The Origin of 1 Enoch

[Arial]

In 1947 a Bedouin shepherd looking for a lost goat discovered the Qumran caves near the nrothwestern shore of the Dead Sea. Inside the caves, in clay jars, were fond ancient scrolls. More than 900 manuscripts and tens of thousands of fragments. Among them were found biblical texts---

• Biblical texts from every book of the Hebrew Bible but Esther
• Apocryphal and pseudepigraphal (1 Enoch, Jubilees, Testament of Levi, etc.)
• Sectarian writings (unique to the Qumran community

BACKGROUND AND SOURCES PART 1
We need to begin then to lean about 1 Enoch by looking at who was living in the caves and the historical period of the time. The information provided is compiled by ChatGPT, and here are its sources.

• Source: Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (Penguin, 2011).
• So
• Source: James C. VanderKam, The Dead Sea Scrolls Today, 2nd ed. (Eerdmans, 2010).
• Source: Lawrence H. Schiffman, Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls (Jewish Publication Society, 1994).
• urce: Emanue
• Source: John J. Collins, The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature (Eerdmans, 2016).
• l Tov, Textual CEmanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible (3rd ed., 2012).riticism of the HebrewJames C. VanderKam & Peter Flint, The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls (20Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (rev. ed., 2011).02). Bible (Fortress Press, 2012).
• The Qumran library included many Aramaic texts, and 1 Enoch (in Aramaic) is one of the principal examples of what scholars call parableptical / pseudepigraphal literature preserved in the Qumran caves. Bible Odyssey
• The 4QEnoch fragments are often dated to the Hasmonean period (i.e. a few centuries B.C.), which gives a terminus ante quem (latest possible date) for parts of 1 Enoch. The Dead Sea Scrolls+1
• Some fragments do not match the later fully preserved Ethiopic Enoch exactly; they show variant readings or partial overlap. Internet Archive+1

• Scholarly tradition of pseudepigraphy​

  • In the study of ancient Jewish literature, pseudepigraphy is a well-known phenomenon: works written in later times that are attributed to earlier revered figures (e.g. Enoch, Moses, Abraham) to lend authority. See general treatments in works on Jewish pseudepigrapha. Oxford Bibliographies+1
  • Knibb’s article “Jewish pseudepigrapha: the case of 1 Enoch” discusses how scholars analyze internal structure, style, textual history, and variant manuscripts to judge that the work is composite, written by multiple authors over time, but using Enoch’s name as the pseudonymous “author.” JSTOR
  • The fact that the Qumran fragments differ in dialect and show variant forms suggests a textual tradition rather than a pristine autograph from Enoch.
• So the modern scholarly view is: 1 Enoch is pseudepigraphic — that is, it claims Enoch as the author (i.e. the “seventh from Adam”) for theological and traditional reasons — but was composed later by unknown Jewish authors.

With that taken care of, I will begin laying out the origins of 1 Enoch and establish it as not being authored by Enoch the seventh from Adam and how it came to be in the caves of Qumran.

 

[Arial]

THE BOOK OF 1 ENOCH
PART TWO
Historical Period: The site and the scrolls belong mainly to the Second Temple period---250 B.C. to70 A.D.

• Judaism was diverse, with several sects (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots).
• Greek influence (Hellenism) and later Roman occupation shaped Jewish life and thought.
• Messianic expectation and apocalyptic literature were widespread.

3. The Essenes Lived There​

Jewish historians, especially Flavius Josephus, Philo of Alexandria, and Pliny the Elder, describe a Jewish sect called the Essenes, who:

• Lived communally,
• Practiced strict ritual purity and celibacy (in some groups),
• Rejected the corruption of the Jerusalem priesthood,
• Expected a coming Messiah and an apocalyptic “War of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness.”

Most scholars identify Qumran as an Essene settlement, though this isn’t universally accepted.

Archaeological remains at Qumran (ritual baths, communal dining rooms, a scriptorium) match descriptions of Essene life.

