Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil (20 page)

2 Blessed art thou, O Lord, the King, great and powerful in thy greatness, Lord of all the creatures of heaven, King of kings, God of the whole world, whose reign, whose kingdom, and whose majesty endure for ever and ever.

3 From generation to generation shall thy dominion
exist.
All the heavens are thy throne for ever, and all the earth thy footstool for ever and for ever.

4 For thou hast made
them,
and over all thou reignest. No act whatsoever exceeds thy power. With thee wisdom is unchangeable; nor from thy throne and from thy presence is it ever averted. Thou knowest all things, seest and hearest them; nor is anything concealed from thee; for thou perceivest all things.

5 The angels of thy heavens have transgressed; and on mortal flesh shall thy wrath remain, until the day of the great judgment.

6 Now then, O God, Lord and mighty King, I entreat thee, and beseech thee to grant my prayer, that a posterity may be left to me on earth, and that the whole human race may not perish;

7 That the earth may not be left destitute, and destruction take place for ever.

8 O my Lord, let the race perish from off the earth which has offended thee, but a righteous and upright race establish for a posterity [literally, “for the plant of a seed” (Laurence, p. 121)] for ever. Hide not thy face, O Lord, from the prayer of thy servant.

1 After this I saw another dream, and explained it all to thee, my son. Enoch arose and said to his son Mathusala, To thee, my son, will I speak. Hear my word; and incline thine ear to the visionary dream of thy father. Before I married thy mother Edna, I saw a vision on my bed
[127]
;

2 And behold, a cow sprung forth from the earth;

3 And this cow was white.

4 Afterwards a female heifer sprung forth; and with it another heifer
[128]
: one of them was black, and one was red [Cain and Abel].

5 The black heifer then struck the red one, and pursued it over the earth.

6 From that period I could see nothing more of the red heifer; but the black one increased in bulk, and a female heifer came with him.

7 After this I saw that many cows proceeded forth, resembling him, and following after him.

8 The first female young one also went out in the presence of the first cow; and sought the red heifer; but found him not.

9 And she lamented with a great lamentation, while she was seeking him.

10 Then I looked until that first
cow
came to her, from which time she became silent, and ceased to lament.

11 Afterwards she calved another white cow.

12 And again calved many cows and black heifers.

13 In my sleep also I perceived a white bull, which in like manner grew, and became a large white bull.

14 After him many white cows came forth, resembling him.

15 And they began to calve many
other
white cows, which resembled them and followed each other.

1 Again I looked attentively, while sleeping, and surveyed heaven above.

2 And behold a single star fell from heaven.

3 Which being raised up, ate and fed among those cows.

4 After that I perceived
other
large and black cows; and behold all of them changed their stalls and pastures, while their young began to lament one with another. Again I looked in
my
vision, and surveyed heaven; when behold I saw many stars which descended, and projected themselves from heaven to where the first star was,

5 Into the midst of those young ones; while the cows were with them, feeding in the midst of them.

6 I looked at and observed them; when behold, they all acted after the manner of horses, and began to approach the young cows, all of whom became pregnant, and brought forth elephants, camels, and asses.

7 At these all the cows were alarmed and terrified; when they began biting with their teeth, swallowing, and striking with their horns.

8 They began also to devour the cows; and behold all the children of the earth trembled, shook with terror at them, and suddenly fled away.

1 Again I perceived them, when they began to strike and to swallow each other; and the earth cried out. Then I raised my eyes a second time towards heaven, and saw in a vision, that, behold, there came forth from heaven as it were the likeness of white men. One came forth from thence, and three with him.

2 Those three, who came forth last, seized me by my hand; and raising me up from the generations of the earth, elevated me to a high station.

3 Then they showed me a lofty tower on the earth, while every hill became diminished. And they said, Remain here, until thou perceivest what shall come upon those elephants, camels, and asses, upon the stars, and upon all the cows.

1 Then I looked at that one of the four
white men,
who came forth first.

2 He seized the first star which fell down from heaven.

3 And, binding it hand and foot, he cast it into a valley; a valley narrow, deep, stupendous, and gloomy.

4 Then one of them drew his sword, and gave it to the elephants, camels, and asses, who began to strike each other. And the whole earth shook on account of them.

5 And when I looked in the vision, behold, one of those four angels, who came forth, hurled from heaven, collected together, and took all the great stars, whose form partly resembled that of horses; and binding them all hand and foot, cast them into the cavities of the earth.

1 Then one of those four went to the white cows, and taught them a mystery. While the cow was trembling, it was born, and became a man [Noah], and fabricated for himself a large ship. In this he dwelt, and three cows [Shem, Ham, and Japheth] dwelt with him in that ship, which covered them.

2 Again I lifted up my eyes towards heaven, and saw a lofty roof. Above it were seven cataracts, which poured forth on a certain village much water.

3 Again I looked, and behold there were fountains open on the earth in that large village.

4 The water began to boil up, and rose over the earth; so that the village was not seen, while its whole soil was covered with water.

5 Much water was over it, darkness, and clouds. Then I surveyed the height of this water; and it was elevated above the village.

6 It flowed over the village, and stood higher than the earth.

7 Then all the cows which were collected there, while I looked on them, were drowned, swallowed up, and destroyed in the water.

8 But the ship floated above it. All the cows, the elephants, the camels, and the asses, were drowned on the earth, and all cattle. Nor could I perceive them. Neither were they able to get out, but perished, and sunk into the deep.

