The Book Of Giants

Synopsis
Found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, The heavily-damaged Book Of Giants is an unique work. It apparently was quite large, but the over two thousand years of decay has reduced it to mostly single fragments with sometimes only several words. However, it was held in high regard by the Essene Jewish sect, evidence given by the large number of copies (it is one of the most common documents that were discovered there. The book itself is not just unique to Qumran. A whole other slightly altered version was used by a group of eastern people’s known as the Manichaeans. This following believed in a combination of Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrian, and Asian beliefs. The founder of the religion, Mani, wrote a document covering several topics, one of which was the Book Of Giant, which he seems to have reconstructed in mostly complete form. With this work, sadly, it is also damaged. But parallels are found between these copies, which were written hundreds of years apart, and by using these, a likely narrative can be made. Aside from these, other sources exist: A Jewish Midrash on the book, a possibly summary found in the Clementine Homilies, and various quotations and illusions.

The Books likely author was Noah, considering the story being given ends with the Great Flood, meaning it was written possibly before, during, or immediately after the deluge; though the text could have been written over time, being finished around 4300 BC. It can be considered a companion text to The Book Of Enoch, because of the overlapping narratives, and some believe that they were originally one document.

The story is garbled in many places, but a timeline can be made, with some accuracy. The story starts with God seeing the wickedness on Earth, and commanding 220 Angels known as Watchers to go down and teach mankind morality and guide them. They do so, being led by Shemzaya and Azazel. They establish a council of 20, and begin teaching Humanity. Soon, a large group of Women, of the Canite Tribe (the descendants of Cain, the first murderer), seduce these angels, who turn themselves into physical form. The 200 then marry one woman each, and have children. These children, called Nephilim, are Giants, and are a disastrous race, having an undying hunger for food. They take occupation in the cities, and soon turn to Humans, who try to feed them, and begin devouring them, engaging in cannibalism. They start wars with each other, drawing man into their conflicts. Soon the Earth apparently goes through a ecological crisis, because of an unnatural life forms now present. Some time passes, and the Angels discover they no longer can be spirit, and are trapped in physical form. Soon God sends a prophet named Enoch to condemn them, after they ask for a petition for forgiveness. God had previously ordered them that they could not be given wives, and if they did so, they would be judged. God ignores their cries for forgiveness, but makes it clear that their children, the Giants, still can be saved, because they had no will of their own being born out of evil. God’s worry is now that the clean genetics of man will soon be abolished, and corrupted by this damaged DNA. Enoch prophecies that they will be damned to Hell in due time, and that the world will continue to descend into destruction. Aside from this, it is apparent the Watchers also managed father offspring with animals, producing animal/angel hybrids, further polluting clean genetics.

Later on, the story shifts to the lives of several Giants: Mahway, Gilgamesh, Hobabesh, Ohya, his brother Hahya, and an unnamed Giant who is friends with Ohya. One day, a Giant named Hobabesh steals the wife of another giant, which in turn sparks a war. After this war, a small conflict is still ensuing by an unnamed river. There, Mahway slays a Giant, thinking the war was still ongoing. This killing angers Ohya, the son of the Angel Shemyaza, who was a friend of the slain Giant. He then declares that Mahway will die for this, but the other Nephilim defy this idea, and guard Mahway from the wrath, and Ohya then forgets the plot to kill him.

Four Giants then begin to have visions, some of a garden being destroyed, a tablet being dipped it water, and more. The four Giants are Gilgamesh, Ohya, Ahya and Mahway. They soon discern that  they are visions of judgment, but because of the fear of their own destruction, they claim they are meant to be for Azazel, since he was a great wrong-doer. Because of uncertainty, however, they demand Mahway to go find Enoch and tell them the answer to the dreams, and if he does not go, he will die. Mahway seemingly flies to Enoch, and the prophet gives him two tablets to take back. He returns and reads the tablets, and both Giants and Watchers learn that the world will soon be destroyed by a flood, killing all except Noah and his close family. Before this, Azazel will be bound in Hell first, and the rest of Fallen Angels will be bound later, as the deluge is almost upon them.

Many years past, and the end has come. A war breaks out between the Giants again, killing possibly millions, and Noah is commanded to flee into his Ark, which he has built over five years. As the flood is days away, God sends angels to bind the Fallen Watchers, but the adversaries his away, delaying the Archangel Michael and his fellows. They soon find them, and a battle takes place between them, ending in the defeat of the Fallen Angels. The Flood then arrives, killing all life on earth except in the seas and what is on the Ark. A few Giants manage to survive by swimming, and support themselves with the dead bodies floating on the water’s surface. Seeing this, God commands that the Giants be slain by a great sea beast called the Leviathan, which kills all the remaining Nephilim, except Ohya, who engages in a battle with the beast, and kills it. Because of this, God sends another angel to kill the last living Giant on Earth, and succeeds. He then makes a decree that some spirits of the Giants shall remain wandering on Earth, spiritual harming man, while the rest are damned to Hell along with Ohya.

Canonicity
It has never been a part of any canon, but various sects have used it.

Frags. 1 + 6
1 [...] ... [... two hundred] 2 donkeys, two hundred wild asses, two hund[red ... two hundred rams of the] 3 flock, two hundred he-goats, two hund[red ... wild] 4 animals, of each animal, of ea[ch bird ...] 5 of dilute wine [...]

Frag. 11
1 [...] He rose before [...] 2 [...] [the] Giants [...]

Frag. 13
1 [...] four [...] 2 [...] [the] river [...] 3 [...] [did] go [...]

