Lexical Definition
מִישָׁאֵל Mîyshâʼêl (mee-shaw-ale') Mishael N:N-M-P
from מִי and אֵל with the abbreviated form insep. relatively (see אֲשֶׁר) interposed; who (is) what God (is) ?
Mishael.
- § Mishael = "who is what God is"
- Mishael, the name of three Israelites
1) the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Meshach; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king's table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord
2) a son of Uzziel and a cousin of Moses and Aaron
3) one of those who stood at the left hand of Ezra when he read the law to the people
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| וּמִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל | and Mishael | Neh.8.4 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.8.4
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Aramaic form: מִישָׁאֵל
מִישָׁאֵל proper name, masculine (Who is what God is ? Ass. form., compare ׃מְתוּשָׁאֵל note also in Thothmes' list of towns Bai-ti-š-°-ra, i.e probably בֵּיתְשָׁאֵל, Hebrew בֵּיתְאֵל WMMAs.Eur.193): —
1. a cousin of Moses Exod 6:22; Lev 10:4 (P).
2. one of Daniel's companions Dan 1:5; Dan 1:7; Dan 1:11; Dan 1:19 + Dan 2:17 (Aramaic), elsewhere in with 2-3 called מֵישַׁךְ (Dan 1:7).
3. Neh 8:4.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Exodus | 6:22 |
| Leviticus | 10:4 |
| Nehemiah | 8:4 |
| Daniel | 1:5 · 1:7 · 1:11 · 1:19 · 2:17 |
Profile
Male • Returned leader • A Levite who stood beside Ezra during the reading of the Law.
Man living at the time of Exile and Return
Mishael, a Levite, was one of those who stood beside Ezra as he read the Book of the Law to the people.
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.8.4;
- only referred to as Mishael מִישָׁאֵל.
Mishael was a Levite who lived during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. He is mentioned in Nehemiah 8:4 as one of the Levites who stood beside Ezra on a high wooden platform when Ezra read the Book of the Law to the assembled people of Israel. This significant event took place after the Israelites had returned from Babylonian exile and were reestablishing their community and religious practices in Jerusalem.
Mishael's presence alongside Ezra during this important public reading of the Law highlights his role as a Levite and his involvement in the religious life of the community. The Levites were responsible for assisting the priests and teaching the people about God's laws and commandments. By standing with Ezra, Mishael demonstrated his support for the restoration of the Torah as the central guide for the nation's life and faith.
All entries for Mishael: מִישָׁאֵל