E'NOCH (Heb. liana, probably of Babylo nian origin). According to Gen. iv. 17-18. Enoch is the son of Cain and father of Jared, whereas in Gen. v. 18, he is the son of Jared. Modern scholars of the critical school consider Gen. iv. to be a relic of an ancient legend which, without reference to any tradition of a deluge, endeavored to trace, after the fashion of folk-lore, the origin of civilization, or rather the Canaanitish cul ture. In this legend the various features of culture are traced to individuals, and the build ing of the city—a trait of Canaanitish condi tions—is ascribed to Enoch (Gen. iv. 17, 18, where, instead of "after the name of his son," we should read "after his name").
In the fifth chapter Enoch appears in a differ ent light. It is said of him that after living 365 years and walking with God, he was no more, "for God took him" (ver. 24), which means that he was Babylonian legends where we encounter such 'translations' may offer a partial explanation at least of the Enoch narrative. ]n the Gilgamesh epic Par napishtim, the hero of the deluge, is transported to the gods, and Gilgamesh, the hero of the epic, who is a semi-mythical character, also ap pears to have been translated. The number 365 adds weight to the supposition that Enoch was originally a solar deity like Gilpmesh, who from a god becomes a divine hero. Whether the name
Enoch itself reverts to a Babylonian prototype cannot be ascertained for certain, though there is seine connection, without much doubt, between the list of ten patriarchs in Gen. V. ( to which the whole list in Gen. xi. is allied) and the ten antediluvian kings mentioned by Ilerosus in his history of Babylonia. (Consult Lenortnant. sai de commentaire sur Bcrose, pp. The translation of Enoch, which bears a great part in -Jewish and early Christian theology (see ENOCH, Boor OF), is mentioned in the New Testa ment (Heb. xi. 5) and also in Eeclesiastieus (xliv. 16; xlix. 14). From the fact that Enoch, like Elijah, does not die, but is transported to heaven, the apocalyptic literature naturally con nected itself with his name. But the other side of Enoch, as a promoter of civilization. was not lost sight of. To the later Jews Enoch was the inventor of writing. arithmetic, and astron omy; and this view, already indicated in the book of Genesis (ch. iv.). was adopted by Mo hammedans as well as Christians.