Levite living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness
Mishael, a Levite and cousin of Aaron, assisted in removing the bodies of Nadab and Abihu after they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord.
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Mishael was a Levite who lived during the time of Moses and the Exodus. He was the son of Uzziel, who was the brother of Amram, making Mishael a cousin of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel (Exo.6.22).
Mishael is most notably mentioned in Lev.10.4, where he and his brother Elzaphan were instructed by Moses to remove the bodies of their cousins, Nadab and Abihu, from the sanctuary. Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, had offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and were consequently consumed by fire from God. Mishael and Elzaphan carried the bodies outside the camp, as commanded by Moses, using their tunics to avoid direct contact with the deceased.
This event highlights Mishael's obedience and his role in maintaining the sanctity of the tabernacle. As a Levite, he was responsible for assisting the priests in their duties and ensuring that the worship of God was conducted according to the divine instructions given to Moses.
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2 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H4332
The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaronʼs uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.”
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.