From-The Apocrypha and
Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament
Book 3 The Visions
1
1 And they took and brought me to a
place in which those who were there were like flaming fire,
2 and, when they wished, they appeared as men. And they brought me to the place of
darkness, and
3 to a mountain the point of whose summit reached to heaven. And I saw the places of the
luminaries and the treasuries of the stars and of the thunder, and in the uttermost
depths, where were
4 a fiery bow and arrows and their quiver, and a fiery sword and all the lightnings. And
they took
5 me to the living waters, and to the fire of the west, which receives every setting of
the sun. And I came to a river of fire in which the fire flows like water and discharges
itself into the great sea towards
6 the west. I saw the great rivers and came to the great river and to the great darkness,
and went
7 to the place where no flesh walks. I saw the mountains of the darkness of winter and the
place
8 whence all the waters of the deep flow. I saw the mouths of all the rivers of the earth
and the mouth of the deep.
2
1 I saw the treasuries of all the
winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation
2 and the firm foundations of the earth. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw
the four
3 winds which bear [the earth and] the firmament of the heaven. And I saw how the winds
stretch out the vaults of heaven, and have their station between heaven and earth: these
are the pillars
4 of the heaven". I saw the winds of heaven which turn and bring the circumference of
the sun and
5 all the stars to their setting. I saw the winds on the earth carrying the clouds: I saw
the paths
6 of the angels. I saw at the end of the earth the firmament of the heaven above. And I
proceeded and saw a place which burns day and night, where there are seven mountains of
magnificent stones,
7 three towards the east, and three towards the south. And as for those towards the east,
(one) was of coloured stone, and one of pearl, and one of jacinth, and those towards the
south of red stone.
8 But the middle one reached to heaven like the throne of God, of alabaster, and the
summit of the
9, 10 throne was of sapphire. And I saw a flaming fire. And beyond these mountains Is a
region the
11 end of the great earth: there the heavens were completed. And I saw a deep abyss, with
columns of heavenly fire, and among them I saw columns of fire fall, which were beyond
measure alike towards
12 the height and towards the depth. And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no
firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it: there was no water
upon it, and no
13 birds, but it was a waste and horrible place. I saw there seven stars like great
burning mountains,
14 and to me, when I inquired regarding them, The angel said: 'This place is the end of
heaven and
15 earth: this has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. And the stars
which roll over the fire are they which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in
the beginning of
16 their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. And He was
wroth with them, and bound them till the time when their guilt should be consummated
(even) for ten thousand years.'
3
1 And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall
stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many
different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons
as gods", (here shall they stand,) till the day of the great judgement in
2 which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the
angels who
3 went astray shall become sirens.' And I, Enoch, alone saw the vision, the ends of all
things: and no man shall see as I have seen.
4
1, 2 And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Uriel, one of the holy angels,
who is
3 over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the
spirits of men.
4, 5 Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries.
Michael, one
6 of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos.
Saraqael,
7 one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one
of the holy
8 angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. Remiel, one of the holy
angels, whom God set over those who rise.
5
1, 2 And I proceeded to where things
were chaotic. And I saw there something horrible: I saw neither
3 a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible. And there I
saw
4 seven stars of the heaven bound together in it, like great mountains and burning with
fire. Then
5 I said: 'For what sin are they bound, and on what account have they been cast in
hither?' Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and was chief over
them, and said: 'Enoch, why
6 dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth? These are of the number of the
stars of heaven, which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and are bound here
till ten thousand years,
7 the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.' And from thence I went to another
place, which was still more horrible than the former, and I saw a horrible thing: a great
fire there which burnt and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full
of great descending columns of
8 fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture. Then I said:
'How
9 fearful is the place and how terrible to look upon!' Then Uriel answered me, one of the
holy angels who was with me: Enoch, why hast thou such fear and affright?' And
10 I answered: 'Because of this fearful place, and because of the spectacle of the pain.'
And he said unto me: 'This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be
imprisoned for ever.'
6
1 And thence I went to another place,
and he showed me in the west another great and high mountain [and] of hard rock. And there
were four hollow places in it, deep
2 and very smooth: three of them were dark and one bright and there was a fountain of
water in its midst. And I said how smooth are these hollow places, and deep and dark to
view.'
3 Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'These
hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of
the dead should
4 assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here.
