Greek word · G3413

Μιχαήλ

michaēl

Michael

A Hebrew name, Mîkhā'ēl, 'Who is like God?', worded as a question. In Daniel he is 'one of the chief princes' (10:13), 'your prince' (10:21) and 'the great prince who stands over your people' (12:1), meaning the angelic guardian of Israel. Jude 9 calls him 'the archangel'.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament.

What it means

Μιχαήλ, ὁ indecl. (Heb. מִיכָאֵל, who like God?),

Michael, the Archangel (cf. Daniel 12:1) : Jude 1:9, Revelation 12:7.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Revelation 12:7

Range of meaning

A Hebrew name, Mîkhā'ēl, 'Who is like God?', worded as a question. In Daniel he is 'one of the chief princes' (10:13), 'your prince' (10:21) and 'the great prince who stands over your people' (12:1), meaning the angelic guardian of Israel. Jude 9 calls him 'the archangel'.

Against the English

English versions just print 'Michael'. What gets lost is the question in his name. That question answers the dragon's claim to power, and the beast's worshippers echo it in 13:4: 'Who is like the beast?'

Used elsewhere in the period

Daniel 10–12. 1 Enoch 20:5 makes him the angel set over God's people, and 1 Enoch 9–10 has him among the angels who carry out judgment on the rebel Watchers. In the War Scroll (1QM 9:15–16; 17:6–8), God raises up 'the dominion of Michael' among the heavenly beings at the final battle. In the Testament of Daniel 6:2 he is the one who pleads for Israel. Jude 9 has him disputing with the devil over Moses' body.

Where it appears

Jude · 1

  1. Jude 1:9 Μιχαὴλ Michael

    But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

    Here: The Hebrew name Mîkā'ēl, 'Who is like God?' In Daniel he is Israel's great angelic prince. The name is fitting here: the mightiest of angels refuses to act as if he were God, the Judge.

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 12:7 Μιχαὴλ Michael

    Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

    Here: From the Hebrew Mîkhā'ēl, 'Who is like God?' He is the angelic 'great prince' who stands over God's people in Daniel 12:1, and here he leads heaven's army.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.