Enoch sees a great mountain with four hollow places inside — the compartments of the dead (Sheol). Raphael explains: one compartment holds the righteous dead (with a spring of water and light); another holds sinners who were not punished in life; another holds those who were killed by sinners (like Abel); and the fourth holds sinners who were partially punished. Each compartment holds souls until the day of judgment.
This is the most developed picture of the afterlife in pre-Christian Jewish literature. The four compartments of Sheol — differentiated by the moral status of the occupants — directly influenced Jesus' parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), where the righteous and wicked dead are separated but aware of each other. It also shaped early Christian concepts of Hades and paradise.
The four-compartment Sheol is more complex than the single undifferentiated Sheol of most Hebrew Bible references (e.g., Psalm 6:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10). This represents a significant theological development in the Second Temple period.
Luke 16:19-31 (Rich Man and Lazarus — separated compartments for righteous and wicked dead); Genesis 4:10 (Abel's blood crying from the ground); Revelation 6:9-11 (souls under the altar crying for justice); 1 Peter 3:19 (spirits in prison); Psalm 16:10 (you will not abandon my soul to Sheol).
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
From there I went to another place, and he showed me in the west a great, high mountain of hard rock.
REF And thence I went to another place, and he showed me in the west another great and high mountain [and] of hard rock.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Inside it were four hollow places — deep and wide and very smooth. How smooth those hollow places were, and deep, and dark to look upon.
REF And there was in it four hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. How smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Then Raphael, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said: 'These hollow places were created for this very purpose — that the spirits of the souls of the dead should gather in them. All the souls of the children of humanity are to assemble here.
REF Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: 'These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
These places were made to hold them until the day of their judgment and until their appointed time — until the great judgment comes upon them.'
REF And these places have been made to receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period [till the period appointed], till the great judgement (comes) upon them.'
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
I saw the spirit of a dead man making his plea, and his voice went forth to heaven, crying out.
REF I saw the spirit of a dead man making suit, and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
I asked Raphael the angel who was with me: 'Whose spirit is this — the one making this plea, whose voice goes up to heaven, crying out?'
REF And I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit — which maketh suit — whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven?'
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
And he answered me: 'This is the spirit of Abel, whom his brother Cain killed. He makes his accusation against Cain until Cain's descendants are destroyed from the face of the earth — until his line is wiped out from among the human race.'
REF And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.'
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Then I asked about the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from another?'
REF Then I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: 'Why is one separated from the other?'
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
He answered me: 'These three divisions were made so that the spirits of the dead might be separated. This division has been made for the spirits of the righteous, in which there is a bright spring of water.
REF And he answered me and said unto me: 'These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been made for the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water.
Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)narrative
Companions' experience on the Damascus road — whether they heard the voice clarified
The KJV Acts 22:9 states Paul's companions 'heard not the voice,' while Acts 9:7 says they 'heard a voice,' creating an apparent contradiction. The JST footnote revises one account to harmonize the two, likely clarifying that they heard a sound but did not understand the words or hear the message.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
This division has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth — those on whom judgment was not executed during their lifetime.
REF And such has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their lifetime.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Here their spirits are set apart in great pain until the great day of judgment, punishment, and torment — for those who are cursed forever, this is their retribution. There he will bind them forever.
REF Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and punishment and torment of those who curse for ever and retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
This division has been made for the spirits of those who bring their complaint — who testify about their destruction, having been killed in the days of the sinners.
REF And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
This division has been made for the spirits of people who were not righteous but sinners — who were thoroughly wicked. They will be companions of the transgressors. Their spirits will not be destroyed on the day of judgment, nor will they be raised from here.'
REF Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence.'
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Then I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who rules forever.'
REF Then I blessed the Lord of glory and said: 'Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever.'