Gabriel

/gay"bree euhl/, n.

1. one of the archangels, appearing usually as a divine messenger. Dan. 8:16, 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26.

2. Islam. the angel of revelation and the intermediary between God and Muhammad.

3. a male given name.

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I

In the Bible and the Qurān, one of the archangels.

In the Bible he was the heavenly messenger sent to explain Daniel's visions; he also revealed to Zechariah the coming birth of John the Baptist and appeared to Mary in the Annunciation to tell her she was to be the mother of Jesus. In Christian tradition it is believed that he will blow the trumpet on Judgment Day. In the Qurʾān he is known as Jibrīl, and Muslims believe that he brought God's revelations to Muhammad.

II

or Gabriel Prosser

born с 1775, near Richmond, Va.

died September 1800, Richmond, Va., U.S.

American slave who planned the first slave rebellion in U.S. history.

Born to an African-born mother, he grew up as the slave of Thomas H. Prosser. In 1800 the deeply religious Gabriel planned a slave insurrection to create an independent slave state in Virginia with himself as king. Intending to attack Richmond and kill all whites except Frenchmen, Methodists, and Quakers, he assembled 1,000 slaves outside the city on August 30, but a violent rainstorm washed out bridges and scattered the rebels. Before they could reassemble, Gov. James Monroe learned of the plot and ordered out the state militia. Gabriel and 34 others were arrested, tried, and hanged.

III

(as used in expressions)

Gabriel Prosser

Gabriel da Costa

Andretti Mario Gabriel

Biel Gabriel

Fahrenheit Daniel Gabriel

Fallopius Gabriel

Fauré Gabriel Urbain

García Márquez Gabriel José

Hanotaux Albert Auguste Gabriel

Lattre de Tassigny Jean Marie Gabriel de

Marcel Gabriel Honoré

Mugabe Robert Gabriel

Rossetti Dante Gabriel

Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti

San Gabriel Mountains

Tardieu André Pierre Gabriel Amédée

Gabriel Téllez

Mirabeau Honoré Gabriel Riqueti count de

Honoré Gabriel Riqueti

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▪ American bondsman

also called  Gabriel Prosser  

born c. 1775, near Richmond, Va. [U.S.]

died September 1800, Richmond

      American bondsman who planned the first major slave rebellion (slave rebellions) in U.S. history (Aug. 30, 1800). His abortive revolt greatly increased the whites' fear of the slave population throughout the South.

      The son of an African-born mother, Gabriel grew up as the slave of Thomas H. Prosser. Gabriel became a deeply religious man, strongly influenced by biblical example. In the spring and summer of 1800, he laid plans for a slave insurrection aimed at creating an independent black state in Virginia with himself as king. He planned a three-pronged attack on Richmond, Va., that would seize the arsenal, take the powder house, and kill all whites except Frenchmen, Methodists, and Quakers. Some historians believe that Gabriel's army of 1,000 slaves (estimates range from 2,000 to 50,000), assembled 6 miles (9.5 km) outside the city on the appointed night, might have succeeded had it not been for a violent rainstorm that washed out bridges and inundated roads. Before the rebel forces could be reassembled, Governor James Monroe (Monroe, James), already informed of the plot, ordered out the state militia. Gabriel and about 34 of his companions were subsequently arrested, tried, and hanged.

▪ archangel

Hebrew  Gavriʾel,  Arabic  Gibrāʾīl, Jabraʾil,  or  Jibril,  

      in the Bible and the Qurʾān, one of the archangels. Gabriel was the heavenly messenger sent to Daniel to explain the vision of the ram and the he-goat and to communicate the prediction of the Seventy Weeks. He was also employed to announce the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and to announce the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. It is because he stood in the divine presence that both Jewish and Christian writers generally speak of him as an archangel. In the Books of Enoch “the four great archangels” are Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel, though elsewhere they are said to number seven. Gabriel's feast is kept on September 29. Both Gabriel's name and his functions were taken over by Islām from Judaeo-Christian tradition. His name is mentioned in the Qurʾān only three times, but various epithets in that scripture are widely recognized as referring to him.

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