Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ABEDNEGO

(Heb. ʿăḇēḏ nĕgô)

One of the four young Israelite men taken into the court of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:7). His Hebrew name, Azariah, was changed to Abednego by Nebuchadnezzar’s chief eunuch, Ashpenaz. The name appears to be a perversion of the Akkadian name Arad-nabû, “servant of Nabû” (Nebuchadnezzar’s personal god). Changing the names of people in order to change their futures was a common practice throughout the ancient Near East.

The adventures of the four young men in the Babylonian court are recorded in Dan. 1–3. They remain faithful to their religious traditions and dietary laws by living on vegetables and water, and therefore are given knowledge and wisdom by God. Daniel is made the ruler over the whole province of Babylon while the other three are made administrators in the kingdom (2:48-49). After refusing to worship a golden image set up by Nebuchadnezzar the men are thrown into a fiery furnace. They are saved by a messenger of God for their faithfulness, and blessed and honored by Nebuchadnezzar (3:12-30).

1 Macc. 2:59 lists Azariah, Hanaiah, and Mishael among those faithful to God.

Nancy L. deClaissé-Walford

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ABEDNEGO

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)