Enoch, Books Of (חנוך, chnwk, ‘Ενώχ, Enōch). A group of pseudepigraphal, apocalyptic writings in a variety of languages, written over the course of several centuries. Of the books of Enoch, 1 Enoch (often referred to just as Enoch) is especially influential in shaping the genre and theology of apocalyptic literature. None of these books are in the Hebrew Bible, and all are noncanonical for all Christian traditions but 1 Enoch, which is only canonical for the Ethiopian Orthodox church.

The texts named after Enoch include:

• 1 Enoch: a series of apocalyptic visions and narratives experienced by the character of Enoch.

• 2 Enoch: also known as “Slavonic Enoch” and “The Book of the Secrets of Enoch.” An apocalyptic text containing rewritten sections of Gen 5:21–32—expanding the Enoch and Noah materials of the Old Testament.

• 3 Enoch: also known as Sefer Hekalot (“Book of Palaces”). This apocalyptic text presents itself as the first-person account of Rabbi Ishmael as he ascends through the six palaces of heaven and at one point encounters an angelic-like figure who describes himself as having once been named Enoch.

These so-called books of Enoch are mainly grouped together by sharing the person of Enoch in common, as well as their general apocalyptic worldview. 3 Enoch especially diverges from the traditions of 1 Enoch and 2 Enoch.

For information on the three books of Enoch ascribed to his name, see these articles: Enoch, First Book of; Enoch, Second Book of; Enoch, Third Book of.

The term “books of Enoch” is sometimes used in a much broader sense to include other ancient Enochic tradition books:

• Astronomical Enoch: a longer version of the “Astronomical Book” included in 1 Enoch found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q208–211)

• The nonbiblical Book of Giants (1Q23–24, 2Q26, 4Q203, 4Q530–533): a work also found among the Dead Sea Scrolls

• Jubilees: a work that is sometimes grouped with the books of Enoch, because of its parallels to 1 Enoch. (Like 1 Enoch, Jubilees also is not in Hebrew Bible and among Christian traditions is only in the Ethiopian Orthodox canon).

For further information on these works, see these articles: Enoch, Astronomical; Book of Giants; Jubilees, Book of.

Alternatively, the “books of Enoch” may also refer more narrowly to the five sections that make up 1 Enoch, each of which have their own name and several of which seem to have circulated and/or existed independently before being edited into 1 Enoch.

(For additional information on the figure of Enoch in the Old Testament and extrabiblical literature, see this article: Enoch. For more information on pseudepigraphal literature, see this article: Pseudepigrapha, Old Testament. For information on the process of canonization, see this article: Canon, Old Testament.)

Abigail Stocker with John D. Barry