meetBible › Old and New Testament

Shadrach

With his friends Meshach and Abednego, he told a king: "But if not… we will not serve thy gods."

Old and New Testament · 6th century BC · Daniel, Hebrews · Also known as Hananiah, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

About Shadrach

Shadrach, whose Hebrew name was Hananiah, was one of Daniel’s three friends taken to Babylon as young men. With Meshach and Abednego he ate vegetables rather than the king’s food, and was promoted over the affairs of the province. When King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image and ordered everyone to bow, the three refused: "our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… But if not… we will not serve thy gods." Thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter, they walked unharmed in the fire with a fourth figure, and came out without even the smell of smoke.

This portrayal speaks for the three friends together, as they spoke together in Daniel 3. Their Babylonian names may honour Babylon’s gods. Hebrews 11 recalls those who, by faith, "quenched the violence of fire."

The story

New names in Babylon

Among the young captives from Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The prince of the eunuchs "gave unto… Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego." With Daniel, they ate vegetables and water instead of the king’s food, and God gave them knowledge and skill.

Daniel 1:6-17

The golden image

Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of gold sixty cubits high and commanded that when the music played, all must fall down and worship it, or "be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego did not bow.

Daniel 3:1-12

But if not

"O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Daniel 3:13-18

Four men in the fire

The furnace was heated seven times hotter, and the three were thrown in bound. Then the king leapt up: "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." They came out with not a hair singed, "nor the smell of fire had passed on them."

Daniel 3:19-27

Key moments

Questions about Shadrach

In meetBible these answers are given in Shadrach’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.

Weren’t you afraid of the furnace?

Daniel doesn’t record our feelings, only our answer: "our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace… But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods." We were sure of God’s power, but not certain he would rescue us, and we would not bow either way.

Who was the fourth man in the fire?

The king said, "the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (some translations read "a son of the gods"). Afterwards he blessed our God, "who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants." Many Christians have seen in this a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ; others read it as an angel. The text describes him without naming him.

What does "but if not" mean?

It means our faithfulness didn’t depend on being rescued. We said God "is able to deliver us… and he will deliver us," and then, "But if not… we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image." Whatever God chose, we would worship only him.

Connected people

Read it yourself

Start with Daniel 3.

Play Who am I? · See the big picture · Meet more people