The Scrolls Themselves
The Dead Sea Scrolls include:

1. Biblical texts — every book of the Hebrew Bible except Esther.
   
   • These are the oldest Hebrew Bible manuscripts known, dating up to a thousand years earlier than previous copies.
2. Apocryphal and pseudepigraphal works — like 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Testament of Levi, etc.
   
   • These reveal Jewish theology, angelology, and eschatology before and around Jesus’ time.
3. Sectarian writings — unique to the Qumran community:
   
   • Community Rule (Serekh ha-Yahad)
   • War Scroll
   • Thanksgiving Hymns (Hodayot)
   • Damascus Document

These reflect the group’s belief that they were the true remnant of Israel, awaiting divine vindication.

The site was destroyed around 68 A.D. during the first Jewish revolt against Rome. Roman forces under Vespasian destroyed Qumran. The scrolls were likely hidden in the caves before fleeing or being captured.

Jewish Historical Importance
From a Jewish historical standpoint, the Qumran caves and scrolls:

• Provide the earliest evidence of the Hebrew Scriptures and show textual variations before the “Masoretic Text” became standardized.
• Reveal diverse Jewish thought — priestly, apocalyptic, and mystical — before the rise of Rabbinic Judaism.
• Illuminate how groups like the Essenes sought purity, covenant renewal, and divine revelation, distinct from the Temple establishment.
• Help us understand the world into which both Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity emerged.

What the non-canonical books show about Essene thought.
Identity and Separation
Essene literature — both their own writings and non-canonical texts they preserved — shows a group who believed:

• They were the true Israel, the faithful remnant.
• The Jerusalem priesthood (especially the Sadducean leadership) was corrupt and ritually impure.
• They withdrew into the desert to keep the covenant and await God’s judgment on the wicked.

This mindset is expressed in sectarian texts like:

• Community Rule (Serekh ha-Yahad) — a manual for communal life and ritual purity.
• Damascus Document — presents their covenant renewal and strict discipline code.

But the same worldview also appears in non-canonical texts they preserved, which emphasize purity, revelation, and cosmic conflict.

To be continued in Part Three

 

[Arial]

THE BOOK OF ENOCH
PART THREE

The Essene thought

Apocalyptic and Dualistic Worldview
Many non-canonical works found at Qumran (e.g. 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Testament of Levi) show apocalyptic dualism — the universe divided between forces of light and darkness.

Key themes:

• Two Spirits: good vs. evil (echoed in the Community Rule).
• Cosmic warfare: angels and demons influence human history (War Scroll; Book of the Watchers in 1 Enoch).
• Determinism: history follows a divine plan; people belong to one of two camps from birth.
• Judgment: imminent divine intervention will destroy evil and exalt the righteous.

These texts gave the Essenes a powerful sense of destiny and separation — they saw themselves as the “Sons of Light.”

Angelology and Heavenly Order
Books like 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice show a fascination with:

• The structure of the heavenly realm,
• The ranks and functions of angels,
• Worship as a mirror of heavenly liturgy.

Essene thought saw earthly worship and obedience as participation in the angelic service of God.
They emphasized purity because they believed their community was already joined to the angels in praise.

Scripture and Revelation
Essene and related non-canonical writings show:

• A broad canon: they revered not only the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms but also other texts (like Jubilees, 1 Enoch) as authoritative revelation.
• Pseudepigraphy (writing under ancient names like Enoch, Moses, Levi) to convey divine secrets revealed long ago.
• A belief that their Teacher (possibly the “Teacher of Righteousness”) had received hidden knowledge for the end times.

This shows a living view of revelation — God still revealed mysteries to His faithful.

Covenant, Purity, and Law
From texts like Jubilees, Temple Scroll, and Damascus Document, we see:

• Strict Sabbath observance and ritual cleanliness, even more detailed than Torah law.
• Rejection of Temple sacrifices as defiled by a corrupt priesthood.
• Expectation of a new Temple or heavenly sanctuary.
• Belief that keeping the law in its pure form would hasten redemption.

This emphasis shows a deep covenant theology: faithfulness to Torah is a spiritual battle against darkness.

