Lexical Summary Abed Nego: Abed-nego Original Word: עֲבֵד נְגוֹא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Abed-nego (Aramaic) of foreign origin; Abed-Nego, the name of Azariah -- Abed-nego. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) of foreign origin Definition "servant of Nebo," Bab. name of one of Daniel's companions NASB Translation Abed-nego (14). Brown-Driver-Briggs עֲבֵד נְגוֺ proper name, masculine comrade of Daniel (Biblical Hebrew id.); — Daniel 2:49; Daniel 3:12 10t. 3, +עֲבֵד נְגוֺא Daniel 3:29; = עֲזַרְיָה Daniel 2:17. Topical Lexicon Name and Identity Abed-Nego (עֲבֵד נְגוֹא, servant of Nego/Nebo) is one of the three Judean exiles whom Babylonian officials renamed in their attempt to assimilate the young captives taken with Jehoiakim in 605 B.C. Along with Shadrach and Meshach, Abed-Nego is consistently linked to Daniel (Belteshazzar) as the LORD preserved a faithful remnant within Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Occurrences in Scripture The name appears fourteen times, all in Daniel 2–3: Historical Setting Nebuchadnezzar’s first deportation uprooted Jerusalem’s nobility, placing them in a polytheistic environment devoted to political power and pagan worship. The king’s renaming strategy reflected an imperial claim over their identities, yet the narrative repeatedly calls Abed-Nego and his companions “Jews,” underlining their enduring covenantal identity. Faith under Trial The climax of Abed-Nego’s account is the fiery furnace narrative. Summoned before the king for refusing to bow to the golden image, the three reply, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods” (Daniel 3:17–18). Abed-Nego embodies uncompromising loyalty to the LORD, trusting divine sovereignty regardless of outcome. Divine Deliverance and Witness Nebuchadnezzar observes “four men, unbound and unharmed” (Daniel 3:25). The miraculous preservation of Abed-Nego and his companions serves three purposes: 1. Vindication of Yahweh before the nations. Prophetic and Typological Significance The furnace ordeal anticipates eschatological themes: persecution of the saints, divine presence amid tribulation, and the eventual confession of pagan rulers. Nebuchadnezzar’s decree—“There is no other god who can deliver like this” (Daniel 3:29)—prefigures the universal acknowledgment of the LORD proclaimed by prophets such as Isaiah 45:22–23. Ministry Lessons • Conscience above compliance: Civil service can be rendered without moral compromise (compare Romans 13:1 with Acts 5:29). Intertextual Echoes Later biblical writers allude to furnace imagery (Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 1:7) and to divine companionship in trials (Hebrews 13:5). Abed-Nego’s experience provides the narrative backdrop for these exhortations. Theological Implications The narrative reinforces three doctrines: 1. God’s sovereignty over rulers (Proverbs 21:1). Legacy in Christian Tradition Early church fathers cited the three Hebrews as models during Roman persecutions. Hymns and liturgies of both East and West celebrate “the children of the furnace” during feast days, linking their song in the flames to the Church’s doxology amid suffering. Applications for the Church Today Abed-Nego calls believers to: Forms and Transliterations נְג֑וֹ נְג֔וֹ נְג֔וֹא נְג֖וֹ נְג֛וֹ נגו נגוא nə·ḡō·w nə·ḡōw neGo nəḡōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:49 HEB: מֵישַׁ֖ךְ וַעֲבֵ֣ד נְג֑וֹ וְדָנִיֵּ֖אל בִּתְרַ֥ע NAS: Meshach and Abed-nego over KJV: Meshach, and Abednego, over INT: Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego Daniel court Daniel 3:12 Daniel 3:13 Daniel 3:14 Daniel 3:16 Daniel 3:19 Daniel 3:20 Daniel 3:22 Daniel 3:23 Daniel 3:26 Daniel 3:26 Daniel 3:28 Daniel 3:29 Daniel 3:30 14 Occurrences |
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