Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

"Mishael" redirects here. Mishael is also the name of a minor Biblical figure.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by Simeon Solomon, 1863.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are characters in the biblical Hebrew book of Daniel Chapters 1 – 3, known for their exclusive devotion to God. In particular, they are known for being saved by divine intervention from the Babylonian execution of being burned alive in a fiery furnace. They were three young Jews, of royal or noble birth from the Kingdom of Judah, who, along with Daniel, were inducted into Babylon when Jerusalem was occupied by the Babylonians in 606/605 BCE, under the campaign of Nebuchadnezzar II, during the first deportation of the Israelites.^[1]

Etymologies

Their Hebraic names were Hananiah (חֲנַנְיָה), Mishael (מִישָׁאֵל) and Azariah (עֲזַרְיָה). It was probably by the King’s decree that Chief Official Ashpenaz assigned Chaldean names, so that Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael became Meshach and Azariah became Abednego.^[Dan.1:3,7]

In view of the possible foreign religious connotations attached to their names, commentators have questioned why the Bible seldom uses their original Hebrew names. It is speculated that they are identified mostly by their Chaldean names to maintain the accuracy of the dialogue given in the text. Since it would have been confusing to have the writer call them one thing and the King call them another, the story primarily uses their Chaldean names instead.

Hebrew etymologies

Hananiah is a Hebrew name that means "God who is gracious". Misha'el means "Who is like God?” and it also means "to feed" or "to provide" as in how a husband provides for his family. The Hebrew name Azariah appropriately means "God has helped".

Chapters of the Book of Daniel
1: Induction into Babylon 2: Nebuchadnezzar's dream of an image 3: The fiery furnace 4: The madness of Nebuchadnezzar 5: Belshazzar's feast 6: Daniel in the lions' den 7: Daniel's first vision 8: Vision of the ram and goat 9: Prophecy of Seventy Weeks 10: Vision of a man 11: Kings of the North and South 12: Epilogue
edit] Chaldean etymologies It has been asserted that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's names all pertained to pagan Babylonian gods. Shadrach possibly is derived from Shudur Aku "Command of the moon god".[2] Meshach is probably a variation of Mi•sha•aku "Who is what Aku is?", an interesting twist from the Hebrew name Mishael “Who is like Yahweh?” Abednego is either a corrupted or deliberate use of Abednebo, "servant of Nebo/Nabu," or Abednergo, a variation of Abednergal, "servant of the god Nergal." [3] Abednego, (Hebrew עֲבֵד־נְגוֹ, Standard Hebrew ʿAved-nəgo, Tiberian Hebrew ʿĂḇēḏ-nəḡô) Induction into Babylon In Daniel (Daniy'el) Chapter 1, King Nebuchadnezzar wanted select men from Judah to learn the language and literature of Babylon. This would be a three-year training course to qualify those select to serve in the King’s Palace. Those chosen were to partake of Babylonian royal food and wine. [v.3-5] Among these men of Judah were Daniel (Belteshazzar), Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. [v.6, 7] Because Daniel did not want to defile himself with the King’s food, he requested from his appointed guard to provide them vegetables and water for ten days. After the ten day trial, the four appeared better nourished and healthier than all the others who partook of the royal food. Thus they were awarded the freedom to regularly have vegetables and water. [v.8-16] Upon the King’s review, he also found them to be “ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm”. [v.20] Daniel spoke highly of the three to the King whenever opportunity afforded itself, so that they could also have honorable positions in the Province of Babylon.[Dan.2:48,49] Daniel 3 In Daniel Chapter 3, the narrative of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego describes how they were sent into a blazing fiery furnace because of their stand to exclusively serve their God alone. By God’s angel, they were delivered out of harm’s way from this order of execution by the King of Babylon. Golden image During the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II, of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar had a nine-story high statue, made of gold,[4] stand erect in the Plain of Dura[v.1] (The region around present day Karbala, Iraq).[5] The statue was either an image of himself or possibly of the Babylonian god of wisdom, known as Nabu.[6] When the project was complete, he prepared a dedication ceremony to this image ordering all surrounding inhabitants to bow down and worship it. The consequence for not worshiping the idol, upon hearing the cue of instruments, was execution in a fiery furnace.