The Book of Enoch 84
Book IV The Book of Dream Visions Chapters 83–90 · c. 165-160 BCE
Two dream visions, including the Animal Apocalypse - a symbolic history of the world from Adam to the end, with peoples shown as animals.
Dating & manuscripts. The Animal Apocalypse (85-90) allegorizes the Maccabean revolt, which dates it precisely to the 160s BCE - the reign of Antiochus IV and Judas Maccabeus.
1 Enoch is an anthology of five distinct works, composed over roughly three centuries.
Enoch's Prayer to Avert the Flood
Enoch lifted up his hands in righteousness and blessed the Holy and Great One with the tongue of flesh made for men.
1nd I lifted up my hands in righteousness and blessed the Holy and Great One, and spake with the breath of my mouth, and with the tongue of flesh, which God has made for the children of the flesh of men, that they should speak therewith, and He gave them breath and a tongue and a mouth that they should speak therewith:
2 Blessed be Thou, O Lord, King, Great and mighty in Thy greatness, Lord of the whole creation of the heaven, King of kings and God of the whole world. And Thy power and kingship and greatness abide for ever and ever, And throughout all generations Thy dominion; And all the heavens are Thy throne for ever, And the whole earth Thy footstool for ever and ever.
3 For Thou hast made and Thou rulest all things, And nothing is too hard for Thee, Wisdom departs not from the place of Thy throne, Nor turns away from Thy presence. And Thou knowest and seest and hearest everything, And there is nothing hidden from Thee for Thou seest everything.
4 And now the angels of Thy heavens are guilty of trespass, And upon the flesh of men abideth Thy wrath until the great day of judgement.
5 And now, O God and Lord and Great King, I implore and beseech Thee to fulfil my prayer, To leave me a posterity on earth, And not destroy all the flesh of man, And make the earth without inhabitant, So that there should be an eternal destruction.
6 And now, my Lord, destroy from the earth the flesh which has aroused Thy wrath, But the flesh of righteousness and uprightness establish as a plant of the eternal seed, And hide not Thy face from the prayer of Thy servant, O Lord.'
Did You Know?
Enoch lifted up his hands in righteousness and blessed the Holy and Great One with the tongue of flesh made for men.
Enoch proclaimed all the heavens as the throne forever and the whole earth as the footstool forever and ever.
Wisdom departs not from the place of the throne nor turns away from the presence of the One who sees everything.
The angels of the heavens are guilty of trespass while wrath abides on the flesh of men until the great day of judgement.
Enoch prayed to leave a posterity on earth and establish the flesh of righteousness as a plant of the eternal seed.
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Commentary
In brief
Enoch lifts his hands in righteousness and blesses the Holy and Great One as the mighty King of all creation. He notes that the angels are guilty of trespass and wrath abides on men, then implores God to establish the righteous as a plant of eternal seed rather than destroy all flesh.