teach him how he may escape, and how his seed may remain in all the earth.

6 Again the Lord said to Raphael, Bind Azazyel hand and foot; cast him into darkness; and opening the desert which is in Dudael, cast him in there.

7 Throw upon him hurled and pointed stones, covering him with darkness;

8 There shall he remain for ever; cover his face, that he may not see the light.

9 And in the great day of judgment let him be cast into the fire.

10 Restore the earth, which the angels have corrupted; and announce life to it, that I may revive it.

11 All the sons of men shall not perish in consequence of every secret, by which the Watchers have destroyed, and
which
they have taught, their offspring.

12 All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teaching of Azazyel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime.

13 To Gabriel also the Lord said, Go to the biters [more accurately, “bastards”
(114)
], to the reprobates, to the children of fornication; and destroy the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; bring them forth, and excite them one against another. Let them perish by
mutual
slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.