2 Baruch

Historical printed page 514

7: ae II BARUCH 59. 5—62. 6 5 sanctuary of the present time was to be made. But then also He showed to him the measures of © the fire, also the depths of the abyss, and the weight of the winds, and the number of the drops of 6 rain: And the suppression of anger, and the multitude of long-suffering, and the truth of judgement : 8 And the root of wisdom, and the riches of understanding, and the fount of knowledge: And the height of the air, and the greatness of Paradise, and the consummation of the ages, and the beginning 9 of the day of judgement: And the number of the offerings, and the earths which have not yet come: 10 And the mouth of Gehenna, and the station of vengeance, and the place of faith, and the region of 11 hope: And the likeness of future torment, and the multitude of innumerable angels, and the flaming hosts, and the splendour of the lightnings, and the voice of the thunders, and the orders of the chiefs of the angels, and the treasuries of light, and the changes of the times, and the investigations of the 12 law. These are the bright fourth waters which thou hast seen. ΘΟ: ‘And the black fifth waters which thou hast seen raining are the works which the Amorites 61 62 wrought, and the spells of their incantations which they wrought, and the wickedness of their 2 mysteries, and the mingling of their pollution. But even Israel was then polluted by sins in the days of the judges, though they saw many signs which were from Him who made them. I + And the bright sixth waters which thcu didst see, this is the time in which David and Solomon were born. 2 And there was at that time the building of Zion, And the dedication of the sanctuary, And the shedding of much blood of the nations that sinned then, And many offerings which were offered then in the dedication of the sanctuary. 3. And peace and tranquillity existed at that time, 4 And wisdom was heard in the assembly : And the riches of understanding were magnified in the congregations, 5 And the holy festivals were fulfilled in blessedness and in much joy. 6 And the judgement of the rulers was then seen to be without guile, And the righteousness of the precepts of the Mighty One was accomplished with truth. 7 And the land [which] was then beloved by the Lord, And because its inhabitants sinned not, it was glorified beyond all lands, And the city Zion ruled then over all lands and regions. 8 These are the bright waters which thou hast seen. 1 ‘And the black seventh waters which thou hast seen, this is the perversion (brought about) by the 2 counsel of Jeroboam, who took counsel to make two calves of gold: And all the iniquities which 3 kings who were after him iniquitously wrought. And the curse of Jezebel and the worship of idols 4 which Israel practised at that time. And the withholding of rain, and the famines which occurred 5 until women eat the fruit of their wombs. And the time of their captivity which came upon the nine 6 tribes and a half, because they were in many sins. And Salmanasar king of Assyria came and led 5-11. Here one of Enoch’s functions is for the first time transferred to Moses. Cf. another such transference to Ezra in 4 Ezra xiv. 50. Enoch, like the LXX, was much appealed to by Christians, and like it, therefore, fell into disuse by the Jews. This aggressive attitude of Judaism cannot be earlier than 50 A.D., and therefore places this writing (A*) after that date. It is prior to A. Ὁ. 70 (Ixviii. 5). 5. the depths of the abyss. 1 Enoch xviii. 11; xxi. 7-10, &c; 2 Enoch xxviii. 3. the weight of the winds. 2 Enoch xl 11. Cf. 1 Enoch xli. 4. 8. the greatness of Paradise. The measures of Paradise are taken by the angels for Enoch. Cf. 1 Enoch Ixi, 1-43 Ixx. 3, 4. the beginning of the day of judgement. A definite reckoning is given in 2 Enoch xxxii. 2-xxxiii.2 ; xv. 7-10; and indefinite measures in 1 Enoch Ixxxiii-xc; xci-civ. 10. the mouth of Gehenna. Cf. Ixxxv. 13; 1 Enoch xxvii. 2, 3, ἅς, the station of vengeance. Many places of vengeance are described in the two books of Enoch: 1 Enoch xviii. 12-16 5 xix; xxi; xxii. 10-13; liv. 1-6; xc. 24-7; 2 Enoch x; xl. 2. : the place of faith, and the region of hope. These seem to be the places of intermediate bliss. Cf. 1 Enoch xxii. 5-9. 11. the likeness of future torment. 2 Enoch xl. 12. lightnings . . . thunders. 1 Enoch xii. 3, ἄς. the orders of the chiefs of the angels. The Syriac has ‘chief’ (sing.). Cf, xlviii. 10; 2 Enoch xx. I, 3. LX. 1. mingling of their pollution. Cf. Pss. Sol. ii. 15 ἐν φυρμῷ ἀναμίξεως. 2. of the judges. The Syriac has ‘ judgement’. LXI. 7. by the Lord. The text = ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ, where 1 take καιρῷ to be corrupt for Κυρίῳ, and ἐκείνῳ to be a later addition. 1 have bracketed the ‘ which ’. LXII. 4. Cf. 2 Kings vi. 28, 29. 6. 1. ε. Shalmaneser, 2 Kings xvii. 3, 6. Cf. 4 Ezra xiii. 40. 514 ἫΝ tt A ἡ . ιν Cr ee eee