Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
A person in the Bible. Also called Daniel's three friends, Meshach, Abednego, Azariah (Abednego), Mishael (Meshach), Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
| Classification | Biblical figures |
|---|---|
| Era | c. 6th century BC (Babylonian exile) |
| Related Figures | Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar |
| Biblical References | Daniel 1–3 |
| Hebrew name | Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah |
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were young men of Judah taken captive to Babylon and the three companions of Daniel. They refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, were thrown into a fiery furnace, and came out alive.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Biblical Account
The three were youths of the royal family and nobility of Judah who were carried off to Babylon together with Daniel during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. Their original names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, but the prince of the eunuchs gave them the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, respectively (Daniel 1:6–7).
- Refusal of the king's food (Daniel 1): Together with Daniel, they resolved not to defile themselves with the king's food and wine, and they ate only vegetables and drank only water. After ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and when their training was complete, the king judged them superior to the others.
- Prayer for the interpretation of the dream (Daniel 2): When the wise men faced death because of the king's dream, Daniel asked his three friends to join him in seeking mercy from God (2:17–18). Afterward, at Daniel's request, the three were appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon (2:49).
- The fiery furnace (Daniel 3): The king set up a golden image sixty cubits high on the plain of Dura and commanded all officials to bow down to it, but the three refused. Before the king they declared that God was able to deliver them, yet stated, "But if not," they still would not worship the image (3:16–18). They were thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter than usual, but the king saw four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire. The three came out without a hair of their heads singed and without even the smell of fire on them. The king praised their God and promoted the three men (Daniel 3:24–28). This episode is also known as the fiery furnace incident.
After chapter 3, their names do not appear again in Scripture.
Significance Within Scripture
The story is read as an example of faith that rejects idolatry and serves God alone, even in a foreign land. The New Testament does not mention the three by name. However, the phrase "quenched the violence of fire" (Hebrews 11:34) is commonly understood to refer to them (Hebrews 11:33–38).
Interpretations and Points of Debate
- The fourth man in the fire: The king said that the form of the fourth was "like the Son of God" (3:25). Some interpret this as a preincarnate appearance of Christ, while others, citing the king's later statement that God "hath sent his angel" (3:28), regard the figure as an angel. Views divide according to individual interpreters rather than along denominational lines.
- Daniel's absence: The text does not explain why Daniel does not appear in chapter 3. Explanations such as his being away on official business are speculative.
- Additional passages: The Septuagint version of Daniel contains additional material: the "Prayer of Azariah," offered in the fire, and the "Song of the Three Young Men." The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church accept these as part of Scripture, while Protestants classify them as apocryphal and exclude them from the canon.
- Disobedience to authority: The account is often cited alongside Acts 5:29 as an example of obeying God rather than the commands of state power.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this figure is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean churches, the phrase "But if not" is frequently quoted in sermons on a faith that holds firm regardless of whether prayers are answered. Korean preachers also often connect the account with the history of refusal to take part in Shinto shrine worship during the Japanese colonial period. In Korean Sunday school curricula, the story, along with the other accounts of Daniel, is a staple of children's lessons.
Where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego appears
Three passages in the King James Version. Each opens in the Bible with a way back to this article.
- Daniel 1:6–7, 11, 19Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
- Daniel 2:17, 49Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
- Daniel 3:12–14, 16, 19–20, 22–23, 26, 28–30There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego; these men, O king,…
See also 8
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