Frags. 9 + 14 + 15
1 [...] 2 [...] and they knew the mys[teries ...] 3 [...] a great [...] on the earth [...] 4 [...] ... and they killed a lot of [...] 5 [...] the Giants [...] which [...] 6 [...] ... [...]

Frag. 16
1 [...] and they entered [...] 2 [...] through their hands [...] 3 [...] and he began to [...]

Frag. 20
1 [...] 2 [...] their father Blank Then [...] 3 [...] ages [...] 4 [...] all the children of [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 21
1 [...] 2 you are seizing everything which [...] 3 [...]

Frag. 22
1 [...] 2 [...] thousands from a grape [cluster] [...] 3 [...] then [...]

Frag. 24
1 [...] not [...] 2 [...] again [...] 3 [...] waters [...]

Frag. 27
1 [...] these [...] 2 [...] Mahawai [...] 3 [...] 4[...] until [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 28
1 [...] his son [...]

Frag. 29
1 [...] ’Ohya [...] 2 [...] he did not finish [...]

Frag. 31
1 [...] 2 [...] 3 [...] the tablet [...]

Frag. 1
1 [...] and wind [...] 2 [...] ... and hot ashes and [...] 3 [...] for the ... and for ... [...] 4 [...] the [...] and for the donkeys and [for ...] 5 [...] Blank And for all [...] 6 [...] the ... [...] Blank And for ... [...] 7 [...] and for the lightnings [...] 8 [...] ... [...]

Frag. 5
1 [...] 2 [...] and [...] 3 [...] their [...] 4 [...] the rain and [the] dew [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 7
1 [...] day of the end [...] 2 [...] all of it, the consummation of [...] 3 [... up]on those who [...]

Frag. 8
1 [...] ... [...] 2 [...] you will not have peace [...]

Frag. 1
1 [... and] they washed the tablet to er[ase ...] 2 [...] and the water rose above the [tab]let [...] 3 [...] and they lifted the tablet from the water, the tablet which [...] 4 [...] ... [...] to them all [...]

Frag. 1
1 When I ar[ise ...] 2 Baraq’el [...] 3 my face still [...] 4 I arise [...]

Frag. 2
1 over them [...] 2 Blank [...] 3 [And] Mahaw[ai replie]d [...]

Frag. 3
1 [...] 2 his friends [...] 3 Hobabes and ADKW [...] 4 What will you give me to ki[ll ...?]

Frag. 4
1 [...] in them [...] 2 [...] Blank [...] 3 [The]n ’Ohyah said to Ha[hyah, his brother ...] 4 [...] on top of the earth and ... [...] 5 [...] the [ear]th. Blank W[hen ...] 6 [...] they bowed down and wept in front [of Enoch ...] 7 [...]

Frag. 5
1 [...] ... [...] 2 [...] violence done to me[n ...] 3 [...] they were killed [...]

Frag. 6
1 [...] 2 [...] was to us [...] 3 [...]

Frag. 7 col. i 1-2
[...] ... [...] 3 and [yo]ur power [...] 4 Blank 5 Th[en] ’Ohyah [said] to Hahy[ah, his brother ...] Then he punished, and not 6 us, [bu]t Aza[ze]l and made [him ... the sons of] Watchers, 7 the Giants; and n[o]ne of [their] be[loved] will be forgiven [...] ... he has imprisoned us and has cap- tured yo[u]

Frag. 7 col. ii 1-4
[...] 5 [...] to you, Maha[wai ...] 6 the two tablets [...] 7 and the second has not been read up till now [...]

Frag. 8
1 scri[be ...] 2 Blank [...] 3 Copy of the seco[n]d tablet of [the] le[tter ...] 4 by the hand of Enoch, the distinguished scribe [...] 5 and holy (one), to Shemihazah and to all [his] com[panions ...] 6 You should know th[at] no[t ...] 7 and your deeds and those of your wives [...] 8 they [and the]ir sons and the wives o[f their sons ...] 9 for [yo]ur prostitution in the [l]and. It will hap- pen [t]o yo[u ...] 10 and lodges a complaint against you and against the deeds of your sons [...] 11 the corruption with which you have corrupted it. Blank [...] 12 has reached Raphael. Behold, destruction [...] 13 and which are in the deserts and whi[ch] are in the seas. And tear loose [the] totality [of ...] 14 upon you for evil. Now, then, unfasten your chains which ti[e (you) ...] 15 and pray. Blank [...]

Frag. 9
1 [...] ... and all [...] 2 [...] ... before the splendour of [your] glo[ry ...] 3 [...] your [glo]ry, for [you] kn[ow] all the mysteries [...] 4 [...] and nothing is stronger than you [...] 5 [... be]fore you. Blank Now, then, [...] 6 [...] your glorious rule for the [everlasting] y[ears ...] 7 [...] ... Blank [...] 8 [...] ... [...]

Frag. 10
1 [... And] now, [my] Lord [...] 2 [...] you have multiplied and ... [...] 3 [...] you wish and ... [...] 4 [...]

Frag. 11 col. ii
1 [...] 2 the dew and [the] fro[st ...]

Frag. 13
1 [And] they [prostra]ted themselves [be]fo[re Enoch ...] 2 [Th]en he said to him: [«...] 3 [That] you will have [no] pe[ace ...] 4 [...] to be [...]

Col. i
1 [...] he should be placed 2 [...] the waters with 3 [...] they will be numbered among the whole 4 [...] they should be counted according to the reckoning of years for the one 5 [who ...] these [se]ven days in keeping them [...] 6 [... they will no]t rejoice and not [...]

