1 Enoch / Chapter 91

1 Enoch 91

19 verses • Ge'ez (Ethiopic)

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Enoch summons his son Methuselah and all his children to deliver a final exhortation. He urges them to love righteousness and walk in the paths of justice, for wickedness will be cut off. Embedded within this chapter (verses 12-17) is the second half of the Apocalypse of Weeks, covering weeks eight through ten — the eschatological conclusion of world history, from the age of righteousness to the final judgment and the creation of a new heaven.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

Verses 12-17 are textually displaced. In the Ge'ez manuscripts, they appear here in chapter 91, but the Aramaic fragments from Qumran (4Q212) confirm that they originally followed 93:10, completing the Apocalypse of Weeks. The eighth week brings the 'sword of judgment,' the ninth sees the righteous judgment revealed to the whole world, and the tenth concludes with the judgment of the Watchers and a new eternal heaven. This is one of the earliest apocalyptic timelines in Jewish literature.

Translation Friction

The chapter is composite — personal exhortation (vv. 1-11, 18-19) frames the displaced Apocalypse of Weeks material (vv. 12-17). We present the received chapter order as transmitted in the Ge'ez tradition, noting the displacement.

Connections

Daniel 9:24-27 — another scheme dividing history into predetermined periods. Revelation 20-21 — final judgment followed by new heaven and new earth. 2 Peter 3:13 — 'new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.' The ten-week schema influenced later apocalyptic periodization in 2 Baruch and 4 Ezra.

1 Enoch 91:1

Ge'ez: wa-ye'zē Hēnōk yetnabbay wa-yebēl — 'and now Enoch prophesied and said'

Now, my son Methuselah, call all your brothers to me and gather together all the sons of your mother. For the word calls me, and the spirit is poured out upon me, so that I may show you everything that will happen to you forever.

REF And now, my son Methuselah, call to me all thy brothers and gather together to me all the sons of thy mother; for the word calls me, and the spirit is poured out upon me, that I may show you everything that shall befall you for ever.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Enoch's final testament opens with a gathering of his descendants. The phrase 'the spirit is poured out upon me' echoes the prophetic anointing language of Joel 2:28 and anticipates Acts 2:17.

1 Enoch 91:2

Ge'ez: wa-yē'zēkā Mātuselāh — 'and then Methuselah'

Then Methuselah went and summoned all his brothers and assembled his relatives.

REF And thereupon Methuselah went and summoned to him all his brothers and assembled his relatives.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Methuselah acts as the faithful intermediary — the one who gathers the family to receive the patriarch's final words.

1 Enoch 91:3

Ge'ez: wa-tannāgara la-kwellu weluda — 'and he spoke to all the children'

He spoke to all the children of righteousness and said: Hear, sons of Enoch, all the words of your father, and listen carefully to my voice. I urge you, beloved: Love uprightness and walk in it.

REF And he spake unto all the children of righteousness and said: 'Hear, ye sons of Enoch, all the words of your father, and hearken aright to the voice of my mouth; for I exhort you and say unto you, beloved: Love uprightness and walk therein.'

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The appeal to 'love uprightness and walk therein' establishes the moral framework for the entire Epistle. It echoes Micah 6:8 — 'to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.'

1 Enoch 91:4

Ge'ez: wa-'iye-teqrebu — 'and do not draw near'

Do not approach uprightness with a divided heart, and do not associate with the double-hearted. Walk in righteousness, my sons, and it will guide you on good paths. Righteousness will be your companion.

REF And draw not nigh to uprightness with a double heart, and associate not with those of a double heart, but walk in righteousness, my sons. And it shall guide you on good paths, and righteousness shall be your companion.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The 'double heart' (Ge'ez: kele'ē lebb) corresponds to the 'double-minded' of James 1:8 and the 'divided heart' of Psalm 12:2. The personification of righteousness as a guide and companion anticipates Wisdom's role in Proverbs 4:11-13.

1 Enoch 91:5

Ge'ez: 'esma 'a'mer — 'for I know'

For I know that violence will increase on the earth, and a great punishment will be carried out on the earth, and all unrighteousness will come to an end. It will be cut off from its roots, and its whole structure will be destroyed.

