Daniel 1:7 kjv

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 Abednego.

Daniel 1:7 nkjv

To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

Daniel 1:7 niv

The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel 1:7 esv

And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

Daniel 1:7 nlt

The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.

Daniel 1 verses

Daniel 1 7 Meaning

Daniel chapter 1 verse 7 details the Babylonian official's action of renaming Daniel and his three companions: Daniel became Belteshazzar, Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael became Meshach, and Azariah became Abed-nego. This act signified an attempt by the conquering power to culturally and religiously assimilate these Judean exiles, erasing their Hebrew identity and severing their connection to their God, Yahweh, by assigning them names honorific of Babylonian deities. It was a strategic move to enforce their new allegiance to Babylon and its pantheon.

Daniel 1 7 Context

Daniel 1:7 is situated early in the book of Daniel, immediately following the description of the chosen young men from Judah, including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were brought to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar after the first deportation of Judah in 605 BC. They were selected for a three-year training program in Babylonian language, literature, and culture, destined to serve in the king's court. This verse marks the explicit attempt by the Babylonian authorities, specifically the prince of the eunuchs, to solidify the cultural conquest by assigning these Judean youths new names that reflected Babylonian deities and served to erase their Israelite identity and heritage, symbolically cutting ties to Yahweh and linking them to Babylon's gods. It sets the stage for the conflict between Israelite monotheistic faith and Babylonian polytheistic idolatry, a central theme throughout the book of Daniel.

Daniel 1 7 Word analysis

• "To whom the prince of the eunuchs"

  • prince of the eunuchs (שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים - sar ha-sarisim): This indicates a high-ranking official, a chief administrator within the royal court. Eunuchs often managed the royal harem, young men in training, and held positions of great trust and influence due to their perceived lack of external family allegiances. This figure holds considerable authority in the Babylonian palace.

• "gave names"

  • gave (וַיָּשֶׂם - vayyashēm from שׂוּם - sum): Implies an act of imposing or assigning authority. It highlights the forced nature of the name change, an act of asserting dominance.
  • names (שֵׁמוֹת - shemōt): In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a name was not merely an identifier; it often conveyed a person's character, identity, destiny, or even their association with a deity. Changing a name was a profound act, signifying ownership, change of status, or submission.

• "for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar;"

  • Daniel (דָּנִיֵּאל - Daniyyel): Hebrew for "God is my Judge" or "My Judge is God." This name explicitly testifies to Yahweh's sovereignty and role as divine arbiter.
  • Belteshazzar (בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר - Belt'sha'tzar): Likely means "Bel protect his life" or "Bel's prince." Bel (or Marduk) was the chief god of Babylon. The new name directly honored a pagan deity, creating a direct polemic against Daniel's original name and his devotion to Yahweh.

• "and to Hananiah, of Shadrach;"

  • Hananiah (חֲנַנְיָה - Hananyah): Hebrew for "The Lord has shown grace" or "Gracious is the Lord (Yahweh)." This name points to God's benevolent nature.
  • Shadrach (שַׁדְרַךְ - Shadrach): The exact meaning is debated but is widely believed to be connected to a Babylonian deity. Possible interpretations include "command of Akku" (a Sumerian moon god) or "royal scribe" possibly linked to Akku. The intention was to replace a Yahwistic name with a pagan or worldly one.

• "and to Mishael, of Meshach;"

  • Mishael (מִישָׁאֵל - Mishael): Hebrew for "Who is what God is?" or "Who is like God?" This is a rhetorical question that affirms the unparalleled nature of Yahweh.
  • Meshach (מֵישַׁךְ - Meshach): The meaning is also debated, possibly related to "Who is Akku?" or "He who belongs to the king." Again, the change redirects allegiance from Yahweh to a Babylonian context, either a deity or royal service.

• "and to Azariah, of Abed-nego."

  • Azariah (עֲזַרְיָה - Azaryah): Hebrew for "The Lord has helped" or "Yahweh is my help." This name highlights God's protective and sustaining power.
  • Abed-nego (עֲבֵד נְגוֹ - Abed-Nego): Meaning "Servant of Nabu" or "Servant of light." Nabu was the Babylonian god of writing, wisdom, and vegetation, son of Marduk. This name is a clear and direct statement of servitude to a pagan god, overtly opposing the concept of serving Yahweh.

Words-group analysis:

• "To whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names": This phrase emphasizes the external imposition of identity. It was not a choice for the Hebrew youths but an authoritative command designed to integrate them into Babylonian life and ideology by severing symbolic ties to their heritage and faith. This action underscores the power dynamics of conqueror over captive.
• "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": The listing of each original Hebrew name alongside its assigned Babylonian counterpart highlights the systematic and deliberate nature of this renaming process. Each new name explicitly contained a reference to a Babylonian deity, demonstrating a direct ideological and spiritual challenge to the Judeans' monotheistic faith and their covenant relationship with Yahweh. This renaming was a primary step in their intended acculturation.

Daniel 1 7 Bonus section

• The renaming act foreshadows the broader conflicts within Daniel, where adherence to Yahweh consistently confronts Babylonian (and later Persian and Greek) idolatry and imperial demands. Despite being renamed and immersed in pagan culture, Daniel and his friends consistently prove that their primary identity remains as servants of the Most High God, demonstrating that true spiritual identity transcends external labels.
• The fact that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are consistently referred to by both their Hebrew and Babylonian names throughout the book subtly highlights their dual experience: they lived physically in Babylon under Babylonian authority, but spiritually they remained firmly rooted in their Yahwistic faith, rejecting total assimilation.
• In God's providence, despite being given pagan names, Daniel himself retained influence, and his three friends eventually become known and glorified in Babylon because of their faithfulness to the God whose name their original names bore.

Daniel 1 7 Commentary

Daniel 1:7 is more than just a logistical detail; it represents the commencement of an intense spiritual and ideological battle for Daniel and his friends. Renaming was a standard practice for conquerors, signifying their dominion and attempting to psychologically and spiritually subdue the vanquished. By stripping them of their Hebrew names, which honored Yahweh, and replacing them with names that honored Babylonian gods, Nebuchadnezzar's regime sought to rebrand their identity, shifting their allegiance from the God of Israel to the deities of Babylon. This act was a strategic polemic against Yahwism, a direct challenge to the supremacy of the one true God. However, despite this aggressive attempt at assimilation and indoctrination, the book of Daniel consistently demonstrates that their true identity and allegiance remained steadfast in Yahweh, setting the stage for their future acts of faithfulness and God's vindication of their covenant relationship, demonstrating His sovereignty even in pagan lands. Their internal resolve against defilement (Daniel 1:8) and subsequent acts of courage showcase that while their external names were changed, their core identity in God was not.