[v.2-9] Late 3rd century/early 4th century Christians depicted the fiery furnace in the Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome Fiery furnace During the dedication ceremony of the golden image, certain officials noticed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego not bowing down to the idol. Thus, Nebuchadnezzar was immediately notified.[v.10-12] The King was enraged and demanded that these three men come before him.[v.13] Nebuchadnezzar knew of these very men, because it wasn’t too long ago when Daniel had petitioned the King to assign Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon.[Daniel 2: 48, 49] Daniel was also very special to the King because he was able to interpret his dreams unlike any of the Chaldean wise men.[Daniel 2: 24, 25] So it is of no surprise that the King would offer one more chance for these three Jews, who held honorable positions to the King, to show their patriotism to Babylon.[v.14, 15] Their response: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."[v.16-18] Nebuchadnezzar demanded that the execution furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Valiant soldiers of the King’s army were ordered to firmly bind the fully clothed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and cast them in the blazing furnace. Upon approaching the mouth of the furnace, the fire was so hot that the soldiers perished while attempting to throw in the three tightly bound Jews (who then fell in).[v.19-23] Burning in the form of execution was a typical practice of Babylonian rulers. According to Jeremiah 29:22, Nebuchadnezzar burned to death two men named Zedekiah and Ahab. Burning as a penalty for certain crimes appears twice in the Code of Hammurabi, the system of law set forth by the Babylonian king in the eighteenth century BC. Another early Babylonian monarch, Rim-Sin, also executed death by burning as a form of punishment. [7] Deliverance An angel of God immediately came to deliver the three men from the furnace releasing them from their ties. When the King saw what appeared to be four men in the furnace, unbound and walking about, he called to them to come out. King Nebuchadnezzar then acknowledged the power of their God, even going as far as to make a decree, whereby any nation who says anything against the God of the Jews is an act of war. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were then given promotions to their positions over the province of Babylon.[v.24-30] One interpretation of identifying the fourth man in the furnace, is that of the Christ. The pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar recognized that the being in the fire was divine. There are inscriptions found in excavations of ancient Ugarit (Ras Shamra, on the coast of Syria, that use the expression “a son of the gods”. Nebuchadnezzar’s use of this phrase, in his pagan understanding, does not rule out that the being in the furnace was the pre-incarnate Christ. [8][9] Prayer of Azariah In the "Prayer of Azariah", an apocryphal passage of the Septuagint, Azariah (Abednego) confesses their sins and the sins of Israel, and asks their God to save them in order to demonstrate God’s power to the Babylonians. It is followed by an account of an angel who came to make the inside of the furnace feel like a cool breeze over dew. An extended hymn of praise to their God for deliverance is found in the "Song of the Three Young Men". The "fiery furnace" part of the Russian Christmas liturgy, as painted by Nicholas Roerich. Eastern Orthodox observance The song of the three youths is alluded to in odes seven and eight of the canon, a hymn sung in the matins service and on other occasions in the Eastern Orthodox Church, where their feast day is December 17 (along with Daniel). The Orthodox also commemorate them on the two Sundays before the Nativity of Christ. The reading of the story of the fiery furnace, including the song, is prescribed for the vesperal Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Orthodox on Holy Saturday. Likewise, the three are commemorated as prophets in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on December 17 with Daniel. Hat Honour In 17th century England, Quakers used the Bible Story of the Fiery Furnace to justify their campaign against the deference required by the judiciary, which they called "Hat Honour". George Fox: Journal, 1656: When we were brought into the court, we stood a while with our hats on, and all was quiet. I was moved to say, "Peace be amongst you." Judge Glynne, a Welshman, then Chief-Justice of England, said to the jailer, "What be these you have brought here into the court?" "Prisoners, my lord," said he. "Why do you not put off your hats?" said the Judge to us. We said nothing. "Put off your hats," said the Judge again. Still we said nothing. Then said the Judge, "The Court commands you to put off your hats." Then I spoke, and said, "Where did ever any magistrate, king, or judge, from Moses to Daniel, command any to put off their hats, when they came before him in his court, either amongst the Jews, the people of God, or amongst the heathen? and if the law of England doth command any such thing, show me that