nora
(Nora)
#1
Jubilees and Enochic Judaism
1 En 9:6-10 and perhaps 86:1-2, and the juxtaposition of human and Watcher culpability in
chaps. 7 and 8; and Bergsma's paper in this volume, "The Relationship between Jubilees and
the Early Enochic Books (Astronomical Book and Book of the Watchers)," section III.
16. Reed, Fallen Angels, 77-78.
17. See discussion in Jackson, Enochic Judaism, 35-36.
18. See D. R. Jackson, "Demonising Gilgamesh," in Gilgamesh and the World of As
syria, ed. J. Azize and N. Weeks, Ancient Near East Studies Supplement 21 (Louvain: Peeters,
"minimizing" of the connection between the prediluvian giants and the
postdiluvian demons, as Reed has suggested.^16 It was in marrying women
that the Watchers crossed the boundary of spirit and flesh and so abandoned
their right to return to heaven, not their initial descent (cf. 1 En 6:6; 12:4; 14:5;
15:3,7,10; 16:2; 84:4; 86:1). So it was also for the author's target audience. Liv
ing in a land ruled by Gentiles would not constitute "going astray." Inter
marrying with them would. Jubilees did not set aside a concept of an origin
of evil that occurred without a free choice. In the BW the women are not
raped but marry — "they are co-perpetrators, not victims."^17
Jubilees took the opportunity to identify within the Torah narrative
other minor exemplars that conform to the pattern, in particular the experi
ence of Lot in Sodom (Jub 20:2-7). Joseph demonstrates how an Israelite can
survive under Gentile rule. Because of his rigorous moral purity, Joseph was
not only protected and blessed by God, but no demon or satan could bring
destruction to any who came under his leadership (40:9; 46:2). It is interest
ing then that in Joseph's case Jubilees seems to have made an exception.
Whereas the writer avoids noticing Moses' marriage to a Midianite or
Amram's marriage to his aunt, no such attempt is made to avoid Joseph's
marriage to an Egyptian (30:17). His culpability is bypassed perhaps as a
union imposed by Pharaoh but perhaps also because the author may have
seen in the future history of Ephraim and Manasseh reason not to omit their
Gentile roots. The concern for purity focuses on the female line.
The 'Aza'el Exemplar
The 'Aza'el exemplar viewed the same event from the perspective of cultural
purity. 'Aza'el (1 En 10:8) was deemed responsible for revealing to humans
heavenly secrets that were forbidden to them and, in so doing, empowering
them to develop deviant and rebellious cultural practices. The 'Aza'el exem
plar demonized the scholarship, philosophies, education, and therefore the
culture of the Gentiles.^18 It also presented the elect righteous with a body of
