Hebrew word · H4317

מִיכָאֵל

mikha'el

Michael

A personal name, 'Who is like God (El)?', a question that expects the answer 'no one'. Several humans in the Old Testament carry it (e.g., Num 13:13; 1 Chr 5:13). In Daniel it names a heavenly being.

Appears 13 times in 13 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Dan.10.13

Also named: Michaēl (Μιχαήλ "Michael" G3413)

§ Michael = "who is like God"

1) one of, the chief, or the first archangel who is described as the one who stands in time of conflict for the children of Israel

2) an Asherite, father of Sethur, one of the 12 spies of Israel

3) one of the Gadites who settled in the land of Bashan

4) another Gadite, ancestor of Abihail

5) a Gershonite Levite, ancestor of Asaph

6) one of the 5 sons of Izrahiah of the tribe of Issachar

7) a Benjamite of the sons of Beriah

8) one of the captains from Manasseh who joined David at Ziklag

9) father or ancestor of Omri, chief of the tribe of Issachar in the reign of David

10) one of the sons of Jehoshaphat who were murdered by their elder brother, Jehoram

11) father or ancestor of Zebadiah, of the sons of Shephatiah

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Daniel 10:21

Range of meaning

A personal name, 'Who is like God (El)?', a question that expects the answer 'no one'. Several humans in the Old Testament carry it (e.g., Num 13:13; 1 Chr 5:13). In Daniel it names a heavenly being.

Against the English

English versions agree on the name. Some later traditions call him 'the archangel Michael', but Daniel never uses that title. Daniel calls him 'one of the chief princes' (10:13) and 'the great prince' (12:1).

How it drifted

The title 'archangel' and fixed lists of named angels come later: 1 Enoch 20, the Qumran War Scroll (1QM 9:15–16; 17:6–7), Jude 9 and Revelation 12:7. Readers often bring these back into Daniel.

Used elsewhere in the period

Daniel 10–12 is the first time the Hebrew Bible names Michael as a heavenly figure. In the War Scroll God sends help through 'the angel of his might' and raises 'the dominion of Michael' among the angels. In 1 Enoch he is one of the holy angels set over the people (1 En. 20:5).

From the study of Daniel 10:13

Range of meaning

A personal name meaning "Who is like El (God)?" It is also borne by several ordinary men in the Hebrew Bible (Num 13:13; 1 Chr 5:13 and others). In Daniel (10:13, 21; 12:1) it names a heavenly prince, Israel's protector.

Against the English

English keeps the name but loses its meaning. To a Hebrew ear it is a question, echoing the Song of the Sea: "Who is like you among the gods, O LORD?" (Exod 15:11).

Used elsewhere in the period

Michael becomes prominent in Second Temple literature: 1 Enoch 9–10 and 20:5 (where he is set over "the best part of humankind," i.e. Israel), the War Scroll (1QM 9:15–16; 17:6–7), later Jude 9 ("the archangel Michael") and Revelation 12:7 (Michael and his angels fight the dragon). Daniel is the earliest text to name him as an angel.

From the study of Daniel 12:1

Range of meaning

A personal name meaning 'Who is like God?' (mi, 'who' + kha, 'like' + el, 'God'). Several ordinary Israelites bear it in the Bible, but in Daniel it belongs to a heavenly being.

Against the English

English versions transliterate the name and lose its meaning, which is a question.

Used elsewhere in the period

Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1 are the only biblical uses of the name for an angel. Later: 1 Enoch 9:1 and 20:5; the War Scroll (1QM 9:15–16; 17:6–7); Jude 9 ('the archangel'); Revelation 12:7.

Where it appears

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 13:13 מִיכָאֵֽל׃ Michael

    from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

1 Chronicles · 7

  1. 1 Chronicles 5:13 מִֽיכָאֵ֡ל Michael

    Their kinsmen by families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.

  2. 1 Chronicles 5:14 מִיכָאֵ֛ל Michael

    These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.

  3. 1 Chronicles 6:40 מִיכָאֵ֥ל Michael

    the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah,

  4. 1 Chronicles 7:3 מִֽיכָאֵ֡ל Michael

    The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs.

  5. 1 Chronicles 8:16 וּמִיכָאֵ֧ל and Michael

    Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

  6. 1 Chronicles 12:20 וּמִיכָאֵ֣ל and Michael

    When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

  7. 1 Chronicles 27:18 מִיכָאֵֽל׃ ס Michael

    over Judah was Elihu, one of David’s brothers; over Issachar was Omri son of Michael;

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 21:2 וּמִיכָאֵ֖ל and Michael

    Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; these were all sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 8:8 מִֽיכָאֵ֑ל Michael

    from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

Daniel · 3

  1. Daniel 10:13 מִֽיכָאֵ֗ל Michael

    However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

    Here: The name is a question with an implied "No one!" It is one of only two angel names in the Hebrew Bible, both found in Daniel (the other is Gabriel). In 10:21 and 12:1 he is Israel's own prince.

  2. Daniel 10:21 מִיכָאֵ֖ל Michael

    But first I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. Yet no one has the courage to support me against these, except Michael your prince.

    Here: The name means 'Who is like God?', a question expecting the answer 'no one'. Here it names the heavenly figure who has already been called 'one of the chief princes' (10:13).

  3. Daniel 12:1 מִֽיכָאֵ֜ל Michael

    “At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

    Here: The name means 'Who is like God?' Daniel has already introduced him as 'one of the chief princes' (10:13) and 'your prince' (10:21). He is the heavenly champion of Israel.

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