law either written or printed." Then the Judge grew very angry, and said, "I do not carry my law-books on my back." "But," said I, "tell me where it is printed in any statute-book, that I may read it." Then said the Judge, "Take him away, prevaricator! I'll ferk him." So they took us away, and put us among the thieves. Presently after he called to the jailer, "Bring them up again." "Come," said he, "where had they hats, from Moses to Daniel; come, answer me: I have you fast now." I replied, "Thou mayest read in the third of Daniel, that the three children were cast into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar's command, with their coats, their hose, and their hats on." This plain instance stopped him: so that, not having anything else to say to the point, he cried again, "Take them away, jailer."[10] The Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace. The fourth is sometimes interpreted as being the Archangel Michael (15th century icon of the Novgorod school). Influences Culture Sir Charles Laughton's recounting of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was a well-known recording in the 1950s. Martin Luther King Jr. references them in his Letter from Birmingham Jail: "It was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake." The 1955 electronic work Gesang der Jünglinge by Karlheinz Stockhausen takes its title and some words from the story. The Australian town of Bendigo is said to be a corruption of Abednego. Grant Burge Winery in Australia has three Icon wines: Meshach Shiraz, Shadrach Cabernet Sauvignon, Abednego Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre Performances The Burning Fiery Furnace is one of the three Parables for Church Performances composed by Benjamin Britten, dating from 1966, and is his Opus 77. In the musical, "Guys and Dolls," Sky Masterson claims that he once won a parlay bet on the names Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, thus demonstrating his knowledge of the Bible. A Christian children's musical called It's Cool in the Furnace was written by Buryl Red And Grace Hawthorne in 1972. The musical follows Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to Babylon, where they are thrown into a burning hot furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar when they refuse to bow down to the king instead of their God. However, their faith in God allows them survive the furnace, and they emerge unscathed, only to see the king make a decree that there is only one true God. In Tyler Perry plays, his Madea character jokingly says "Shadrach, Meshach, and a Billy Goat." Music In 1989 the Beastie Boys created a sample-heavy album entitled Paul's Boutique. The song "Shadrach" sampled the song "Loose Booty" by Sly and the Family Stone and interpolated the chant from the song also. While left to some interpretation, the refrain from the song "Shadrach" appears to compare the three members of the band to that of the invincible Shadrach (Adrock), Meshach (Mike D), and Abednego (MCA): "We're just 3 M.C.'s and we're on the go Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" The story of the fiery furnace is chronicled in the Johnny Cash song named The Fourth Man in the Fire, appearing on the albums The Holy Land and Unearthed. An indie rock band called The Fiery Furnaces has released several albums. Quote: "She's hotter than Meshach, Shadrach and Abendego..." - "The Infamous Date Rape" from A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory album. The 1930s song "Shadrack" written by Robert MacGimsey. The Washington D.C.-based indie rock/pop band, Exit Clov, has a song titled "For Abednego" on their Starfish EP. There are numerous references in reggae music, e.g. The Viceroys' song "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo", the Twinkle Brothers' "Never Get Burn", the Abyssinians "Abendigo",[11] Bob Marley & the Wailers' "Survival" and Steel Pulse's song "Blazing Fire" on the album "African Holocaust". In the song Meshach by the ApologetiX. The Golden Gate Quartet sang a Robert MacGimsey spiritual, "Shadrack" which retells this tale. The 1974 song "Loose Booty" by Sly and the Family Stone contains a chant of "Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego." Louis Prima also recorded the Robert MacGimsey song about the three called "Shadrack." The Neville Brothers' cover of "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" includes the chant in an apparent reference to the Sly and the Family Stone track. "Million Voices" song by Wyclef Jean about the Rwandan genocide mentions the three by name The band Om makes reference to the three in the song "Meditation is the Practice of Death," on Al's 7th album, God is Good. The Christian hip hop group PID rapped about select stories from the book of Daniel, including the fiery furnace, in their song "Don't Bow", from their 1988 debut album, "Here We Are." [12] Shane Barnard & Shane Everett sing in their song, "Burn Us Up" that "There were three before the king / There were three