HENOCH (Heb. Hānōhh). - 1. Antediluvian patriarch, son of Iared. Of him, who according to Gen. 5, 23 reached the age of 365 years (the number of days in the solar year), it is said that he “walked with God” (the Septuagint translates: “pleased God”; cf. Heb. 11, 5). At the age of 65 he had the son Mathusalem (v.). Finally, “he was seen no more, because God took him” (Gen. 5, 24); the term “to take” (lāqah) is that
used for the rapture of Elia into heaven (II Reg. 2, 10). It may be interpreted: “from one of his communications with God H. never returned.”
The biblical information concerning H. is very scanty. Only in later literature, shortly before the Christian era, did H. become the hero of a whole host of legends that make him the inventor of writing, the author of the first book, and the creator of astronomy and astrology. This reworked H. is compared to a king in an ancient Babylonian legend (v. libro di).
2. Son of Caino (Gen. 4, 17). The latter built a city which he named H., after his son. - Vedi tav. XC.