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
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Dan.1.6 also called Meshach at Dan.1.7 2.49 3.12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 28, 29, 30
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 • Daniel's compatriot • A Jewish exile in Babylon, friend of Daniel.
Daniel's compatriot living at the time of Exile and Return
Mishael, also known as Meshach, was one of the four young Jewish men chosen to serve in Nebuchadnezzar's court and was a companion of Daniel during the Babylonian exile.
- Daniel's compatriot living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Dan.1.6;
- referred to as Mishael מִישָׁאֵל, or Mishael מִישָׁאֵל, or Meshach מֵישַׁךְ, or Meshach מֵישַׁךְ.
Mishael, better known by his Babylonian name Meshach, was one of the four young Jewish men chosen to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar's court during the Babylonian exile. He, along with Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), and Azariah (Abednego), were selected for their intelligence, knowledge, and appearance (Daniel 1:6-7).
Despite being given a Babylonian name and education, Mishael and his friends remained faithful to their Jewish beliefs. When faced with the king's decree to worship a golden statue, Mishael, Shadrach, and Abednego refused, even under the threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3). Their faith and trust in God were rewarded when they miraculously survived the furnace unharmed, leading Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the power of their God.
Throughout the book of Daniel, Mishael and his friends serve as examples of unwavering faith and loyalty to God in the face of adversity and pressure to conform to the surrounding culture. Their story encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith, no matter the circumstances.
All entries for Mishael or Meshach: מִישָׁאֵל ☩ מִישָׁאֵל ☩ מֵישַׁךְ ☩ מֵישַׁךְ