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64 human things, the tongue of every human song . . . and all things fitting to learn." The writings filled up 360 books. Then the Lord himself, letting Enoch sit on His left beside the archangel Gabriel, told Enoch how Heaven and Earth and all upon it were created. Then the Lord told Enoch that he would be returned to Earth so that he could relate all that he had learned to his sons, and give them the handwritten books, to pass the books from generation to generation. But his stay on Earth would be for a term of thirty days only, "and after thirty days I shall send my angel for thee, and he will take thee from Earth and from thy sons, to me." And so it was, at the end of the celestial stay, that the two angels returned Enoch to his home, bringing him back to his couch at night. Summoning his sons and all in his household, Enoch related to them his experiences and described to them the contents of the books: the measurements and descriptions of the stars, the length of the Sun's circle, the changes of the seasons due to the solstices and equinoxes, and other secrets regarding the calendar. Then he instructed his sons to be patient and gentle, to give alms to the poor, to be righteous and faithful, and to keep all of the Lord's commandments. Enoch kept talking and instructing until the last moment, by which time word of his celestial visit and teachings had spread in town and a crowd of two thousand people had assembled to hear him. So the Lord sent a darkness upon the Earth, and the darkness engulfed the crowd and all who were near Enoch. In the darkness, the angels swiftly lifted Enoch and carried him off "to the highest heaven." And all the people saw, but could not understand, how Enoch had been taken. And they went back to their homes, those who had seen such a thing, and glorified God. And Metushelah and his brethren, all the sons of Enoch, made haste and erected an altar at the place whence and where Enoch had been taken up to heaven. DIVINE ENCOUNTERS