And these places have been made to receive them till the day of their judgment and till
their appointed period [till the period appointed], till the great judgement (comes) upon
them.' I saw (the spirit of) a dead man making suit,
5 and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. And I asked Raphael the angel who was
6 with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it, whose voice
goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven?'
7 And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his
brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the
face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.'
8 Then I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: Why is one separated
from the other?'
9 And he answered me and said unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the
dead might be separated. And such a division has been made (for) the spirits of the
righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water.
10 And such has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and
judgement has not been executed on them in their lifetime.
11 Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of
judgement and punishment and torment of those who curse for ever and retribution for their
spirits. There
12 He shall bind them for ever. And such a division has been made for the spirits of those
who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were
slain in the days
13 of the sinners. Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but
sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors they shall be
companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be
raised from thence.'
14 Then I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of
righteousness, who ruleth for ever.'
7
1,2 From thence I went to another
place to the west of the ends of the earth. And I saw a burning
3 fire which ran without resting, and paused not from its course day or night but (ran)
regularly. And
4 I asked saying: 'What is this which rests not?' Then Raguel, one of the holy angels who
was with me, answered me and said unto me: 'This course of fire which thou hast seen is
the fire in the west which persecutes all the luminaries of heaven.'
8
1 And from thence I went to another
place of the earth, and he showed a mountain range of
2 fire which burnt day and night. And I went beyond it and saw seven magnificent mountains
all differing each from the other, and the stones (thereof) were magnificent and
beautiful, magnificent as a whole, of glorious appearance and fair exterior: three towards
the east, one founded on the other, and three towards the south, one upon the other, and
deep rough ravines, no one of which
3 joined with any other. And the seventh mountain was in the midst of these and it
excelled them
4 in height, resembling the seat of a throne: and fragrant trees encircled the throne. And
amongst them was a tree such as I had never yet smelt, neither was any amongst them nor
were others like it: it had a fragrance beyond all fragrance, and its leaves and blooms
and wood wither not for ever:
5 and its fruit is beautiful, and its fruit resembles the dates of a palm. Then I said:
'How beautiful is this tree, and fragrant, and its leaves are fair, and its blooms very
delightful in appearance.'
6 Then answered Michael, one of the holy and honoured angels who was with me, and was
their leader.
9
1 And he said unto me: 'Enoch,why
dost thou ask me regarding the fragrance of the tree,
2 and why dost thou wish to learn the truth?' Then I answered him saying: 'I wish to
3 know about everything, but especially about this tree.' And he answered saying: 'This
high mountain which thou hast seen, whose summit is like the throne of God, His throne,
where the Holy Great One, the Lord of Glory, the Eternal King, will sit, when He shall
come down to visit
4 the earth with goodness. And as for this fragrant tree no mortal is permitted to touch
it till the great judgement, when He shall take vengeance on all and bring (everything)
its consummation
5 for ever. It shall then be given to the righteous and holy. Its fruit shall be for food
to the elect: it shall be transplanted to the holy place, to the temple of the Lord, the
Eternal King.
6 Then shall they rejoice with joy and be glad, And into the holy place shall they enter;
And its fragrance shall be in their bones, And they shall live a long life on earth, Such
as thy fathers lived: And in their days shall no sorrow or plague Or torment or calamity
touch them.' Then blessed I the God of Glory, the Eternal King, who hath prepared such
things for the righteous, and hath created them and promised to give to them.
10
1 And I went from thence to the
middle of the earth, and I saw a blessed place in which there were
2 trees with branches abiding and blooming [of a dismembered tree]. And there I saw a holy
mountain,
3 and underneath the mountain to the east there was a stream and it flowed towards the
south. And I saw towards the east another mountain higher than this, and between them a
deep and narrow
4 ravine: in it also ran a stream underneath the mountain. And to the west thereof there
was another mountain, lower than the former and of small elevation, and a ravine deep and
dry between
5 them: and another deep and dry ravine was at the extremities of the three mountains. And
all the ravines were deep and narrow, (being formed) of hard rock, and trees were not
planted upon
6 them. And I marvelled at the rocks, and I marvelled at the ravine, yea, I marvelled very
much.
11
1 Then said I: 'For what object is
this blessed land, which is entirely filled with trees, and this
2 accursed valley between? 'Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered
and said: "This accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: here shall
all the accursed be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord unseemly
words and of His glory speak hard things. Here shall they be gathered together, and here
3 shall be their place of judgement. In the last days there shall be upon them the
spectacle of righteous judgement in the presence of the righteous for ever: here shall the
merciful bless the Lord of glory, the Eternal King.
