Noah’s Library: Sources for 1 Enoch 6-11

This article presents three case studies that explore the literary antecedents to 1 Enoch 6-11. The first case suggests that we can see a clear Mesopotamian influence on this narrative, while the second extends our understanding of the manner in which the author was incorporating rewritten biblical narrative into the text. The third case discusses, in a pan-Eastern Mediterranean context, the origins of the angel name Shemihazah. Taken together, these three examples illustrate the richness of the traditions and literary resources available to those who composed and edited this text.