שַׁדְרַךְ (shad.rakh)
shad.rakh
Shadrach
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Shadrach is the Babylonian designation given to Hananiah, one of Daniel’s three close friends during the Jewish exile. The sources indicate that this foreign title likely translates to "royal" or "the great scribe," reflecting Nebuchadnezzar’s effort to assimilate these young men into the court culture by replacing their Hebrew names with Babylonian ones.
Shadrach appears most frequently in the book of Daniel, particularly in chapters 1 and 3. In chapter 1, he joins Daniel in refusing the king’s food to maintain ritual purity. Later, he stands firm alongside his companions when ordered to worship a golden image, an act that leads to their survival in the fiery furnace as recorded in Daniel 3.
While Shadrach is often mentioned first in these narratives, the text consistently groups him with Meshach and Abednego. His name serves as a historical marker of identity retention, showing how exiles maintained their faith despite political pressure to adopt new names and customs.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Shadrach is not a personal name but a title given by King Nebuchadnezzar to Hananiah, one of Daniel’s friends. This change was part of a strategy to assimilate Jewish exiles into Babylonian culture by replacing their Hebrew identities with foreign titles. Yet, despite the new name and high office, these men remained faithful to their God.
When faced with the choice between obeying the king or worshipping only Yahweh, Shadrach and his friends chose loyalty to God over safety in the court. Their story reminds us that our identity is defined by whom we serve, not by the titles or roles given to us by the world. Even in a foreign land, faithfulness stands firm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Shadrach7×
- <obj.>/ Shadrach5×
- O Shadrach2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שַׁדְרַ֥ךְ5×
- לְ/שַׁדְרַ֥ךְ4×
- שַׁדְרַ֤ךְ3×
- שַׁדְרַ֨ךְ1×
- לְ/שַׁדְרַ֤ךְ1×
Key Verses
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Daniel 3:16
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
This verse captures their decisive refusal to give a theological debate, trusting instead in God's sovereign power.
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Daniel 3:28
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.
Here the pagan king acknowledges that Shadrach’s God alone is worthy of blessing and deliverance.
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Daniel 3:12
There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you have set up.”
The accusation highlights the central conflict: loyalty to the state versus exclusive worship of the Most High God.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Every Occurrence (13 verses across 1 books)
Daniel 13 verses
Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of…
Daniel 3:12There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and…
Daniel 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then these men were…
Daniel 3:14Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and you don’t…
Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
Daniel 3:19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and…
Daniel 3:20He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the…
Daniel 3:22Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those…
Daniel 3:23These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and…
Daniel 3:28Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and…
Daniel 3:29Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language which speak anything evil against the God of…
Daniel 3:30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.