MISHAEL mĭsh’ ĭ əl (מִֽישָׁאֵ֥ל, who is what God is? or who is as God?) The name of three men in the OT. 1. A son of Uzziel, who was the brother of Amram, Moses’ father, and therefore Moses’ first cousin (Exod 6:22). He was one of those called by Moses to carry out the bodies of Nadab and Abihu after their sin and death (Lev 10:4).

2. One who stood at Ezra’s left hand as he read the law to Israel (Neh 8:4). Those who stood by Ezra, twelve in number, were either Levites or laymen. He is mentioned also in 1 Esdras 9:44.

3. The Jewish name of Meshach, one of Daniel’s three companions in Babylon (Dan 1:6, 7). With Daniel and the other two companions, he proved faithful to God (1:11, 19). Later he was cast into the fiery furnace with Shadrach and Abednego when he refused to worship the idol of the king (Dan 3), but God delivered them.