Messianic Expectation
Some texts (like the Rule of the Congregation and War Scroll) speak of:

• Two Messiahs — one priestly, one royal — who would lead the faithful at the end of days.
• A final apocalyptic war ending with the victory of the Sons of Light.
• Resurrection or eternal life for the righteous.

This dual messianic hope (priestly and kingly) fits their conviction that the Temple and monarchy were both corrupt but would be restored under divine leadership.

In Part Four we will look at the development of 1 Enoch and its connection to the Essenes Angelology.

 

[Arial]

PART FOUR
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
The Book of the Watchers (the earliest section of 1 Enoch, likely 3rd century B.C.) expands Genesis 6 into a full angelic rebellion story, foundational to Essene theology.

Summary

• A group of 200 angels, called Watchers, led by Shemihazah and Azazel, descended on Mount Hermon.
• They lusted after human women and took them as wives.
• Their offspring were giants (Nephilim), enormous and violent, who devoured mankind and corrupted the earth.
• The Watchers also taught forbidden knowledge — astrology, sorcery, warfare, cosmetics, etc.
• God sends archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael) to punish them:
  
  • The giants are destroyed by the Flood.
  • The Watchers are bound in darkness until final judgment.

This became a cornerstone myth of Essene theology, explaining:

• The origin of evil and corruption before the Flood.
• Why humanity and nature were in need of cleansing and restoration.
• Why demons existed — in Enoch, demons are the disembodied spirits of the dead Nephilim, doomed to wander and afflict mankind.
• It also explicitly links this event to divine judgment (the Flood), echoing Enoch’s message that sin entered creation through this cosmic transgression.

Essene Adoption of the Enolic Worldview
The Essenes at Qumran:

• Copied and revered 1 Enoch and Jubilees as sacred texts — fragments of both are found in multiple Qumran caves.
• Quoted Enochic ideas in their own writings — such as the “Two Spirits” doctrine (light vs. darkness) and the belief in demonic forces corrupting humanity.
• Saw themselves as the righteous remnant, purified from this ancient corruption and awaiting the final judgment on the “spirits of wickedness.”

Thus, for the Essenes:

The story of angels and women wasn’t myth — it was theological history explaining the cosmic origins of evil, impurity, and demonic influence.

Underlying Reasons Why this Interpretation Took Root

​

• Mesopotamian myths (like the Epic of Gilgamesh) also tell of divine–human unions producing heroic or giant offspring.
• Jewish writers recast these tales into a monotheistic framework — not gods, but fallen angels violating God’s order.

b.​

• It explained why the world before the Flood was so evil.
• It placed blame not only on human sin but on cosmic rebellion, highlighting the need for divine judgment and eschatological cleansing.

c.​

• Evil was not random — it had a supernatural origin.
• The Essenes awaited God’s final war to destroy the demonic powers that began with the Watchers.

Part Five will cover the topic of where the Essenes copied their material from.

 

[Arial]

PART FIVE
WHERE DID THE ESSENES COPY THEIR MATERIAL IN ENOCH FROM
The Context: Jewish Scribes and Text Transmission
In the Second Temple period (roughly 500 B.C.–70 A.D.), there was no single “closed” biblical canon yet, and various Jewish groups preserved and copied many religious writings.
Scribes produced manuscripts by hand, usually on parchment or papyrus, and copied from older exemplars.

At Qumran, the Essenes were one of several Jewish sects with their own library. They weren’t the original authors of most works they owned — rather, they were copyists and preservers of sacred and semi-sacred literature circulating in wider Judaism.

What They Had: Scroll Libraries Before Qumran
Before the Qumran community formed (likely in the second century B.C.), writings such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees were already in circulation among apocalyptic and priestly circles in Judea.

• 1 Enoch originated earlier — portions (like the Book of the Watchers) may date to the third century B.C.
  It probably circulated in Aramaic among scribal schools who treasured ancient "antediluvian" wisdom.

So by the time the Essenes established Qumran, these books already existed in scroll form — copied and recopied by earlier scribes in Jerusalem or other priestly communities.