Col. ii
1 concerning the death of our souls [...] and all his friends. [And ’O]hyah made know to them that which had said to him 2 Gilgamesh. And [...] I will fear, and a [sen]tence against his life will be spoken. And the Great One has cursed the princes. 3 And they rejoiced upon him [...] the friends. And he returned and went to [...] upon him. Then two of them dreamed dreams, 4 and the sleep of their eyes fled from them and they ar[ose ...] from them and they arose [...] their eyes 5 and came to [...] their dreams. And he s[ai]d in the assembly of [his] fri[ends,] 6 the Nephilin, [... in] my dream I have seen in this night: [...] 7 [... ga]rdeners and they were watering 8 [...] numerous [roo]ts issued from their trunk 9 [...] I watched until tongues of fire from 10 [...] all the water and the fire burned in all 11 [...] ... [...] 12 [...] Here is the end of the dream. 13 [...] The Giants could [not] find (someone) to explain to the[m] 14 [the dream ... to Enoch,] the scribe of distinction, and he will interpret 15 the dream for us. Blank Then [’]Ohyah, his brother, acknowledged and said in front of the Giants: 16 I also saw something amazing in my dream this night: The Ruler of the heavens came down to earth, 17 and thrones were erected and the Great Holy One sa[t down. A hundred hun]dreds were serving him, a thousand thousands 18 [were ...] him, [and ten thousand times ten thousand be]fore him were standing. And behold, [book]s were opened and the sentence was proclaimed. And the sentence 19 [... in a book] was [wri]tten, and recorded in an inscription [...] for all the living and the flesh and upon 20 [...] ... Here is the end of the dream. [Blank Then] all the Giants [and the Nephilin] became frightened, 21 [and] they cal[led] to Mahawai and he came to t[hem ...] the Giants, and they sent him to Enoch, 22 [the scribe of distinction;] and they said to him: Go [...] after him, and death for you if 23 you do [not] listen to his voice. And tell him to expl[ain and in]terpret the dreams, and that all rest [...] 24 [...] ... If there is a cunning mouth [...] Blank

Col. iii
1 If [...] 2 still [...] 3 on one (tablet ?) the duration of the Giants [...] 4 like the hurricane, and he flew with his hands like an eag[le ...] 5 the earth and crossed over bare regions, the great desert [...] 6 and he [s]aw Enoch, and he called him and said to him: An oracle [...] 7 to here. And for a second time I beg you for an oracle [...] 8 your [w]ords, together with all the Nephilin of the earth. If he removes [...] 9 from the day[s of] their [...], then they will be add[ed to ...] 10 [... we] may learn their explanation from you. [...] 11 [...] ... which have co[me down] from heaven [...]

Frag. 6 col. i
[by a different hand?]

1 [...] ... [...] 2 [...] a curse and an affliction. I, whose hands 3 [...] and every house of escape to which I shall go 4 [... the souls of those ki]lled are complaining against their murderers and crying out unceasingly 5 [...] ... and we shall die together and destruction will be given (?) 6 [...] great [an]ger, and I will sleep; and bread 7 [...] the vision [has made hea]vy my eyelids. And also 8 [...] he entered the assembly of the Giants.

Frag. 10
1 [...] 2 [...] the Giants [...]

Frag. 12
1 [...] 2 [...] Ohya [...]

Frag. 16
1 [...] 2 [...] gardeners [...]

Frag. 1
1 [...] the moon [...] 2 [... everything which] the earth produces [...] 3 [...] the gre[at] fish [...] 4 [...] the heavens with all which is fruitful [...] 5 [... the e]arth and all the wheat and all the trees [...] 6 [... the sh]eep, the small animal which hiss, with [...] 7 [... eve]ry creeping thing of earth. And they burned all [...] 8 [... eve]ry harsh deed and the word [...] 9 [...] male and female, and among humanity ... [...] 10 [...] humanity [...] and ... [...]

Frag. 2
1 [...] and he said to him I know until [...] 2 [...] and everything which is upon you [...]

Frag. 3
1 [...] 2 [...] they will perish [...] 3 [...] you have given to him this [...] 4 [...]

Frag. 4
1 [...] and to Ahiram, and [to ...] 2 [... and to] ‘Anael and to Ba[ra]qe[l ...] ... [...] 3 [...] ..., to Na‘amel, and to [...], and to ‘Ammiel [...] 4 [...] all these Giants. And what ... [...] to you, that [you] killed [...?] 5 [...] Blank Have not all of these gone by the sword? [...] 6 [...] as large rivers against [...] 7 [...] against you [...]

Frag. 5
1 [...] they defiled themselves [...] 2 [...] the Giants and the Nephilin and [...] 3 [...] they sired. And if al[l ...] 4 [...] in his blood. And according to the power ... [...] 5 [... Giant]s, as was not enough for them and for [their sons ...] 6 [...] and they wanted to eat much ... [...] 7 [...] Blank [...] 8 [...] the Nephilin destroyed it [...]

Frag. 6
1 [...] 2 [...] his throne [...] 3 [...] five before Him [...]

Frag. 7
1 [...] all [...] 2 [...] his garment [...] 3 [...] according to [his] reason [...]

Frag. 8
1 [...] his shoulders. And he poured [...] 2 [...] before [his] companions [...] 3 [...] [his] weighty [...] 4 [...] from the splendor [...]

Frag. 9
1 [...] ... thousand of thousands [...] 2 [...] ... without strength against every king of ... [...] ... [...] 3 [...] I have seized. And I f[e]ll upon my face. [I] hea[rd] his voice [...] 4 [...] he dwelt among men but did not learn from them [...] 5 [...] Blank [...] 6 [...] ... two [...] 7 [...] ... [...]

