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The Grigori (from Greek egrḗgoroi, “The Watchers”) are a group of fallen angels described in biblical apocrypha, who mated with women, giving rise to a race of hybrids known as the Nephilim—called giants in Book of Genesis 6:4. References to Grigori appear in the Book of Enoch and Book of Jubilees.
In Hebrew, they are known as the Irin, “Watchers,” also mentioned in the Book of Daniel (chapter 4).
Names
- Anunnaki
- Irin
- The Watchers
Did the Great Watchers have the ability to fly?
while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
Daniel 9:21
Irin, Ir
The 200 Grigori
The Book of Enoch states that there were two-hundred Grigori, but only their leaders are identified and named:
These are the names of their chiefs:
- Samyaza, who was their leader
- Urakabarameel
- Akibeel
- Tamiel
- Ramuel
- Danel
- Azkeel
- Saraknyal
- Asael
- Armers
- Batraal
- Anane
- Zavebe
- Samsaveel
- Ertael
- Turel
- Yomyael
- Azazyel (also known as Azazel).
These were the prefects of the two hundred angels, and the remainder were all with them.
Enoch 7:9
Book of Enoch
The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling,
And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai,
[And appear from His camp]
And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven of heavens.
And all shall be smitten with fear
And the Watchers shall quake,
And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth.
Book of Enoch Chapter 1
Mount Sinai (Hebrew: הַר סִינַי, Har Sīnay) is the mountain at which the Ten Commandments were given to Moses by God, according to the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible. In the Book of Deuteronomy, these events are described as having transpired at Mount Horeb.
Corrupt
Samyaza, Azazel, and the others become corrupt, and taught their human hosts to make metal weapons, cosmetics, and other necessities of civilization that had been kept secret.
But the people are dying and cry to the heavens for help. God sends the Great Flood to rid the earth of the Nephilim, but sends Uriel to warn Noah, so as not to eradicate the human race. The Grigori are bound “in the valleys of the Earth” until Judgment Day (Jude 1:6)
Earlier mystical Hebrew sects organized the Watchers into an Archangel hierarchy. According to this system the Watchers were ruled over by four great Watchers known as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Auriel.
In the Old Testament (Daniel 4: 13 17), there is reference made to the Irin, or Watchers, which appear to be an order of angels.
In early Hebrew lore, the Irin were a high order of angels that sat on the supreme Judgment Council of the Heavenly Court.
In the Apocryphal Books of Enoch and Jubilees, the Watchers were sent to Earth to teach law and justice to humankind. The most common associations found in various texts on Medieval magic regarding the Watchers are as follows:
- Araqiel: Taught the signs of the earth.
- Armaros: Taught the resolving of enchantments.
- Azazel: Taught the art of cosmetics.
- Barqel: Taught astrology.
- Ezequeel: Taught the knowledge of the clouds.
- Gadreel: Taught the making of weapons of war.
- Kokabeel: Taught the mystery of the Stars.
- Penemue: Taught writing.
- Sarie: Taught the knowledge of the Moon.
- Semjaza: Taught Herbal enchantments.
- Shamshiel: Taught the signs of the Sun.
Enoch
Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees.
And the women conceiving brought forth giants,
Whose stature was each three hundred cubits. These devoured all [which] the labor of men [produced]; until it became impossible to feed them;
When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them;
And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, and to drink their blood.
Then the earth reproved the unrighteous.
Enoch 7:9-15
