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32 • • • Fallen Angels man from God and brings him near to Beliar (Simeon 5.3). Levi summons his children (19.1) to choose between the Law of the Lord and the works of Beliar. When the soul is continually disturbed , the Lord departs from it and Beliar rules over it. Naphtali contrasts (2.6, 3.1) the Law and will of God with the purposes of Beliar. When Israel leaves Egypt, Joseph prophesies (20.2), they will be with God in light; Beliar will remain in darkness with the Egyptians. Hosts of evil spirits are associated with Beliar. Of their origin, too, nothing is said. Sometimes the language suggests that these spirits are no more than figures of speech, embodiments of the several vices.16 But often they are real demons.17 The Messianic Age will mark the end of these dark powers. (We shall meet this idea frequently.) Levi beholds in heaven (3.3) the angels who are to punish the spirits of deceit and Beliar. In another prophecy he declares that the Messiah will bind Beliar and give to his children the power to trample the evil spirits (18.12).18 The Testaments speak twice of Israel's guardian angel.19 He is not given a name, but no doubt the author is thinking of Michael. This guardian angel protects Israel against Satan, not against the angelic patrons of the heathen. The latter are not mentioned at all in the Testaments. CHAPTER SEVEN The Slavonic Enoch LIn Jewish literature of the first pre-Christian century , the story of the fallen angels is mentioned only in passing or not at all. The one exception to this statement is, significantly, an Enoch-book. This book (called II Enoch, or The Book of the Secrets of Enoch) is quite different from the old Enoch book we have already examined. I Enoch is a compilation of the most heterogeneous materials; the present writing, which is extant only in a Slavonic version, is a fairly well-ordered composition by a single author. (But sometimes, like the other apocryphal writers, he borrows material from different sources and does The SlavonicEnoch • • • 33 not iron out the discrepancies.) In subject matter the two works are quite unlike. I Enoch deals largely with the future judgment and the coming of the Messiah; II Enoch tells of heavenly mysteries , the divine throne, the angelic hosts; it also contains a notable section on moral and pious conduct. The later work reveals considerable advance in the glorification, the all-but-deification of Enoch. Even before he is taken finally from human associations , he is transformed into an angel of cosmic importance.* The book relates how Enoch, before his translation, was taken for a tour of the seven heavens. In the second of these spheres he beheld an unearthly darkness. Here prisoners were hanging fettered, under guard, awaiting the boundless judgment. They had rebelled against God, disregarded His commandments, and followed their own impulses. They besought Enoch to pray on their behalf; modestly he replied: "Who am I, a mortal man, that I should pray for angels? who knoweth whither I go or what will befall me? or who will pray for me?"1 In the sequel, we learn that Enoch did accede to their request, though his prayer was unsuccessful; for so he reports to the Watchers whom he visited in the fifth heaven. The accounts of this episode, however, are much confused. What follows here is a radical attempt to restore what the book may have contained originally at this point. The chief argument for our reconstruction is that it makes reasonably good sense—admittedly a dubious criterion when working in apocalyptic literature. The casual reader will surely content himself with this conjecture. Whoever wants scholarly exactness may turn to the notes, where full details are given; and, if he gets confused, it will only serve him right!2 This then is what we think the book originally told: In thefifth heaven, Enoch beheld countless soldiers, called Watchers, of human appearance but gigantic size. They were morose and silent; in this firmament there was no angelic worship. Enoch's guides explained: these are the Watchers, from whose ranks come the angels that rebelled against God, who went down to earth, violated their oaths on Mount Hermon, took human wives, begot monsters, befouled the earth. Those in the fifth heaven know of the severe judgment that God has imposed upon their brothers; therefore they are sad and have no heart...

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