This post is a summary of the article ““Behold, I Went to Hunt Beasts in the Forest”: An Addendum on Enos, Esau, and the Symbolic Geography of Seir” by Matthew L. Bowen in Volume 63 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreter articles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is available at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought/.
A video introduction to the Interpreter article is now available on all of our social media channels, including on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLHM-zBfkPI.
The Takeaway
Bowen highlights some additional ways in which the story of Enos echoes the cyclical narrative of Jacob and Esau, noting that Enos’ references to hunting and forests correspond with the description of Esau as “a cunning hunter” and a “man of [forest] overgrowth”.
The Summary
In this article, Matthew L. Bowen adds to his (here and here) and others’ previous work connecting the story of Enos in the Book of Mormon with the “Jacob-Esau cycle”, with the former invoking the imagery of Genesis 32:24. In addition to the shared term “wrestle” and Enos’ own name meaning “man” (in connection with the divine “man” who wrestled with Jacob), Bowen proposes that Enos may also be alluding to the description of Esau as “a cunning hunter” and an
ʾîš śāʿir, meaning “hairy man”, “man of Seir” or “man of [forest] overgrowth”. The place name Seir likely refers to a forested area in Edom, and the name itself indicating “thicket, or small wooded region”. Enos’ situating his prayer in the forest may thus be making use of the symbolic geography of Jacob’s wrestle with God. This is supported by further autobiographical parallels, such as both of them “hunger[ing]”, with Esau’s hunger being physical and Enos’ spiritual. As Bowen concludes:
“If the observations here are valid, we can again discern Enos’s skillful use of the onomastic wordplay of Genesis, even down to the symbolic geography and meaning of Seir. This masterful use of the biblical narrative’s Hebrew elements stands as strong evidence of the book of Enos (and more broadly of the Book of Mormon) as ancient literature, rather than modern.”
The Reflection
I must say, it does seem like it would’ve been difficult for Joseph to have included such layered allusions within what ends up as little more than an aside in the larger narrative of the Book of Mormon. Whereas Enos, who I imagine picked up a bit of scribal skill from his father and uncle, could’ve had good reason to layer in subtle references to Jacob and Esau, given his day-long wrestle in the forest. I’ll continue to enjoy Bowen’s incremental layering of these kinds of useful literary details.
You wrote, “Enos, who I imagine picked up a bit of scribal skill from his father and uncle…”
Based on the superscription in Enos it seems Enos did not have as much scribal training. I believe it is uncharacteristic of most superscriptions for a few reasons. In reality knowing Egyptian characters he probably was very educated. To me this paints a picture of a person who prioritizes symbols and imagery over say… textual formatting.
I bet he was wonderful to listen to and seemed more of a maverick.
On a separate note, I think the early Nephite’s tend to nearly erase themselves from history. As Bowen points out their stories are meticulously designed to tie themselves to their fathers. Bowen shows Nephi relates to Joseph… Enos to Jacob etc…
Nephite culture often ignores Nephi, Jacob and Enos. Spencer suggests Nephite culture is “built” on Isaiah in “A Word in Season.” Further, the prophets who are named and cited authoritatively include Moses, Zenos, Zenock, Abinadi, Samuel, Joseph and Jeremiah. I have been wondering how this happened… Nephi was so amazing and yet he got people to look past him and onto the other prophets. I suppose the answer is here. A key function of all of this imagery is to tie oneself to the earlier prophets. Nephi might say he was “good” because his life was similar to Joseph’s. Thus any admiration we may have for Nephi projects to Joseph. These allusions seem more than poetic.