3 Enoch Chapter 46: Modernized English & Source Wording

The Hebrew Book · Lightly modernized English

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Rabbi Ishmael Rabbi Ishmael said: Metatron said to me:

¹ (Come and I will show you) the space of the stars a that are standing in Raqia' night by night in fear of the Almighty (MAQOM) and (I will show you) where they go and where they stand.

² I walked by his side, and he took me by his hand and pointed out all to me with his fingers. And they were standing on sparks of flames round the Merkaba of the Almighty (MAQOM). What did Metatron do? At that moment he clapped his hands and chased them off from their place. Immediately they flew off on flaming wings, rose and fled from the four sides of the Throne of the Merkaba, and (as they flew) he told me the names of every single one. As it is written (Ps. cxlvii. 4):" He tells the number of the stars; he gives them all their names", teaching, that the Holy One, blessed be he, has given a name to each one of them.

³ And they all enter in counted order under the guidance of (lit. through, by the hands of) RAHATIEL to Raqia' ha-shSHamayim to serve the world. And they go out in counted order to praise the Holy One, blessed be he, with songs and hymns, according as it is written (Ps. xix. i): "The heavens declare the glory of God".

⁴ But in the time to come the Holy One, blessed be he, will create them anew, as it is written (Lam. iii. 23): "They are new every morning". And they open their mouth and utter a song. Which is the song that they utter? (Ps. viii. 3): "When I consider your heavens".