The laws of the moon are introduced. The moon's light waxes and wanes through fourteen parts over the course of each month. Uriel explains how the moon rises through the same gate system as the sun, its illumination increasing and decreasing in a fixed pattern.
The division of the moon's light into fourteen parts (not the modern 29.5-day cycle divided into phases) is a distinctive Enochic system. This fourteen-part scheme treats each night of waxing as adding one-fourteenth of the moon's full disc, creating a clean mathematical model. The precision suggests the author had observed and counted moonlit nights carefully.
The fourteen-part system does not perfectly map onto the actual 29.53-day synodic month. The Enochic system rounds to fit its 30-day schematic month, creating a slight mismatch with observable reality. Whether the author knew of the discrepancy or considered it irrelevant is unclear.
Genesis 1:16 — the lesser light to rule the night. Psalm 104:19 — the moon marks the seasons. Sirach 43:6-8 — the moon as calendar marker. Jubilees 6:36 — condemnation of those who observe the moon for calendar purposes (the opposite view). Qumran 4Q317 — detailed lunar observation text following a similar scheme.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
After this law I saw another law concerning the smaller luminary, which is called the Moon.
REF And after this law I saw another law dealing with the smaller luminary, which is named the Moon.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Its circumference is like the circumference of heaven, and the chariot in which it rides is driven by the wind, and light is given to it in measured portions.
REF And her circumference is like the circumference of the heaven, and her chariot in which she rides is driven by the wind, and light is given to her in (definite) measure.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Its rising and setting change every month. Its days are like the days of the sun, and when its light is at full measure, it amounts to one-seventh of the light of the sun.
REF And her rising and setting change every month: and her days are like the days of the sun, and when her light is uniform it amounts to the seventh part of the light of the sun.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
This is how it rises: its first phase in the east comes forth on the thirtieth morning. On that day it becomes visible and marks for you the first phase of the moon on the thirtieth day, together with the sun in the gate where the sun rises.
REF And thus she rises. And her first phase in the east comes forth on the thirtieth morning: and on that day she becomes visible, and constitutes for you the first phase of the moon on the thirtieth day together with the sun in the portal where the sun rises.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
One half of it emerges by a seventh part, and its whole disc is dark — without light — except for one-seventh part of it, which is one-fourteenth of its full light.
REF And the one half of her goes forth by a seventh part, and her whole circumference is empty, without light, with the exception of one-seventh part of it, (and) the fourteenth part of her light.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
When it receives one-seventh part of half its light, its brightness amounts to one-seventh of a seventh of the sun's full light. On the fourteenth day it accomplishes all its light.
REF And when she receives one-seventh part of the half of her light, her light amounts to one-seventh of a seventh part of the whole sun. On the fourteenth day she accomplishes all her light.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
Fifteen parts of light are given to it until the fifteenth day, when its light is complete according to the sign of the year. It amounts to fifteen parts, and the moon grows by the addition of fourteenth parts.
REF And fifteen parts of light are transferred to her till the fifteenth day (when) her light is accomplished, according to the sign of the year, and she amounts to fifteen parts, and the moon grows by (the addition of) fourteenth parts.
Ge'ez text per Charles/Knibb editions
In its waning the moon decreases: on the first day to fourteen parts of its light, on the second to thirteen, on the third to twelve, on the fourth to eleven, on the fifth to ten, on the sixth to nine, on the seventh to eight, on the eighth to seven, on the ninth to six, on the tenth to five, on the eleventh to four, on the twelfth to three, on the thirteenth to two, on the fourteenth to half of a seventh — and all its remaining light disappears completely on the fifteenth.
REF And in her waning (the moon) decreases on the first day to fourteen parts of her light, on the second to thirteen parts of light, on the third to twelve, on the fourth to eleven, on the fifth to ten, on the sixth to nine, on the seventh to eight, on the eighth to seven, on the ninth to six, on the tenth to five, on the eleventh to four, on the twelfth to three, on the thirteenth to two, on the fourteenth to the half of a seventh, and all her remaining light disappears wholly on the fifteenth.