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The Book of Enoch · 13 of 109

Chapter XIII

1.And Enoch went and said: ‘Azâzêl, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth against thee to put thee in bonds: 2. And thou shalt not have toleration nor request granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.’

3.Then I went and spoke to them all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them.

4.And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of heaven.

5.For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned.

6.Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness and length of days.

7.And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell asleep.

8.And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, [and a voice came bidding (me)] I to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them.

9.And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in ’Abelsjâîl, which is between Lebanon and Sênêsêr, with their faces covered.

10.And I recounted before them all the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.

Asked of Guide

Why do the Watchers ask Enoch to petition God for their forgiveness?

The angels are terrified and ashamed because their sins exposed them: they “could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned.” Their fear drives them to seek intercession through Enoch, asking him to write a petition and pray for “forgiveness and length of days.”

Enoch complies, records individual prayers and then receives a chastening vision which he is told to report to the Watchers. This chapter shows Enoch functioning as mediator and conveyor of divine judgment, a role that anticipates the intercessory theme in later apocalyptic works such as Revelation.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.