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CuHap. 16.—and of the death of the giants, when the spirits have proceeded from the bodies, their flesh shall decay without judgment; thus they shall be destroyed till that day when the great judgment over all the great world shall be completed over the watchers and the impious. 2. And now to the watchers who have sent thee that thou shouldst petition for them who were formerly in heaven say: 3. ‘Ye have been in heaven, and though the secrets were not yet revealed to you, still ye knew illegitimate mysteries, and these ye have, in the hardness of your hearts, related to the women, and through these mysteries women and men increase wickedness over the earth.’ 4. Tell them therefore: ‘Ye have no peace!” Cuap. 12. Enoch was hidden, probably to receive the revelation that now follows, as Noah was to hide himself for a similar purpose, 10:2; based upon Gen. v. 24. The Targums of Jonathan ben Uziel and of Jerusalem both interpret the HTR as a retiring from the earth and associating with higher beings.—2. Holy ones, cf. note on 9:3, and is found in all the three parts of this book. Watchmen, a standard name for all classes of angels, good and bad (for the fallen angels are also called thus, 1:5; 10:9, 15; 12:4; 13:4, 10; 14:1, 3; 15:2; 16:1, 2; 91:15), and strictly confined to this portion of the book, the nearest approach to it in the Parables being those that do not sleep, 39:12, 13; 61:12; 71:7. They are mentioned first in Dan. iv. 17. For the writer of the Parables the term seems to indicate exclusively one class of angels, viz. the archangels; cf. 71:7; while in the first part it is used in this limited sense in 20 only, a chapter of doubtful authenticity. Cf. the Old Testament statements concerning the prophets as watchmen, Isa. xxi. 11, 12; lii. 8; Lxii. 6; Jer. vi. 17; Ezek. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7; Hab. ii. 1; cf. 1 Clem. ad Corinth, 56: 1.—3. King of the world; cf. note on 1:3. The scribe; cf. verse 4; 15:1; 92:1. The book of the Jubilees remarks that Enoch was the first to teach men writing. This was probably a kind of official title, which is modified 12:4 and 92:1, as scribe of justice, he being just himself, 15:1; 71: 14-16; and announcing the just judgment, 39:2; 81:6; 82:1; 108:1; and writing books for this purpose, 104:13; 108:9; cf. the interesting remarks of Dillmann, in Allg. Enleitung, p. xli. sq.—4. Cf. Jude 6 and En. 15:3 sqq. —. Ct. 10:9-12. The forbidden union between an Israelite and a heathen could be forgiven, an 1 roo +A Ezra x. 19, but not that between angel and woman.—6. Cf. on 10:9. Cuap. 13. Azazel alone is here addressed, in harmony with 10:4 sqq.—3. To them all, i.e. to Semjaza and the other angels.—4, 5. The greatest of the fall is expressed by the fact that they who are of heaven cannot now raise even their eyes upwards out of shame for their deeds, 14:7; 15:3 sqq. Being cut off from the communion with God is one of the most terrible things an Israelite could conceive of, and thus this separation is one of the horrors of the Sheol; cf. Job vii. 7-10; Ps. Ixxxviii. Writing was comparatively rare in the Old Testament, but was evidently a common thing in the time of the author of this book, and the statement here undoubtedly refers also to Enoch’s literary character. Writing instead of speaking the petition is the tribute of reverence paid to the majesty of God, and is taken from the customs of earth’s royalty. Furthermore, it seems that even Enoch could not speak to God, for none of his numerous questions are addressed to him, although God speaks to him, 14:24; 15:1.—6. Patience, i.e. that God should have patience with them. The angels, originally spiritual, 15:4, 6, are represented here after their fall as possessing soul and body, like man; cf. 19:1—7. He goes in a south-western direction to the river Dan in the country of Dan. This river, a tributary of the Jordan, is also called the smaller Jordan, Josephus, Antiqg. I. 10, 1; v. 3, 1; viii. 8, 4. The banks of flowing water were favorite places for prayer, Dan. viii. 2; x. 4. As Hermon was a desecrated place, Enoch could not expect to receive a revelation there.—8. Sons of heaven; cf. note on 6:2. Revelations through dreams were frequent in the Old Testament; Gen. xx. 3; xxxi. 10 sqq.; xlvi. 2; 1 Sam. xxviii. 6; 1 Kings iii. 5; Job xxxiii. 15, etc.; and Josephus, Bel. Jud. iii. 8, 3. Philo wrote a special work on this subject, GTR—9. Ublesjael, being stationed between Lebanon and Sénésér, must have been a real, not imagined place, but what one is uncertain. The same must be said of Sénésér. As a mark of their lamentation, they have their faces covered; cf. 2 Sam. xv. 30; Isa. xxv. 7; Esth. vi. 12—10. Words of justice, i.e. the just punishment. Being important, this vision is farther explained in chap. 14-16.