The Book of Enoch - PDF

The Book of Enoch is an ancient Hebrew apocalyptic religious text attributed to the patriarch Enoch, who was the great-grandfather of Noah. It contains unique material on the origins of demons and Nephilim, the fallen angels, the moral necessity of the Genesis flood, and prophetic explanations of the thousand-year reign of the Messiah. While three books are traditionally attributed to Enoch, none of them are considered canonical scripture by the majority of Jewish or Christian church bodies.

The older sections of the text are estimated to date from about 300–200 BC, with the latest part probably dating to 100 BC. Fragments of the book in Aramaic, Koine Greek, and Latin have been found in the Dead Sea Scrolls and quoted by early authors. The Ethiopian Jewish community Beta Israel and the Christian Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church consider the Book of Enoch canonical. However, other Jewish and Christian groups generally regard it as non-canonical or non-inspired, though they may recognize its historical or theological significance.

The Book of Enoch is primarily preserved in the Ethiopian Ge'ez language, leading to the belief that the original language of the work was Ge'ez. However, some modern scholars argue that it was initially written in Aramaic or Hebrew. The book's canonicity differs between Judaism and Christianity, with Judaism excluding it from the Tanakh and the typical canon of the Septuagint. In contrast, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church accepts it as scripture.

The New Testament makes references to Enoch, with the Epistle of Jude quoting Enoch's prophetic words. However, there is debate about whether Jude attributed the quotation to the historical Enoch before the flood or to a midrash of Deuteronomy. The Book of Enoch's reception varied throughout history, with early Church Fathers considering it scripture, while some Jewish groups, such as those near the Dead Sea, also valuing it. The LDS Church regards a purported "original" Book of Enoch as inspired, with extracts included in their scriptural canon, particularly in the Book of Moses.