1 Enoch 22

XXII. Sheol or the Underworld.

And thence I went to another place, and he showed me in the west ⌈another⌉ great and high mountain [and] of hard rock.

And there was in it †four† hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. †How† smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at.

Then Raphael answered, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: ‘These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the souls of the dead should assemble therein, yea that all the souls of the children of men should assemble here.

And these places have been made to receive them till the day of their judgement and till their appointed period [till the period appointed], till the great judgement (comes) upon them.’

I saw the spirits of the children of men who were dead, and their voice went forth to heaven and made suit.

Then I asked Raphael the angel who was with me, and I said unto him: ‘This spirit—whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit?’

And he answered me saying: ‘This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.’

Then I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places: ’Why is one separated from the other?’

And he answered me and said unto me: ‘These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been made 〈for〉 the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water.

And such has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgement has not been executed on them in their lifetime.

Here their spirits shall be set apart in this great pain till the great day of judgement and punishment and torment of those who curse for ever and retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them for ever.

And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their suit, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners.

Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors they shall be companions: but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgement nor shall they be raised from thence.

Then I blessed the Lord of glory and said: ‘Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of righteousness, who ruleth for ever.’