Gabriel ( ; Latin: Gabrielus; Greek: , Gabriēl; Arabic: جبريل, Jibrīl or جبرائيل Jibrail; Aramaic: Gabr-el, man of God; literally "Master, of God", i.e., a Master, who is "of God"; or "my master is God") is generally considered to be an archangel in Abrahamic religions, who serves as a messenger from God. He first appears in the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible. In Biblical tradition, he is sometimes regarded as the angel of death or one of God's messengers.

Christians and Muslims believe him to have foretold the births of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Islam further believes he was the medium through whom God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad, and that he sent a message to most prophets, if not all, revealing their obligations. He is called the chief of the four favoured angels and the spirit of truth, and in some views Gabriel is the same as the Holy Spirit.

Gabriel also finds mention in the writings of the Bahá'í Faith, most notably in Bahá'u'lláh's mystical work Seven Valleys.

Christian references

Canonical New Testament

In the Gospel of Luke, Gabriel reveals to the Jewish Pharisee and Priest Zechariah that John the Baptist will be born to Zechariah's wife Elizabeth ( ) and visits Elizabeth's cousin Mary to reveal that she will give birth to Jesus.

Gabriel's visit to Mary is often called "The Annunciation" ( ), an event that is celebrated on March 25 in the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches. It is also commemorated as the "First Joyful Mystery" of the rosary.

Gabriel's annunciation to Mary has been one of the most frequent subjects of Christian art in general, and a key element in Roman Catholic Marian art. The scene has been depicted by masters such as Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo de Vinci, Caravaggio, Duccio and Murillo, among others.

According to later legend, he is also the unidentified angel in the Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse of John) who blows the final trumpet announcing Judgment Day .

Pseudepigraphy

According to Enoch 9:1-2 Gabriel, along with Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Suriel hear the cries of humanity under the strain of the Nephilim. It was their beseeching of 'the Ancient of Days' 1, that prompted God to call Enoch to prophethood.

After Enoch informed the Watchers of their fall from Grace, Yahweh sent the archangels to earth to complete various tasks. Gabriel was to 'Go to the biters, to the reprobates, to the children of fornication, the offspring of the Watchers, from among men; bring them fourth and excite them against one another. Let them perish under mutual slaughter; for length of days shall not be theirs.' Enoch 10:13. And so, Gabriel instigated wars among the Giants (the children of the Watchers).