Frag. 10
1 [...] 2 [...] 3 [...] and I was late [...] 4 [...]

Frag. 12
1 [...] sin. Thou hast made holy [...] 2 [...] eternity. Thou hast made me [...] 3 [...] to mourn. All the times [...] 4 [...] thou hast sent [...] 5 [...] the flesh and [...]

Frag. 13
1 [...] holy height of position [...] 2 [...] ruin, destruction [...] 3 [...] we who sin [...] 4 [...] and I am destroying and [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 14
1 [...] they much violence in [...] 2 [...] we shall be [neither] bones nor flesh [...] 3 [...] flesh, and we will be blotted our from our form [...] 4 [...] and thy holy ones to us [...]

Frag. 17
1 [...] ... the right [...] every house [...] ... not 2 [...] their [...] Blank 3 [... I was gro]wing powerful, and with the strength of my powerful arm and with the might of my power 4 [... a]ll flesh, and waged war with them. But not 5 [...] I was able to prevail among us, for my accusers 6 [...] they reside in the [heavens] and live in the holy abodes, Blank and not 7 [... for the]y are more powerful than I. Blank 8 [... the ro]ar of the animals of the forest is coming and the ... (?) of the forest are calling 9 [...] ’Ohyah spoke as follows to him: Blank «My dream has depressed [me] 10 [... the sl]eep [has fled] from my eyes at seeing the [vis]ion. Behold, I know that against 11 [... I will not] sleep and not ... [...] 12 [... Gi]lgamesh, tell your [d]ream [...]

Frag. 19
1 [...] 2 [...] will give [...] 3 [...] the various pure ones [...] 4 [...]

Frag. 21
1 [...] the source [...] 2 [...] and every creeping thing [...] 3 [...] Thou hast made all [...]

Frag. 22
1 [...] he will sleep. The words of [...] 2 [...] the fall of your sons and [...]

Frag. 23
1 [...] 2 [...] and every [...] 3 [...] blew seed [...]

Frag. 24
1 [...] Now to thee [...] 2 [...] the wings [...] 3 [...] blank [...]

Frag. 25
1 [...] through their blood [...] 2 [...] according to this [...] 3 [...] Now to thee [...] 4 [...] and [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 26
1 [...] 2 [...] 3 ]...] to envision [...] 4 [...]

Frag. 27
1 [...] and you will not [...] 2 [...] since we shall begin [...] 3 blank

Frag. 28
1 [...] 2 [...] and as being like [...] 3 [...] different [...]

Frag. 29
1 [...] 2 [...] and now through the blood [...]

Frag. 31
1 [...] they will be angry [...] 2 [...] upon

Frag. 32
1 [...] 2 [...] though hast made and upon [...] 3 [...]

Frag. 39
1 [...] 2 [...] to [the] mount [...]

Frag. 45
1 [...] 2 [...] to Enoch [...] 3 [...]

Frag. 46
1 [...] 2 blank [...] 3 [...] they came forth from fallen ones [...] 4 [...] unto blank the heavens [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 47
1 [...] I [...] 2 [...] I went up and entered into [...]

Frag. 2
1 [...] ... [...] 2 [...] with [the] fle[sh ...] 3 [...] Nephil[in ...] 4 [... they] were standing [...] 5 [...] the earth ... [...] 6 [...] they /were/ planning to [...] 7 [...] from Watchers ... [...] 8 [...] ended. And he perished and died and [...] 9 [...] they inflicted a great [in]justice on [the] ea[rth ...] 10 [... was not] enough for him to e[at ...] 11 [...] of the earth and until [...] 12 [...] on the earth in all [...] 13 [...] ... And now, do not [...] 14 [...] ... a stro[ng] bound [...]

Frag. 4
1 [...] 2 [...] so that when my words [...] 3 [...] great [...] 4 [...] and I [...] 5 [...]

Frag. 5
1 [...] 1 [...] he said My lord [...] 1 [...] 1 [...] knowledge [...] 1 [...]

Frag. 2
1 [...] 2 [...] they prayed Let him be judged from before them [...] 3 [...] 4 [...] in the midst of its writing [...]

Frag. 3
1 [...] 2 [...] now [...] 3 [...] 4 [...] we [...]

Frag. 6
1 [...] ... [on] the earth all [...] 2 [... blood] was being shed, and lies were being s[poken ...] 3 [...] deluge on [the] earth [...]

Frag. 1 (= 1Q23 Frag. 29)
1 [...] ... [...] 2 [...] ’Ohyah, and said to Mahawai: [«...] 3 [...] and does not quake. Who has shown you it all? [...] 4 [... and said to ’Ohya]h: «Baraqel, my father, was with me.» Blank [...] 5 [... har]dly had Mahawai [fin]ished [te]lling him what [...] 6 [... to] him: «See, I have heard wonders. If a bar[ren person] can give birth [...]

Frag. 2
1 its three roots [... and] 2 while I was [watching] came [...] 3 all this orchard, and [...]

Frag. 5
1 [...] all gardeners [...] 2 [...]

Frag. 8
1 [...] they will be bitter [...]

Frag. 9
1 [...] he does cut [...]

Frag. 19
1 [...] to Jared [...]

Frag. 26
1 [...] Lubar [...] 2 [...] in its direction [...] 3 [...] and he chose [...] 4 [...]

