Noah's Magic

I have been writing about the semi-lost Book of Noah, parts of which survive in the Book of 1 Enoch. In trying to understand its role and origins, I would stress its practical role as a valuable textbook for those seeking protection against evil forces.

Much of Noah seems designed for a community deeply interested in different forms of protective magic, and security against demonic forces. Apotropaic magic is the kind of magic used to ward off evil forces, and is usually manifested in charms, spells and amulets. (The word is from the Greek for “turn away”). It usually involves heavy use of sacred or demonic names, of the kind that are presented so abundantly in the Noah portions of 1 Enoch.