What name did the Babylonians give to Daniel?

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Multiple Choice

What name did the Babylonians give to Daniel?

Babylonian renaming of Daniel shows how identity was redefined for captives in exile. Daniel’s Hebrew name means “God is my judge.” When brought into the king’s service, he is given a Babylonian name formed from Bel, the chief Babylonian god, with a suffix that conveys protection, yielding “Belteshazzar” — effectively, “Bel protect his life.” This is the name used in the book to refer to Daniel alongside his friends who received other Babylonian-renamed forms. The different names beside it—Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah—are Daniel’s companions’ Hebrew names, which were renamed as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So the Babylonian name given to Daniel is Belteshazzar.

Babylonian renaming of Daniel shows how identity was redefined for captives in exile. Daniel’s Hebrew name means “God is my judge.” When brought into the king’s service, he is given a Babylonian name formed from Bel, the chief Babylonian god, with a suffix that conveys protection, yielding “Belteshazzar” — effectively, “Bel protect his life.” This is the name used in the book to refer to Daniel alongside his friends who received other Babylonian-renamed forms. The different names beside it—Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah—are Daniel’s companions’ Hebrew names, which were renamed as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So the Babylonian name given to Daniel is Belteshazzar.

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