who wouldn't bow to him." This track can be found in their 2007 album, "Pages." There is a reference to the fiery furnace in Bob Dylan's song "Jokerman", in his album "Infidels" The Asylum Street Spankers have a song about the three on their album "God's Favorite Band." The Canadian rapper Shad has a track titled "A Good Name" which discusses Shadrach and how he was named after him. Playa sings in "Gospel Interlude", "Stepped in a furnace/ a long time ago/ Shadrach and Meschach/ and Abednego." The track appears on their 1998 album, Cheers 2 U. Literature Author William T. Vollmann presents an idiosyncratic take on this tale to express the color orange in the short story "Scintillant Orange" in his collection The Rainbow Stories. In the October 1998 issue of Scientific American magazine, Carolyn P. Meiner wrote a story, "How Hackers Break In... and How They Are Caught", about a hacker who used the alias "Abednego". In Toni Morrison's Sula there is a character named Shadrack who is interpreted as a prophet. The author Robert Silverberg wrote a Science Fiction novel named Shadrach in the Furnace. In Andrew Marvell's poem 'Last Instructions to a Painter', he alludes to the story at line 648 in reference to the three ships destroyed in the Battle on the Medway. Of the cremation of Shelley.... "The fire was so fierce as to produce a white heat on the iron, and to reduce its contents to grey ashes. The only portions that were not consumed were some fragments of bones, the jaw and the skull, but what surprised us all was that the heart remained entire. In snatching this relic from the fiery furnace my hand was severely burnt; and had anyone seen me do the act I should have been put in quarantine." Recollections of the Last Days of Shelley and Byron, by Trelawny. "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville (chapter 98), describes how the whale's spermaceti, oil and bone will "pass unscathed through the fire" as did the trio Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In the sequel to Mister Roberts, Ensign Pulver, one of the characters tries some islander moonshine and after cringing responds, "Shadrach, Meshak, and ABED WE GO." The alternate spelling Shadrack is present in the Toni Morrison novel Sula; the character endures hardships at war and returns to his town mentally ravaged. Abednego appears as a slave in the Zakes Mda novel, Cion. Shadrach is also referenced in To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. In chapter 12, Scout and Jem get in trouble at church because they told Eunice Ann Simpson that they wanted to play the game "Shadrach". Jem told her that if she had enough faith, she wouldn't get burnt, and the kids proceeded to tie her to a chair and place her in the furnace room. They forgot she was there and went upstairs for Church, until banging came from the radiator pipes during the service. After investigating, they found Eunice in the furnace room. The three are mentioned at least twice in the works of P.G. Wodehouse, once in A Damsel in Distress (novel) and once in Joy in the Morning (1946 novel). In the latter, narrator Bertie Wooster has been watching his cottage burn down and comments "Wee Nooke was burning lower now, but its interior was still something which only Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego could have entered with any genuine enjoyment." It is referenced in Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, chapter LIII: "From six that morning till past noon the huge wood fire in the kitchen roared and sparkled at its highest, the kettle, the saucepan, and the three-legged pot appearing in the midst of the flames like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." Two of the tracts written by Jack Chick, "Burn Baby Burn" and "Real Heat", claim that Jesus Christ came in his godly form to save Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the furnace (rather than an angel who did), although King Nebuchadnezzar lived way before the birth of Christ, and the term "son of God" in the Christian Old Testament usually refers to angels/heavenly beings associated with God, not Jesus. Film "Shadrack Meshack Abednigo" is the title of a seminal snowboard film, produced by AdventureScope Films in 1994 and marketed with the slogan "Nothing will burn them. Nothing will alter their faith." (The U.S. distributor of the VHS cassette was aptly and coincidentally named "Furnace"). In the Lonesome Dove Saga (Dead Man's Walk) Harry Dean Stanton plays a mountain man character named Shadrach. Television Shadrach Dingle is a character in UK soap Emmerdale. The VeggieTales episode "Rack, Shack, and Benny" tells a version of the biblical Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber, and Junior Asparagus, respectively, playing the title roles of Rack, Shack, and Benny. In the episode, the three are working in a chocolate factory for Nebby K. Nezzer who praises the chocolate bunnies that he makes more than God. However Mr. Nezzer goes too far with his obsession when