Barachiel (also Barakiel, Baraqiel) is an archangel whose name means 'God's blessing' (Hebrew ברכיאל) or, in some traditions, 'lightning of God'. He is counted among the seven archangels in Byzantine and later Western angelology, often depicted holding roses or a staff, symbolizing the transmission of divine favor and the abundance of grace.

Position on the Tree of Life

Barachiel is assigned to Path 24 on the Tree of Life, which corresponds to the Hebrew letter Nun and the zodiac sign Scorpio. In the geomantic column of Liber 777, this path is the seat of Barachiel as the intelligence that governs the geomantic figure associated with that step. The path itself bridges the sephiroth Tiphareth and Netzach in the standard diagram, making Barachiel a mediating force between beauty and victory, or between the solar center and the sphere of Venus.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

While the geomantic intelligence column does not directly assign a planet to Barachiel, the path’s astrological sign (Scorpio) and its traditional planetary ruler (Mars, and in some schemes Pluto) color his character. In wider angelic lore, Barachiel is often linked to Jupiter—the planet of expansion and benevolence—due to his role as the angel of blessings. This Jupiterian association aligns with the geomantic figure’s function as a channel of favorable influence.

Historical context

Barachiel appears in the Book of Enoch (3 Enoch) as one of the angelic princes, though the spelling Baraqiel there means 'lightning of God' and refers to a Watcher. The archangel Barachiel emerges distinctly in Byzantine Christianity, where he is invoked as the angel of blessings and is one of the seven archangels who stand before the throne of God. In the grimoire tradition, particularly the Key of Solomon and the works of Agrippa, Barachiel is named among the angels of the planets and is called upon for operations seeking prosperity, protection, and the removal of obstacles. His presence in the geomantic table of Liber 777 reflects the Renaissance synthesis of angelic hierarchies with the divinatory system of geomancy, where each of the sixteen figures receives a specific intelligence to direct its influence.

In Liber 777, Barachiel appears as the Geomantic Intelligence for Path 24, providing a direct correspondence between the angelic name and the geomantic figure that occupies that step. This attribution allows the practitioner to invoke Barachiel when working with the specific geomantic figure, aligning the angel’s blessing nature with the divinatory outcome.