Summoning of Enoch - Measuring

[EN LXI:1-2 VB] And I saw in those days how long cords were given to the Angels, and they took themselves wings and flew, and went towards the north. And I asked an Angel, saying unto him: ‘Why have these taken cords and gone off?’ And he said to me: ‘They have gone to measure.’

A natural paraphrase reads:

[EN LXI: 1-2 PP] Then, I saw how long measuring-tapes were give to some of the angels, and they hurried off towards the north. So I asked an angel who was there, why the others had taken tapes and gone away, and he replied: ‘They have gone to make a survey.’

[EN LXI:1-2 VB] And I saw in those days how long cords were given to Angels.

The reference to measuring in relation to surveying is a homely one for the senior author. While surveying in the high country of South Iran, he was often asked by curious tribesmen what he was doing with his plane-table, his range-finder and his linen tapes. The only answer that could be reasonably given to one who had no concept of mapping, was: ‘I am measuring.’