The Holy Scripture
3 Enoch
Chapter XIX
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The Holy Scripture
Chapter XIX
Above ?these three angels, these great princes there is one Prince, distinguished, honoured, noble, glorified, adorned, fearful, valiant, strong, great, magnified, glorious, crowned, wonderful, exalted, blameless, beloved, lordly, high and lofty, ancient and mighty, like unto whom there 18 none among the princes. His name For the Merkaba speculations—derived from Ezek. i and x—and the different arrangements of the details of the Merkaba-picture, see the Introduction, sections 13 and 14. The importance of these chapters consists primarily in the fact that they reveal a clear attempt at systematization. Beginning with ‘the wheels of the Merkaba, the description proceeds from the lowest to the highest of the four classes of superior angels which, wanting a more adequate comprehensive appellation, may be called the Merkaba-angels. 'They are arranged in an order, placing the Chayyoth as the lowest and the Seraphim as the highest, thus: Chayyoth, Kerubim, ’Ophannim, Seraphim. This order is by no means the one generally accepted. In most cases in the earlier cabbalistic literature it seems that the writers had no clear view of the mutual order of the Merkaba-angels, and the cases that suggest an intended classification, represent, when compared, nearly all possible permutations of the four classes in question. Furthermore, all of them are not mentioned, in such classifications, some omitting the Chayyoth, others the Kerubim and so on. It may suffice as an illustration, to refer to the arrangement presented in ch. xxii C 2, where the order is as follows: ‘the Galgallim, the Kerubim, the 'Ophannim... the Holy Chayyoth, the 'Throne of Glory. Cf. further the Introduction, section 13 (1 A). On the other hand, in P. R. 'El. iv, we meet with an order of the four classes of superior angels which is identical with the order represented in this section. In contrast with the present system, however, P. R.' El. puts the ‘wheels of the Merkaba’ together with the ’Ophannim and the ‘princes’ assigned as chieftains over the resp. classes of angels here, do not appear there. (1) Above these three angels, these great princes. The beginning of the chapter points to a preceding description of angels. In the present context the opening words refer to ch. xviii. That it is highly improbable, however, that ch. xviii was the original antecedent of ch. xix, has been pointed out above, note on ch. Xvili. 24. Who are then, originally, the angels and princes referred to? No answer can be given to this question apart from mere conjectures. First of all, the words ‘these three angels’ or, as the reading of D runs, “them, the two angels" sound like a gloss. They might, in fact, easily have been an emendation made by the redactor who combined ch. xix with ch. xviii. By this gloss—if our assumption is correct—ch. xix is made to refer to the last named princes of ch. xviit. This is particularly so, if the reading of D be adopted (the two princes are then, of course, the two Sopheriel H, ch. xviii. 23-25). Assuming that the original beginning of the chapter had the form ‘above these great princes, the subject of the preceding angelological fragment to which this expression refers, might have been, say, the ‘princes of kingdoms. Now the princes of kingdoms are the subject of the last verse of ch. xvii. The style of ch. xvii. 8 is also similar to that of the present section. It opens with the phrase ‘above these, which is the regular inceptive expression of all the chapters in this section. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT CH. XVII. 8 BELONGED TO THE SAME ANGELOLOGICAL EXPOSITION, POSSIBLE ALSO THAT IT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDED WHAT IS NOW CH. XIX. Further, on the connection of ch. xvii. 8 with the rest of that chapter, see note, ad loc. distinguished, honoured, noble etc. The attributes are in the present case over twenty in number. This manner of excelling in variations of terms resembles the fashion of Hek. R. 'The words used here are mostly adduced from the O.T. is RIKBIEL E, the great and revered prince who is standing by the Merkaba.
And why is he called RIKBIEL? Because he is appointed over the wheels of the Merkaba, and they are given in his charge.
And how many are the wheels? Eight; two in each direction. And there are four winds compassing them round about. And these are their names: “the Storm-Wind”, “the Tempest”, “the Strong Wind", and “the Wind of Earthquake”.
And under them four fiery rivers are continually running, one fiery river on each side. And round about them, between the rivers, four clouds are planted (placed), and these they are: “clouds of fire”, “clouds of lamps” “clouds of coal”, “clouds of brimstone” and they are standing over against [their] wheels.
* And the feet of the Chayyoth are resting upon the wheels. And between one wheel and the other earthquake is roaring and thunder is thundering.
And when the time draws nigh for the recital of the Song, (then) the multitudes of wheels are moved, the multitude of clouds tremble, all the chieftains (shallishim) are made afraid, all the horse- men (parashim) do rage, all the mighty ones (gibborim) are excited, all the hosts (séba’im) are afrighted, all the troops (gédudim) “are in fear, all the appointed ones (mémunnim) haste away, all the princes (sarim) and armies (chayyélim) are dismayed, all the servants (mésharétim) do faint and all’ the angels (mal’akim) and divisions (dégalim) travail with pain.
And one wheel makes a sound to be heard to the other and one Kerub to another, one C'hayya to another, one Seraph to another (saying) (Ps. Ixviii. 5) '' Extol to him that rideth in ‘Araboth, his name Jah and rejoice before him!”