The Book of 1 Enoch is an ancient Hebrew text. It is not Scripture. But it provides valuable ancient commentary on important biblical topics.

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline

SUMMARY

Overview

There are three different Books of Enoch:

1 Enoch. Also known as the Ethiopian Book of Enoch.

2 Enoch. Also known as the Slavonic Enoch, and the Secrets of Enoch.

3 Enoch. Also known as the Hebrew Book of Enoch, and The Book of the Palaces, and The Book of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest, and The Revelation of Metatron.

Titles

If you want to find a copy of 1 Enoch, the titles can be confusing. Here are three variations of the titles that we have seen, and how we have come to understand them:

1 Enoch. This is the book we are studying.

The Book of Enoch (in the singular). This is the same as “1 Enoch.”

The Books of Enoch (in the plural). This contains all three books: 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, and 3 Enoch.

Canonicity

The Books of Enoch are not considered to be canonical Scripture by the majority of Jewish or Christian church bodies.

However, the Lord Jesus Christ quoted from 1 Enoch.

Author

It is ascribed, by tradition, to the patriarch Enoch. He was the great-grandfather of Noah.

Enoch did not die. Instead, he was taken alive into heaven.

See: Being taken up into Heaven. Neither Enoch nor Elijah died. Instead, they were taken alive into heaven. They demonstrate what will happen to believers at the end of time.

Language

1 Enoch was probably first written in either Aramaic or Hebrew, as those are the languages used for Jewish texts.

In our day, 1 Enoch is wholly extant only in the Ethiopian Ge’ez language. No Hebrew version is known to have survived.

Quotations in the New Testament

Matthew 25:41. Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

That is a parallel of 1 Enoch 10:13.

John 7:38. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.

2 Peter 2:4. For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment;

2 Peter 3:13. But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Jude 1:4. For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:6. Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Jude 1:13. wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude 1:14. About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

Jude 1:15. to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Date

Circa 300–200 BC.

Purpose

Contains unique material on the origins of demons and Nephilim, why some angels fell from heaven, an explanation of why the Genesis flood was necessary, and prophetic exposition of the thousand-year reign of the Messiah.

Impact

The Book of 1 Enoch was influential in molding New Testament doctrines about the Messiah, the Son of Man, the messianic kingdom, demonology, the resurrection, and eschatology.

Translation Discussion

Selecting a translation of 1 Enoch is not so simple. That is for two main reasons.

REASON 1. The most reliable ancient texts exist in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Ethiopian. However, in our day, no Hebrew text exists.

Minor texts also exist in Greek, Coptic, Latin, and Syriac.

If you compare translations from each of those languages, you will find differences here-and-there.

REASON 2. The translations into English have various strengths and weaknesses. Consider the very first two translations into English:

Richard Laurence published the first English translation of 1 Enoch in 1883. It is available online at many places including John Pratt and Internet Archive and qbible and Sacred Texts and Future Revealed.

Robert Henry Charles published the second English translation in 1893, followed by a revisions in 1906 and 1913 and 1917. It too is available online at many places including Internet Archive and WikiSource and qbible and Global Grey and Sacred Texts.

In those days, the number of extant manuscripts was quite limited. The translators had to rely on limited Ethiopic and Greek witnesses to the text. The Aramaic fragments of the book were not even available until 1948.

Since 1948, many additional translations have emerged. Here are two of them:

E. Isaac published a translation in 1983. However, it is based on a fifteenth century manuscript. It is available online at Phil’s Websites. Based on the date of publishing, this work is most likely under copyright protection.

George W. E. Nickelsburg produced a translation and commentary in 2001. As of this writing, it is still under copyright protection. But it can be purchased from booksellers. And it can be checked out for free at Internet Archive.

RECOMMENDATION. We suggest the translation and commentary by George W. E. Nickelsburg. Or any recent translation that is from the full complement of available source manuscripts.

OUR SELECTION. Here at Explore the Faith, we can only use a translation that is in the public domain. For that reason, we are using the translation of 1 Enoch by Robert Henry Charles in 1917. This translation has no copyright restrictions. It is in the Public Domain. It is available online at many places including qbible and Sacred Texts and Global Grey and WikiSource.

LEARN MORE. See Translations of 1 Enoch by Phillip J. Long in 2016, published at Reading Acts. See also Wikipedia.

Details

The Book of 1 Enoch has 107 chapters. It has roughly 41,000 words.

OUTLINE

PART 1. THE BOOK OF THE WATCHERS

1 Enoch 1–36

This first section of the Book of Enoch describes the fall of the Watchers, the angels who fathered the Nephilim (see Genesis 6:1–4) and narrates the travels of Enoch in the heavens. This section is said to have been composed in the 4th or 3rd century BC according to Western scholars.

