GABRIEL (Heb., Man of God). In the Jew ish angelology, one of the seven archangels. His function seems to be especially to reveal God's will and purposes. He appears in the Book of Daniel as the interpreter of the prophet's vision regarding the ram and the he-goat (viii. 16), and as bringing the explanation of the seventy weeks (ix. 21). In the New Testament he an nounces to Zacharias the birth of John the Bap tist (Luke i. 19), and to Mary the birth of Christ (Luke i. 26). In post-biblical Jewish literature Gabriel is frequently introduced. The Targus to II. Chron. xxxii. 21 says that Gabriel destroyed the host of Sennacherib. According to the Talmud, it was he who showed Joseph the way to his brothers (Gen. xxxvii. 15-17), and he together with other angels buried the body of Moses (Dent. xxxiv. 6). He is the prince of fire. and the spirit who presides over the thunder and the ripening of fruits. When Nebuchadnezzar be sieged Jerusalem, Gabriel is said to have entered the temple by command of God before the As syrian soldiery, and burned it, thereby frustrat ing their impious intentions. It was he that pre
vented Vashti from obeying the King (Esther i. 12), and rewrote the record of Mordecai's service in the history after it had been erased. Gabriel has also the reputation among the rabbis of a most distinguished linguist, having, for example, taught Joseph the 70 languages spoken at Babel. The Mohammedans also hold Gabriel in great reverence. According to the claim of Mohammed in the Koran, it was he who revealed the sacred book. He is called the spirit of truth, and is re garded as the chief of the four most favored angels who form the council of God—a number corresponding to the system in the book of Enoch (eh. xl.), where Gabriel. Michael. Uriel. and Penuel are the angels standing near the throne of God.