REF For I know that violence must increase on the earth, and a great chastisement be executed on the earth, and all unrighteousness come to an end: Yea, it shall be cut off from its roots, and its whole structure be destroyed.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The certainty that violence will increase before the end is a standard apocalyptic motif. Compare Matthew 24:12 — 'because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold.' The metaphor of cutting off from the roots echoes Malachi 4:1.

1 Enoch 91:6

Ge'ez: wa-'ammēra — 'and again'

Unrighteousness will again be completed on the earth, and all the deeds of unrighteousness, violence, and transgression will prevail in double measure.

REF And unrighteousness shall again be consummated on the earth, and all the deeds of unrighteousness and of violence and transgression shall prevail in a twofold degree.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The intensification — 'double measure' — suggests that wickedness will reach unprecedented levels before judgment. This parallels the apocalyptic escalation in 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

1 Enoch 91:7

Ge'ez: wa-'ama yetlawwat — 'and when increases'

When sin, unrighteousness, blasphemy, and violence of every kind increase, and when apostasy, transgression, and uncleanness increase — a great punishment will come from heaven upon all of them, and the holy Lord will come with wrath and punishment to execute judgment on earth.

REF And when sin and unrighteousness and blasphemy and violence in all kinds of deeds increase, and apostasy and transgression and uncleanness increase, a great chastisement shall come from heaven upon all these, and the holy Lord will come forth with wrath and chastisement to execute judgement on earth.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The catalog of evils building toward divine intervention parallels 2 Peter 3:3-7. 'The holy Lord will come forth' anticipates the theophany traditions developed in Jude 14-15, which directly quotes 1 Enoch 1:9.

1 Enoch 91:8

Ge'ez: ba-we'etu mawā'el — 'in those days'

In those days violence will be cut off from its roots, and the roots of unrighteousness together with deceit — they will be destroyed from under heaven.

REF In those days violence shall be cut off from its roots, and the roots of unrighteousness together with deceit, and they shall be destroyed from under heaven.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The metaphor of eradication 'from its roots' indicates complete and permanent removal of evil, not mere suppression.

1 Enoch 91:9

Ge'ez: wa-kwellu — 'and all'

All the idols of the nations will be abandoned, and their temples burned with fire. They will be removed from the whole earth and cast into the judgment of fire, perishing in wrath and in grievous judgment forever.

REF And all the idols of the heathen shall be abandoned, and the temples burned with fire, and they shall remove them from the whole earth, and they shall be cast into the judgement of fire, and shall perish in wrath and in the grievous judgement for ever.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The destruction of idols and pagan temples echoes the prophetic vision of Isaiah 2:18-20 and anticipates the eschatological purging of false worship.

1 Enoch 91:10

Ge'ez: wa-yetkāhal ṣeduqān — 'and the righteous shall arise'

The righteous will arise from their sleep, and wisdom will arise and be given to them.

REF And the righteous shall arise from their sleep, and wisdom shall arise and be given unto them.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

'Arise from their sleep' is an early expression of resurrection hope, closely paralleling Daniel 12:2 — 'many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.' Wisdom being 'given' to the righteous reverses the lament of 42:1-2 that Wisdom found no dwelling on earth.

1 Enoch 91:11

Ge'ez: wa-'emkze'a — 'and after that'

After that the roots of unrighteousness will be cut off, and the sinners will be destroyed by the sword. The blasphemers will be cut off in every place, and those who plan violence and commit blasphemy will perish by the sword.

REF And after that the roots of unrighteousness shall be cut off, and the sinners shall be destroyed by the sword... shall be cut off from the blasphemers in every place, and those who plan violence and those who commit blasphemy shall perish by the sword.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The sword of judgment is a common prophetic image (Isaiah 34:5, Ezekiel 21:9). The comprehensive scope — 'in every place' — emphasizes universal judgment.

1 Enoch 91:12

Ge'ez: wa-'emze ba-sāmena sāmenu — 'and after that in the eighth week'

After that there will be another week — the eighth — the week of righteousness. A sword will be given to it so that righteous judgment may be carried out against the oppressors, and sinners will be delivered into the hands of the righteous.

