Daniel 1:7

Gave names. The new names given to the Hebrew youth signified their adoption into the Babylonian court, a custom that has several parallels in Biblical history. Joseph received an Egyptian name when entering court life in Egypt (Gen. 41:45), and Hadassah’s name was changed to Esther (Esther 2:7), probably when she became queen. This custom is also attested among the Babylonians from ancient sources. The Assyrian king Tiglathpileser III adopted the name Pulu (Biblical Pul) when he became king of Babylon (see on 1 Chron. 5:26; see Vol. II, pp. 156, 157), and Shalmaneser V seems to have borne the name Ululai in the same office.

Belteshazzar. The Hebrew and Aramaic transliteration, representing the later, Masoretic pronunciation of a Babylonian name. Though scholars have proposed various identifications with Babylonian forms, none is entirely satisfactory. In view of Nebuchadnezzar’s remark made many years later, that Daniel’s Babylonian name had been given “according to the name of my god” (ch. 4:8), it appears evident that the first syllable, “Bel,” refers to Bel, the popular name of Babylon’s chief god, Marduk. For this reason the identification with either Balat-sharri-usur, “protect the life of the king,” or Balatsu-usur, “protect his life,” must be rejected, although both interpretations have found strong support among Assyriologists as the closest equivalent to the Hebrew form. R. D. Wilson’s suggestion, of identifying Belteshazzar with Bel-lit-shar-usur, “Bel, protect the hostage of the king,” can hardly be correct, inasmuch as it is highly unlikely that the Babylonians would have given such a name to a captive, as we would judge from the thousands of Babylonian names found in cuneiform documents. The best identification seems still to be that given by Delitzsch, namely, that of seeing in this name an abbreviation of Bel-balatsu-usur, “Bel protect his [the king’s] life.”

Shadrach. The name is inexplicable in Babylonian. Some scholars have conjectured that the name is a corruption of Marduk, whereas others have tried to explain it with the help of Sumerian words. Jensen suggested it was the name of the Elamite god Shutruk, but it is difficult to explain why an Elamite name should have been given by the Babylonians.

Meshach. A satisfactory explanation as to the origin of this name has not yet been found. Like Shadrach, Meshach is not a Babylonian name.

Abed-nego. It is generally agreed that this name stands for ‘Ebed-Nebo, “servant of [the god] Nabu,” a name that is attested by an Aramaic papyrus found in Egypt.