1 Enoch 55
What Happens in This Chapter
The Head of Days says he destroyed all who live on the earth for nothing, and swears by his great name that he will not do this again to all who live on the earth. He promises to set a sign in the sky as a pledge of good faith between himself and them for as long as the sky is above the earth. He then speaks of the day of trouble and pain, and says his punishment and anger will stay on them. The chapter ends with the mighty kings told that they will have to watch the Elect One sit on the throne of glory and judge Azâzêl, his associates, and all his hosts.
After that, the Head of Days changed his mind and said, ‘I destroyed everyone who lives on the earth for nothing.’
1And after that the Head of Days repented and said: ‘In vain have I destroyed all who dwell on the earth.’
“Repented” in older English means he changed his mind about what he had already done. It does not mean he had done something wrong.
2And he swore an oath by his great name: ‘From now on I will not do that to everyone who lives on the earth. I will put a sign in the sky, and it will be a pledge of good faith between me and them forever, for as long as the sky is above the earth. This is what I have commanded.
2And He sware by His great name: ‘Henceforth I will not do so to all who dwell on the earth, and I will set a sign in the heaven: and this shall be a pledge of good faith between Me and them for ever, so long as heaven is above the earth. And this is in accordance with My command.
“Heaven” here means the sky overhead, the place where the sign is put and which stands above the earth.
3When I have wanted to take hold of them by the hand of the angels on the day of trouble and pain because of this, I will make my punishment and my anger stay on them, says God, the Lord of Spirits.
3When I have desired to take hold of them by the hand of the angels on the day of tribulation and pain because of this, I will cause My chastisement and My wrath to abide upon them, saith God, the Lord of Spirits.
4You mighty kings who live on the earth, you will have to look at my Elect One and see how he sits on the throne of glory and judges Azâzêl, and all who are joined with him, and all his forces, in the name of the Lord of Spirits.’
4Ye †mighty kings† who dwell on the earth, ye shall have to behold Mine Elect One, how he sits on the throne of glory and judges Azâzêl, and all his associates, and all his hosts in the name of the Lord of Spirits.’
The daggers around "mighty kings" in the Charles translation mark a place where the surviving manuscripts do not agree on the wording.
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