Daniel 1.7-Ashpenaz Gives Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah Babylonian Names
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday December 6, 2011
Daniel: Daniel 1:7-Ashpenaz Gives Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah Babylonian Names
Lesson # 12
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 1:1.
In Daniel 1:7, we see Nebuchadnezzar’s officials’ chief, Ashpenaz giving Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah Babylonian names.
Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego. (NASB95)
“Then, the commander of the officials assigned new names to them” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “then” and this is followed by the third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb śîm (שִׂים) (seem), “assigned” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the third person masculine plural pronomial suffix -hē∙mā(h) (־הֵמָה) (hay-maw), “them” and this is followed by the masculine singular construct form of the noun śǎr (שַׂר) (sar), “the commander of” and then we have the articular masculine plural form of the noun sā∙rîs (סָרִיס) (saw-reece), “the officials” and this is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun šēm (שֵׁם) (shame), “names.”
The conjunction wa is a marker of contrast meaning that it is introducing a statement that stands in contrast with the statement in verse 6.
This verse records that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were among the young men, who belonged either to the royal family or were nobles from Judah and were selected by Ashpenaz, Nebuchadnezzar’s officials’ chief to take part in the three year training program in Babylon.
When they completed this course, they would be competent to serve Nebuchadnezzar as a dignitary.
Verse 7 records Ashpenaz giving these four young men Babylonian names.
This would give them Babylonian citizenship, which was required of officials in the Babylonian government.
Their Hebrew names honored the God of the Hebrews, Yahweh.
However, the Babylonian names honored the gods of the Babylonians.
Therefore, the contrast between verses 6 and 7 is between names honoring the God of the Israelites and names that honor the gods of the Babylonians.
The Hebrew names expressed the fact that these four young Israelite men honored Yahweh whereas the Babylonians names were an attempt by the Babylonians to have them honor the gods of the Babylonians.
The changing of their names is setting the stage for the confrontation between these four godly men and the idolatrous Babylonians.
It was also a confrontation between the Spirit of God in these young men and the kingdom of darkness led by Satan.
The noun śǎr means “overseer” or “commander” and is modifying the noun sā∙rîs, “officials.”
It is used to describe Ashpenaz and denotes that he was the “overseer” or “commander” of Nebuchadnezzar’s officials.
It is synonymous with the noun rǎḇ, which means “chief” and appears in Daniel 1:3 to describe Ashpenaz referring to the fact that he was the supreme authority over Nebuchadnezzar’s officials.
Both words denote that Ashpenaz was Nebuchadnezzar’s highest ranking political official.
The noun sā∙rîs appeared in Daniel 1:3 where it was used to describe Ashpenaz.
More than likely, sā∙rîs in Daniel 1:3 means “officials” but since the Babylonians adopted the practice of castrating those who served in the royal palace and the harems, Ashpenaz would have been a eunuch himself, that is, a castrated male, thus one who is sexually impotent.
In Daniel 1:7, the word retains the same meaning.
“And to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” and this is followed by the third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb śîm (שִׂים) (seem), “assigned” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel” and then we have the masculine singular form of the proper noun bēl∙ṭešǎ(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr (בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר) (bale-tesh-ats-tsar), “Belteshazzar.”
The conjunction wa is explicative meaning that it is introducing clause that clarifies or explains in detail the previous clause that Ashpenaz assigned new names to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
The clause it is introducing is presenting the specific Babylonian names given to these young men.
The proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l literally means “God is my judge.”
The proper noun bēl∙ṭešǎ(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr is derived from the Akkadian Balaṭ-su-uṣur.
It might be shortened Nabu-balaṭsu-uṣur, which means “Nebo, protect his life!” or it simply could be balaṭsu-uṣur, which means “may he protect the life of the king,” which could be formed from Bel, the epithet meaning “lord” referring to the chief god of the Babylonians, Marduk.
Most scholars associate bēl∙ṭešǎ(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr with the latter which would be appropriate for a servant of a king.
“To Hananiah Shadrach” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine singular proper noun ḥǎnǎn∙yā(h) (חֲנַנְיָה) (khan-an-yaw), “Hananiah” and then we have the masculine singular form of the proper noun šǎḏ∙rǎḵ (שַׁדְרַךְ) (shad-rak), “Shadrach.”
The proper noun ḥǎnǎn∙yā(h) means “Yahweh has been gracious.”
The proper noun šǎḏ∙rǎḵ could mean either “I am very fearful” (of a god) or “command of Aku,” with Aku being the moon god.
“To Mishael Meshach” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine singular proper noun mî∙šā∙ʾēl (מִישָׁאֵל) (mee-shaw-ale), “Mishael” and then we have the masculine singular form of the proper noun mê∙šǎḵ (מֵישַׁךְ) (may-shak), “Meshach.”
The proper noun mî∙šā∙ʾēl means “who is like God?”
The name mê∙šǎḵ means “who is like Aku (the moon-god)?” which is similar to the name Mishael, which means “who is like God?”
“And to Azariah Abed-nego” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine singular proper noun ʿǎzǎr∙yā(h) (עֲזַרְיָה) (az-ar-yaw), “Azariah” and this is followed by the masculine singular proper noun ʿǎḇēḏ neḡô (עֲבֵד נְגֹו) (ab-ade neg-o), “Abed-nego.”
The proper noun ʿǎzǎr∙yā(h) means “Yahweh has helped.”
The proper noun ʿǎḇēḏ neḡô means “servant of Nebo or Nabu,” who was the Babylonian god of wisdom.
Nebo (cf. Isaiah 46:1), son of Bel, was the Babylonian god of writing and vegetation.
He was also known as Nabu.
The giving of these Babylonian names to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah was an attempt to assimilate them into Babylonian culture and to cause them to forget their godly heritage.
It was also necessary for Babylonian citizenship, which was required of officials in the Babylonian government.
The Hebrew names honored the God of the Hebrews, Yahweh.
However, the Babylonian names honored the gods of the Babylonians.
It was also an attempt by the Babylonians to have them honor the gods of the Babylonians.
The changing of their names is setting the stage for the confrontation between these four godly men and the idolatrous Babylonians.
It was also a confrontation between the Spirit of God in these young men and the kingdom of darkness led by Satan.
The Babylonians could change their names but they could not change their hearts in the sense that they could not prevent these four young men from being loyal to the God they worshipped and obeyed.