The Book of Giants
4Q203, 1Q23, 2Q26, 4Q530-532, 6Q8
It is fair to
say that the patriarch Enoch was as well known to the ancients as he is obscure
to modern Bible reaclers. Besides giving his age (365 years), the book of
Genesis says of him only that he "walked with God," and afterward
"he was not, because God had taken him" (Gen. 5:24). This exalted way
of life and mysterious demise made Enoch into a figure of considerable
fascination, and a cycle of legends grew up around him.
Many of the
legends about Enoch were collected already in ancient times in several long
anthologies. The most important such anthology, and the oldest, is known simply
as The Book of Enoch, comprising over one hundred chapters. It still survives
in its entirety (although only in the Ethiopic language) and forms an important
source for the thought of Judaism in the last few centuries B.C.E.
Significantly, the remnants of several almost complete copies of The Book of
Enoch in Aramaic were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and it is clear that
whoever collected the scrolls considered it a vitally important text. All but
one of the five major components of the Ethiopic anthology have turned up among
the scrolls. But even more intriguing is the fact that additional, previously
unknown or little-known texts about Enoch were discovered at Qumran. The most
important of these is The Book of Giants.
Enoch lived
before the Flood, during a time when the world, in ancient imagination, was
very different. Human beings lived much longer, for one thing; Enoch's son
Methuselah, for instance, attained the age of 969 years. Another difference was
that angels and humans interacted freely -- so freely, in fact, that some of
the angels begot children with human females. This fact is neutrally reported
in Genesis (6:1-4), but other stories view this episode as the source of the
corruption that made the punishing flood necessary. According to The Book of
Enoch, the mingling of angel and human was actually the idea of Shernihaza, the
leader of the evil angels, who lured 200 others to cohabit with women. The
offspring of these unnatural unions were giants 450 feet high. The wicked
angels and the giants began to oppress the human population and to teach them
to do evil. For this reason God determined to imprison the angels until the
final judgment and to destroy the earth with a flood. Enoch's efforts to
intercede with heaven for the fallen angels were unsuccessful (1 Enoch 6-16).
The Book of
Giants retells part of this story and elaborates on the exploits of the giants,
especially the two children of Shemihaza, Ohya and Hahya. Since no complete
manuscript exists of Giants, its exact contents and their order remain a matter
of guesswork. Most of the content of the present fragments concerns the giants'
ominous dreams and Enoch's efforts to interpret them and to intercede with God
on the giants' behalf. Unfortunately, little remains of the independent
adventures of the giants, but it is likely that these tales were at least
partially derived from ancient Near Eastern mythology. Thus the name of one of
the giants is Gilgamesh, the Babylonian hero and subject of a great epic
written in the third millennium B.C.E.
A summary
statement of the descent of the wicked angels, bringing both knowledge and
havoc. Compare Genesis 6:1-2, 4.
1Q23 Frag. 9 +
14 + 15 2[ . . . ] they knew the secrets of [ . . . ] 3[ . . . si]n was great
in the earth [ . . . ] 4[ . . . ] and they killed manY [ . . ] 5[ . . . they
begat] giants [ . . . ]
The angels
exploit the fruifulness of the earth.
4Q531 Frag. 3 2[
. . . everything that the] earth produced [ . . . ] [ . . . ] the great fish [
. . . ] 14[ . . . ] the sky with all that grew [ . . . ] 15[ . . . fruit of]
the earth and all kinds of grain and al1 the trees [ . . . ] 16[ . . . ] beasts
and reptiles . . . [al]l creeping things of the earth and they observed all [ .
. . ] |8[ . . . eve]ry harsh deed and [ . . . ] utterance [ . . . ] l9[ . . . ]
male and female, and among humans [ . . . ]
The two hundred
angels choose animals on which to perform unnatural acts, including,
presumably, humans.
1Q23 Frag. 1 + 6
[ . . . two hundred] 2donkeys, two hundred asses, two hundred . . . rams of
the] 3flock, two hundred goats, two hundred [ . . . beast of the] 4field from
every animal, from every [bird . . . ] 5[ . . . ] for miscegenation [ . . . ]
The outcome of
the demonic corruption was violence, perversion, and a brood of monstrous
beings. Compare Genesis 6:4.
