The sins of the Watchers
Pride
2 Enoch supports the same thesis as the Bible i.e the angels fall because of their pride and reluctance to submit to Man
“But one from the order of the archangels deviated, together with the division that was under his authority. He thought up the impossible idea, that he might place his throne higher than the clouds which are above the earth, and that he might become equal to my power. And I hurled him out from the height, together with his angels. And he was flying around in the air, ceaselessly, above the Bottomless.” – 2 Enoch 29:4-5
Adam and Eve
In his jealousy, Satanel decided to lead Adam astray, even though he was aware of his own sinfulness. When his plan worked, God cursed evil and ignorance, implying that it is through man’s ignorance of his own nature that is the root of sin, not Satanel.
“And the devil understood how I wished to create another world, so that everything could be subjected to Adam on the earth, to rule and reign over it. The devil is of the lowest places. And he will become a demon, because he fled from heaven; Sotona, because his name was Satanail. In this way he became different from the angels. His nature did not change, (but) his thought did, since his consciousness of righteous and sinful things changed. And he became aware of his condemnation and of the sin which he sinned previously. And that is why he thought up the scheme against Adam. In such a form he entered paradise, and corrupted Eve. But Adam he did not contact. But on account of (her) nescience I cursed them. But those whom I had blessed previously, them I did not curse; (and those whom I had not blessed previously, even them I did not curse) – neither mankind I cursed, nor the earth, nor any other creature, but only mankind’s evil fruit-bearing.” – 2 Enoch 31:3-7
The Books of Adam and Eve tell how Satan tempted and brought about the fall of Adam and Eve. In the beginning, Satan is represented as being an angel of God. It then explains that when Adam was formed in God’s image, Michael commanded the angels to worship him. Satan refused to do so because Adam was inferior and younger then himself. He claimed that instead Adam should worship him. Because of this, Satan and the other angels who refused to worship Adam were banished from Heaven. Satan then decided to bring about the ruin of Adam and Eve.
“I cheated thy And with a heavy sigh, the devil spake: ‘O Adam! all my hostility, envy, and sorrow is for thee, since it is for thee that I have been expelled from my glory, which I possessed in the heavens in the midst of the angels and for thee was I cast out in the earth.’ Adam answered, ‘What dost thou tell me? What have I done to thee or what is my fault against thee? Seeing that thou hast received no harm or injury from us, why dost thou pursue us?’ The devil replied, ‘Adam, what dost thou tell me? It is for thy sake that I have been hurled from that place. When thou wast formed. I was hurled out of the presence of God and banished from the company of the angels. When God blew into thee the breath of life and thy face and likeness was made in the image of God, Michael also brought thee and made (us) worship thee in the sight of God; and God the Lord spake: Here is Adam. I have made thee in our image and likeness.’ And Michael went out and called all the angels saying: ‘Worship the image of God as the Lord God hath commanded.’ And Michael himself worshipped first; then he called me and said: ‘Worship the image of God the Lord.’ And I answered, ‘I have no (need) to worship Adam.’ And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him, ‘Why dost thou urge me? I will not worship an inferior and younger being (than I). I am his senior in the Creation, before he was made was I already made. It is his duty to worship me.’ When the angels, who were under me, heard this, they refused to worship him. And Michael saith, ‘Worship the image of God, but if thou wilt not worship him, the Lord God will be wrath with thee.’ And I said, ‘If He be wrath with me, I will set my seat above the stars of heaven and will be like the Highest.’ And God the Lord was wrath with me and banished me and my angels from our glory; and on thy account were we expelled from our abodes into this world and hurled on the earth. And straightway we were overcome with grief, since we had been spoiled of so great glory. And we were grieved when we saw thee in such joy and luxury. And with guile wife and caused thee to be expelled through her (doing) from thy joy and luxury, as I have been driven out of my glory.” – Vita Adae et Evae 12-16.
Another example of the deeds of Sammael is his role in the trial of Abraham. Sammael stood before God to accuse Abraham of selfish piety. God decided to test Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Sammael then tried to persuade Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac, and also to persuade Isaac to rebel against this trial. When he saw that Abraham would not disobey God, be revenged himself by telling Sarah that Isaac had been slain. She then died of her grief and terror. In the Books of Adam, Yahveh called the Demiurge is considered as a wicked God, jealous and inferior. The real Creator is unknown and hidden whereas the Devil become the savior of mankind.
Fornication with women
The very sin of the Watchers were the perversion of their essence (copulation with human women). Certain passages in Jewish Midrash talk of how angels are immortal and do not need to reproduce. Because humans are not, they must reproduce in order to achieve immortality in their descendents.
1 Enoch gives an account of the fall of the Angels from heaven. Chapter 6 talks of how the angels saw and lusted after the daughters of men.
“In those days, when the children of man had multiplied, it happened that there were born unto them handsome and beautiful daughters. And the angels, the children of heaven, saw them and desired them; and they said to one another, ‘Come, let us choose wives for ourselves from among the daughters of man and beget us children.’ And Semyaz, being their leader, said unto them,’I fear that perhaps you will not consent that this deed should be done, and I alone will become (responsible) for this great sin.’ But they all responded to him, ‘Let us all swear an oath and bind everyone among us by a curse not to abandon this suggestion but to do the deed.’ Then they all swore together and bound one another by (the curse) And they were altogether two hundred;” – 1 Enoch 6:1-7
Teaching of forbidden knowledge
The angels descended on Mount Hermon during the days of Jared. There were 19 leaders mentioned in 1 Enoch, who were also called ‘the chiefs of ten.’
“they took wives unto themselves, and everyone (respectively) chose one woman for himself, and they began to go unto them. And they taught them magical medicine, incantations, the cutting of roots, and taught them (about) plants.” 1 Enoch 7:1-5
The Angels then taught women charms, enchantments, the cutting of roots, and the knowledge of plants. They taught men how to make various weapons and armor, and also arts and sciences, which are the secrets of the natural universe which God did not intend for man to know. The interesting fact is that the fallen angels have brought man the seeds of civilization. This is very similar to the earkier Greek myth of Prometheus who was condemned for teaching humans how to make fire and cast from Olympia to endure having his liver eaten by a giant vulture for eternity. As these acts led to an increase in lawlessness and warfare on Earth, the 4 archangels (Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel) cried out to God. In response, God sent Uriel to warn Noah that there would soon be a great flood.