Where Their Copies Came From
When the Essenes settled at Qumran, they likely brought texts with them from:

• Jerusalem archives or libraries, possibly linked to the Temple or to sympathetic priests;
• Other Essene or Enochic communities throughout Judea;
• Private collections of scribes who joined them.

Archaeologists and paleographers can tell that not all Qumran manuscripts were written there — some were copied elsewhere and later deposited in the caves.
How Copying Worked
A scribe would:

1. Obtain an older scroll (the exemplar).
2. Copy it by hand onto new parchment or papyrus.
3. Occasionally annotate or standardize spellings.

At Qumran, we find multiple copies of the same text — e.g. about 21 fragments of 1 Enoch and 15 of Jubilees — in different handwriting styles and dialects (Hebrew and Aramaic), proving that they were copied from earlier manuscripts, not newly composed.

Some even show variant readings, meaning there were different textual traditions of the same work circulating.
So the Essenes were copying Aramaic and Hebrew scrolls that already had a long textual history before their community existed.

What This Tells Us

• The Essenes saw these writings as authoritative or spiritually valuable.
• They were preserving a much older stream of apocalyptic–priestly tradition, not inventing it.
• Their scribal activity shows that Second Temple Judaism had a wide literary canon, with books considered inspired beyond the later “official” Hebrew Bible.

How Those Older Exemplars Likely Originated
Below is a concise, evidence-based outline of what modern scholarship and Jewish historical context indicate.

The Broader Setting
After the Babylonian exile (6th century B.C.), Judaism rebuilt around:

• The Second Temple in Jerusalem,
• The rise of scribal schools and priestly clans,
• New literary activity combining Torah, prophecy, and apocalyptic revelation.

By the 3rd–2nd centuries B.C., Jews were living under Hellenistic rule (Ptolemies → Seleucids), and a tension grew between:

• Priests aligned with Greek culture in Jerusalem, and
• Traditional or separatist priests who resisted Hellenization and corruption.

That second group is the soil out of which both the Enochic tradition and later the Essenes grew.

Origins of 1 Enoch
Language: mostly Aramaic (the common Jewish vernacular of the time).
Earliest layers: likely written in the 3rd century B.C., perhaps even late 4th.

Probable authors:

• Priestly scribes or visionaries opposed to the Jerusalem hierarchy.
• They drew on Genesis 5–6 (the Enoch genealogy and the “sons of God” episode) and expanded it with revelatory visions, heavenly journeys, and cosmic judgment scenes.

Purpose:
To explain why evil entered creation and why divine judgment was inevitable—and to comfort the faithful that God still ruled history despite corrupt earthly powers.

Probable origin sites:

• Jerusalem or its priestly environs, among disaffected Zadokite priests.
• Possibly northern Judea or Samaria, where older prophetic and visionary traditions survived.

---

How 1 Enoch Reached Qumran

1. Enochic writings circulated for at least a century before Qumran was founded.
   Some Qumran copies show different dialects, proving they came from multiple sources.

So, the Essenes didn’t create these ideas—they inherited and systematized them from an older, priestly–apocalyptic current that produced Enochic literature.

Part Six Will Deal With the Claim of 1 Enoch That Enoch the Seventh From Adam Is the Author of 1 Enoch.

 

[Arial]

THE ORIGIN OF 1 ENOCH PART SIX
Why Enoch the Seventh From Adam Is Stated As the Author.
Within its own narrative frame, the book is presented as Enoch's first-person revelation given before the flood

This goes directly to a concept and use of authorship that is embedded in ancient Jewish literature as an accepted literary convention, that is alien to modern day readers. Yet it changes everything. Even Jude who quoted "Enoch the seventh from Adam" directly from 1 Enoch likely was doing so according to that cultural convention and not as we read it. As though Enoch the seventh from Adam actually wrote it.

The term used is pseudepigraphic. It claims Enoch as the author for theological and traditional reasons--but was composed later by unknown Jewish authors. His name is used as the pseudonymous "author".
(sources)
Oxford Bibliographies+1
JSTOR

Let's look into it a bit more.

What That Meant in Ancient Context
In ancient Jewish literature, claiming authorship under a revered name was a known and accepted literary convention called pseudepigraphy (writing “under the name of” a patriarch or prophet).

