the-book-of-enoch-r-h-charles - Fallen Angels
the-book-of-enoch-r-h-charles - Fallen Angels
the-book-of-enoch-r-h-charles - Fallen Angels
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
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 />
;