Frg. c
. . . hard. . . arrow. . . bow, he that. . . Sām said: "Blessed be . . . had he seen this, he would not have died." Then Shahmīzād said to Sām, his son: "All that Māhawai . . ., is spoilt." Thereupon he said to. . . "We are . . . until . . . and . . . . . . that are in the fiery hell . . . As my father, Virōgdād, was . . ." Shahmīzād said: "It is true what he says. He says one of thousands.1 For one of thousands . . . .". Sām thereupon began. . . Māhawai, too, in many places. . . until to that place he might escape and. ..

Frg. j
. . . Virōgdād. . . Hōbābīš robbed Ahr. . . of -naxtag, his wife. Thereupon the giants began to kill each other and to abduct their wives. The creatures, too, began to kill each other. Sām. . . before the sun, one hand in the air, the other. . . whatever he obtained, to his brother. . . . imprisoned. . . . . . over Taxtag. To the angels. . . from heaven. Taxtag to. . . Taxtag was thrown into the water. Finally. . . in his sleep Taxtag saw three signs, one portending. . ., one woe and flight, and one. . . annihilation. Narīmān saw a garden full of trees in rows. Two hundred. . . came out, the trees. . ..

Frg. l
. . . Enoch, the apostle,. . . gave a message to the demons and their children: To you. . . not peace. The judgment on you is that you shall be bound for the sins you have committed. You shall see the destruction of your children. ruling for a hundred and twenty years. . . . . . . wild ass, ibex. . . ram, goat, gazelle,. . . oryx, of each two hundred, a pair. . . the other wild beasts, birds, and animals and their wine shall be six thousand jugs. . . irritation of water. . . and their oil shall be. ..

Frg. k
. . . father. . . nuptials. . . until the completion of his. . . in fighting. . . . . . and in the nest Ohya and Ahya. . . he said to his brother: "get up and . . . we will take what our father has ordered us to. The pledge we have given . . . battle." And the giants. . . together. . . "Not the . . . of the lion, but the . . . on his . . . Not the . . . of the rainbow, but the bow . . . firm. Not the sharpness of the blade, but the strength of the ox. Not the . . . eagle, but his wings. Not the . . . gold, but the brass that hammers it. Not the proud ruler, but the diadem on his head. Not the splendid cypress, but the . . . of the mountain . ..

Frg. g
. . . Not he that engages in quarrels, but he that is true in his speech. Not the evil fruit, but the poison in it. Not they that are placed in the skies but the God of all worlds. Not the servant is proud, but the lord that is above him. Not one that is sent. . ., but the man that sent him". Thereupon Narīmān . . . said . . . . . . And another place I saw those that were weeping for the ruin that had befallen them, and whose cries and laments rose up to heaven. And also I saw another place where there were tyrants and rulers . . . in great number, who had lived in sin and evil deeds, when . ..

Frg. i
. . . many. . . were killed, four hundred thousand Righteous. . . with fire, naphtha, and brimstone. . . And the angels veiled Enoch. Electae et auditrices. . . and ravished them. They chose beautiful women, and demanded. . . them in marriage. Sordid. . . . . . all. . . carried off. . . severally they were subjected to tasks and services. And they. . . from each city. . . and were, ordered to serve the. . . The Mesenians were directed to prepare, the Khūzians to sweep and water, the Persians to. ..

Midrash
The fall of Azazel and Shemhazai came about in this way. When the generation of the deluge began to practice idolatry, God was deeply grieved. The two angels Shemhazai and Azazel arose, and said: "O Lord of the world! It has happened, that which we foretold at the creation of the world and of man, saying, 'What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?' " And God said, "And what will become of the world now without man?" Whereupon the angels: "We will occupy ourselves with it." Then said God: "I am well aware of it, and I know that if you inhabit the earth, the evil inclination will overpower you, and you will be more iniquitous than ever men." The angels pleaded, "Grant us but permission to dwell among men, and Thou shalt see how we will sanctify Thy Name." God yielded to their wish, saying, "Descend and sojourn among men!" When the angels came to earth, and beheld the daughters of men in all their grace and beauty, they could not restrain their passion. Shemhazai saw a maiden named Istehar, and he lost his heart to her. She promised to surrender herself to him, if first he taught her the Ineffable Name, by means of which he raised himself to heaven. He assented to her condition. But once she knew it, she pronounced the Name, and herself ascended to heaven, without fulfilling her promise to the angel. God said, "Because she kept herself aloof from sin, we will place her among the seven stars, that men may never forget her," and she was put in the constellation of the Pleiades. Shemhazai and Azazel, however, were not deterred from entering into alliances with the daughters of men, and to the first two sons were born. Azazel began to devise the finery and the ornaments by means of which women allure men. Thereupon God sent Metatron to tell Shemhazai that He had resolved to destroy the world and bring on a deluge. The fallen angel began to weep and grieve over the fate of the world and the fate of his two sons. If the world went under, what would they have to eat, they who needed daily a thousand camels, a thousand horses, and a thousand steers? These two sons of Shemhazai, Hiwwa and Hiyya by name, dreamed dreams. The one saw a great stone which covered the earth, and the earth was marked all over with lines upon lines of writing. An angel came, and with a knife obliterated all the lines, leaving but four letters upon the stone. The other son saw a large pleasure grove planted with all sorts of trees. But angels approached bearing axes, and they felled the trees, sparing a single one with three of its branches. When Hiwwa and Hiyya awoke, they repaired to their father, who interpreted the dreams for them, saying, "God will bring a deluge, and none will escape with his life, excepting only Noah and his sons." When they heard this, the two began to cry and scream, but their father consoled them: "Soft, soft! Do not grieve. As often as men cut or haul stones, or launch vessels, they shall invoke your names, Hiwwa! Hiyya!" This prophecy soothed them. Shemhazai then did penance. He suspended himself between heaven and earth, and in this position of a penitent sinner he hangs to this day. But Azazel persisted obdurately in his sin of leading mankind astray by means of sensual allurements. For this reason two he-goats were sacrificed in the Temple on the Day of Atonement, the one for God, that He pardon the sins of Israel, the other for Azazel, that he bear the sins of Israel. Unlike Istehar, the pious maiden, Naamah, the lovely sister of Tubal-cain, led the angels astray with her beauty, and from her union with Shamdon sprang the devil Asmodeus. She was as shameless as all the other descendants of Cain, and as prone to bestial indulgences. Cainite women and Cainite men alike were in the habit of walking abroad naked, and they gave themselves up to every conceivable manner of lewd practices. Of such were the women whose beauty and sensual charms tempted the angels from the path of virtue. The angels, on the other hand, no sooner had they rebelled against God and descended to earth than they lost their transcendental qualities, and were invested with sublunary bodies, so that a union with the daughters of men became possible. The offspring of these alliances between the angels and the Cainite women were the giants, known for their strength and their sinfulness; as their very name, the Emim, indicates, they inspired fear. They have many other names. Sometimes they go by the name Rephaim, because one glance at them made one's heart grow weak; or by the name Gibborim, simply giants, because their size was so enormous that their thigh measured eighteen ells; or by the name Zamzummim, because they were great masters in war; or by the name Anakim, because they touched the sun with their neck; or by the name Ivvim, because, like the snake, they could judge of the qualities of the soil; or finally, by the name Nephilim, because, bringing the world to its fall, they themselves fell.

