The depravity of mankind, which began to show itself in the time of
Enosh, had increased monstrously in the time of his grandson Jared, by
reason of the fallen angels. When the angels saw the beautiful,
attractive daughters of men, they lusted after them, and spoke: "We
will choose wives for ourselves only from among the daughters of men,
and beget children with them." Their chief Shemhazai said, "I fear me,
ye will not put this plan of yours into execution, and I alone shall
have to suffer the consequences of a great sin." Then they answered
him, and said: "We will all swear an oath, and we will bind ourselves,
separately and together, not to abandon the plan, but to carry it
through to the end."
Two hundred angels descended to the summit of Mount Hermon, which owes
its name to this very occurrence, because they bound themselves there
to fulfil their purpose, on the penalty of Herem, anathema. Under the
leadership of twenty captains they defiled themselves with the
daughters of men, unto whom they taught charms, conjuring formulas, how
to cut roots, and the efficacy of plants. The issue from these mixed
marriages was a race of giants, three thousand ells tall, who consumed
the possessions of men. When all had vanished, and they could obtain
nothing more from them, the giants turned against men and devoured many
of them, and the remnant of men began to trespass against the birds,
beasts, reptiles, and fishes, eating their flesh and drinking their
blood.
Then the earth complained about the impious evil-doers. But the fallen
angels continued to corrupt mankind. Azazel taught men how to make
slaughtering knives, arms, shields, and coats of mail. He showed them
metals and how to work them, and armlets and all sorts of trinkets, and
the use of rouge for the eyes, and how to beautify the eyelids, and how
to ornament themselves with the rarest and most precious jewels and all
sorts of paints. The chief of the fallen angels, Shemhazai, instructed
them in exorcisms and how to cut roots; Armaros taught them how to
raise spells; Barakel, divination from the stars; Kawkabel, astrology;
Ezekeel, augury from the clouds; Arakiel, the signs of the earth;
Samsaweel, the signs of the sun; and Seriel, the signs of the moon.[57]
While all these abominations defiled the earth, the pious Enoch lived
in a secret place. None among men knew his abode, or what had become of
him, for he was sojourning with the angel watchers and holy ones. Once
he heard the call addressed to him: "Enoch, thou scribe of justice, go
unto the watchers of the heavens, who have left the high heavens, the
eternal place of holiness, defiling themselves with women, doing as men
do, taking wives unto themselves, and casting themselves into the arms
of destruction upon earth. Go and proclaim unto them that they shall
find neither peace nor pardon. For every time they take joy in their
offspring, they shall see the violent death of their sons, and sigh
over the ruin of their children. They will pray and supplicate
evermore, but never shall they attain to mercy or peace."
Enoch repaired to Azazel and the other fallen angels, to announce the
doom uttered against them. They all were filled with fear. Trembling
seized upon them, and they implored Enoch to set up a petition for them
and read it to the Lord of heaven, for they could not speak with God as
aforetime, nor even raise their eyes heavenward, for shame on account
of their sins. Enoch granted their request, and in a vision he was
vouchsafed the answer which he was to carry back to the angels. It
appeared to Enoch that he was wafted into heaven upon clouds, and was
set down before the throne of God. God spake: "Go forth and say to the
watchers of heaven who have sent thee hither to intercede for them:
Verily, it is you who ought to plead in behalf of men, not men in
behalf of you I Why did ye forsake the high, holy, and eternal heavens,
to pollute yourselves with the daughters of men, taking wives unto
yourselves, doing like the races of the earth, and begetting giant
sons? Giants begotten by flesh and spirits will be called evil spirits
on earth, and on the earth will be their dwelling-place. Evil spirits
proceed from their bodies, because they are created from above, and
from the holy watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they will
be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits they will be named. And the
spirits of heaven have their dwelling in heaven, but the spirits of the
earth, which were born upon the earth, have their dwelling on the
earth. And the spirits of the giants will devour, oppress, destroy,
attack, do battle, and cause destruction on the earth, and work
affliction. They will take no kind of food, nor will they thirst, and
they will be invisible. And these spirits will rise up against the
children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from
them. Since the days of murder and destruction and the death of the
giants, when the spirits went forth from the soul of their flesh, in
order to destroy without incurring judgment—thus will they destroy
until the day when the great consummation of the great world be
consummated. And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede
for them, who had been aforetime in heaven, say to them: You have been
in heaven, and though the hidden things had not yet been revealed to
you, you know worthless mysteries, and in the hardness of your hearts
you have recounted these to the women, and through these mysteries
women and men work much evil on earth. Say to them therefore: You have
no peace!"[58]