The Book of Enoch 91
Book V The Epistle of Enoch Chapters 91–108 · 2nd - 1st century BCE
Enoch's testament to his children: woes against the wicked and rich, comfort for the righteous, the Apocalypse of Weeks, and a closing appendix on the miraculous birth of Noah.
Dating & manuscripts. The Apocalypse of Weeks is one of the earliest datable parts. Chapters 106-107 (the Birth of Noah) are a later appendix drawn from a separate Noah tradition.
In the manuscripts the Apocalypse of Weeks runs 93:1-10 then 91:11-17; Charles rearranged the verses to restore that order, which is why some editions number these chapters differently.
1 Enoch is an anthology of five distinct works, composed over roughly three centuries.
The Apocalypse of Weeks and Exhortation
Enoch told his son Methuselah to gather all his brothers and the sons of his mother so he could show them everything that shall befall them forever.
1nd now, my son Methuselah, call to me all thy brothers And gather together to me all the sons of thy mother; For the word calls me, And the spirit is poured out upon me, That I may show you everything That shall befall you for ever.'
2 And there upon Methuselah went and summoned to him all his brothers and assembled his relatives.
3 And he spake unto all the children of righteousness and said: 'Hear, ye sons of Enoch, all the words of your father, And hearken aright to the voice of my mouth; For I exhort you and say unto you, beloved:
4 Love uprightness and walk therein. And draw not nigh to uprightness with a double heart, And associate not with those of a double heart, But walk in righteousness, my sons. And it shall guide you on good paths, And righteousness shall be your companion.
5 For I know that violence must increase on the earth, And a great chastisement be executed on the earth, And all unrighteousness come to an end: Yea, it shall be cut off from its roots, And its whole structure be destroyed.
6 And unrighteousness shall again be consummated on the earth, And all the deeds of unrighteousness and of violence And transgression shall prevail in a twofold degree.
7 And when sin and unrighteousness and blasphemy And violence in all kinds of deeds increase, And apostasy and transgression and uncleanness increase, A great chastisement shall come from heaven upon all these, And the holy Lord will come forth with wrath and chastisement To execute judgement on earth.
8 In those days violence shall be cut off from its roots, And the roots of unrighteousness together with deceit, And they shall be destroyed from under heaven.
9 And all the idols of the heathen shall be abandoned, And the temples burned with fire, And they shall remove them from the whole earth, And they (i.e. the heathen) shall be cast into the judgement of fire, And shall perish in wrath and in grievous judgement for ever.
10 And the righteous shall arise from their sleep, And wisdom shall arise and be given unto them.
11 And after that the roots of unrighteousness shall be cut off, and the sinners shall be destroyed by the sword . . .shall be cut off from the blasphemers in every place, and those who plan violence and those who commit blasphemy shall perish by the sword.
12 And after that there shall be another, the eighth week, that of righteousness, And a sword shall be given to it that a righteous judgement may be executed on the oppressors, And sinners shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous.
13 And at its close they shall acquire houses through their righteousness, And a house shall be built for the Great King in glory for evermore, 14d. And all mankind shall look to the path of uprightness. 14a. And after that, in the ninth week, the righteous judgement shall be revealed to the whole world, 14b. And all the works of the godless shall vanish from all the earth, 14c. And the world shall be written down for destruction.
14 And the righteous shall arise from their sleep, And wisdom shall arise and be given unto them.
15 And after this, in the tenth week in the seventh part, There shall be the great eternal judgement, In which He will execute vengeance amongst the angels.
16 And the first heaven shall depart and pass away, And a new heaven shall appear, And all the powers of the heavens shall give sevenfold light.
17 And after that there will be many weeks without number for ever, And all shall be in goodness and righteousness, And sin shall no more be mentioned for ever.
18 And now I tell you, my sons, and show you The paths of righteousness and the paths of violence. Yea, I will show them to you again That ye may know what will come to pass.
19 And now, hearken unto me, my sons, And walk in the paths of righteousness, And walk not in the paths of violence; For all who walk in the paths of unrighteousness shall perish for ever.'
Did You Know?
Enoch told his son Methuselah to gather all his brothers and the sons of his mother so he could show them everything that shall befall them forever.
Violence shall increase on the earth until a great chastisement cuts off all unrighteousness from its roots and destroys its whole structure.
All the idols of the heathen shall be abandoned and the temples burned with fire as the heathen perish in grievous judgement forever.
In the eighth week of righteousness a sword shall be given so that sinners shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous.
The first heaven shall depart and pass away as a new heaven appears and all the powers of the heavens give sevenfold light.
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Commentary
In brief
Enoch summons Methuselah to gather his brothers and relatives, then exhorts the children of righteousness to love uprightness and shun double hearts and violence. He reveals successive weeks of mounting unrighteousness and heavenly chastisements that destroy sin and idols, raise the righteous, judge angels, replace the heaven, and usher in endless goodness free of sin.