4 In the days of judgement over the former, they shall bless Him for the mercy in
accordance with
5 which He has assigned them (their lot).' Then I blessed the Lord of Glory and set forth
His glory and lauded Him gloriously.
12
1 And thence I went towards the east,
into the midst of the mountain range of the desert, and
2 I saw a wilderness and it was solitary, full of trees and plants. And water gushed forth
from
3 above. Rushing like a copious watercourse [which flowed] towards the north-west it
caused clouds and dew to ascend on every side.
13
1 And thence I went to another place
in the desert, and approached to the east of this mountain
2 range. And there I saw aromatic trees exhaling the fragrance of frankincense and myrrh,
and the trees also were similar to the almond tree.
14
1, 2 And beyond these, I went afar to
the east, and I saw another place, a valley (full) of water. And
3 therein there was a tree, the colour (?) of fragrant trees such as the mastic. And on
the sides of those valleys I saw fragrant cinnamon. And beyond these I proceeded to the
east.
15
1 And I saw other mountains, and
amongst them were groves of trees, and there flowed forth from
2 them nectar which is named sarara and galbanum And beyond these mountains I saw another
mountain to the east of the ends of the earth, whereon were aloe trees, and all the trees
were full
3 of stacte, being like almond-trees. And when one burnt it, it smelt sweeter than any
fragrant odour.
16
1 And after these fragrant odours, as
I looked seven mountains full of choice nard and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper.
2 And thence I went over the summits of all these mountains, far towards the east of the
earth, and passed above the Erythraean sea and went far from it, and passed over the angel
Zotiel.
3 And I came to the Garden of Righteousness; and saw beyond those trees many large trees
growing there and of goodly fragrance, large, very beautiful and glorious, and the tree of
I wisdom whereof they eat and know great wisdom.
4. That tree is in height like the fir, and its leaves are like (those of) the Carob tree:
and its fruit
5 is like the clusters of the vine, very beautiful: and the fragrance of the tree
penetrates afar. Then
6 I said: How beautiful is the tree, and how attractive is its look!' Then Raphael the
holy angel, who was with me, answered me and said: 'This is the tree of wisdom, of which
thy father old (in years) and thy aged mother, who were before thee, have eaten, and they
learnt wisdom and their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they were
driven out of the garden.'
17
1 And from thence I went to the ends
of the earth and saw there great beasts, and each differed from the other; and (I saw)
birds also differing in appearance and beauty and voice, the one differing from the other.
And to the east of those beasts I saw the ends of the earth whereon the heaven
2 rests, and the portals of the heaven open. And I saw how the stars of heaven come forth,
and
3 I counted the portals out of which they proceed, and wrote down all their outlets, of
each individual star by itself, according to their number and their names, their courses
and their positions, and their
4 times and their months, as Uriel the holy angel who was with me showed me. He showed all
things to me and wrote them down for me: also their names he wrote for me, and their laws
and their companies.
18
1 And from thence I went towards the
north to the ends of the earth, and there I saw a great and
2 glorious device at the ends of the whole earth. And here I saw three portals of heaven
open in the heaven: through each of them proceed north winds: when they blow there is
cold, hail, frost,
3 snow, dew, and rain. And out of one portal they blow for good: but when they blow
through the other two portals, it is with violence and affliction on the earth, and they
blow with violence.
19
1 And from thence I went towards the west to
the ends of the earth, and saw there three portals of the heaven open such as I had seen
in the east, the same number of portals, and the same number of outlets.
20
1 And from thence I went to the south
to the ends of the earth, and saw there three open portals
2 of the heaven: and thence there come dew, rain, and wind. And from thence I went to the
east to the ends of the heaven, and saw here the three eastern portals of heaven open and
small portals
3 above them. Through each of these small portals pass the stars of heaven and run their
course
4 to the west on the path which is shown to them. And as often as I saw I blessed always
the Lord of Glory, and I continued to bless the Lord of Glory who has wrought great and
glorious wonders, to show the greatness of His work to the angels and to spirits and to
men, that they might praise His work and all His creation: that they might see the work of
His might and praise the great work of His hands and bless Him for ever.