1 Enoch / Chapter 20

1 Enoch 20

8 verses • Ge'ez (Ethiopic) 1 tradition available

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

A catalogue of the holy angels who watch: Uriel (over the world and Tartarus), Raphael (over human spirits), Raguel (who takes vengeance on the world of luminaries), Michael (over the best part of humanity and chaos), Saraqael (over spirits who sin), Gabriel (over paradise, serpents, and the cherubim), and Remiel (over those who rise).

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

This is one of the earliest systematic lists of archangels with their specific domains of authority. It organizes the heavenly bureaucracy into a coherent administrative structure, reflecting the Second Temple period's increasing interest in angelic hierarchies.

Translation Friction

The number and names of archangels vary across traditions (cf. Tobit 12:15 mentions seven but names only Raphael). The specific domains are unique to 1 Enoch.

Connections

Tobit 12:15 (seven angels who stand before God); Revelation 8:2 (seven angels with seven trumpets); Daniel 10:13, 21 (Michael as prince); Luke 1:19, 26 (Gabriel as messenger).

1 Enoch 20:1

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

These are the names of the holy angels who keep watch.

REF And these are the names of the holy angels who watch.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The faithful Watchers — those who did not fall — are now catalogued. The contrast with the fallen Watchers of chapter 6 is implicit.
1 Enoch 20:2

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Uriel — one of the holy angels — who is set over the world and over Tartarus.

REF Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over Tartarus.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

"" —

A term borrowed from Greek cosmology for the deepest place of punishment. Used in 2 Peter 2:4 for the prison of fallen angels.

Translator Notes

  1. Uriel ('light of God') oversees both the world and Tartarus (the place of punishment). The use of the Greek term Tartarus here connects to 2 Peter 2:4, which uses the same word for where God cast the sinning angels.
1 Enoch 20:3

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Raphael — one of the holy angels — who is set over the spirits of humanity.

REF Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Raphael ('God heals') — his oversight of human spirits connects to his role as healer and his task of binding Azazel (chapter 10:4-6). In Tobit, he heals Tobit's blindness and delivers Sarah from a demon.
1 Enoch 20:4

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Raguel — one of the holy angels — who executes judgment on the world of the luminaries.

REF Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Raguel ('friend of God') oversees the luminaries — the stars. His role in executing judgment on them connects to the imprisoned stars of 18:13-16.
1 Enoch 20:5

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Michael — one of the holy angels — who is set over the best part of humanity and over chaos.

REF Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Michael ('who is like God?') oversees both humanity's elect and cosmic chaos — a dual role as protector and cosmic enforcer. Daniel 12:1 calls him 'the great prince who protects your people.'
1 Enoch 20:6

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Saraqael — one of the holy angels — who is set over the spirits who sin in the spirit.

REF Saraqâêl, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Saraqael oversees spiritual sins — transgressions committed at the spiritual level, perhaps including the Watchers' rebellion itself.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)eschatological

Blessed and holy — those who have part in the first resurrection — eternal death and priesthood language clarified

The JST footnote revises the blessing pronounced on those in the first resurrection, clarifying what it means that 'the second death hath no power' over them and their role as priests of God and Christ.

1 Enoch 20:7

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Gabriel — one of the holy angels — who is set over paradise, the serpents, and the cherubim.

REF Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Gabriel ('strength of God') oversees paradise, serpents, and cherubim — a domain that connects back to Genesis 3:24 (cherubim guarding Eden). His oversight of serpents may relate to the guardianship against the primordial serpent.
1 Enoch 20:8

Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions

Remiel — one of the holy angels — whom God set over those who rise.

REF Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. 'Those who rise' likely refers to the resurrected dead. Remiel's role connects to the resurrection hope that becomes explicit in later sections of 1 Enoch and in Daniel 12:2.
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