3 Enoch Chapter 22: Modernized English & Source Wording

The Hebrew Book · Lightly modernized English

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Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron, the angel, the Prince of the Presence, said to me:

¹ Above these la there is one prince, noble, wonderful, strong, and praised with all kinds of praise. His name is KERUBIEL H', a mighty prince, full of power and strength a prince of highness, and Highness (is) with him, a righteous prince, and righteousness (is) with him, a holy prince, and holiness (is) with him, a prince glorified in (by) thousand hosts, exalted by ten thousand armies.

² At his anger the earth trembles, at his anger the camps are moved, from fear of him the foundations are shaken, at his rebuke the 'Araboth do tremble.

³ His stature is full of (burning) coals. The height of his stature is as the height of the seven heavens the breadth of his stature is as the wideness of the seven heavens and the thickness of his stature is as the seven heavens.

⁴ The opening of his mouth is like a lamp of fire. His tongue is a consuming fire. His eyebrows are like to the splendor of the lightning. His eyes are like sparks of brilliance. His face is like a burning fire.

⁵ And there is a crown of holiness upon his head on which (crown) the Explicit Name is graven, and lightnings go out from it. And the bow of Shekina is between his shoulders.

⁶ And his sword is like to a lightning; and upon his loins there are arrows like to a flame, and upon his armour and shield there is a consuming fire, and upon his neck there are coals of burning juniper and (also) round about him (there are coals of burning juniper).

⁷ And the splendor of Shekina is on his face; and the horns of majesty on his wheels; and a royal diadem upon his skull.

⁸ And his body is full of eyes. And wings are covering the whole of his high stature (lit. the height of his stature is all wings).

⁹ On his right hand a flame is burning, and on his left a fire is glowing; and coals are burning from it. And firebrands go out from his body. And lightnings are cast forth from his face. With him there is alway thunder upon (in) thunder, by his side there is ever earthquake upon (in) earthquake.

¹⁰ And the two princes of the Merkaba are together with him.

¹¹ Why is he called KERUBIEL H', the Prince. Because he is appointed over the chariot of the Kerubim. And the mighty Kerubim are given in his charge. And he adorns the crowns on their heads and polishes the diadem upon their skull.

¹² He magnifies the glory of their appearance. And he glorifies the beauty of their majesty. And he increases the greatness of their honor. He causes the song of their praise to be sung. He intensifies their beautiful strength. He causes the brilliance of their glory to shine forth. He beautifies their beautiful mercy and lovingkindness. He frames the fairness of their radiance. He makes their merciful beauty even more beautiful. He glorifies their upright majesty. He extols the order of their praise, to stablish the dwellingplace of him "who dwells on the Kerubim".

¹³ And the Kerubim are standing by the Holy Chayyoth, and their wings are raised up to their heads (lit. are as the height of their heads) and Shekina is (resting) upon them and the brillianceof the Glory is upon their faces and song and praise in their mouth and their hands are under their wings and their feet are covered by their wings and horns of glory are upon their heads and the splendor of Shekina on their face and Shekina is (resting) upon them and sapphire stones are round about them and columns of fire on their four sides and columns of firebrands beside them.

¹⁴ There is one sapphire on one side and another sapphire on another side and under the sapphires there are coals of burning juniper.

¹⁵ And one Kerub is standing in each direction but the wings of the Kerubim compass each other above their skulls in glory; and they spread them to sing with them a song to him that inhabits the clouds and to praise with them the fearful majesty of the king of kings.

¹⁶ And KERUBIEL H', the prince who is appointed over them, he arrays them in beautiful, beautiful and pleasant orders and he exalts them in all manner of exaltation, dignity and glory. And he hastens them in glory and might to do the will of their Creator every moment. For above their lofty heads abides continually the glory of the high king "who dwells on the Kerubim".