H4317 H4317
Michael — 'Who is like God?'; a personal name borne by several men and Israel's patron angel
A theophoric name formed as a rhetorical question — 'Who is like God?' (מִי כָּאֵל) — borne by at least ten distinct individuals across Scripture. The name appears among tribal leaders (Num 13:13), Gadite chiefs (1 Chr 5:13–14), Levitical genealogies (1 Chr 6:40), Issacharite clans (1 Chr 7:3), Benjaminite families (1 Chr 8:16), Manassite warriors who rallied to David (1 Chr 12:20), and Davidic administrators (1 Chr 27:18; 2 Chr 21:2). A returnee with Ezra bears the name as well (Ezra 8:8). Most strikingly, Daniel introduces Michael as the great angelic 'prince' who stands guard over Israel in cosmic warfare (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1) — a role that reverberates into the New Testament (Jude 9; Rev 12:7).
Senses
1. Michael (personal name) — The masculine proper name Michael (מִיכָאֵל, 'Who is like God?'), designating multiple individuals: tribal and military figures (Num 13:13; 1 Chr 5:13–14; 7:3; 8:16; 12:20; 27:18), Levites (1 Chr 6:40), royals (2 Chr 21:2), a post-exilic returnee (Ezra 8:8), and supremely the archangelic 'prince' who champions Israel in Daniel's apocalyptic visions (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1). Cross-lingual glosses preserve the name with remarkable uniformity: eng/fra/deu 'Michael', spa 'Miguel/Micael'. 13×
AR["ميكائيل", "مِيخَائِيلَ", "مِيخَائِيلُ", "مِيكائِيل", "وَمِيخَائِيل", "وَمِيكَائِيلُ"]·ben["আর-মীখায়েল", "এবং-মীখায়েল", "ও-মীখায়েল", "মীখায়েল", "মীখায়েলের", "মীখায়েলের।"]·DE["Michael", "[מיכאל]", "und-Michael"]·EN["Michael", "Mikha'el", "Mikhael", "and-Mikhael"]·FR["Micaël", "Michael", "[מיכאל]", "et-Micaël"]·heb["ו-מיכאל", "מיכאל"]·HI["और-मीकाएल", "मीकाएल", "मीकाएल-का"]·ID["-Mikhael", "Dan-Mikhael", "Mikhael", "dan-Mikhael"]·IT["Micael", "Michael", "Michele", "e-Micael"]·jav["Mikaèl", "Mikhael", "Mikhaèl", "Mikhaél", "lan-Mikhaèl"]·KO["그-와-미가엘", "그리고-미가엘", "미가엘", "미가엘-의", "미가엘이"]·PT["E-Michael", "Micael", "Mikael", "Mikha'el", "Mikhael", "e-Michael", "e-Mikhael"]·RU["Михаил", "Михаила", "Михаэль", "Михаэля", "и-Михаил", "и-Михаэль"]·ES["Micael", "Miguel", "Mikhael", "Y-Micael", "y-Micael"]·SW["Mikaeli", "Na-Mikaeli", "na-Mikaeli", "wa-Mikaeli"]·TR["Mikael", "Mikael'in", "Mikaelin", "Ve-Mikael", "ve-Mikael"]·urd["اور-میکائیل", "میکائیل", "میکائیل-کا"]
Num 13:13, 1 Chr 5:13, 1 Chr 5:14, 1 Chr 6:40, 1 Chr 7:3, 1 Chr 8:16, 1 Chr 12:21, 1 Chr 27:18, 2 Chr 21:2, Ezra 8:8, Dan 10:13, Dan 10:21 (+1 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מִיכָאֵל † מִיכָאֵל n.pr.m. Michael, 𝔊 Μειχαηλ, Μιχαηλ (Who is like God? cf. מִיכָיָהוּ, and Assyrian proper names, as Mannu-kî-Rammân, ‘Who is like Rammân?’ Mannu-kî-ilu-rabû, ‘Who is like the great God?’ DlProl. 210; HWB 419; SchrCOT 478; cf. CookAramaic Gloss. 74):— 1. Nu 13:13 (P). 2. 1 Ch 5:13. 3. 5:14. 4. 6:25. 5. 7:3. 6. 8:16. 7. 12:21. 8. 27:18. 9. 2 Ch 21:2. 10. Ezr 8:8. 11. the ‘prince,’ or patron-angel, of Israel, Dn 10:13, 21; 12:1 (cf. Jude 9 Rev 12:7; LevyNHWB iii, 100).