The Book of Enoch 9
Book I The Book of the Watchers Chapters 1–36 · 3rd century BCE
The oldest core of 1 Enoch: the descent of the two hundred Watchers, the birth of the giants, Enoch's intercession, and his guided journeys through the cosmos and the places of judgment.
Dating & manuscripts. Among the oldest apocalyptic writings in existence. Aramaic copies were found at Qumran (4QEnoch a-c), confirming its pre-Maccabean date - older than the Book of Daniel.
Chapters 6-11 preserve an older Semjaza/Shemihazah myth cycle later woven together with the Azazel/Asael tradition; scholars read them as composite, with a Noah fragment embedded. Angel names vary by manuscript (Semjaza/Shemihazah, Azazel/Asael).
In later tradition. This section's imagery echoes through later scripture and tradition: the Epistle of Jude (verses 14-15) quotes 1 Enoch 1:9 by name, and the Watchers legend shaped 2 Peter, the Book of Revelation, and the theology of the Qumran community and early Christianity.
The Book of Giants. A sixth Enochic work that expands the Watchers story from the giants' point of view - their violence, their prophetic dreams, and their doom. Known from Aramaic fragments at Qumran and, centuries later, adopted into Manichaean scripture. It is not part of the Ethiopic 1 Enoch preserved here.
1 Enoch is an anthology of five distinct works, composed over roughly three centuries.
The Cry of the Archangels
Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth. Themes: The Watchers and Their Fall, Forbidden Knowledge
1nd then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth.
2 And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven.
3 And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, "Bring our cause before the Most High."'
4 And they said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages!
5 Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all 6 things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee.
6 Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn:
7 And Semjaza, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates.
8 And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins.
9 And the women have 10 borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness.
10 And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are wrought on the earth.
11 And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.'
Did You Know?
Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth.
The souls of men make their suit to the holy ones of heaven to bring their cause before the Most High.
Azazel taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were preserved in heaven.
Semjaza was given authority to bear rule over his associates who slept with the daughters of men.
The women have borne giants and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness.
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Commentary
In brief
Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel look down from heaven and see much bloodshed and lawlessness on earth. They tell the Most High of Azazel's revelations of heavenly secrets, Semjaza's leadership in mating with women who bear giants, and the unceasing cries of the dead for justice.