Gabriel

GABRIEL ga'-bri-el (gabhri'-el, "Man of God"; Gabriel):

The name of the angel commissioned to explain to Daniel the vision of the ram and the he-goat, and to give the prediction of the 70 weeks (Daniel 8:16; 9:21).

In the New Testament he is the angel of the annunciation to Zacharias of the birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary of the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:19,26).

Though commonly spoken of as an archangel, he is not so called in Scripture. He appears in the Book of Enoch (chapters 9, 20, 40) as one of 4 (or 6) chief angels. He is "set over all powers," presents, with the others, the cry of departed souls for vengeance, is "set over the serpents, and over Paradise, and over the cherubim." He is prominent in the Jewish Targums, etc.

See ANGEL.

James Orr

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'GABRIEL'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.