Bible Word Study
גַּבְרִיאֵל
Gabrîyʼêl · Gabriel, an archangel
גַּבְרִיאֵל
Gabriel, an archangel
Definition
Gabriel is an archangel whose name means 'man of God' or 'God is my strength.' In the Old Testament, he appears exclusively in the book of Daniel as a divine messenger who interprets visions for the prophet. In Daniel 8:16, he is commanded to help Daniel understand a vision concerning the end times. In Daniel 9:21-23, he arrives during Daniel's prayer to provide the famous prophecy of the 'seventy weeks,' offering insight and wisdom about Israel's future.
Biblical Usage
Gabriel is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the book of Daniel. He functions specifically as an interpreting angel, sent to explain complex prophetic visions to Daniel. His appearances are in highly charged apocalyptic contexts, where he bridges the divine and human realms to communicate God's plans. For example, in Daniel 8:16, he is called to explain the vision of the ram and goat, and in Daniel 9:21-23, he provides a timeline for Jerusalem's restoration.
Etymology
The name Gabriel (גַּבְרִיאֵל) is a compound of two Hebrew elements: גֶּבֶר (gever, H1397), meaning 'man' or 'strong man,' and אֵל (el, H410), meaning 'God.' Thus, the name translates to 'man of God' or 'God is my strength.' It is a theophoric name, common in Semitic cultures, where a divine name (El) is incorporated to signify a relationship with or strength from God.
Semantic Range
Gabriel is a key figure in biblical angelology, representing God's direct communication and revelation to humanity. His role in Daniel establishes him as an interpreter of eschatological prophecy, which later connects to his New Testament appearances announcing the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1). Understanding the Hebrew name emphasizes his function as God's empowered messenger, highlighting themes of divine sovereignty, revelation, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan across Scripture. In ancient Israelite and broader Near Eastern culture, angels like Gabriel were understood as supernatural envoys of God, often appearing in human form to deliver messages or execute divine will. Unlike some later Jewish and Christian traditions that developed complex angelic hierarchies, the Old Testament presents Gabriel simply as a designated messenger for specific, weighty revelations, particularly in apocalyptic literature where interpreting dreams and visions was crucial. מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el, H4317) — Michael, another archangel, depicted more as a warrior prince protecting Israel (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1), whereas Gabriel is a messenger and interpreter.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]