Thematic Bible: Also called meshach


Thematic Bible



Now among these children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The officer in charge gave names to them: To Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach and Azariah was named Abednego.

Daniel answered the officer appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Test your servants, please, for ten days. Give them vegetables to eat and water to drink. You compare our appearance and the appearance of the young people who eat the king's special food. Then you deal with us according to what you see. read more.
So he listened to them and allowed them to prove the matter for ten days. They looked better when the ten days ended! They were fairer in appearance and fatter in flesh than the young people who ate the king's special food. So the steward took away their special food and wine and gave them vegetables and water. God gave these young people knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of all types of literature and learning. Daniel had understanding and wisdom in all visions and dreams. When the appointed time for learning ended the chief officer brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. The king interviewed them and found out that none was found to be like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they served the king. The king found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire realm. This was in every matter of wisdom and understanding.


Then Daniel went back to his house, and explained everything to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: that they would request mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret. And they would request that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Daniel praised the God of heaven. read more.
Daniel said: Praise be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals the deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. I thank you, and praise you, O God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and might. You have made known to me what we desired from you. For you have made known to us the king's situation.


Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar said to them: Is it true Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image that I set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, good! But if you do not worship it you will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace that same hour. What god will be able to rescue you from my hand? read more.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king: O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. If not you should know O king that we will not serve your gods. We will not worship the golden image that you set up! Nebuchadnezzar was furious. The expression on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than its required heat. He commanded the mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the blazing furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, caps and their other garments. They were thrown into the midst of the blazing furnace. Because of the urgency of the king's commandment and the exceeding hot furnace, the flame of the fire killed the men who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the blazing furnace. Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished. He hurried to speak to his counselors: / Did we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered: True O king. He said: Look, I see four men walking in the midst of the fire. They are not hurt! The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods! Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning blazing furnace. He called out: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God come here! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. The satraps, deputies, governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men. They saw that the fire had no power upon their bodies. Not a single hair on their head was singed. Neither were their clothes changed and they did not smell like fire. Nebuchadnezzar said: Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They violated the king's command and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut into pieces. Their houses shall be made a dunghill. There is no other god that is able to deliver like this. The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.