Is there an angel named Phanuel in the Bible?

Answer

The Bible mentions two of God’s holy angels: Gabriel and Michael. Apart from these two, no other names are given. There is a man named Phanuel «And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; », (Luke 2:36), but there is no angel named Phanuel in the Bible. The mention of an angel named Phanuel can be traced back to the apocryphal Book of Enoch.

A significant part of the Book of Enoch discusses angelology and demonology. According to the Book of Enoch, Phanuel is one of four angels who stand before the throne of God—the other three being Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Phanuel is described as “the fourth, who presides over repentance, and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life” Enoch 40:9. He is also tasked with “expelling the impious angels and prohibiting them from entering into the presence of the Lord of spirits” Enoch 40:7.

The mythology further identifies Phanuel as the ruler of the Ophanim, angels in the throne room of God who never sleep. He is also among the angels involved in the judgment of the wicked angels: “Phanuel shall be strengthened in that day and shall then cast [the demons] into a furnace of blazing fire, that the Lord of spirits may be avenged of them for their crimes; because they became ministers of Satan and seduced those who dwell upon earth” Enoch 53:6.

The Bible provides limited information about angels, whether holy or otherwise. The Book of Enoch, a peculiar and sensationalistic non-canonical work, delves into these topics. There is no compelling reason to regard the Book of Enoch as truth, except for the excerpt quoted in Jude 1:14–15. The existence of an angel named Phanuel remains uncertain, and further investigation is needed.

Explorations into mythology are ultimately fruitless.