Interesting Facts

• Gadreel is listed as the third among the chiefs of the fallen angels.
• He is identified as the one who showed the children of men all the blows of death.
• Gadreel is also noted for having led astray Eve.
• He is credited with showing the weapons of death to the sons of men, specifically “the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons of death“.
• The consequences of his actions are stated to have proceeded “against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for evermore“.

Genealogy

• Gadreel is identified as one of the “chiefs of their angels“.
• He is positioned as the “third” in the listing provided.
• The texts refer to “the children of men” and “Eve” as those influenced by Gadreel.
• Similar to Jeqon and Asbeel, the provided sources do not detail Gadreel’s origins, parentage, or any familial relationships beyond his association with the other Watchers. There is no mention of him having wives or offspring in these sources.

Historical Context

Gadreel’s actions, particularly the revealing of weapons of death, occurred after the initial transgression in the Garden of Eden involving the Serpent and Eve. While the sources do not explicitly place Gadreel’s instruction to mankind at a specific chronological point relative to the Serpent’s temptation, the narrative flow suggests that the introduction of widespread death and warfare followed the initial fall of humanity. The societal context, as described in later texts, involved the multiplication of humankind and the eventual descent of other angels who further corrupted humanity with forbidden knowledge. Gadreel’s introduction of weaponry likely contributed to the “much godlessness” and violence that characterized this period before the Flood. His role can be seen as part of the escalating corruption that began with the Serpent’s deception and continued with the actions of the Watchers.

Narrative

Gadreel’s narrative is significant for the direct link it establishes between the knowledge of death and the fallen angels. He is not only associated with leading Eve astray, echoing the Serpent’s role as the initial tempter, but he also actively equips humanity with the means of inflicting death upon one another. His showing of “all the blows of death” and the “weapons of death” marks a crucial step in the descent of humanity into violence and warfare. While the Serpent’s temptation in the Garden focused on the knowledge of good and evil and its immediate consequences, Gadreel’s actions introduce the practical tools for physical destruction, the ramifications of which would extend “for evermore“. The connection to the Serpent is evident in the shared objective of leading humanity away from divine intention, with the Serpent initiating the spiritual and moral fall, and Gadreel providing the instruments for the physical manifestation of that fallen state through violence and death. Gadreel’s contribution solidifies the transition from the innocence of Eden to a world marked by conflict and mortality, a trajectory set in motion by the Serpent’s initial deception.