The seduction of mortal women by divine angels and the fate of their offspring, the Nephilim, captured the imagination of Jewish writers in the Second Temple period (516 BCE–70 CE). Chief among them was the author of the Book of Enoch, an apocalyptic text allegedly written by the great-grandfather of Noah, but actually a composite work composed between 300 and 100 BCE. The first section of the text, known as the Book of the Watchers, dealt with the origin of evil in God’s creation. It described how a group of angels violated the natural order by lusting after human women, how these unions produced monstrous children who wreaked havoc upon the earth, and how they shared knowledge of metallurgy, cosmetics, enchantments, astrology, and other hidden arts with humankind, much to their detriment. Appalled by the corruption of his creation, God instructed Enoch, “the scribe of righteousness,” to announce his judgment of punishment to the rebel angels. Enoch returned with the angels’ petition for mercy, which God refused. The prophet then received a vision of the terrible wasteland beyond Heaven where the angels would be imprisoned until the Day of Judgment. The fate of the Nephilim was also grim. After the destruction of their physical bodies, their incorporeal spirits were doomed to linger on the earth to cause hardship to humankind. Later authors interpreted the punishment of the Nephilim as the origin of demonkind.
And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days beautiful and attractive daughters were born to them. And the angels, the children of heaven, saw them and lusted after them, and they said to one another: “Come, let us choose for ourselves wives from among the children of men and let us have children with them.” And Semyaz, who was their leader, said to them: “I fear that perhaps you will not agree to do this deed, and I alone will have to pay the penalty for this great sin.” And they all answered him, saying: “Let us all swear an oath and bind ourselves by mutual promises not to abandon this plan, but to do it.” Then they all swore together and bound themselves by oaths upon it. There were altogether two hundred angels who descended in the days of Jared onto the summit of Mount Hermon.[2] And these are the names of their leaders, their chiefs of ten: Semyaz, Arakeb, Rame’el, Tam’el, Ram’el, Dan’el, Ezeqel, Baraqyal, As’el, Armaros, Batar’el, Anan’el, Zaqe’el, Sasomaspe’el, Kestar’el, Tur’el, Yamayol, and Arazyal.[3]
And they all took wives for themselves, and they began to go among them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms, incantations, the cutting of roots, and the properties of plants. And the women became pregnant, and they gave birth to great giants, whose height was three thousand cubits.[4] These giants consumed all the resources of the people. And when the people could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured them. And they began to sin against birds, wild beasts, reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink each other’s blood. Then the earth made its accusation against the lawless ones.
And Azaz’el taught the people how to make swords and knives and shields and breastplates and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of fashioning them into bracelets and ornaments, and the art of cosmetics involving all kinds of costly stones and colorful tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed adultery and were led astray and became corrupt in all their ways. Amasras taught incantations and the knowledge of herbs; and Armaros, the casting of enchantments; and Baraqyal, astrology; and Kokarer’el, the constellations; and Tam’el, the knowledge of the stars; and Asder’el, the course of the moon. And as the people perished, they cried out, and their cry went up to heaven.
Then the archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw how much blood was shed upon the earth and how much lawlessness was wrought there. And they said one to another: “The earth cries with a voice of the utmost lament up to the gates of heaven. And now to you, O holy ones of heaven, the souls of people make their case, saying, ‘Bring our cause before the Most High.’ ” And they said to the Lord of the ages: “Lord of lords, God of gods, king of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of your glory endures for all the generations of the ages, and your name is holy and glorious and blessed for all the ages! You have made all things, and you have power over all things and all things are naked and open in your sight, and you see all things, and nothing can hide itself from you. You see what Azaz’el has done, who has taught all forms of unrighteousness on the earth and revealed the eternal secrets that were preserved in heaven, which people were striving to learn. They have gone to the daughters of the people upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have borne giants, and the whole earth has been filled with blood and unrighteousness. And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their case to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds done on the earth. And you know all things before they come to pass, and you see these things and you suffer them, and yet you do not tell us what we should do about it.”
