The Book of Enoch 62
Book II The Book of Parables (Similitudes) Chapters 37–71 · late 1st century BCE - early 1st century CE
Three parables revealing the heavenly Son of Man / Elect One, seated on the throne of glory to judge the kings and the mighty. The most theologically influential - and most debated - section.
Dating & manuscripts. Notably ABSENT from the Qumran fragments, unlike every other section. This absence anchors the long scholarly debate over the Parables' date and the origin of their 'Son of Man' figure.
Chapters 46 and 48 draw directly on Daniel 7 for the titles 'Head of Days' and 'Son of Man'. The section also contains Noahic interpolations (e.g. 60, 65-69).
1 Enoch is an anthology of five distinct works, composed over roughly three centuries.
Echoes & Connections 2 connections
The final judgment scene: kings and mighty ones see the Son of Man; the righteous rejoice. Reversal structure (humiliation of the proud, exaltation of the elect).
Judgment of the Kings and Mighty
From the beginning the Son of Man was hidden and the Most High preserved him in the presence of His might and revealed him to the elect. Themes: The Son of Man / Elect One
1nd thus the Lord commanded the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, and said: ' Open your eyes and lift up your horns if ye are able to recognize the Elect One.'
2 And the Lord of Spirits seated him on the throne of His glory, And the spirit of righteousness was poured out upon him, And the word of his mouth slays all the sinners, And all the unrighteous are destroyed from before his face.
3 And there shall stand up in that day all the kings and the mighty, And the exalted and those who hold the earth, And they shall see and recognize How he sits on the throne of his glory, And righteousness is judged before him, And no lying word is spoken before him.
4 Then shall pain come upon them as on a woman in travail, And she has pain in bringing forth When her child enters the mouth of the womb, And she has pain in bringing forth.
5 And one portion of them shall look on the other, And they shall be terrified, And they shall be downcast of countenance, And pain shall seize them, When they see that Son of Man Sitting on the throne of his glory.
6 And the kings and the mighty and all who possess the earth shall bless and glorify and extol him who rules over all, who was hidden.
7 For from the beginning the Son of Man was hidden, And the Most High preserved him in the presence of His might, And revealed him to the elect.
8 And the congregation of the elect and holy shall be sown, And all the elect shall stand before him on that day.
9 And all the kings and the mighty and the exalted and those who rule the earth Shall fall down before him on their faces, And worship and set their hope upon that Son of Man, And petition him and supplicate for mercy at his hands.
10 .Nevertheless that Lord of Spirits will so press them That they shall hastily go forth from His presence, And their faces shall be filled with shame, And the darkness grow deeper on their faces.
11 And He will deliver them to the angels for punishment, To execute vengeance on them because they have oppressed His children and His elect
12 And they shall be a spectacle for the righteous and for His elect: They shall rejoice over them, Because the wrath of the Lord of Spirits resteth upon them, And His sword is drunk with their blood.
13 And the righteous and elect shall be saved on that day, And they shall never thenceforward see the face of the sinners and unrighteous.
14 And the Lord of Spirits will abide over them, And with that Son of Man shall they eat And lie down and rise up for ever and ever.
15 And the righteous and elect shall have risen from the earth, And ceased to be of downcast countenance. And they shall have been clothed with garments of glory,
16 And these shall be the garments of life from the Lord of Spirits: And your garments shall not grow old, Nor your glory pass away before the Lord of Spirits.
Did You Know?
From the beginning the Son of Man was hidden and the Most High preserved him in the presence of His might and revealed him to the elect.
Pain comes upon the kings and the mighty as on a woman in travail when they see the Son of Man sitting on the throne of his glory.
The Lord of Spirits seated the Elect One on the throne of His glory and the word of his mouth slays all the sinners.
The kings and the mighty and the exalted shall fall down before him on their faces and petition him for mercy at his hands.
The righteous and elect shall be clothed with garments of glory and these shall be the garments of life that shall not grow old.
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Commentary
In brief
The Lord of Spirits seats the Son of Man on the throne of glory, his word slaying sinners as kings and mighty suffer pain like travail, worship him seeking mercy, yet face shame and angelic punishment for oppressing the elect. The righteous rise clothed in unfading garments of glory and dwell with him forever.