The Book of Enoch 81
Book III The Astronomical Book (Book of the Luminaries) Chapters 72–82 · 3rd century BCE
Uriel shows Enoch the laws of the sun, moon, and stars, and the gates through which they move - the basis for a 364-day solar calendar.
Dating & manuscripts. As old as the Book of the Watchers. The Aramaic copies from Qumran (4QEnastr) are far longer and more technical than the abridged Ethiopic text preserved here.
Its 364-day calendar is the same one defended by the Book of Jubilees and used by the Qumran community, setting it against the lunar calendar of the Jerusalem temple.
1 Enoch is an anthology of five distinct works, composed over roughly three centuries.
The Heavenly Tablets and the Mission of Enoch.
Enoch read the book of all the deeds of mankind and of all the children of flesh to the remotest generations on the heavenly tablets. Themes: Solar Calendar and Jubilees, Divine Providence and Plan
1nd he said unto me: ' Observe, Enoch, these heavenly tablets, And read what is written thereon, And mark every individual fact.'
2 And I observed the heavenly tablets, and read everything which was written (thereon) and understood everything, and read the book of all the deeds of mankind, and of all the children of flesh that shall be upon the earth to the remotest generations.
3 And forthwith I blessed the great Lord the King of glory for ever, in that He has made all the works of the world, And I extolled the Lord because of His patience, And blessed Him because of the children of men.
4 And after that I said: ' Blessed is the man who dies in righteousness and goodness, Concerning whom there is no book of unrighteousness written, And against whom no day of judgement shall be found.'
5 And those seven holy ones brought me and placed me on the earth before the door of my house, and said to me: ' Declare everything to thy son Methuselah, and show to all thy children that no flesh is righteous in the sight of the Lord, for He is their Creator.
6 One year we will leave thee with thy son, till thou givest thy (last) commands, that thou mayest teach thy children and record (it) for them, and testify to all thy children; and in the second year they shall take thee from their midst.
7 Let thy heart be strong, For the good shall announce righteousness to the good; The righteous with the righteous shall rejoice, And shall offer congratulation to one another.
8 But the sinners shall die with the sinners, And the apostate go down with the apostate.
9 And those who practice righteousness shall die on account of the deeds of men, And be taken away on account of the doings of the godless.'
10 And in those days they ceased to speak to me, and I came to my people, blessing the Lord of the world.
Did You Know?
Enoch read the book of all the deeds of mankind and of all the children of flesh to the remotest generations on the heavenly tablets.
Seven holy ones placed Enoch on the earth before the door of his house and told him to declare everything to Methuselah.
One year the holy ones will leave Enoch with his son till he gives last commands that he may teach his children and record it.
Enoch said blessed is the man who dies in righteousness and goodness with no book of unrighteousness written and no day of judgement found.
Those who practice righteousness shall die on account of the deeds of men and be taken away on account of the doings of the godless.
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Commentary
In brief
Enoch observes the heavenly tablets of all mankind's deeds to remote generations and blesses the King of glory for creating the world and His patience. Seven holy ones place him before his house to instruct Methuselah for one year before taking him, with the righteous rejoicing and sinners perishing together.