Then the Most High, the Holy and Great One, spoke and sent Asuryal to the son of Lamech and said to him: “Go to Noah and tell him in my name ‘Hide yourself!’ and reveal to him the end that is approaching, that the whole earth will be destroyed, for a deluge is about to cover the land. And then instruct him how to escape, so that his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.” And then the Lord said to Raphael: “Bind Azaz’el hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness and make an opening in the desert, which is in Duda’el, and cast him therein.[5] And place upon him rough and jagged rocks and cover him with darkness and let him abide there forever and cover his face, so that he may not see the light. And on the day of the great judgment, he will be cast into the fire. And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted and proclaim the healing of the earth, so that all the children of men may not perish because of all the secret things that the watchers have disclosed and have taught to their sons. The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azaz’el. To him ascribe all sin.” And to Gabriel the Lord said: “Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates and against the children of adultery and destroy the children of the watchers. Send them against one another, so that they destroy each other in battle, for they will not have any length of days. And no request that they make of you will be granted to their fathers on their behalf, for they had hoped to live an eternal life, but each one of them will only live for five hundred years.” And the Lord said to Michael: “Go, bind Semyaz and his companions, who fornicated with the women and defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanliness. And when their sons have slain one another and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations underneath the valleys of the earth, until the judgment that lasts forever and ever is concluded. In those days, they will be led to the abyss of fire and to the torment and the prison, where they will be confined forever. And whoever will be condemned and destroyed will be bound together with them to the end of all generations. And destroy all the souls of pleasure and the children of the watchers because they have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear and it will prove to be a blessing. The works of righteousness and truth will be planted in truth and joy forevermore.
And then shall all the righteous escape,
And they shall live until they produce thousands of children
And all the days of their youth and their old age
Shall they complete in peace.
“And then the whole earth will be tilled in righteousness and planted with trees and full of blessing. And pleasant trees will be planted on it, and they will plant vines on it and the vine that they plant there will yield wine in abundance and each measure of seed sown on it will produce a thousandfold and each measure of olives will yield ten presses of oil. And all the children of men will become righteous and all nations will offer adoration and will praise me and everyone will worship me. And the earth will be cleansed from all defilement and from all sin and from all punishment and from all torment. And in those days, I will open the store chambers of blessing that are in heaven to send them down upon the earth over the work and labor of the children of men. And truth and peace will be joined together throughout all the days of the world and throughout all the generations of men.”
Before these things happened, Enoch was hidden and none of the children of the people knew where he was hidden and where he abided and what had become of him, but his activities had to do with the watchers and his days were with the holy ones.[6] And I, Enoch, was blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! God called upon me—Enoch the scribe—and said to me: “Enoch, you scribe of righteousness, go, and declare to the watchers who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken for themselves wives: ‘You have caused great destruction on the earth. And you will have no peace nor forgiveness of sin and because you delight in your children, you will witness the murder of your beloved ones, and you will lament over the destruction of your children, and you will make supplication for eternity, but mercy and peace you will not attain.’ ”
And Enoch went and said to Azaz’el, “You will have no peace. A severe sentence has gone forth against you to put you in chains. And you will not have mercy nor any request granted to you, because of the unrighteousness that you have taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin that you have shown to the people.” Then I went and spoke to the watchers all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them. And they asked me to draw up a petition for them, so that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of Heaven. For from that time forward they could not speak with him nor lift up their eyes to heaven because they were ashamed of their sins, for which they had been condemned. Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness. And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the southwest of Hermon, where I read their petition until I fell asleep.[7] And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of punishment, and a voice came bidding me to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. And when I woke up, I came to them, and they were all sitting together, weeping in Lesya’el, which is between Lebanon and Sanser, with their faces covered.[8] And I recounted to them all the visions that I had seen while I slept, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly watchers.
I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth, which the Great One has given to man to converse with and to understand with the heart. As He has created and given to the people the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so has He also created me and given to me the power of reprimanding the watchers, the children of heaven: “I wrote out your petition, and in my vision, it appeared in this way, that your petition will not be granted to you throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgment has been passed on you. Yes, your petition will not be granted to you. And from now on, you will not ascend into heaven for all eternity, and the decree has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. And you will see the destruction of your beloved sons and you will have no pleasure in them, but they will fall before you by the sword. And your petition on their behalf will not be granted, nor on your own behalf, even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the document that I have written. And this vision was shown to me. Behold, in the vision, clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightning sped and hastened me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. And I approached until I drew close to a wall that was built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire and it began to frighten me. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew close to a great house that was built of white marble and the walls of the house were like a mosaic made of white marble, and the floor was made of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightning, and between them were fiery cherubim and their heaven was as clear as water.[9] A wreath of fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with flames. And I entered that house, and it was as hot as fire and as cold as ice. There were no delights of life there. Fear covered me and trembling gripped me. And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face and I beheld a vision. And lo! there was a second house, greater than the first, and the portal stood open before me, and it was built of towering flames. And in every respect, it so exceeded the former house in splendor and magnificence and size that I cannot describe it. And its floor was composed of fire, and above it was lightning and the path of the stars, and its ceiling was also made of fire. And I looked and saw there a lofty throne. It looked like it was made of crystal, and it had wheels like the shining sun, and I heard the voice of the cherubim. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire, so that I could not look upon it. And the Great Glory sat upon it and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter and look upon His face because of His magnificence and glory, and no flesh could behold Him. A curtain of flames was all around Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around Him could draw close to Him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him, yet he needed no counselor. And the most holy ones who were near to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. And up to that point, I was flat on my face, trembling, and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ‘Come here, Enoch, and hear my word.’ And one of the holy ones came to me and roused me and made me rise up and approach the door and I bowed with my face downwards.
