6.2
The Book of Enoch 6.2 · The angels saw them📜 Charles 1906, the printed page
The angels see the daughters and make a plan. The leader’s fear, and the oath on Mount Hermon, follow in 6:3–6.
· · ·
መላእክት፡1
malāʾǝkt
The angelsmessengers
, ውሉደ፡2
wǝluda
the children ofsons of
ሰማያት፡3
samāyāt
heaventhe heavens
, ወርእዩ፡4
wa-rǝʾyu
And sawand they saw
ኪያሆን፡5
kiyāhon
them
ወፈተውዎን፡6
wa-fatawǝwwon
and desired themand coveted them
, ወይቤሉ፡7
wa-yǝbelu
and saidand they said
በበይናቲሆሙ፡8
babaynātihomu
to one anotheramong themselves
: ንዑ፡9
nǝʿu
“Come,come on
, ንኅረይ፡10
nǝḫray
let us choose
አንስተ፡11
ʾanǝsta
wiveswomen
ለነ፡12
lana
for ourselvesfor us
እምውሉደ፡13
ʾǝm-wǝluda
from the children offrom the sons of
ሰብእ፤14
sabʾ
menhumankind
, ወንለድ፡15
wa-nǝlad
and begetand let us bear
ውሉደ።16
wǝluda
children.”
ለነ፡17
lana
for ourselvesfor us
And the angels, the children of heaven, saw them and desired them, and said to one another: “Come, let us choose wives for ourselves from the children of men, and beget children for ourselves.”
And the angels, the children of heaven, saw them and desired them, and said to one another: “Come, let us choose wives for ourselves from the children of men, and beget children for ourselves.”
6.3
The Book of Enoch 6.3 · Semyaza is afraid📜 Charles 1906, the printed page
The angels have agreed to take wives. Their leader speaks first.
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And Semyaza, who was their chief, said to them: “I fear that perhaps you will not really want this deed to be done, and I alone will be the one to pay for a great sin.”
Genesis says “the sons of God” saw the daughters of men, and has kept readers arguing ever since about who those sons were. Enoch settles it: malāʾǝkt, angels, “the children of heaven”, set against “the children of men” in the verse before. Malʾak first meant a messenger, one who is sent.
The verb for what they felt is fatawa. Dillmann renders it with the Greek epithymein, and his first reference for it is Exodus 20:17, “you shall not covet”: in the Ethiopic Bible it is the commandment’s word. The angels then speak like conspirators: nǝʿu, “come on, all of you”, let us choose, let us beget, “for ourselves” twice over.