4Q531 Frag. 2 [
. . . ] they defiled [ . . . ] 2[ . . . they begot] giants and monsters [ . . .
] 3[ . . . ] they begot, and, behold, all [the earth was corrupted . . . ] 4[ .
. . ] with its blood and by the hand of [ . . . ] 5[giant's] which did not
suffice for them and [ . . . ] 6[ . . . ] and they were seeking to devour many
[ . . . ] 7[ . . . ] 8[ . . . ] the monsters attacked it.
4Q532 Col. 2
Frags. 1 - 6 2[ . . . ] flesh [ . . . ] 3al[l . . . ] monsters [ . . . ] will
be [ . . . ] 4[ . . . ] they would arise [ . . . ] lacking in true knowledge [
. . . ] because [ . . . ] 5[ . . . ] the earth [grew corrupt . . . ] mighty [ .
. . ] 6[ . . . ] they were considering [ . . . ] 7[ . . . ] from the angels
upon [ . . . ] 8[ . . . ] in the end it will perish and die [ . . . ] 9[ . . .
] they caused great corruption in the [earth . . . ] [ . . . this did not]
suffice to [ . . . ] "they will be [ . . . ]
The giants begin
to be troubled by a series of dreams and visions. Mahway, the titan son of the
angel Barakel, reports the first of these dreams to his fellow giants. He sees
a tablet being immersed in water. When it emerges, all but three names have
been washed away. The dream evidently symbolizes the destruction of all but
Noah and his sons by the Flood.
2Q26 [ . . . ]
they drenched the tablet in the wa[ter . . . ] 2[ . . . ] the waters went up over
the [tablet . . . ] 3[ . . . ] they lifted out the tablet from the water of [ .
. . ]
The giant goes
to the others and they discuss the dream.
4Q530 Frag.7 [ .
. . this vision] is for cursing and sorrow. I am the one who confessed 2[ . . .
] the whole group of the castaways that I shall go to [ . . . ] 3[ . . . the
spirits of the sl]ain complaining about their killers and crying out 4[ . . . ]
that we shall die together and be made an end of [ . . . ] much and I will be
sleeping, and bread 6[ . . . ] for my dwelling; the vision and also [ . . . ]
entered into the gathering of the giants 8[ . . . ]
6Q8 [ . . . ]
Ohya and he said to Mahway [ . . . ] 2[ . . . ] without trembling. Who showed
you all this vision, [my] brother? 3[ . . . ] Barakel, my father, was with me.
4[ . . . ] Before Mahway had finished telling what [he had seen . . . ] 5[ . .
. said] to him, Now I have heard wonders! If a barren woman gives birth [ . . .
]
4Q530 Frag. 4
3[There]upon Ohya said to Ha[hya . . . ] 4[ . . . to be destroyed] from upon
the earth and [ . . . ] 5[ . . . the ea]rth. When 6[ . . . ] they wept before
[the giants . . . ]
4Q530 Frag. 7 3[
. . . ] your strength [ . . . ] 4[ . . . ] 5Thereupon Ohya [said] to Hahya [ .
. . ] Then he answered, It is not for 6us, but for Azaiel, for he did [ . . .
the children of] angels 7are the giants, and they would not let all their poved
ones] be neglected [. . . we have] not been cast down; you have strength [ . .
. ]
The giants
realize the futility of fighting against the forces of heaven. The first
speaker may be Gilgamesh.
4Q531 Frag. 1 3[
. . . I am a] giant, and by the mighty strength of my arm and my own great
strength 4[ . . . any]one mortal, and I have made war against them; but I am
not [ . . . ] able to stand against them, for my opponents 6[ . . . ] reside in
[Heav]en, and they dwell in the holy places. And not 7[ . . . they] are
stronger than I. 8[ . . . ] of the wild beast has come, and the wild man they
call [me].
9[ . . . ] Then
Ohya said to him, I have been forced to have a dream [ . . . ] the sleep of my
eyes [vanished], to let me see a vision. Now I know that on [ . . . ] 11-12[ .
