Michael - "like god" - a question or not?
I read in the comments on the site, that the meaning of the name Michael isn't really a question but a statement in Hebrew. Since I have absolutely no knowledge of the language, maybe someone could explain this further? Can the name be understood in both ways or is only one possible?
Thanks in advance :)
Thanks in advance :)
Replies
MI is an interrogative particle in Hebrew, meaning "who?". It is not a (relative) pronoun. So, yes, the name MICHAEL is a question: "Who is like God?"
Pslm 113 gives you a pretty good idea of the original meaning:
Psalm 113:5-10 (New International Version)
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.
9 He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD.
So "Who is like the Lord?" is actually a rhetorical question, as the answer is obviously "no one." So in a way you could say, "Michael" is a statement: No one is like the Lord. But grammatically it is still a question.
Does this answer your question?
Pslm 113 gives you a pretty good idea of the original meaning:
Psalm 113:5-10 (New International Version)
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.
9 He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD.
So "Who is like the Lord?" is actually a rhetorical question, as the answer is obviously "no one." So in a way you could say, "Michael" is a statement: No one is like the Lord. But grammatically it is still a question.
Does this answer your question?
Yes! Thanks a lot for this detailed (and fast) answer. Very interesting. So "mi" means "who?", then "kha" means "to be like"?
CHA just means "like." The verb "to be" is usually omitted in Hebrew. "I am happy" simply is "I happy" in Hebrew.
The preposition CHA, by the way is "glued" to the following word. So "Who is like God" would be "mi cha'El" in Hebrew.
The preposition CHA, by the way is "glued" to the following word. So "Who is like God" would be "mi cha'El" in Hebrew.
ok, I see. You're very knowledgeable. Thank you :)