1 Enoch / Chapter 68

1 Enoch 68

5 verses • Ge'ez (Ethiopic)

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

The names of the fallen angels are listed with their specific forbidden teachings. The chapter catalogs which angel taught which form of forbidden knowledge — metallurgy, sorcery, astronomy, weather interpretation — providing a detailed etiology of human cultural corruption.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

This chapter serves as a companion to 1 Enoch 8:1-3 and 69:1-12, providing the most detailed account of the Watchers' forbidden curriculum. The idea that specific cultural achievements (metalworking, cosmetics, astrology) were taught by specific fallen angels creates a systematic demonology of civilization. Each technology has a named angelic patron who is also its corruptor.

Translation Friction

The lists of angel names vary considerably across manuscripts. The Ge'ez tradition preserves different name-forms than the Aramaic fragments from Qumran (which are absent for this section). Scholars debate whether the lists derive from a common source or represent independent traditions.

Connections

1 Enoch 6:7-8 — original list of Watchers' names. 1 Enoch 8:1-3 — the teachings of the Watchers. Genesis 4:17-22 — the genealogy of Cain with cultural inventions (metalworking, music). Jubilees 4:15 — similar traditions about forbidden angelic teachings.

1 Enoch 68:1

Ge'ez: wa-'em-de'eri ye'eti — 'and after that'

After that judgment, they will be terrified and tremble because they revealed these things to those who dwell on the earth.

REF And after that judgement they shall terrify and make them to tremble because they have shown this to those who dwell on the earth.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The fallen angels' terror at their own judgment is itself a form of punishment — they who caused terror in others now experience it themselves. The cause of their punishment is specified: unauthorized revelation of heavenly secrets to humanity.
1 Enoch 68:2

Ge'ez: wa-'ellu 'asmātihomu — 'and these are their names'

These are the names of those angels: the first is Semyaza, the second Artaqifa, the third Armen, the fourth Kokabel, the fifth Turael, the sixth Rumyal, the seventh Danyal, the eighth Neqael, the ninth Baraqel, the tenth Azazel, the eleventh Armaros, the twelfth Bataryal, the thirteenth Busasyal, the fourteenth Hananel, the fifteenth Turel, the sixteenth Simapesiel, the seventeenth Yetarel, the eighteenth Tumael, the nineteenth Turel, the twentieth Rumael, the twenty-first Azazel.

REF And behold the names of those angels and these are their names: the first of them is Semjaza, the second Artaqifa, and the third Armen, the fourth Kokabel, the fifth Turael, the sixth Rumjal, the seventh Danjal, the eighth Neqael, the ninth Baraqel, the tenth Azazel, the eleventh Armaros, the twelfth Batarjal, the thirteenth Busasejal, the fourteenth Hananel, the fifteenth Turel, and the sixteenth Simapesiel, the seventeenth Jetrel, the eighteenth Tumael, the nineteenth Turel, the twentieth Rumael, the twenty-first Azazel.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The list of twenty-one fallen Watchers. Semyaza is the leader and Azazel the chief teacher — the same two who lead the rebellion in 1 Enoch 6-8. Many names are theophoric, containing 'el' (God) or 'ya' (YHWH), indicating that these were once legitimate angels whose names reflected their divine origin.
  2. The name-list varies across manuscripts; this follows Charles's reconstruction. Some names appear twice (Turel, Azazel), which may reflect textual corruption or the combination of multiple source lists.
1 Enoch 68:3

Ge'ez: wa-'ellu 'emuntu re'usānihomu — 'and these are the chiefs'

These are the chiefs of their angels, their names, and their leaders over groups of hundreds, fifties, and tens.

REF And these are the chiefs of their angels and their names, and their chief ones over hundreds and over fifties and over tens.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The military-style organization (hundreds, fifties, tens) mirrors the structure of Israel's army in Exodus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 1:15. The fallen angels are organized as a disciplined military force — a dark mirror of the heavenly host and the Israelite camp.
1 Enoch 68:4

Ge'ez: wa-sema qadāmāwi — 'the name of the first'

The name of the first is Yeqon — the one who led all the sons of God astray, brought them down to earth, and enticed them through the daughters of humanity.

REF The name of the first Jeqon: that is, the one who led astray all the sons of God, and brought them down to the earth, and led them astray through the daughters of men.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Yeqon is the instigator — the angel who first suggested the descent. His role as the one who 'led astray the sons of God' makes him the primordial tempter within the angelic realm, analogous to the serpent's role in Eden.
1 Enoch 68:5

Ge'ez: wa-kāle'u Asbeel — 'the second is Asbeel'

The second is named Asbeel — he gave evil counsel to the holy sons of God and led them astray so that they defiled their bodies with the daughters of humanity.

REF And the second was named Asbeel: he imparted to the holy sons of God evil counsel, and led them astray so that they defiled their bodies with the daughters of men.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Asbeel is the counselor — the one who provided the rationalizing argument for the angels' descent. The phrase 'defiled their bodies' emphasizes the physical nature of the angels' transgression: they crossed the boundary between spirit and flesh.
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