Lexical Summary
Meshak: Meshach
Original Word:מֵישַׁךְ
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Meyshak
Pronunciation:MAY-shak
Phonetic Spelling:(may-shak')
KJV: Meshak
NASB:Meshach
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) of foreign origin and doubtful significance]
1. Meshak, the Babylonian name of H4333
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Meshak
(Aramaic) of foreign origin and doubtful significance; Meshak, the Babylonian name ofMiysha'el -- Meshak.
see HEBREWMiysha'el
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) of foreign origin
Definitiona Bab. name
NASB TranslationMeshach (14).
Topical Lexicon
Identity and Historical SettingMeshach is the Babylonian court name given to the Hebrew exile Mishael, a noble from Judah taken to Babylon during the first deportation (circa 605 BC). Together with his companions Hananiah (Shadrach) and Azariah (Abednego), he was trained for royal service under Nebuchadnezzar’s chief official (Daniel 1). The renaming reflects Babylon’s attempt to erase covenant identity, yet Scripture consistently pairs the new name with steadfast loyalty to the God of Israel.
Occurrences in Scripture
Meshach appears fourteen times, all in Daniel:Daniel 2:49 and twelve verses in chapter 3 (Daniel 3:12–30). The distribution underscores that his significance centers on a single, climactic event—the fiery-furnace trial.
•Daniel 2:49 records his promotion when “Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the province of Babylon.”
•Daniel 3:12–30 details the refusal to worship the golden image, the furnace ordeal, and subsequent vindication.
Representative passages:
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us… But even if He does not, we will not serve your gods’” (Daniel 3:16-18).
“Then Nebuchadnezzar declared, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him’” (Daniel 3:28).
Character Qualities and Faith
1. Uncompromising loyalty: Meshach refuses idolatry despite lethal pressure.
2. Corporate solidarity: Always named with Shadrach and Abednego, he models fellowship in testing (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
3. Confident humility: While certain of God’s ability, he yields to divine sovereignty—“even if He does not” (Daniel 3:18).
Role in the Exile Community
Placed over Babylon’s province, Meshach influences civil affairs while maintaining spiritual integrity. His witness demonstrates that faithful service to a pagan administration need not entail moral compromise (cf.Jeremiah 29:7).
Prophetic and Theological Significance
The furnace scene previews eschatological themes: global idolatry, state coercion, and divine preservation of a remnant. Nebuchadnezzar’s decree that no one “speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” (Daniel 3:29) foreshadows the universal acknowledgment of the Most High’s supremacy (Philippians 2:10-11).
Typological Foreshadowing of Christ
Nebuchadnezzar sees “a fourth, like a son of the gods” walking with the three (Daniel 3:25). Many interpreters discern a Christophany, portraying Christ’s presence with His people in persecution (Isaiah 43:2;Matthew 28:20).
Ministerial Applications
• Preaching on civil disobedience: Meshach legitimizes respectful refusal when obedience to human authority violates God’s commands (Acts 5:29).
• Worship under pressure: His account encourages believers in environments hostile to biblical truth.
• Youth ministry: As a young exile, Meshach exemplifies early resolve (Daniel 1:8) that sustains later trials.
Lessons for Contemporary Believers
1. Cultural assimilation need not dictate spiritual capitulation.
2. God’s deliverance may be miraculous or martyrial; faithfulness is required either way.
3. Corporate courage strengthens individual resolve.
4. Public testimony after trial magnifies divine glory and influences society.
Further Study
Compare Meshach’s narrative with other Old Testament exile figures (Joseph, Esther, Mordecai) and with New Testament persecution accounts (Acts 4–5;Revelation 13). Examine Psalms of trust (Psalms 27; 46) for thematic parallels toDaniel 3.
Forms and Transliterations
מֵישַׁ֖ךְ מֵישַׁ֛ךְ מֵישַׁ֧ךְ מֵישַׁךְ֙ מישך meiShach
Links
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Englishman's Greek Concordance •
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