It did not necessarily intend to deceive; rather, it signaled:

• Continuity of revelation (linking a new message to ancient divine wisdom),
• Authority rooted in the early, “pure” generations before Sinai, and
• A symbolic voice for heavenly or hidden knowledge.

So, when the later Jewish writer(s) of 1 Enoch composed the book (3rd–2nd century B.C.), they wrote as if Enoch himself were recounting what he saw when he “walked with God” (Gen 5:24).

Why Enoch was Chosen
Enoch’s brief mention in Genesis—“and he walked with God, and he was not, for God took him”—invited speculation.
Jewish interpreters concluded:

• He must have been taken into heaven alive,
• He must have received hidden wisdom from God,
• And so he was the perfect spokesman for heavenly mysteries—the origins of evil, astronomy, angels, and judgment.

That image was expanded in 1 Enoch, where he becomes a heavenly scribe and messenger, recording divine secrets and interceding for fallen angels and humanity.

So, no, Enoch the seventh from Adam was not the direct author of 1 Enoch. It was likely written in the third century B.C.

 

[Arial]

Hopefully this will clear up a lot of misconceptions about 1 Enoch and the assumed authorship of Enoch the seventh from Adam.

 

[CrowCross]

This goes directly to a concept and use of authorship that is embedded in ancient Jewish literature as an accepted literary convention, that is alien to modern day readers. Yet it changes everything. Even Jude who quoted "Enoch the seventh from Adam" directly from 1 Enoch likely was doing so according to that cultural convention and not as we read it. As though Enoch the seventh from Adam actually wrote it.

You're speculating.

From what I have come to know is that the last two sections of the Book of Enoch...Book of the Course of Heavenly Luminaries and the Book of Dream Visions were more than likely added in the first or second century by the followers of the Merkabah tradition.

The book of Watchers and the Parables are thought to have been written by the hand of Enoch himself as Enoch was considered a prophet and a scribe.

Arial deny the authorship was of Enoch and attributes it to speculation when Aril said...it was cultural convention...Jude attributed what he quoted to Enoch, as if Enoch wrote it. If Ariel is correct then Jude was fooled by the pseudepigraph and it appears that the bible is wrong.

Hopefully this will clear up a lot of misconceptions about 1 Enoch and the assumed authorship of Enoch the seventh from Adam.

Not really.

 

[Arial]

You're speculating.

If you read the OP and the posts that followed, you ignored it. Otherwise, you would not be saying that I am speculating. There is not an ounce of my speculation in any of the posts. It is all the product of historical, cultural, textual criticism, investigation. Those things actually matter to those who desire the truth and who are careful to make sure that what can be known as fact, is known, so as to not make embarrassing statements.

From what I have come to know is that the last two sections of the Book of Enoch...Book of the Course of Heavenly Luminaries and the Book of Dream Visions were more than likely added in the first or second century by the followers of the Merkabah tradition.

None of what I presented began with "From what I have come to know is that---". I gave the sources that were used to compile the information given. I would expect you to do the same as what you have come to know might very well simply be what you have chosen to believe, and it is not a foundation on which a conversation can be built.

The book of Watchers and the Parables are thought to have been written by the hand of Enoch himself as Enoch was considered a prophet and a scribe.

Thought to be by who? Even if he was thought to be a prophet and a scribe that does not mean that he authored 1 Enoch and it does not even mean that the Essenes or the unknown authors of the original material that the Essenes copied to preserve it, thought Enoch the seventh from Adam wrote it. The authors of the original material knew he didn't write it because they were writing it. You may think that historical and cultural norms, and the thought processes of the time of composition and the intertestamental period are irrelevant, but they are vital.

Arial deny the authorship was of Enoch and attributes it to speculation when Aril said...it was cultural convention...Jude attributed what he quoted to Enoch, as if Enoch wrote it. If Ariel is correct then Jude was fooled by the pseudepigraph and it appears that the bible is wrong.

