Friday, January 1, 2021

"Third Heaven" in 2 Enoch and the Apocalypse of Moses

 

 

2 Enoch 8:1-9:1

 

8 |About the taking of Enoch to the 3rd heaven. Word “7.”|

 

1* And those men took me from there, and they brought me up to the third heaven, and set me down |there|. Then I looked downward, and I saw Paradise. And that place is inconceivably pleasant.

2* And I saw the trees in full flower. And their fruits were ripe and pleasant-smelling, with every food in yield and giving off profusely a pleasant fragrance.

 

3 And in the midst (of them was) the tree of life, at that place where the LORD takes a rest when he goes into paradise. And that tree is indescribable for pleasantness and fine fragrance, and more beautiful than any (other)

 

created thing that exists. 4 And from every direction it has an appearance which is gold-looking and crimson, and with the form of fire. And it covers the whole of Paradise. And it has something of every orchard tree and of every fruit. And its root is in Paradise at the exit that leads to the earth.

5* And paradise is in between the corruptible and the incorruptible. And two streams come forth, one a source of honey and milk, and a source which produces oil and wine. And it is divided into 4 parts, and they go around with a quiet movement. 6 And they come out into the paradise of Edem, between the corruptible and the incorruptible. And from there they pass along and divide into 40 parts. And it proceeds in descent along the earth, and they have a revolution in their cycle, just like the other atmospheric elements.

7* And there is no unfruitful tree there, and every tree is well fruited, and every place is blessed.

8 And there are 300 angels, very bright, who look after Paradise; and with never-ceasing voice and pleasant singing they worship the LORD every day and hour. And I said, “How very pleasant is this place!” And those men said to me:

 

 

9 |The revelation to Enoch of the place of those who are righteous and kind. Word “8.”|

 

1* “This place, Enoch, has been prepared for the righteous,

 

        who

    suffer every kind of calamity in their life

    and

    who

    afflict their souls,

    and

    who

    avert their eyes from injustice

    and

    who

    carry out righteous judgment

        who

    give bread to the hungry,

    and

    who

    cover the naked with clothing,

    and

    who

    lift up the fallen,

    and

    who

    help the injured and the orphans,

        who

    walk without a defect before the face of the LORD,

    and

    who

    worship him only—

 

even for them this place has been prepared as an eternal inheritance.” (F.I. Andersen, "2 (Slavonic Apocalypse of) Enoch," in James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 1: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments [New York: Yale University Press, 1983], 114–11)

 

2 Enoch 42:3

 

And I ascended to the east, into the paradise of Eden, where rest is prepared for the righteous. And it is open as far as the 3rd heaven; but it is closed off from this world. (Ibid., 168)

 

Apocalypse of Moses 37:4-5

 

4* He lay three hours, and so the Lord of all, sitting on his holy throne, stretched out his hands and took Adam and handed him over to the archangel Michael, saying to him, 5* “Take him up into Paradise, to the third heaven, and leave (him) there until that great and fearful day which I am about to establish for the world.” And the archangel Michael took Adam and brought him away and left him, just as God told him at the pardoning of Adam. (M.D. Johnson, "Life of Adam and Eve," in James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 2: Expansions of the “Old Testament” and Legends, Wisdom and Philosophical Literature, Prayers, Psalms, and Odes, Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic Works [New York: Yale University Press, 1985], 291 [The Apocalypse or Revelation of Moses is the Greek edition of The Life of Adam and Eve])

 

Apocalypse of Moses 40:1-2

 

Then he spoke to the archangel Michael, “Go into Paradise in the third heaven and bring me three cloths of linen and silk.” 2* And God said to Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael, “Cover Adam’s body with the cloths and bring oil from the oil of fragrance and pour it on him.” And thus they did and prepared his body (Ibid., 291)