H4333 H4333
Mishael, a personal name meaning 'who is what God is?' (rhetorical question asserting God's uniqueness)
This Aramaic form of the Hebrew name Mishael appears in Daniel 2:17, referring to one of Daniel's three companions in Babylonian exile. The name is a theological question: 'Who is what God is?'—expecting the answer 'no one.' This is the same Mishael who was given the Babylonian name Meshach (Daniel 1:7). The Daniel 2 context shows him joining Daniel in prayer before the revelation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, demonstrating the faithful remnant who maintained Hebrew names and Hebrew faith even in captivity.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A personal name (Aramaic form of Hebrew מִישָׁאֵל) borne by one of Daniel's three companions, appearing in Daniel 2:17. The name is a rhetorical question meaning 'who is what God (El) is?'—affirming divine incomparability. This is the man later called by his Babylonian name Meshach. The occurrence in Daniel 2:17 shows him as part of Daniel's prayer circle, seeking divine wisdom when all Babylon's wise men faced execution. The Aramaic form of his name in this Aramaic chapter underscores the linguistic context of exile. 1×
AR["مِيشَائِيلَ"]·ben["মীশায়েল"]·DE["[מישאל]"]·EN["Misha'el"]·FR["Mischaël"]·heb["מישאל"]·HI["मीशाएल"]·ID["Misael"]·IT["Misael"]·jav["Misael"]·KO["미사엘"]·PT["Mishael"]·RU["Мишаэлю"]·ES["Mishael"]·SW["Mishaeli"]·TR["Mişael"]·urd["میشائیل"]
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
† מִישָׁאֵל n.pr.m. (= BH id., 2, sub מִי);—Dn 2:17.