1 Enoch 27

XXVII. The Purpose of the Accursed Valley.

1Then said I: ‘For what object is this blessed land, which is entirely filled with trees, and this accursed valley ╓between╖?’*And this accursed valley between E. Gᵍ = 'and (why is) this valley accursed?' i.e. Gg has lost ή. Gehenna was early associated with the worship of Moloch, repressed by Josiah (2 Kings xxiii. 10), and cursed by Jeremiah (Jer. vii. 31, 32, xix. 2, 6, xxxii. 35). In Isa. lxvi. 24, the rebellious and apostate Jews suffer by fire there, in the presence of the righteous, as here. There are two stages in the growth of the idea. (l) In 1 Enoch xlviii. 9, liv. 1, 2, lxii. 12, 13, xc. 26, 27, the apostate Jews are there corporally and spiritually punished for ever. In xxxvii-lxx, the wicked are to be swept away after awhile. Cf. xlviii. 9, lxii. 12, 13. (2) It is a place of spiritual punishment only, for apostate Jews xci-civ. Cf. xcviii. 3. In the N. T. (e.g. Matt. v. 29, 30) Gehenna is for the wicked generally. After Judaism regarded Gehenna as the purgatory of faithless Jews, and the place of eternal perdition for the Gentiles. Weber Jüd. Theol. 341 seqq. 2╓Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said: ‘This╖ accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: Here shall all ┌the accursed┐ be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord unseemly words and of His glory speak hard things. (Here shall they be gathered together, and here shall be their place of judgement)E (Here shall they be gathered together, and here shall be the place of their habitation.)Gᵍ. 3(In the last days there shall be upon them the spectacle of righteous judgement in the presence of the righteous for ever: here shall the merciful bless the Lord of glory, the Eternal King.)E (In the last times, in the days of the true judgement in the presence of the righteous for ever: here shall the godly bless the Lord of glory, the Eternal King.)Gᵍ 4In the days of judgement over the former, they shall bless Him for the mercy in accordance with which He has assigned them (their lot).’ 5Then I blessed the Lord of Glory and set forth His ┌glory┐ and lauded Him gloriously.