You don't know what Jude was thinking. Since he was part of the culture where pseudepigraphy was a literary convention, you certainly cannot assume that he was fooled by thinking Enoch the seventh from Adam penned 1 Enoch. He quoted it because it was familiar to those he was addressing and suited his purposes of illustration. No matter if he thought that pre-flood Enoch wrote it or not.

 

[CrowCross]

If you read the OP and the posts that followed, you ignored it. Otherwise, you would not be saying that I am speculating. There is not an ounce of my speculation in any of the posts. It is all the product of historical, cultural, textual criticism, investigation. Those things actually matter to those who desire the truth and who are careful to make sure that what can be known as fact, is known, so as to not make embarrassing statements.

None of what I presented began with "From what I have come to know is that---". I gave the sources that were used to compile the information given. I would expect you to do the same as what you have come to know might very well simply be what you have chosen to believe, and it is not a foundation on which a conversation can be built.

Thought to be by who? Even if he was thought to be a prophet and a scribe that does not mean that he authored 1 Enoch and it does not even mean that the Essenes or the unknown authors of the original material that the Essenes copied to preserve it, thought Enoch the seventh from Adam wrote it. The authors of the original material knew he didn't write it because they were writing it. You may think that historical and cultural norms, and the thought processes of the time of composition and the intertestamental period are irrelevant, but they are vital.

You don't know what Jude was thinking. Since he was part of the culture where pseudepigraphy was a literary convention, you certainly cannot assume that he was fooled by thinking Enoch the seventh from Adam penned 1 Enoch. He quoted it because it was familiar to those he was addressing and suited his purposes of illustration. No matter if he thought that pre-flood Enoch wrote it or not.

Why do you continue with your speculation????

You are speaking matter of factly about that of which you don't know.

 

[Arial]

Why do you continue with your speculation????

You are speaking matter of factly about that of which you don't know.

If you read the OP and the posts that followed, you ignored it. Otherwise, you would not be saying that I am speculating. There is not an ounce of my speculation in any of the posts. It is all the product of historical, cultural, textual criticism, investigation. Those things actually matter to those who desire the truth and who are careful to make sure that what can be known as fact, is known, so as to not make embarrassing statements.

I gave the sources that were used to compile the information given.

 

[CrowCross]

Yes, you are speculating. You are so entangled in your cut and paste speculation you don't leave any room open for any other opinions.

now, let me repeat....From what I have come to know is that the last two sections of the Book of Enoch...Book of the Course of Heavenly Luminaries and the Book of Dream Visions were more than likely added in the first or second century by the followers of the Merkabah tradition.

The book of Watchers and the Parables are thought to have been written by the hand of Enoch himself as Enoch was considered a prophet and a scribe.

@Arial denies the authorship was of Enoch and attributes it to speculation when Arial said...it was cultural convention...Jude attributed what he quoted to Enoch, as if Enoch wrote it. If Ariel is correct then Jude was fooled by the pseudepigraph and it appears that the bible is wrong.

Arial simply wants to flippantly toss off the possibility of Enoch actually writing the text. Oh, that's right...Arial can search the internet, perhaps ask chat GPT....but all Arial can return with is the speculation handed down by others.

Tell mt Arial why Enoch could not have written the book of Enoch? Why it could it have not survived the flood on the ark under the care of Noah? Why would that be impossible? Will you now say because the bible doesn't mention any scrolls on the ark there couldn't have been any scrolls on the ark?

 

[prism]

but was composed later by unknown Jewish authors.

Hold it not so fast. How did they know that they were unknown authors, let alone Jewish authors?. BTW, I have enough trouble with the accepted text, let alone pseudographical writings.

 

[Arial]

Hold it not so fast. How did they know that they were unknown authors, let alone Jewish authors?. BTW, I have enough trouble with the accepted text, let alone pseudographical writings.

Who are "they"? If no author is signed to a document then, and they are found long after the death of the author, who would know who the author was? Read part five. It explains where the documents in the Qumran caves were copied from.

 

[Arial]

Yes, you are speculating. You are so entangled in your cut and paste speculation you don't leave any room open for any other opinions.