Chapter XII. Metamorphoses of the Angels
For of the spirits who inhabit the heaven, the angels who dwell in the lowest region, being grieved at the ingratitude of men to God, asked that they might come into the life of men, that, really becoming men, by more intercourse they might convict those who had acted ungratefully towards Him, and might subject every one to adequate punishment. When, therefore, their petition was granted, they metamorphosed themselves into every nature; for, being of a more godlike substance, they are able easily to assume any form. So they became precious stones, and goodly pearl, and the most beauteous purple, and choice gold, and all matter that is held in most esteem. And they fell into the hands of some, and into the bosoms of others, and suffered themselves to be stolen by them. They also changed themselves into beasts and reptiles, and fishes and birds, and into whatsoever they pleased. These things also the poets among yourselves, by reason of fearlessness, sing, as they befell, attributing to one the many and diverse doings of all.

Chapter XIII. The Fall of the Angels
But when, having assumed these forms, they convicted as covetous those who stole them, and changed themselves into the nature of men, in order that, living holily, and showing the possibility of so living, they might subject the ungrateful to punishment, yet having become in all respects men, they also partook of human lust, and being brought under its subjection they fell into cohabitation with women; and being involved with them, and sunk in defilement and altogether emptied of their first power, were unable to turn back to the first purity of their proper nature, their members turned away from their fiery substance: for the fire itself, being extinguished by the weight of lust, and changed into flesh, they trode the impious path downward. For they themselves, being fettered with the bonds of flesh, were constrained and strongly bound; wherefore they have no more been able to ascend into the heavens.

Chapter XIV. Their Discoveries
For after the intercourse, being asked to show what they were before, and being no longer able to do so, on account of their being unable to do anything else after their defilement, yet wishing to please their mistresses, instead of themselves, they showed the bowels of the earth; I mean, the choice metals, gold, brass, silver, iron, and the like, with all the most precious stones. And along with these charmed stones, they delivered the arts of the things pertaining to each, and imparted the discovery of magic, and taught astronomy, and the powers of roots, and whatever was impossible to be found out by the human mind; also the melting of gold and silver, and the like, and the various dyeing of garments. And all things, in short, which are for the adornment and delight of women, are the discoveries of these demons bound in flesh.

Chapter XV. The Giants
But from their unhallowed intercourse spurious men sprang, much greater in stature than ordinary men, whom they afterwards called giants; not those dragon-footed giants who waged war against God, as those blasphemous myths of the Greeks do sing, but wild in manners, and greater than men in size, inasmuch as they were sprung of angels; yet less than angels, as they were born of women. Therefore God, knowing that they were barbarized to brutality, and that the world was not sufficient to satisfy them (for it was created according to the proportion of men and human use), that they might not through want of food turn, contrary to nature, to the eating of animals, and yet seem to be blameless, as having ventured upon this through necessity, the Almighty God rained manna upon them, suited to their various tastes; and they enjoyed all that they would. But they, on account of their bastard nature, not being pleased with purity of food, longed only after the taste of blood. Wherefore they first tasted flesh.

Chapter XVI. Cannibalism
And the men who were with them there for the first time were eager to do the like. Thus, although we are born neither good nor bad, we become one or the other; and having formed habits, we are with difficulty drawn from them. But when irrational animals fell short, these bastard men tasted also human flesh. For it was not a long step to the consumption of flesh like their own, having first tasted it in other forms.

Chapter XVII. The Flood
But by the shedding of much blood, the pure air being defiled with impure vapour, and sickening those who breathed it, rendered them liable to diseases, so that thenceforth men died prematurely. But the earth being by these means greatly defiled, these first teemed with poison-darting and deadly creatures. All things, therefore, going from bad to worse, on account of these brutal demons, God wished to cast them away like an evil leaven, lest each generation from a wicked seed, being like to that before it, and equally impious, should empty the world to come of saved men. And for this purpose, having warned a certain righteous man, with his three sons, together with their wives and their children, to save themselves in an ark, He sent a deluge of water, that all being destroyed, the purified world might be handed over to him who was saved in the ark, in order to a second beginning of life. And thus it came to pass.