9 Again I looked in the vision until those cataracts from that lofty roof were removed, and the fountains of the earth became equalized, while other depths were opened;

10 Into which the water began to descend, until the dry ground appeared.

11 The ship remained on the earth; the darkness receded; and it became light.

12 Then the white cow, which became a man, went out of the ship, and the three cows with him.

13 One of the three cows was white, resembling that cow; one of them was red as blood; and one of them was black. And the white cow left them.

14 Then began wild beasts and birds to bring forth.

15 Of all these the different kinds assembled together, lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, wild boars, foxes, rabbits, and the hanzar,

16 The siset, the avest, kites, the phonkas, and ravens.

17 Then a white cow [Abraham] was born in the midst of them.

18 And they began to bite each other; when the white cow, which was born in the midst of them, brought forth a wild ass and a white cow at the same time, and
after that
many wild asses. Then the white cow [Isaac], which was born, brought forth a black wild sow and a white sheep [Esau and Jacob].

19 That wild sow also brought forth many swine;

20 And that sheep brought forth twelve sheep [the twelve patriarchs].

21 When those twelve sheep grew up, they delivered one of them [Joseph] to the asses [the Midianites].

22 Again those asses delivered that sheep to the wolves [the Egyptians],

23 And he grew up in the midst of them.

24 Then the Lord brought the eleven
other
sheep, that they might dwell and feed with him in the midst of the wolves.

25 They multiplied, and there was abundance of pasture for them.

26 But the wolves began to frighten and oppress them, while they destroyed their young ones.

27 And they left their young in torrents of deep water.

28 Now the sheep began to cry out on account of their young, and fled for refuge to their Lord. One [Moses] however, which was saved, escaped, and went away to the wild asses.

29 I beheld the sheep moaning, crying, and petitioning their Lord,

30 With all their might, until the Lord of the sheep descended at their voice from
his
lofty habitation; went to them; and inspected them.

31 He called to that sheep which had secretly stolen away from the wolves, and told him to make the wolves understand that they were not to touch the sheep.

32 Then that sheep went to the wolves with the word of the Lord, when another met him [Aaron], and proceeded with him.

33 Both of them together entered the dwelling of the wolves; and conversing with them made them understand, that from thenceforwards they were not to touch the sheep.

34 Afterwards I perceived the wolves greatly prevailing over the sheep with their whole force. The sheep cried out; and their Lord came to them.

35 He began to strike the wolves, who commenced a grievous lamentation; but the sheep were silent, nor from that time did they cry out.

36 I then looked at them, until they departed from the wolves. The eyes of the wolves were blind, who went out and followed them with all their might. But the Lord of the sheep proceeded with them, and conducted them.

37 All his sheep followed him.

38 His countenance
was
terrific and splendid, and glorious was his aspect. Yet the wolves began to follow the sheep, until they overtook them in a certain lake of water [the Red Sea].

39 Then that lake became divided; the water standing up on both sides before their face.

40 And while their Lord was conducting them, he placed himself between them and the wolves.

41 The wolves however perceived not the sheep, but went into the midst of the lake, following them, and running after them into the lake of water.

42 But when they saw the Lord of the sheep, they turned to fly from before his face.

43 Then the water of the lake returned, and that suddenly, according to its nature. It became full, and was raised up, until it covered the wolves. And I saw that all of them which had followed the sheep perished, and were drowned.

44 But the sheep passed over this water, proceeding to a wilderness, which was without both water and grass. And they began to open their eyes and to see.

45 Then I beheld the Lord of the sheep inspecting them, and giving them water and grass.

46 The sheep
already mentioned
was proceeding
with them,
and conducting them.

47 And when he had ascended the top of a lofty rock, the Lord of the sheep sent him to them.

48 Afterwards I perceived their Lord standing before them, with an aspect terrific and severe.

49 And when they all beheld him, they were frightened at his countenance.

50 All of them were alarmed, and trembled. They cried out after that sheep; and to the other sheep who had been with him, and who was in the midst of them,
saying,
We are not able to stand before our Lord, or to look upon him.

51 Then that sheep who conducted them went away, and ascended the top of the rock;

52 When the
rest of the
sheep began to grow blind, and to wander from the path which he had shown them; but he knew it not.

53 Their Lord however was moved with great indignation against them; and when that sheep had learned
what had happened,

54 He descended from the top of the rock, and coming to them, found that there were many,

55 Which had become blind;

56 And had wandered from his path. As soon as they beheld him, they feared, and trembled at his presence;

57 And became desirous of returning to their fold.

58 Then that sheep, taking with him other sheep, went to those which had wandered.

59 And afterwards began to kill them. They were terrified at his countenance. Then he caused those which had wandered to return; who went back to their fold.

60 I likewise saw there in the vision, that this sheep became a man, built an house [a tabernacle (Milik, p. 205)] for the Lord of the sheep, and made them all stand in that house.

61 I perceived also that the sheep which proceeded to meet this sheep, their conductor, died. I saw, too, that all the great sheep perished, while smaller ones rose up in their place, entered into a pasture, and approached a river of water [the river Jordan].

62 Then that sheep, their conductor, who became a man, was separated from them, and died.

63 All the sheep sought after him, and cried for him with bitter lamentation.

64 I saw likewise that they ceased to cry after that sheep, and passed over the river of water.

65 And that there arose other sheep, all of whom conducted them [the Judges of Israel], instead of those who were dead, and who had
previously
conducted them.

66 Then I saw that the sheep entered into a goodly place, and a territory delectable and glorious.

67 I saw also that they became satiated; that their house was in the midst of a delectable territory: and that sometimes their eyes were opened, and that sometimes they were blind; until another sheep [Samuel] arose and conducted them. He brought them all back; and their eyes were opened.