Speculate: form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence. To call my presentation a copy/paste and also call it my speculation is illogical. I presented evidence. If you disagree with it---present your own evidence that contradicts the evidence given. This conversation is not about me. It is about the origins of 1 Enoch.

now, let me repeat....From what I have come to know is that the last two sections of the Book of Enoch...Book of the Course of Heavenly Luminaries and the Book of Dream Visions were more than likely added in the first or second century by the followers of the Merkabah tradition.

There is no need to repeat that. It is just as empty this time as it was the first. Where is your evidence? When was the Watchers written and who wrote it. Evidence. Did you read parts 1-5? If not, you only have half a leg or less to stand on in the conversation. All the parts go together to arrive at the conclusion of part 6.

The book of Watchers and the Parables are thought to have been written by the hand of Enoch himself as Enoch was considered a prophet and a scribe.

Thought so by who? And why? Evidence!

@Arial denies the authorship was of Enoch and attributes it to speculation when Arial said...it was cultural convention...Jude attributed what he quoted to Enoch, as if Enoch wrote it. If Ariel is correct then Jude was fooled by the pseudepigraph and it appears that the bible is wrong.

I do deny the author was Enoch the seventh from Adam, not because I want to, or because I am satisfied with accepting speculation as fact but based on the evidence. Which I was thoughtful enough to provide---though I don't think you read or understood it, as then you would have to stop making that claim; one which you use to support a preferred myth. That pseudepigraphy was a culture literary convention of the historical period listed in I believe part 2, is well documented. You can even click the link to the source. Too much trouble and possibly scarry I know.

And it was not Arial that said it was a cultural literary convention. And you know this. But by saying that it is, and repeating it, you make an attempt to remove the facts from their factual basis and thereby not have to consider them. And also, as a means of persuading others that the entire OP series is personal speculation and opinion and not the work of scholars in the fields that are required to date ancient documents, textually analyze them; in history and cultures and everything else involved in the information acquired.

Arial simply wants to flippantly toss off the possibility of Enoch actually writing the text. Oh, that's right...Arial can search the internet, perhaps ask chat GPT....but all Arial can return with is the speculation handed down by others.

Sad, very said. Why is it you can't post in a reasonable manner and according to not only the rules of the forum but according to the precepts God's word gives for the behavior of his children and how they should treat and speak to one another? Why does there seem to be no sanctification progressing in that area?

Tell mt Arial why Enoch could not have written the book of Enoch? Why it could it have not survived the flood on the ark under the care of Noah? Why would that be impossible? Will you now say because the bible doesn't mention any scrolls on the ark there couldn't have been any scrolls on the ark?

That would be speculation on your part wouldn't it? And with no grounds whatsoever other than you want to believe Enoch wrote it, and so you can believe in giants and hybrid humans? However, no such documents were ever found. Read all five parts of the OP and then read part 6. There you will find all the clues that lead to Enoch not being the author. You are simply trying to refute the conclusion without following all the steps that arrived at the conclusion. You decided beforehand that the conclusion was wrong, but as far as I can tell, from no evidence whatsoever, since you have given none.

 

[prism]

Who are "they"? If no author is signed to a document then, and they are found long after the death of the author, who would know who the author was? Read part five. It explains where the documents in the Qumran caves were copied from.

(from part V) In the Second Temple period (roughly 500 B.C.–70 A.D.), there was no single “closed” biblical canon yet, and various Jewish groups preserved and copied many religious writings.
Scribes produced manuscripts by hand, usually on parchment or papyrus, and copied from older exemplars.

Was there any claim to canonicity, or were they just found among other 'biblical' texts?

 

[Arial]

Was there any claim to canonicity, or were they just found among other 'biblical' texts?

If I am not mistaken, the Essense considered it canon---that is, inspired by God. But when the Jewish canon of the OT was finalized/acknowledged was in the first century A.D. The canon was estabshed in three stages and over centuries.

• Torah (Gen -Deut) 5th century B.C.
• The Prophets (former prophets Joshua -Kings and latter prophets, Isaiah, Jer, Ez, the Twele. 200 B.C.
• he Writings 1st century A.D> (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles)

1 Enoch and Jubilees were never considered canon by the larger Jewish community.