Journey VI
After the Flood
What Was Remembered?
Ancient Jewish writings preserve additional traditions about what happened after Noah left the Ark.
These writings are not Scripture. But they show how ancient communities tried to understand the world after the Flood.
1. Jubilees — The Spirits Remain
The Book of Jubilees tells a remarkable story.
After the Flood, evil spirits begin troubling Noah's descendants. Noah prays to God for protection. God commands that the spirits be bound. But Mastema asks that a portion remain under his authority.
According to Jubilees, most are restrained—but a tenth remains.
This ancient tradition attempts to explain something Genesis itself leaves unanswered: Why does supernatural evil apparently continue after the Flood?
After the Flood, evil spirits begin troubling Noah's descendants. Noah prays to God for protection. God commands that the spirits be bound. But Mastema asks that a portion remain under his authority.
According to Jubilees, most are restrained—but a tenth remains.
This ancient tradition attempts to explain something Genesis itself leaves unanswered: Why does supernatural evil apparently continue after the Flood?
2. The Knowledge of the Watchers
Jubilees contains another strange detail.
Kainam discovers an ancient inscription containing knowledge associated with the Watchers. He copies what he finds but hides the matter from Noah.
This creates a fascinating possibility within the tradition:
The Watchers themselves may be gone—but their knowledge may have survived. That becomes one of the great questions of the post-Flood world.
Kainam discovers an ancient inscription containing knowledge associated with the Watchers. He copies what he finds but hides the matter from Noah.
This creates a fascinating possibility within the tradition:
The Watchers themselves may be gone—but their knowledge may have survived. That becomes one of the great questions of the post-Flood world.
3. Noah Preserves Knowledge
Some ancient traditions portray Noah not merely as a survivor but as a preserver of knowledge.
Knowledge concerning healing, plants, spirits, calendars and earlier generations becomes associated with Noah traditions. This creates an interesting contrast:
What knowledge should humanity preserve?
And: What knowledge should humanity have left buried with the old world?
Knowledge concerning healing, plants, spirits, calendars and earlier generations becomes associated with Noah traditions. This creates an interesting contrast:
What knowledge should humanity preserve?
And: What knowledge should humanity have left buried with the old world?
4. The Book of Giants
Fragments of the Book of Giants, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, preserve traditions concerning the giant offspring connected with the Watchers.
Dreams warn them that judgment is coming. The giants begin to realize that their world will not survive.
This gives us something Genesis barely provides: A tradition imagining the coming Flood from the perspective of those who were about to be judged.
Dreams warn them that judgment is coming. The giants begin to realize that their world will not survive.
This gives us something Genesis barely provides: A tradition imagining the coming Flood from the perspective of those who were about to be judged.
5. The Genesis Apocryphon
The Genesis Apocryphon retells and expands stories concerning the patriarchs, including Noah.
Together with Enochic literature, it demonstrates that stories surrounding Noah continued to be explored within ancient Judaism. Genesis was the foundation. But generations continued asking questions about the parts Genesis left unexplained.
Together with Enochic literature, it demonstrates that stories surrounding Noah continued to be explored within ancient Judaism. Genesis was the foundation. But generations continued asking questions about the parts Genesis left unexplained.
6. Jubilees and the Division of the Earth
Jubilees gives a much more detailed account of how the earth was divided among Noah's sons.
Shem, Ham and Japheth receive territories. Boundaries are described. Oaths are made. The division of humanity becomes more elaborate than the brief account in Genesis.
This provides ancient background for the biblical Table of Nations.
Shem, Ham and Japheth receive territories. Boundaries are described. Oaths are made. The division of humanity becomes more elaborate than the brief account in Genesis.
This provides ancient background for the biblical Table of Nations.
7. Babel in Ancient Tradition
Later Jewish traditions expand the story of Babel and Nimrod considerably.
Nimrod increasingly becomes associated with human rebellion, kingship and opposition to God. Here careful distinction is important: Genesis says relatively little about Nimrod. Many details commonly repeated about him come from later traditions.
Gate II shows those traditions—without quietly inserting them back into Genesis.
Nimrod increasingly becomes associated with human rebellion, kingship and opposition to God. Here careful distinction is important: Genesis says relatively little about Nimrod. Many details commonly repeated about him come from later traditions.
Gate II shows those traditions—without quietly inserting them back into Genesis.