Archangel Jophiel (or Zophiel)

Jophiel is sometimes depicted with a sword of light, which is quite apt given that this angel is a great warrior. Lynn Fischer in “Angels of Love and Light: The Great Archangels & Their Divine Complements, the Archeiai” (November 1996) describes Jophiel as one who “stirs the feelings through radiation of illumination and into aspiration … help in absorbing information and studying for and passing tests; dissolution of ignorance, pride, and narrow-mindedness; and exposure of wrongdoing in governments and corporations. Jophiel helps in fighting pollution, cleaning up our planet, and brings to [hu]mankind the gift of beauty. He also provides inspiration for artistic and intellectual thought providing help with artistic projects and to see the beautiful things around us.”

John Milton, in his poem “Paradise Lost,” mentions that Zophiel is “of cherubim the swiftest wing.” Maria Gowen Brooks wrote a poem in the early 19th century about Zophiel, in which the angel is referenced as “she,” which is common practice with this angel. Sometimes Jophiel is shown as female, and sometimes male. Brooks described the angel as one who “helps people learn how to think beautiful thoughts that can help them develop beautiful souls.” Archangel Jophiel represents the power of Divine Light within us. As we attune to this Light, beauty abounds!

Symbols of Archangel Jophiel

In art, Jophiel is often depicted holding a light, which represents her work illuminating people’s souls with beautiful thoughts. Angels are neither feminine nor masculine, so Jophiel may be depicted as either male or female, but the female depictions are more common.

Energy Colour

The angel energy colour associated with Jophiel is yellow. Burning a yellow candle or having the gemstone citrine may be used as part of prayer to focus on requests to Archangel Jophiel.

Archangel Jophiel’s Role in Religious Texts

The Zohar, the sacred text of the mystical branch of Judaism called Kabbalah, says that Jophiel is a great leader in heaven who directs 53 legions of angels, and also that she is one of two archangels (the other is Zadkiel) who helps archangel Michael battle evil in the spiritual realm.

Jewish tradition says that Jophiel was the angel who guarded the Tree of Knowledge and cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden when they sinned in the Torah and the Bible, and now guards the Tree of Life with a flaming sword. Jewish tradition says that Jophiel supervises the Torah’s readings on Sabbath days.

Jophiel is not listed as one of the seven archangels in the Book of Enoch, but is listed as one in the Pseudo-Dionysius’s De Coelesti Hierarchia from the 5th century. This early work was an influence on Thomas Aquinas as he wrote about angels.

Jophiel appears in several other arcane texts, including the “Veritable Clavicles of Solomon,” “Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum,” early 17th-century grimoires, or textbooks of magic. Another mention is in the “Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses,” another magical text from the 18th century purported to be lost books of the Bible that has spells and incantations.

Other Religious Roles of Jophiel

Jophiel serves as the patron angel of artists and intellectuals because of her work bringing beautiful thoughts to people. She is also considered the patron angel of people hoping to discover more joy and laughter to lighten up their lives.

Jophiel has been associated with feng shui, and could be petitioned to help balance the energy of your home and create a beautiful home