מִישָׁאֵל
𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤋
Mishael
H4332 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name meaning 'Who is what God is?' or 'Who is like God?' Used for three distinct individuals in the Hebrew Bible: (1) A relative of Aaron, son of Uzziel; (2) A Judahite exilic figure (also called Meshach, see notes); (3) A post-exilic Israelite who stood with Ezra. The name itself expresses a rhetorical question, implying the incomparability of God. As a theophoric name, it reflects the Israelite tradition of embedding divine references in personal names.
Semantic Range
personal name; rhetorical theological question expressing God's incomparability; theophoric name; used exclusively as a personal name for individuals in Israelite and post-exilic contexts
Root / Etymology
Formed from the interrogative pronoun מִי ('who?'), a relative element (possibly an abbreviated form of אֲשֶר 'who, which'), and אֵל ('God, divine being'). The structure mirrors other Hebrew theophoric names, combining a question or statement with a divine element. Root elements: מ-י-א-ל.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The use of מִישָׁאֵל as a personal name is consistent with the broader ancient Near Eastern and Israelite practice of forming names that articulate theological assertions or rhetorical questions, often involving the divine. The comparable names Michaiah (מִיכָיָהוּ) and Michael (מִיכָאֵל) also interrogate or compare God's uniqueness. The Babylonian name Meshach (מֵישַׁךְ) in the book of Daniel is traditionally understood as corresponding to Mishael, though the Hebrew texts distinguish between the Israelite and Babylonian names. English translations typically render all occurrences as 'Mishael,' which reflects the original Hebrew rather than later ethnic or religious identity labels. The name's meaning is not an assertion of equivalence but rather a declaration of God's incomparability. Later Hellenistic and Roman-era readers (Greek Μισαήλ) preserved the form with minimal alteration.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מִי and אֵל with the abbreviated form insep. relatively (see אֲשֶׁר) interposed; who (is) what God (is) ?; Mishael, the name of three Israelites; Mishael.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מיאל (m-y-ʾ-l) — who?, God, divine being, comparison, incomparability
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4333 | מִישָׁאֵל | Who is like God |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4332-01 |
מִֽישָׁאֵ֥ל | mishael | HNp |
Mishael | Who is like God? | 5 |
H4332-02 |
וּ/לְ/מִֽישָׁאֵ֣ל | ulemishael | HC/R/Np |
and to Mishael | and to Who-Is-Like-God | 1 |
H4332-03 |
וּ/מִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל | umishael | HC/Np |
and Mishael | and Who-Is-Like-God | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4332-01 |
Exodus 6:22 | מִֽישָׁאֵ֥ל | mishael | HNp |
Mishael | Who is like God? |
H4332-01 |
Leviticus 10:4 | מִֽישָׁאֵל֙ | mishael | HNp |
Mishael | Who is like God? |
H4332-01 |
Daniel 1:6 | מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל | mishael | HNp |
Mishael | Who is like God? |
H4332-02 |
Daniel 1:7 | וּ/לְ/מִֽישָׁאֵ֣ל | ulemishael | HC/R/Np |
and to Mishael | and to Who-Is-Like-God |
H4332-01 |
Daniel 1:11 | מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל | mishael | HNp |
Mishael | Who is like God? |
H4332-01 |
Daniel 1:19 | מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל | mishael | HNp |
Mishael | Who is like God? |
H4332-03 |
Nehemiah 8:4 | וּ/מִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל | umishael | HC/Np |
and Mishael | and Who-Is-Like-God |