. . ] Gilgamesh [ . . . ]
Ohya's dream
vision is of a tree that is uprooted except for three of its roots; the
vision's import is the same as that of the first dream.
6Q8 Frag. 2
1three of its roots [ . . . ] [while] I was [watching,] there came [ . . . they
moved the roots into] 3this garden, all of them, and not [ . . . ]
Ohya tries to
avoid the implications of the visions. Above he stated that it referred only to
the demon Azazel; here he suggests that the destruction isfor the earthly
rulers alone.
4Q530 Col. 2
1concerns the death of our souls [ . . . ] and all his comrades, [and Oh]ya told
them what Gilgamesh said to him 2[ . . . ] and it was said [ . . . ]
"concerning [ . . . ] the leader has cursed the potentates" 3and the
giants were glad at his words. Then he turned and left [ . . . ]
More dreams
afflict the giants. The details of this vision are obscure, but it bodes ill
for the giants. The dreamers speak first to the monsters, then to the giants.
Thereupon two of
them had dreams 4and the sleep of their eye, fled from them, and they arose and
came to [ . . . and told] their dreams, and said in the assembly of [their
comrades] the monsters 6[ . . . In] my dream I was watching this very night
7[and there was a garden . . . ] gardeners and they were watering 8[ . . . two
hundred trees and] large shoots came out of their root 9[ . . . ] all the
water, and the fire burned all 10[the garden . . . ] They found the giants to
tell them 11[the dream . . . ]
Someone suggests
that Enoch be found to interpret the vision.
[ . . . to
Enoch] the noted scribe, and he will interpret for us 12the dream. Thereupon
his fellow Ohya declared and said to the giants, 13I too had a dream this
night, O giants, and, behold, the Ruler of Heaven came down to earth 14[ . . .
] and such is the end of the dream. [Thereupon] all th e giants [and monsters!
grew afraid 15and called Mahway. He came to them and the giants pleaded with
him and sent him to Enoch 16[the noted scribe]. They said to him, Go [ . . . ]
to you that 17[ . . . ] you have heard his voice. And he said to him, He wil1 [
. . . and] interpret the dreams [ . . . ] Col. 3 3[ . . . ] how long the giants
have to live. [ . . . ]
After a cosmic
journey Mahway comes to Enoch and makes his request.
[ . . . he
mounted up in the air] 41ike strong winds, and flew with his hands like ea[gles
. . . he left behind] 5the inhabited world and passed over Desolation, the
great desert [ . . . ] 6and Enoch saw him and hailed him, and Mahway said to
him [ . . . ] 7hither and thither a second time to Mahway [ . . . The giants
awaig 8your words, and all the monsters of the earth. If [ . . . ] has been
carried [ . . . ] 9from the days of [ . . . ] their [ . . . ] and they will be
added [ . . . ] 10[ . . . ] we would know from you their meaning [ . . . ] 11[
. . . two hundred tr]ees that from heaven [came down . . . ]
Enoch sends back
a tablet with its grim message of judgment, but with hope for repentance.
4Q530 Frag. 2
The scribe [Enoch . . . ] 2[ . . . ] 3a copy of the second tablet that [Epoch]
se[nt . . . ] 4in the very handwriting of Enoch the noted scribe [ . . . In the
name of God the great] 5and holy one, to Shemihaza and all [his companions . .
. ] 61et it be known to you that not [ . . . ] 7and the things you have done,
and that your wives [ . . . ] 8they and their sons and the wives of [their sons
. . . ] 9by your licentiousness on the earth, and there has been upon you [ . .
. and the land is crying out] 10and complaining about you and the deeds of your
children [ . . . ] 11the harm that you have done to it. [ . . . ] 12until
Raphael arrives, behold, destruction [is coming, a great flood, and it will
destroy all living things] 13and whatever is in the deserts and the seas. And
the meaning of the matter [ . . . ] 14upon you for evil. But now, loosen the
bonds bi[nding you to evil . . . ] l5and pray.
A fragment apparently
detailing a vision that Enoch saw.
4Q531 Frag. 7 3[
. . . great fear] seized me and I fell on my face; I heard his voice [ . . . ]
4[ . . . ] he dwelt among human beings but he did not learn from them [ . . . ]