Only gentiles become white cattle in 1 Enoch 90:38

Abstract

The Animal Apocalypse, a second-century BCE allegorical dream vision, concludes its zoomorphic retelling of Israel’s history with a prophecy of future restoration: “And I saw until all their species were changed, and they all became white cattle” (1 En. 90:38). Most scholars interpret this verse universally to mean that the “sheep” (the Jews) transform into “white cattle” alongside the “wild beasts” and “birds of heaven” (the gentiles). Through a close reading of 1 En. 90:38, however, I will argue on grammatical, contextual, and semiotic grounds that only the gentiles become white cattle. Grammatically, the “wild beasts” and “birds of heaven” are the closest possible antecedents to the verse’s pronominal subject. A gentile-only interpretation of 90:38 produces a satisfying conclusion to the work. And, relative to alternative interpretations, my reading can better explain elements of the verse’s odd symbology. If correct, this thesis bears significance not only for our understanding of the Animal Apocalypse but also for other topics of biblical research, including ancient Jewish eschatologies in the Second Temple period and the eschatological status of Israel within early Enochic literature.