The earliest known texts that mention angels in the Bible are found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), with the book of Genesis containing some of the earliest references to these celestial beings.

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The concept of angels, derived from the Greek word angelos and Hebrew malak, both meaning "messenger," is deeply embedded in ancient religious texts. These early biblical accounts portray angels primarily as divine messengers who interact directly with humanity, conveying God's will and intervening in human affairs.[1] [3]

One of the most foundational texts is the Book of Genesis. In Genesis, angels appear in various significant events. For instance, three angelic visitors announce the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah.[1] Later, angels are depicted leading Lot and his family out of the doomed city of Sodom before its destruction.[1] These early portrayals show angels as anthropomorphic beings who can speak, walk, and even eat, indicating a tangible presence in the human world.[1]

As the Hebrew Bible progresses, the roles and descriptions of angels evolve. The Book of Daniel, for example, introduces named figures who become central to later traditions, such as the archangels Gabriel and Michael.[1] Gabriel is presented as a heavenly interpreter of visions, while Michael is depicted as a military commander fighting on behalf of Israel.[1] By this period, angels are seen as more than just messengers; they are administrators within a complex heavenly realm, even keeping records of human deeds for the Day of Judgment.[1]

Beyond the canonical Hebrew Bible, ancient Jewish texts like 1 Enoch (also known as the Book of Enoch) provide even more elaborate identities and histories for angels.[2] This ancient Jewish apocalyptic religious text, ascribed to the patriarch Enoch, describes vast ranks of angels governing cosmic cycles and human destiny.[2] It also details the fall of the Watchers, a group of angels who engaged in sexual relations with women and revealed technological secrets to humankind, leading to the birth of the Nephilim.[2] The older sections of 1 Enoch are estimated to date from about 300–200 BCE, with the latest part around 100 BCE.[2] While not considered canonical by most Jewish or Christian bodies, 1 Enoch is part of the biblical canon for the Ethiopian Jewish community Beta Israel, as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.[2] The New Testament authors were also familiar with some of its content, with a short section of 1 Enoch cited in the Epistle of Jude.[2]

The descriptions of angels in these early texts often emphasize their awe-inspiring and terrifying nature, far removed from the gentle, cherubic images of later art.[1] When angels appear to humans in the Bible, the common initial reaction is fear, often followed by the angelic reassurance, "do not be afraid."[1] This fear is well-placed, as angels are also depicted as powerful enforcers of divine will, capable of immense destruction, such as the angel of the Lord killing 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night.[1]