The Translation of Enoch

AFTER GERARD HCET, THE LEADER OF DUTCH

ART IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

+

"And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”—Gen., 5, 24.

F the later, more obedient children of Adam and Eve, the eldest was

a son, whom his mother called Seth. His name means the “appointed" one; and perhaps Eve had again in her heart the hope that he should be the saviour who was to redeem her race. But Christ's coming was thousands of years away. Of Seth's life, the Bible tells us nothing, except that he lived to be very old; about nine hundred years is the span of life mentioned for each of the early members of his race. Thus death's hand was long held off from the prey which had been promised it; and the earth was peopled rapidly. The next death distinctly told of, after that of Abel, is of Adam himself. "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died."

Before Adam's death, Enoch, one of his descendants in the seventh generation, had apparently won back for himself that personal intimacy with God, which Adam had forfeited. Enoch's story is told in a single sentence. He had dwelled for three hundred and sixty-five years as the faithful worshipper and servitor of God, then "God took him." The phrase, so different from that in which the Bible mentions life's ending, has commonly been supposed to mean that Enoch was borne up to Heaven without passing through the narrow gate of death.

GENESIS XXIX- -JACOB MEETS RACHEL

51

16 ¶ And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said. How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Beth-el1: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth

unto thee.

Chapter 29

1 Jacob cometh to the well of Haran. 9 He taketh acquaintance of Rachel. 13 Laban entertaineth him. 15 Jacob covenanteth for Rachel. 23 He is deceived with Leah. 28 He marrieth also Rachel, and serveth for her seven years more. 32 Leah beareth Reuben, 33 Simeon, 34 Levi, 35, and Judah.

HEN Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, IIe is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

9¶ And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of

Bethel means "house of God."