Dear Gramps

My sister-in-law who is not a member of the Mormon Church asked me about archangels. In particular she wanted to know if Raphael and Jarameel were men or women. I found a site on the internet that said that Gabriel was a woman and I always understood that Gabriel was a man. Can you give me any information on Archangels as this article had twelve names listed as archangels and I had not heard of some of them. I appreciate any information that you can give me on this topic.

Gail, from State College, PA

Dear Gail,

Two archangels are mentioned in the Bible. These are Michael and Gabriel (Jude 1:9, Luke 1:5-38) These archangels are also mentioned in the Mormon scripture The Doctrine and Covenants 128:21. A third archangel named Raphael is found in the apocryphal book of Tobias (Tob. 12:15), and also in the Doctrine and Covenants 128:21. The names of four other archangels are recorded in the Book of Enoch, a non-canonical apocalyptic work. They are Uriel, Raguel, Sariel and Jerahmeel. I know of no other archangels mentioned in the religious literature.

Your source mentioned twelve archangels The last three mentioned above were called in some apocryphal sources by the names of Izidiel, Hanael, and Kepharel. If they were thought to be different archangel, that would bring the total to 10. I have no idea about the naming any others.

There is no question that the archangel Gabriel was a man. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, one of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Mormon Church had the following to say with respect to Gabriel.

“To play his part in the great restoration of all things, Gabriel came in modern times and conferred the keys of his dispensation upon Joseph Smith. As with other angelic ministrants to this earth, Gabriel also spent his mortal probation here. He is Noah, the one who stands next to Michael or Adam in the priesthood hierarchy.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed., p.301)

Gramps