The “Lord of the Sheep” and His House: An Intertextual Reading of the Animal Apocalypse (1 En. 85–90) with the Pentateuch

Abstract

The name of God – the “Lord of the sheep” – and when he is first mentioned in the sketch of history, as well as the relationship of the so called “house” and “tower” are much debated points in the research on the Animal Apocalypse. This article takes a closer look at these two topics and compares them with the Pentateuch. A close intertextual reading will highlight striking similarities between their two narratives of history and show that in both compositions the time in the desert is constitutive for the characterization and perception of God and for the idea of his sanctuary.