Boy Old Testament Known
Mishael
who is asked for or lent
מִישָׁאֵל mi.sha.el
Mishael (Hebrew: מִישָׁאֵל, mi.sha.el) means “who is asked for or lent”, by traditional interpretation. Three men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a foreigner. In 2025 it was given to 25 children in the United States. Use is rising. Appears with Anaiah in Nehemiah 8.
Which Mishael?
Three men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Mishael
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Mishael
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Mishael
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 21 across 4 books
- Bearers
- 3 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Exile
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 25 | Rising |
| All-time total | 647 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 25 in 2025 | Its highest year on record |
| Ten-year trend | +131% | Change in share of births |
| Strongest state | FL | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Exodus 6:22 |
| Last appears | Daniel 3:30 |
| Cross-references | 395 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Hananiah co-occurrence Appears with Hananiah in Daniel 3.
- Azariah co-occurrence Appears with Azariah in Daniel 3.
- Maaseiah co-occurrence Appears with Maaseiah in Nehemiah 8.
- Hashbaddanah co-occurrence Appears with Hashbaddanah in Nehemiah 8.
- Hashum co-occurrence Appears with Hashum in Nehemiah 8.
- Malchijah co-occurrence Appears with Malchijah in Nehemiah 8.
- Hilkiah co-occurrence Appears with Hilkiah in Nehemiah 8.
- Mattithiah co-occurrence Appears with Mattithiah in Nehemiah 8.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Dan.1.6; also called Meshach at Dan.1.7; 2.49; 3.12,13,14,16,19,20,22,23,26,28,29,30;
§ Mishael = "who is what God is"
1) the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Meshach; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king's table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord
2) a son of Uzziel and a cousin of Moses and Aaron
3) one of those who stood at the left hand of Ezra when he read the law to the people
Mishael, also known as Meshach, was one of the four young Jewish men chosen to serve in Nebuchadnezzar's court and was a companion of Daniel during the Babylonian exile.
The biblical story
Mishael, better known by his Babylonian name Meshach, was one of the four young Jewish men chosen to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar's court during the Babylonian exile. He, along with Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), and Azariah (Abednego), were selected for their intelligence, knowledge, and appearance (Dan.1.6-7).
Despite being given a Babylonian name and education, Mishael and his friends remained faithful to their Jewish beliefs. When faced with the king's decree to worship a golden statue, Mishael, Shadrach, and Abednego refused, even under the threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3). Their faith and trust in God were rewarded when they miraculously survived the furnace unharmed, leading Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the power of their God.
Throughout the book of Daniel, Mishael and his friends serve as examples of unwavering faith and loyalty to God in the face of adversity and pressure to conform to the surrounding culture. Their story encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith, no matter the circumstances.
Key verses
Mishael appears in 18 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Daniel 1:6 -
Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed–nego.
Daniel 1:7 -
Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Daniel 1:11 -
And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
Daniel 1:19 -
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
Daniel 2:17
Show all 18 references
Daniel (18)
- Daniel 1:6
- Daniel 1:7
- Daniel 1:11
- Daniel 1:19
- Daniel 2:17
- Daniel 2:49
- Daniel 3:12
- Daniel 3:13
- Daniel 3:14
- Daniel 3:16
- Daniel 3:19
- Daniel 3:20
- Daniel 3:22
- Daniel 3:23
- Daniel 3:26
- Daniel 3:28
- Daniel 3:29
- Daniel 3:30