SHADRACH

(Shaʹdrach).

The Babylonian name of a Jewish exile elevated to a high position in the government of Babylon. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego​—the three companions of Daniel—​are always mentioned together, and Shadrach is always listed first, perhaps because their corresponding Hebrew names​—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—​always appear in alphabetical order according to the Hebrew characters. The Babylonian names were given to them after they had been taken to Babylon. There they received training, since they had been observed to be without blemish, good-looking and intelligent youths. By the end of three years’ study, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were found to be ten times better than the wise men of Babylon. Certainly they had Jehovah’s blessing, which in turn, no doubt, was partly due to their steadfast refusal to pollute themselves with the Babylonian delicacies. (Da 1:3-20) Their next-recorded appointment was to the administration of the jurisdictional district of Babylon. (Da 2:49) They temporarily lost the king’s favor when they refused to bow to his great image, but after Jehovah brought them out of the fiery furnace unharmed, they were restored to their former position.​—Da 3.