1 Enoch 1. A Parable of Enoch on the Future Lot of the Wicked and the Righteous

1 Enoch 2. A Parable of Enoch on the Future Lot of the Wicked and the Righteous

1 Enoch 3. A Parable of Enoch on the Future Lot of the Wicked and the Righteous

1 Enoch 4. A Parable of Enoch on the Future Lot of the Wicked and the Righteous

1 Enoch 5. A Parable of Enoch on the Future Lot of the Wicked and the Righteous

1 Enoch 6-11. The Fall of the Angels: the Demoralization of Mankind: the Intercession of the Angels on behalf of Mankind. The Dooms pronounced by God on the Angels of the Messianic Kingdom.

1 Enoch 12–16. Dream-Vision of Enoch: his Intercession for Azazel and the fallen angels: and his Announcement of their first and final Doom.

1 Enoch 17–36. Enoch’s Journeys through the Earth and Sheol: Enoch also traveled through a portal shaped as a triangle to heaven.

1 Enoch 17–19. The First Journey.

Enoch 20. Names and Functions of the Seven Archangels.

1 Enoch 21. Preliminary and final Place of Punishment of the fallen Angels (stars).

1 Enoch 22. Sheol or the Underworld.

1 Enoch 23. The fire that deals with the Luminaries of Heaven.

1 Enoch 24–25. The Seven Mountains in the North-West and the Tree of Life.

1 Enoch 26. Jerusalem and the Mountains, Ravines, and Streams.

1 Enoch 27. The Purpose of the Accursed Valley.

1 Enoch 28–33. Further Journey to the East.

1 Enoch 34–35. Enoch’s Journey to the North.

1 Enoch 36. The Journey to the South.

PART 2. THE BOOK OF PARABLES

1 Enoch 37–71

The Book of Parables appears to be based on the Book of the Watchers (see above), but presents a later development of the idea of final judgment and of eschatology, concerned not only with the destiny of the fallen angels but also that of the evil kings of the earth

1 Enoch 37. Superscription and Introduction

The First Parable

1 Enoch 38. The Coming Judgment of the Wicked.

1 Enoch 39. The Abode of the Righteous and the Elect One: the Praises of the Blessed.

1 Enoch 40. The Four Archangels.

1 Enoch 41.1–2. Anticipation of Judgment

1 Enoch 41.3–9. Astronomical Secrets.

1 Enoch 42. The Dwelling-places of Wisdom and of Unrighteousness.

1 Enoch 43–44. Astronomical Secrets.

The Second Parable

1 Enoch 45. The Lot of the Apostates: the New Heaven and the New Earth.

1 Enoch 46. The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man.

1 Enoch 47. The Prayer of the Righteous for Vengeance and their Joy at its coming.

1 Enoch 48. The Fount of Righteousness: the Son of Man – the Stay of the Righteous: Judgment of the Kings and the Mighty.

1 Enoch 49. The Power and Wisdom of the Elect One.

1 Enoch 50. The Glorification and Victory of the Righteous: the Repentance of the Gentiles.

1 Enoch 51. The Resurrection of the Dead, and the Separation by the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.

1 Enoch 52. The Six Metal Mountains and the Elect One.

1 Enoch 53–54.6. The Valley of Judgment: the Angels of Punishment: the Communities of the Elect One.

1 Enoch 54.7.–55.2. Noachic Fragment on the first World Judgment.

1 Enoch 55.3.–56.4. Final Judgment of Azazel, the Watchers and their children.

1 Enoch 56.5–8. Last Struggle of the Heathen Powers against Israel.

1 Enoch 57. The Return from the Dispersion.

The Third Parable

1 Enoch 58. The Blessedness of the Saints.

1 Enoch 59. The Lights and the Thunder.

1 Enoch 60. Quaking of the Heaven: Behemoth and Leviathan: the Elements.

1 Enoch 61. Angels go off to measure Paradise: the Judgment of the Righteous by the Elect One: the Praise of the Elect One and of God.

1 Enoch 62. Judgment of the Kings and the Mighty: Blessedness of the Righteous.

1 Enoch 63. The unavailing Repentance of the Kings and the Mighty.

1 Enoch 64. Vision of the Fallen Angels in the Place of Punishment.

1 Enoch 65. Enoch foretells to Noah the Deluge and his own Preservation.

1 Enoch 66. The Angels of the Waters bidden to hold them in Check.

1 Enoch 67. God’s Promise to Noah: Places of Punishment of the Angels and of the Kings.

1 Enoch 68. Michael and Raphael astonished at the Severity of the Judgment.

1 Enoch 69. The Names and Functions of the (fallen Angels and) Satans: the secret Oath.

Concluding Appendices

1 Enoch 70. The Final Translation of Enoch.

1 Enoch 71. Two earlier Visions of Enoch.

PART 3. THE ASTRONOMICAL BOOK

1 Enoch 72–82

The Astronomical Book (also called the Book of the Heavenly Luminaries or Book of Luminaries)

