Azariah

Also known as: Abednego · Family: Judah · Role: child of Judah · First appears: Jeremiah 43

In Jeremiah 43, Azariah, son of Hoshaiah, joined Johanan in rejecting Jeremiah’s message and accusing him of speaking falsely. Later, in Daniel 1, Ashpenaz gave Azariah the Babylonian name Abednego, while he was counted among Daniel, Hananiah, and Mishael. Under Melzar, the youths were given pulse and water instead of the royal food and wine; God granted them knowledge and wisdom, and they entered the service of Nebuchadnezzar, who judged them ten times better than the wise men of his realm.

In Daniel 2, Azariah was a companion of Daniel when the king ordered the wise men slain. Daniel secured appointments for Azariah, Shadrach, and Meshach over the affairs of Babylon’s province. In Daniel 3, Azariah and his companions refused to serve Nebuchadnezzar’s gods or worship his image, were bound and cast into the fiery furnace, and were delivered by God unharmed. Nebuchadnezzar then promoted Azariah, known as Abednego, in the province of Babylon.