The Books of Enoch and the Book of Giants

Book excerpt: One of the many discoveries from the caves of Qumran is a scroll given the name, "The Book of Giants." It is thought to have been based on The Book of Enoch, a pseudepigraphical Jewish work from the 3rd century BCE, which was based on Genesis 6:1-4. The Book of Giants, like The Book of Enoch, concerns itself with the nephilim, which, in the Enoch version, are the offspring of human women and fallen angels, who are called the Watchers.The angels saw the beauty of the daughters of men. The broke their allegiance to heaven, descended to Earth, and married the women, and thus fathered giants. The Book of Giants attempts to fill in the details about the nephilim, giants and their offspring that the Book of Enoch is lacking. Indeed, there has been a theory put forth that the Book of Giants was actually part of the Book of Enoch at one time. The text relates how some giants, named Ohya, Hahya and Mahway, sons of the fallen angels, were compelled to dream. In these dreams they foresaw the Biblical Deluge, and their own demise. There is dialog concerning the futility of fighting God or his angels, even though they could conquer any human alive. Seeing their coming fate they seek to enlist the help of Enoch. The mention of Enoch and the storyline referencing the patriarch places The Book of Giants firmly in the list of "Enochian" texts, along with 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, and 3 Enoch, also known as The Ethiopic Book of Enoch, The Slavonic Secrets of Enoch, and The Hebrew Book of Enoch respectively. This Volume presents the complete The Book of Giants, placed back into its original context within The First Book of Enoch, along with notes and commentary. The Volume also contains the complete books of Second and Third Enoch with commentary. Together, these four books of Giants, 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, and 3 Enoch, make up the majority of the Enochian library.