Speak The Word Only

S hamsiel—also written Shamsiel, Shamsi’el, or Shamsîêl in different translations—is named among the Watchers in the ancient tradition preserved in 1 Enoch. His name itself is connected with the Semitic word for sun ( shemesh/shamash ), making his association with the sun particularly fitting. According to 1 Enoch 8:3 , Shamsiel taught humanity “the signs of the sun.” The text does not give a detailed explanation of exactly what these signs included, so we should avoid claiming that it specifically meant eclipses, calendars, solar worship, or predicting future events. Those may be related ideas, but 1 Enoch 8:3 simply identifies his teaching as the signs of the sun . Within the wider ancient worldview, observing the sun could involve recognizing its movement through the heavens, changing daylight, seasons, and the ordering of time. Interestingly, later sections of 1 Enoch contain extensive descriptions of the movements of the sun—but those revelations are associated with Uriel instruc...

Araqiel —also written Araqiel, Araqiel, Araqiel, or Araqîêl depending on the translation and transliteration—is one of the fallen Watchers named in the ancient tradition of 1 Enoch . According to 1 Enoch 8:3 , Araqiel taught humanity “the signs of the earth.” This distinguishes him from the other Watchers whose teachings concerned the heavens: Kokabiel was associated with the constellations, Baraqiel with astrology, Ezeqeel with the clouds, Shamsiel with the signs of the sun, and Sariel with the course of the moon. What are “the signs of the earth”? 1 Enoch does not explain exactly what this phrase means , so we should not state as fact that Araqiel taught geology, earthquakes, agriculture, or any particular system of divination. The phrase suggests knowledge connected with observing and interpreting phenomena occurring upon the earth . Within the Watcher narrative, this knowledge belongs to the larger disclosure of mysteries that heavenly beings were not authorized to reveal to huma...

Ezeqeel —also rendered Ezeqeel, Ezeqiel, or Êzêqêêl depending on the translation—is one of the fallen Watchers named in the ancient 1 Enoch tradition . He is especially associated with revealing knowledge concerning the clouds . In 1 Enoch 8:3 , the Watchers are described as teaching different kinds of knowledge to humanity. Ezeqeel's particular area is identified as “the knowledge of the clouds.” The text itself does not explain exactly what this knowledge contained, so we should be careful not to add details that 1 Enoch does not give. Within the ancient biblical worldview, however, clouds were closely connected with the ordering of the heavens— rain, storms, winds, seasons, and the waters above the earth . Job 36:27–29 speaks of God drawing up water and forming rain from the clouds, while Job 37:16 describes the “balancings of the clouds” as part of God's wondrous knowledge. Jeremiah 10:13 likewise connects God's voice with waters, clouds, lightning, and wind. This cr...

Certainly. One important correction from the earlier image description: 1 Enoch does not specifically say Baraqiel taught lightning. His name is sometimes associated etymologically with lightning, but 1 Enoch 8 associates Baraqiel/Baraqijal with astrology , while Kokabiel is associated with the constellations. Baraqiel — Watcher Associated with Astrology Baraqiel —also written Baraqijal, Barakiel, or Baraqel in different translations—is named among the fallen Watchers in the tradition preserved in 1 Enoch . These Watchers descended to the earth, crossed the boundary of their appointed heavenly dwelling, and revealed knowledge that the Enochic account portrays as forbidden or corrupting. In 1 Enoch 8:3 , Baraqiel is associated with teaching humanity astrology , while other Watchers are connected with different aspects of celestial knowledge. Kokabiel is associated with the constellations , Shamsiel with the signs of the sun , and Sariel with the course of the moon . The distinction is...

 1 Enoch connects him directly with knowledge of the heavens , but we should be precise about what the ancient text actually attributes to him. Kokabiel — Watcher associated with the constellations In 1 Enoch 8:3 , after describing the Watchers giving forbidden teachings to humanity, the text assigns different subjects to different Watchers. In R. H. Charles's translation, it says: “Kôkabêl the constellations” So Kokabiel's specific teaching is the constellations . ( Sacred Texts ) His name appears in different forms depending upon the manuscript and translation: Kokabiel, Kôkabêl, Kakabel, or Kawkabel . The name is connected with the Semitic word for star —compare Hebrew kôkhāb (כּוֹכָב), “star.” What kind of knowledge would that involve? The text doesn't give us a detailed lesson from Kokabiel, so we shouldn't invent one. But within 1 Enoch's own celestial worldview, “the constellations” belongs to a much larger body of knowledge concerning the ordered movements ...