Chapter XVIII. The Law to the Survivors
Since, therefore, the souls of the deceased giants were greater than human souls, inasmuch as they also excelled their bodies, they, as being a new race, were called also by a new name. And to those who survived in the world a law was prescribed of God through an angel, how they should live. For being bastards in race, of the fire of angels and the blood of women, and therefore liable to desire a certain race of their own, they were anticipated by a certain righteous law. For a certain angel was sent to them by God, declaring to them His will, and saying:—

Chapter XIX. The Law to the Giants or Demons
'These things seem good to the all-seeing God, that you lord it over no man; that you trouble no one, unless any one of his own accord subject himself to you, worshipping you, and sacrificing and pouring libations, and partaking of your table, or accomplishing anything else that they ought not, or shedding blood, or tasting dead flesh, or filling themselves with that which is torn of beasts, or that which is cut, or that which is strangled, or anything else that is unclean. But those who betake themselves to my law, you not only shall not touch, but shall also do honour to, and shall flee from, their presence. For whatsoever shall please them, being just, respecting you, that you shall be constrained to suffer. But if any of those who worship me go astray, either committing adultery, or practising magic, or living impurely, or doing any other of the things which are not well-pleasing to me, then they will have to suffer something at your hands or those of others, according to my order. But upon them, when they repent, I, judging of their repentance, whether it be worthy of pardon or not, shall give sentence. These things, therefore, ye ought to remember and to do, well knowing that not even your thoughts shall be able to be concealed from Him.'

(First page)
. . . fire was going to come out. And I saw that the sun was at the point of rising, and that his center without increasing above was going to start rolling. Then came a voice from the air above. Calling me, it spoke thus: "Oh son of Virōgdād, your affairs are lamentable. More than this you shall not see. Do not die now prematurely, but turn quickly back from here." And again, besides this voice, I heard the voice of Enoch, the apostle, from the south, without, however, seeing him at all. Speaking my name very lovingly, he called. And downwards from. . . then

(Second page)
. . . " . . for the closed door of the sun will open, the sun's light and heat will descend and set your wings alight. You will burn and die," said he. Having heard these words, I beat my wings and quickly flew down from the air. I looked back: Dawn had. . . ., with the light of the sun it had come to rise over the Kögmän mountains. And again a voice came from above. Bringing the command of Enoch, the apostle, it said: "I call you, Virōgdād, . . . I know . . . his direction . . . you . . . you . . . Now quickly . . . people . . . also . ..

(First page)
. . . I shall see. Thereupon now Sāhm, the giant was very angry, and laid hands on Māhawai, the giant, with the intention: I shall. . . and kill you. Then. . . the other giants. ..

(Second page)
. . . do not be afraid, for. . . Sāhm, the giant, will want to kill you, but I shall not let him. . . I myself shall damage. . . Thereupon Māhawai, the giant,. . . was satisfied. ..

Middle-Persian
. . . outside. . . and. . . left. . . . read the dream we have seen. Thereupon Enoch thus. . . . and the trees that came out, those are the Egrēgoroi, and the giants that came out of the women. And. . . . . over. . . pulled out. . . over. ..

(First page)
. . . when they saw the apostle,. . . before the apostle. . . those demons that were timid, were very, very glad at seeing the apostle. All of them assembled before him. Also, of those that were tyrants and criminals, they were worried and much afraid. Then. ..

(Second page)
. . . not to. . . Thereupon those powerful demons spoke thus to the pious apostle: If. . . . by us any further sin will not be committed, my lord, why? . . . . you have. . . and weighty injunction. ..

(Col. A)
. . . poverty. . . those who harassed the happiness of the Righteous, on that account they shall fall into eternal ruin and distress, into that Fire, the mother of all conflagrations and the foundation of all ruined tyrants. And when these sinful misbegotten sons of ruin in those crevices and. . ..

(Col. B)
. . . you have not been better. In error you thought you would this false power eternally. You. . . all this iniquity. ..

(Col. C)
. . . you that call to us with the voice of falsehood. Neither did we reveal ourselves on your account, so that you could see us, nor thus. . . . ourselves through the praise and greatness that to us. . . -given to you. . ., but. ..

(Col. D)
. . . sinners. . . . . is visible, where out of this fire your soul will be prepared for the transfer to eternal ruin. And as for you, sinful misbegotten sons of the Wrathful Self, confounders of the true words of that Holy One, disturbers of the actions of Good Deed, aggressors upon Piety,. . . -ers of the Living. . . ., who their. ..

(Col. E)
. . . and on brilliant wings they shall fly and soar further outside and above that Fire, and shall gaze into its depth and height. And those Righteous that will stand around it, outside and above, they themselves shall have power over that Great Fire, and over everything in it. . . . . . blaze. . . . souls that. ..

(Col. F)
. . . they are purer and stronger than the Great Fire of Ruin that sets the worlds ablaze. They shall stand around it, outside and above, and splendor shall shine over them. Further outside and above it they shall fly after those souls that may try to escape from the Fire. And that. . ..

Sogdian
". . . pronouncement, The four angels with the two hundred [demons . . . ".

