Legends of Old Testament characters, from the Talmud and other sourcesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
Legends of Old Testament characters, from the Talmud and other sources
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends
But God answered, “And you, O angels, if you were in the lower world,
you, too, would sin.” And He sent them on earth, and then they fell, as
says the Book of Genesis, “_And it came to pass that the sons of God saw
the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of
all which they chose._” After they had sinned, they were given bodies of
flesh; for an angel who spends seven days on earth becomes opaque and
substantial. And when they had been clothed with flesh and with a
corrupt nature, then they spake the word “Shem hamphorasch,” and sought
to regain their former place, but could not; and were cast out into
mountains, there to dwell. From these angels descend the sons of the
giants and the Anakim, and from their seed also spring the devils.[162]
The Rabbi Eliezer says that the giants sprang from the union of the
angels with the daughters of Cain, who walked about in immodest clothing
and cast their eyes around with bold glances. And the book Zeena-ureena,
in the Parascha Chykkath, says that Og sprang from this connection, and
that Sammael, the angel, was the parent of Og, but that Sihon was the
son of the same angel who deceived the wife of Ham when she was about to
enter the ark.[163]
The account in the Book of Enoch is as follows:—
“Hear and fear not, Enoch, thou righteous man, and writer of
righteousness, come hither and hear my words: Go speak unto the Watchers
of Heaven, and say unto them, Ye shall pray for men and not men for you.
Why have ye forsaken the high and holy and eternal heaven, and have
joined yourselves to women, and polluted yourselves with the daughters
of men, and have taken to you wives, and have become the fathers of a
giant race? Ye, who were spiritual, holy, and enjoying eternal life,
have corrupted yourselves with women, and have become parents of
children with flesh and blood; lusting after the blood of men, ye have
brought forth flesh and blood, like those who are mortal and perishable.
Because men die, therefore did I give unto them wives, that they might
have sons, and perpetuate their generation. But ye are spiritual and in
the enjoyment of eternal life. Therefore gave I not to you wives, for
heaven is the abode of the spirits. And now the giants, who are born of
flesh and blood, shall become evil spirits, and their dwelling shall be
on the earth. Bad beings shall proceed from them. Because they have been
generated from above, from the holy Watchers have they received their
origin, therefore shall they be evil spirits on the earth, and evil
spirits shall they be called. And the spirits of the giants, which mount
upon the clouds, will fail and be cast down, and do violence, and cause
ruin on the earth and injury; they shall not eat, they shall not thirst,
and they shall be invisible.”[164]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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