Daniel 1:7

And the prince of the eunuchs gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave, &c. as R.V. -Prince" (Heb. sar, i.e. here, governor, superintendent, 1 Kings 9:22 [-rulers"], 1 Kings 22:26) is a synonym of the rabof Daniel 1:3 (cf. Genesis 37:36 with Jeremiah 39:9). The practice of giving a person a new name, when admitted into the public service of a foreign country, is well attested in the case of Egypt (see not only Genesis 41:45, but also Erman, Life in Ancient Egypt, p. 517 f.), and was probably usual elsewhere. There is an example, though it is not quite parallel, quoted from the reign of the Assyrian king, Esarhaddon, when Neco's son was made viceroy of Athribis under the Assyrian name of Nabu-uǎêzib-anni (-Nebo saves me"). In the present instance the change has the effect in each case of obliterating the name of God: Daniel, -God is my judge"; Ḥananiah, -Yah is gracious"; Mishael, -Who is what God is?"; Azariah, -Yah hath holpen."

Belteshazzar i.e. balâṭsu-uṣur, -protect his life!"; probably elliptical for Bêl-balâṭsu-uṣur, -Bel, protect his life!" The name (which recurs Daniel 2:26; Daniel 4:8-9; Daniel 4:18-19; Daniel 5:12) is quite distinct from Belshazzar(see on Daniel 5:1).

Shadrach Of uncertain meaning, but explained plausibly by Friedr. Delitzsch as Shudur-Aku, -the command of Aku" (Akubeing the Sumerian equivalent of Sin, the Semitic name of the Moon-god); cf. the proper name Kibît-Ishtar, -the word, or command, of Ishtar."

Meshach Explained by Delitzsch, somewhat less satisfactorily, as a hybrid word, partly Hebrew and partly Babylonian, properly Mîsha-Aku, -Who is what Aku is?", cf. Mishael above, and the Babylonian names Mannu-ki-Rammân, -Who is like Rammân (Rimmon)?", and Mannu-ki-ilu, -Who is like God?"

Abed-nego generally recognized as a corruption of -Abed-ne bo, -servant of Nebo" (Isaiah 46:1). Proper names, compounded with -Abd(or -Ebed), -servant," are common in most Semitic languages; and, though it is not the usual word for servantin Babylonian, Babylonian names compounded with it occur. Indeed, the name Abed-nebo itself has been found in a bilingual (Assyr. and Aram.) inscription (Schrader, KAT[183][184] ad loc.); it is also, as Prof. Bevan remarks, met with as that of a heathen Syrian long after the Christian era (Cureton's Ancient Syriac Documents, p. 14).

[183] AT.Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O.T.1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the original, which is given on the margin of the English translation.

[184] Eb. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T., ed. 2, 1883 (translated under the title The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the O.T.1885, 1888). The references are to the pagination of the original, which is given on the margin of the English translation.