. . . they took and imprisoned all the helpers that were in the heavens. And the angels themselves descended from the heaven to the earth. And when the two hundred demons saw those angels, they were much afraid and worried. They assumed the shape of men and hid themselves. Thereupon the angels forcibly removed the men from the demons, laid them aside, and put watchers over them. . . . the giants. . . . were sons. . . with each other in bodily union. . . . with each other self-. . . . and the. . . . that had been born to them, they forcibly removed them from the demons. And they led one half of them eastwards, and the other half westwards, on the skirts of four huge mountains, towards the foot of the Sumeru mountain, into thirty-two towns which the Living Spirit had prepared for them in the beginning. And one calls that place Aryān-waižan. And those men are. . . . in the first arts and crafts. . . . . they made. . . the angels. . . and to the demons. . . they went to fight. And those two hundred demons fought a hard battle with the four angels, until the angels used fire, naphtha, and brimstone. . ..

Sogdian
. . . and what they had seen in the heavens among the gods, and also what they had seen in hell, their native land, and furthermore what they had seen on earth,—all that they began to teach to the men. To Šahmīzād two sons were borne by. . . . One of them he named "Ohya"; in Sogdian he is called "Sāhm, the giant". And again a second son was born to him. He named him "Ahya"; its equivalent is "Pāt-Sāhm". As for the remaining giants, they were born to the other demons and Yakṣas. Colophon Completed: the chapter on "The Coming of the two hundred Demons".

Sogdian
. . . . manliness, in powerful tyranny, he shall not die". The giant Sāhm and his brother will live eternally. For in the whole world in power and strength, and in . . . . they have no equal.

Middle-Persian
and in the coming of the two hundred demons there are two paths: the hurting speech, and the hard labor; these belong to hell.

(First page)
. . . before. . . they were. And all the. . . fulfilled their tasks lawfully. Now, they became excited and irritated for the following reason: namely, the two hundred demons came down to the sphere from the high heaven, and the. . ..

(Second page)
. . . in the world they became excited and irritated. For their life-lines and the connections of their Pneumatic Veins are joined to sphere. Colophon Completed: the exposition of the three worlds. Head-line Here begins: the coming of Jesus and his bringing the religion to Adam and Šitil. . . . you should care and. ..

Coptic
Earthquake and malice happened in the watch-post of the Great King of Honor, namely the Egrēgoroi who arose at the time when they were. . . . and there descended those who were sent to confound them.

M. Coptic
Now attend and behold how the Great King of Honor who is ἔννοια, is in the third heaven. He is. . . with the wrath. . . and a rebellion. . ., when malice and wrath arose in his camp, namely the Egrēgoroi of Heaven who in his watch-district rebelled and descended to the earth. They did all deeds of malice. They revealed the arts in the world, and the mysteries of heaven to the men. Rebellion and ruin came about on the earth. ..

Commentary on Mani's opus Ārdahang
And the story about the Great Fire: like unto the way in which the Fire, with powerful wrath, swallows this world and enjoys it; like unto the way in which this fire that is in the body, swallows the exterior fire that is in fruit and food, and enjoys it. Again, like unto the story in which two brothers who found a treasure, and a pursuer lacerated each other, and they died; like unto the fight in which Ohya, Leviathan, and Raphael lacerated each other, and they vanished; like unto the story in which a lion cub, a calf in a wood, and a fox lacerated each other, and they vanished. Thus the Great Fire swallows, etc. both of the fires. . ..

Arabic, from Middle-Persian
The Book of the Giants, by Mani of Babylon, is filled with stories about these antediluvian giants, amongst whom Sām and Narīmān.

Coptic
On account of the malice and rebellion that had arisen in the watch-post of the Great King of Honor, namely the Egrēgoroi who from the heavens had descended to the earth,—on their account the four angels received their orders: they bound the Egrēgoroi with eternal fetters in the prison of the Dark, their sons were destroyed upon the earth.

Coptic
The Righteous who were burnt in the fire, they endured. This multitude that were wiped out, four thousand. . . . Enoch also, the Sage, the transgressors being. ..

Coptic
. . . evil. 400,000 Righteous. . . . the years of Enoch. ..

Coptic
Before the Egrēgoroi rebelled and descended from heaven, a prison had been built for them in the depth of the earth beneath the mountains. Before the sons of the giants were born who knew not Righteousness and Piety among themselves, thirty-six towns had been prepared and erected, so that the sons of the giants should live in them, they that come to beget. . . . who live a thousand years.

(First page)
. . . mirror. . . image. . . . distributed. The men. . . and Enoch was veiled. They took. . . Afterwards, with donkey-goads. . . . slaves, and waterless trees. Then. . . and imprisoned the demons. And of them. . . . seven and twelve.

(Second page)
. . . three thousand two hundred and eighty-. . . the beginning of King Vištāsp. . . . . in the palace he flamed forth. And at night. . ., then to the broken gate. . . men. . . physicians, merchants, farmers,. . . at sea. . . . armored he came out. ..

Parthian
. . . gifts. A peaceful sovereign was King Vištāsp, in Aryā]n-Waižan; Wahman and Zarēl. . . . The sovereign's queen, Khudōs, received the Faith, the prince. . . They have secured a place in the heavenly hall, and quietude for ever and ever. ..

(First page)
. . . because. . . the House of the Gods, eternal joy, and good. . . . For so it is said: at that time. . . Yima was. . . in the world. And at the time of the new moon. . . . the blessed denizens of the world. . . all assembled. . . all. ..

(Second page)
. . . they offered five garlands in homage. And Yima accepted those garlands. . . And those. . . that. . . . and great kingship. . . was his. And on. . . them. . . . And acclamations. . . And from that pious. . . he placed the garlands on his head. . . the denizens of the world. ..