he orders his employees, including Rack, Shack, and Benny, to worship a giant bunny statue. In the second season premier of The Dead Zone, a kidnapper, hoping to draw the attention of the main character, writes the three names on a wall. In the mockumentary series "Trailer Park Boys" episode "The Bible Pimp" a salesman makes an incorrect references to the three as locations. See also List of Hebrew Bible events The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children, an apocryphal text The Burning Fiery Furnace, a performance Wikisource has original 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary text related to: Shadrach Wikisource has original 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary text related to: Meshach Wikisource has original 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary text related to: Abednego References ^ Barker, Kenneth (Editor); Donald Burdick, John H. Stek, Walter Wessel, & Ronald F. Youngblood (1995). The NIV Study Bible 10th Anniversary Edition. The Book of Daniel: Zondervan Publishing House. pp. 1291–1295.  ^ JewishEncyclopedia.com, "Shadrach" ^ Easton's Bible Dictionary, "Abednego." ^ Apologetics Study Bible-HCSB, commentary on p. 1273 (3-1): “Ancient rulers commonly constructed large statues, such as the Great Sphinx in Egypt, and the statue of Bel (Marduk), a solid gold statue that stood 18 feet high in Babylon.” ^ Compare Old Testament Map #5. Plain of Dura with Map of Karbala, Iraq ^ The Zondervan Corporation (2005). Archaeological Study Bible. The Book of Daniel (under the archaeological commentary): The Zondervan Corporation. p. 1389.  ^ Apologetics Study Bible-HCSB, B&H Publishing Group, 2007, (ISBN 1586404466, 9781586404468), p. 1274 (3-6) ^ Apologetics Study Bible-HCSB, 2007, p. 1275 (3-25) ^ Compare: Genesis 18:1-10 ^ George Fox: Journal, 1656 ^ Track 5, side 1 on the album Satta Massagana, released by The Abyssinians in 1976 on Penetrate Label. ^ http://posafebeats.blogspot.com/2009/07/sunday-supper-pid-here-we-are-1988-lp.html External links Bible Stories for Kids – The Fiery Furnace, modern Christian telling of the story for children Biblical Art on the WWW, illustrations of the story Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya – The Fiery Furnace. From Talks and Tales by Nissan Mindel at Chabad.org Lessons on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Teaching the Story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. October 1998 Scientific American Magazine Map 9: The World of the Old Testament, See #5. Plain of Dura The height of the golden image, (60 Cubits = 90 feet; 90 ft. = 9 stories) Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР It's Not Over Lubień Kujawski Look at other dictionaries: Shadrach — or Shadrack may refer to:Media* Shadrack (Robert MacGimsey song), a popular song written in the 1930s by Robert MacGimsey * Shadrach (song), a 1989 single by the Beastie Boys * Shadrach (film), a 1998 movie * Shadrach in the Furnace , a novel by… …   Wikipedia Shadrach (song) — Infobox Single | Name = Shadrach Artist = Beastie Boys Album = Paul s Boutique Released = October 30, 1989 Genre = Hip hop Length = 4:07 Writer = MCA Adrock Mike D Label = Capitol Records Producer = Beastie Boys Dust Brothers Mario Caldato Jr.… …   Wikipedia Abednego — noun One of the captives in the Bible that came out of the fiery furnace unharmed. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace …   Wiktionary Meshach — noun One of the captives in the Bible that came out of the fiery furnace unharmed. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace …   Wiktionary Shadrach — /shad rak, shay drak/, n. a companion of Daniel who, with Meshach and Abednego, was thrown into the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar and came out unharmed. Dan. 3:12 30. * * * …   Universalium Shadrach — Shad•rach [[t]ˈʃæd ræk, ˈʃeɪ dræk[/t]] n. bib a companion of Daniel who, with Meshach and Abednego, was thrown into the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar and came out unharmed. Dan. 3:12–30 …   From formal English to slang Rack, Shack, and Benny — Infobox Film name = Rack, Shack, and Benny caption = DVD cover writer = Phil Vischer director = Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki (silly song) distributor = Word Audio Everland Entertainment (1995 to 1999) Lyrick Studios (2000 to 2003) Sony Wonder(2003 …   Wikipedia Cyrus and John — Saint Cyrus redirects here. For the village in Aberdeenshire, see St Cyrus. Saints Cyrus and John Iconographic line drawing of Ss. Cyrus (left) and John Wonderworkers, Unmercenary Physicians …   Wikipedia Abednego —    Servant of Nego=Nebo, the Chaldee name given to Azariah, one of Daniel s three companions (Dan. 2:49). With Shadrach and Meshach, he was delivered from the burning fiery furnace (3:12 30) …   Easton's Bible Dictionary Daniel 3 — 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the… …   The King James version of the Bible 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”