1 Enoch 72. The Sun

1 Enoch 73. The Moon and its Phases

1 Enoch 74. The Lunar Year

1 Enoch 76. The Twelve Winds and their Portals

1 Enoch 77. The Four Quarters of the World: the Seven Mountains, the Seven Rivers, Seven Great Islands

1 Enoch 78. The Sun and Moon: the Waxing and Waning of the Moon

1 Enoch 79–80.1. Recapitulation of several of the Laws

1 Enoch 80.2–8. Perversion of Nature and the heavenly Bodies due to the Sin of Men

1 Enoch 81. The Heavenly Tablets and the Mission of Enoch

1 Enoch 82. Charge given to Enoch: the four Intercalary days: the Stars which lead the Seasons and the Months

PART 4. THE BOOK OF DREAM VISIONS

1 Enoch 83–90

1 Enoch 83–84. First Dream Vision on the Deluge.

1 Enoch 85–90. Second Dream Vision of Enoch: the History of the World to the Founding of the Messianic Kingdom.

1 Enoch 86. The Fall of the Angels and the Demoralization of Mankind.

1 Enoch 87. The Advent of the Seven Archangels.

1 Enoch 88. The Punishment of the Fallen Angels by the Archangels.

1 Enoch 89.1–9. The Deluge and the Deliverance of Noah.

1 Enoch 89.10–27. From the Death of Noah to The Exodus.

1 Enoch 89.28–40. Israel in the Desert, the Giving of the Law, the Entrance into Canaan.

1 Enoch 89.41–50. From the Time of the Judges to the Building of the Temple.

1 Enoch 89.51–67. The Two Kingdoms of Israel and Judah to the Destruction of Jerusalem.

1 Enoch 89.68–71. First Period of the Angelic Rulers – from the Destruction of Jerusalem to the Return from Captivity.

1 Enoch 89.72–77. Second Period – from the Time of Cyrus to that of Alexander the Great.

1 Enoch 90.1–5. Third Period – from Alexander the Great to the Graeco-Syrian Domination.

1 Enoch 90.6–12. Fourth Period Graeco-Syrian Domination to the Maccabean Revolt (debated).

1 Enoch 90.13–19. The last Assault of the Gentiles on the Jews (where vv. 13–15 and 16–18 are doublets).

1 Enoch 90.20–27. Judgment of the Fallen Angels, the Shepherds, and the Apostates.

1 Enoch 90.28–42. The New Jerusalem, the Conversion of the surviving Gentiles, the Resurrection of the Righteous, the Messiah. Enoch awakes and weeps.

PART 5. THE EPISTLE OF ENOCH

1 Enoch 91–108

1 Enoch 92, 91.1–10, 18–19. Enoch’s Book of Admonition for his Children.

1 Enoch 91.1–10, 18–19. Enoch’s Admonition to his Children.

1 Enoch 93, 91.12–17. The Apocalypse of Weeks.

1 Enoch 91.12–17. The Last Three Weeks.

1 Enoch 94.1–5. Admonitions to the Righteous.

1 Enoch 94.6–11. Woes for the Sinners.

1 Enoch 95. Enoch’s Grief: fresh Woes against the Sinners.

1 Enoch 96. Grounds of Hopefulness for the Righteous: Woes for the Wicked.

1 Enoch 97. The Evils in Store for Sinners and the Possessors of Unrighteous Wealth.

1 Enoch 98. Self-indulgence of Sinners: Sin originated by Man: all Sin recorded in Heaven: Woes for the Sinners.

1 Enoch 99. Woes pronounced on the Godless, the Lawbreakers: evil Plight of Sinners in The Last Days: further Woes.

1 Enoch 100. The Sinners destroy each other: Judgment of the Fallen Angels: the Safety of the Righteous: further Woes for the Sinners.

1 Enoch 101. Exhortation to the fear of God: all Nature fears Him but not the Sinners.

1 Enoch 102. Terrors of the Day of Judgment: the adverse Fortunes of the Righteous on the Earth.

1 Enoch 103. Different Destinies of the Righteous and the Sinners: fresh Objections of the Sinners.

1 Enoch 104. Assurances given to the Righteous: Admonitions to Sinners and the Falsifiers of the Words of Uprightness.

1 Enoch 105. God and the Messiah to dwell with Man.

1 Enoch 106–107. (first appendix) Birth of Noah.

1 Enoch 108. (second appendix) Conclusion.

1 ENOCH