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the-book-of-enoch-r-h-charles - Fallen Angels

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Sect. Y Chapter CIJL 3-9 257<br />

8. And into darkness and chains and a burning flame where<br />

<strong>the</strong>re is grievous judgement shall your spirits enter<br />

And <strong>the</strong> great judgement shall be for all <strong>the</strong> generations <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> world.<br />

Woe to you, for ye shall have no peace.<br />

9. Say not in regard to <strong>the</strong> righteous and good who are in life :<br />

"In our troubled days we have toiled laboriously and<br />

experienced every trouble.<br />

And met with much evil and been consumed,<br />

And have become few and our spirit small.<br />

In Jubilees Sheol is not yet associ-<br />

ated with fire and burning, but this<br />

stage is reached in our text. It has<br />

assumed thus one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> charac-<br />

teristics <strong>of</strong> Gehenna ; and become a<br />

place <strong>of</strong> flaming fire. See ver. 8". Cf.<br />

<strong>the</strong> different significations it has in<br />

102". ". 8. Of <strong>the</strong> world (o). $<br />

'unto eternity'- Have no peace : see<br />

5* (note) 94^ (note). 9-15. These verses<br />

are in <strong>the</strong> mouth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wicked an ironical<br />

description <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lot <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous.<br />

For <strong>the</strong> time being <strong>the</strong>y speak in <strong>the</strong><br />

person <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous. From this verse<br />

to <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> this chapter ^g stands alone<br />

frequently, exhibiting nearly sixty varia-<br />

tions, but <strong>the</strong>se are mainly between <strong>the</strong><br />

1st and 3rd plurals in <strong>the</strong> verbs and <strong>the</strong><br />

corresponding suffixes, verbal and sub-<br />

stantival, ig favours throughout <strong>the</strong><br />

8i'd pi., whereas g in <strong>the</strong> main agrees<br />

with <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> MSS. in giving <strong>the</strong><br />

1st plural. The question arises on<br />

which person, <strong>the</strong> Ist or 3rd, are we<br />

to decide. The evidence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> MSS.<br />

goes to prove that <strong>the</strong> 1st person tnas<br />

<strong>the</strong> original. For, whereas ^g gives <strong>the</strong><br />

3rd person in all, except seven instances,<br />

confined to vv. 14 and 15, all o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

MSS., with few exceptions, give <strong>the</strong> 1st<br />

person. The exclusive use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 3rd per-<br />

son would make <strong>the</strong> sense <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> text<br />

clearer. But <strong>the</strong> evidence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> MSS.<br />

is irresistible. The wicked assume <strong>the</strong><br />

role <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous and speak in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

person. 103'-!'' are pronounced de-<br />

risively by <strong>the</strong> sinners <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous.<br />

For in 102^"*, when <strong>the</strong> sinners declare<br />

that <strong>the</strong> righteous live in trouble and<br />

darkness and have no advantage over<br />

<strong>the</strong> wicked beyond <strong>the</strong> grave, <strong>the</strong> author<br />

(102^") in reply points to <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir death and <strong>the</strong> purity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir life.<br />

To this <strong>the</strong> sinners rejoin (102^^), 'de-<br />

spite all that <strong>the</strong>y go down to Sheol in<br />

woe as we.' The author now addresses<br />

himself first to <strong>the</strong> righteous (103^~*)<br />

and <strong>the</strong>n to <strong>the</strong> sinners. In <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> latter he gives <strong>the</strong>ir glorification <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir own life (103""^) and <strong>the</strong>ir deprecia-<br />

tion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> life <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous (103«-").<br />

In <strong>the</strong>se verses <strong>the</strong> wicked describe <strong>the</strong><br />

wretchedness and helplessness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

present life <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous, just as in<br />

102^>'' <strong>the</strong>y had described <strong>the</strong> wretchedness<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> future <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> righteous. At<br />

<strong>the</strong> close <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se words <strong>the</strong> author<br />

addresses his reply (104'~°) not directly<br />

to <strong>the</strong> sinners who have just spoken but<br />

to <strong>the</strong> righteous, just as in <strong>the</strong> opening<br />

<strong>of</strong> 103, and returns to <strong>the</strong> sinners in<br />

vv. 7-9. 9. Our troubled days<br />

(1?P). ffqfiti '<strong>the</strong>ir troubled days',<br />

i3 ' <strong>the</strong> days <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir life with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

troublous toil'. We have toiled, ^g<br />

' <strong>the</strong>y have toiled ', and so on in <strong>the</strong> 3rd<br />

person except in vv. 14-15. I will not<br />

record <strong>the</strong>se variations so far as <strong>the</strong>y<br />

;

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