“And He answered and spoke to me, and I heard His voice: ‘Fear not, Enoch, you righteous man and scribe of righteousness. Approach and hear my voice. And go, say to the watchers of heaven, who have sent you to intercede for them: “You should intercede for the people and not them for you. Why have you left the high, holy, and eternal heaven and lain down with women and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken for yourselves wives and acted like the children of earth, and produced giants as your sons? And although you were holy, spiritual, and eternal, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women and have produced children with the blood of flesh, and, like the children of men, you have lusted after flesh and blood just like those who die and perish. For this reason, I have given them wives, so that they can produce children with them, so that nothing might be wanting to them on earth. But you were once creatures of spirit, endowed with eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. And therefore, I did not appoint wives for you, for your dwelling was in heaven. And now, the giants, who are produced from the union of spirit and flesh, will be called evil spirits and their dwelling will be on the earth. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies because they are born from men, yet their primal origin is from the holy watchers. They will persist as evil spirits on earth. And the spirits of the giants will afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth. They will take no food, but nevertheless they will hunger and thirst and cause offences. And these spirits will revolt against the children of men and against the women who produced them. After the slaughter and destruction and death of the giants, their spirits will go forth and destroy without incurring judgment. In this way, they will wreak havoc until the day of the great judgment, when the present age will be consummated.
“And now regarding the watchers who have sent you to intercede for them, who had once been in heaven, say to them: ‘You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth.’ Say to them, therefore: ‘You will have no peace.’ ”
I saw the treasuries of all the winds. I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation and the firm foundations of the earth. And I saw the cornerstone of the earth. I saw the four winds that 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 of the heaven. I saw the winds of heaven that turn the circumference of the sun and all the stars to their setting. I saw the winds on the earth carrying the clouds. I saw the paths of the angels. I saw at the end of the earth the firmament of the heaven above. And I approached and saw a place that burns day and night, where there are seven mountains of magnificent stones, three towards the east and three towards the south. And those towards the east were made of colored stone, one of pearl and one of jacinth, and those towards the south were made of red stone. But the middle one was made of alabaster and reached to heaven like the throne of God, and the summit of the throne was made of sapphire. And I saw a flaming fire. And beyond these mountains is the 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 pillars of falling flame, which were beyond measure in height and depth. And beyond that abyss I saw a place that had no firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it. There was no water upon it and no birds; it was a wasteland and a horrible place. I saw there seven stars like great burning mountains, and when I asked about them, the angel said to me: “This place is the end of heaven and earth. This has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. And the stars that roll over the fire are those who have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in the beginning of their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. And He was angry with them and bound them until the time when their guilt should be consummated in ten thousand years.”
And Uriel said to me: “Here will stand the angels who have joined themselves with women, whose spirits assumed many different forms to defile mankind and led them astray by sacrificing to demons as though to gods. Here will they stand until the day of the great judgment, in which they will be judged. And the women of the angels, who likewise went astray, will become sirens.” And I, Enoch, alone saw the vision, the ends of all things, and no man will witness what I have witnessed.
And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. Suru’el, one of the holy angels, who watches over the world and over Tartarus. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who watches over the spirits of men. Raguel, one of the holy angels, who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. Michael, one of the holy angels, who watches over the best part of mankind and over chaos. Saraqa’el, one of the holy angels, who watches over the spirits of mankind, who sin in the spirit. Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who watches over Paradise and the serpents and the cherubim.
And I proceeded into the chaos. And I saw there something horrible. I saw neither a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place both chaotic and terrible. And there I saw seven stars of heaven bound together, like great mountains and burning with fire. Then I said: “For what sin are they bound, and for what reason have they been cast here?” Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, said: “Enoch, why do you ask, and why are you eager for the truth? These are the stars of heaven, which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and have been bound here for ten thousand years, the time demanded by their sins.” And from there I went to another place, which was still more horrible than the first, and I saw a terrible thing: a great fire there that burned and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss and full of great descending columns of fire. I could neither see nor guess its length or magnitude. Then I said: “How fearful is this place and how terrible to look upon!” Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said to me: “Enoch, why do you have such fear and fright?” And I answered: “Because of this fearful place, and because of the spectacle of pain.” And he said to me: “This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be imprisoned forever.”