(DOWNLOAD) "What Becomes of the Angels' "Wives"? a Text-Critical Study of 1 Enoch 19:2." by Journal of Biblical Literature # Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: What Becomes of the Angels' "Wives"? a Text-Critical Study of 1 Enoch 19:2.
- Author : Journal of Biblical Literature
- Release Date : January 22, 2006
- Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines,Books,Professional & Technical,Education,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 224 KB
Description
It has long been noted that the Enochic corpus preserves a distinctive story concerning the origin of evil, an account that is known only partially from Genesis 6. (1) Enochic works tell the story of angels who forsake their heavenly dwelling in order to mate with women. The union of angels and mortals results in bloodthirsty giants who scar the earth and abuse its inhabitants. The angels, or watchers as they are called, also contribute to humanity's decline by introducing all sorts of forbidden arts. Although these angels come to be imprisoned at the ends of the earth, their spirits continue to wreak havoc by inciting humans to commit idolatry (see 1 En. 19:1). Yet what of the women who associated with the watchers? As if an afterthought, 1 En. 19:2 briefly recounts the fate of these women as well. According to the Greek manuscript tradition, the wives of the angels who transgressed are to become sirens, mythological creatures often associated with seduction. The Ethiopic manuscripts preserve another reading, however: the wives of the angels are to become peaceful. Which of the readings that concern the women is preferable? A related matter is that since the Aramaic is no longer extant for 1 En. 19:2, one must also consider what the text in its language of composition featured in place of the Greek and Ge'ez variants.