Daniel's compatriot living at the time of Exile and Return
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.
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Also known as Meshach
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.
Part of: Last kings of Judah and the prophets of the exile
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were taken together, renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and supported each other in refusing the king's food and (for the three) the golden image. Daniel asked his friends to pray about the dream.
Sources: Dan 1:6-7 · Dan 2:17-18 · Dan 3:12-28
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18 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H4332
Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the kingʼs service.
Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
And at Danielʼs request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the kingʼs court.
But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual,
and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace.
The kingʼs command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the kingʼs command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.”
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
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.