REF And after that there shall be another, the eighth week, that of righteousness, and a sword shall be given to it that a righteous judgement may be executed on the oppressors, and sinners shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

This verse begins the displaced Apocalypse of Weeks continuation (originally following 93:10 per the Aramaic fragments 4Q212). The eighth week reverses the power dynamic: the righteous receive the 'sword' — authority for judgment — rather than being the victims.

1 Enoch 91:13

Ge'ez: wa-ba-teflāṣamu — 'and at its close'

At its close they will acquire houses through their righteousness, and a house will be built for the Great King in glory forever.

REF And at its close shall they acquire houses through their righteousness, and a house shall be built for the Great King in glory for evermore.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The 'house for the Great King' is the eschatological temple — the permanent dwelling of God among the righteous. Compare Ezekiel 40-48 and Revelation 21:22, where God himself is the temple.

1 Enoch 91:14

Ge'ez: wa-ba-tāse'a sāmenu — 'and in the ninth week'

In the ninth week, righteous judgment will be revealed to the whole world. All the works of the godless will vanish from the entire earth, and the world will be marked for destruction.

REF And in the ninth week the righteous judgement shall be revealed to the whole world, and all the works of the godless shall vanish from all the earth, and the world shall be written down for destruction.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The ninth week brings universal revelation of justice. 'Written down for destruction' implies a divine decree — the world's fate is inscribed in the heavenly books (compare Daniel 7:10, Revelation 20:12).

1 Enoch 91:15

Ge'ez: wa-'emze ba-'āśartu sāmenu — 'and after this in the tenth week'

After this, in the tenth week — in its seventh part — there will be the great eternal judgment, in which he will execute vengeance among the angels.

REF And after this, in the tenth week in the seventh part, there shall be the great eternal judgement, in which He will execute vengeance amongst the angels.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The tenth week brings the ultimate judgment, extending even to the angelic realm — the Watchers whose fall began the entire cycle of corruption (chapters 6-16). Compare 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6.

1 Enoch 91:16

Ge'ez: wa-qadāmāwi samāy — 'and the first heaven'

The first heaven will depart and pass away, and a new heaven will appear. All the powers of the heavens will give sevenfold light.

REF And the first heaven shall depart and pass away, and a new heaven shall appear, and all the powers of the heavens shall give sevenfold light.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The passing of the first heaven and the appearance of a new one is the earliest known occurrence of this motif, later central in Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:13, and Revelation 21:1. 'Sevenfold light' intensifies Isaiah 30:26 — 'the light of the sun shall be sevenfold.'

1 Enoch 91:17

Ge'ez: wa-'emze yekawwen — 'and after that there will be'

After that there will be many weeks without number forever. All will live in goodness and righteousness, and sin will never be mentioned again.

REF And after that there will be many weeks without number for ever, and all shall be in goodness and righteousness, and sin shall no more be mentioned for ever.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The conclusion of the Apocalypse of Weeks envisions infinite, unnumbered time beyond the structured ten weeks — eternity without sin. Compare Revelation 21:4 — 'death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.'

1 Enoch 91:18

Ge'ez: wa-ye'zē manu — 'and now who is there'

Now I tell you, my sons, and show you the paths of righteousness and the paths of violence. I will show them to you again so that you may know what will come to pass.

REF And now I tell you, my sons, and show you the paths of righteousness and the paths of violence. Yea, I will show them to you again that ye may know what will come to pass.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Enoch returns to direct exhortation after the apocalyptic interlude, grounding the cosmic vision in practical moral instruction — the 'two paths' motif found throughout wisdom literature (Psalm 1, Proverbs 4:18-19, Didache 1:1).

1 Enoch 91:19

Ge'ez: wa-ye'zē 'abelkemu — 'and now I say to you'

Now I say to you, my sons: walk in righteousness and do not walk in wickedness, for all who walk in the paths of violence will perish forever.

REF And now I say unto you, my sons: walk in righteousness and walk not in wickedness, for all who walk in the paths of violence shall perish for ever.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The chapter closes as it opened — with the fundamental choice between two ways. The finality of 'perish forever' underscores the irreversibility of the eschatological judgment described in the Apocalypse of Weeks.

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