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The Book of Giants
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Translations |
Intro:
Another curious work from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Although badly fragmented it
tells a story of some of the fallen angels and their children. Notice the name
Gilgamesh. This is the same name as the Babylonian hero in the epic of
Gilgamesh. Compare this to the story of the angels in the book of Enoch. See
article on Demons.
Translation:
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 fruitfulness 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 is for 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 [ . . . ]