Why was Daniel given the name Belteshazzar in Daniel 4:8? Historical Setting Nebuchadnezzar’s third year on the throne (605 BC) saw the first deportation of Judeans to Babylon (2 Kings 24:1–2; Daniel 1:1–2). Among the captives was a teenage noble named Daniel. Chapter 4 is the king’s public decree, issued years later, recounting the dream that foretold his madness and restoration. By this time Daniel had served in the court for decades, so the Babylonian name he had been given in chapter 1 appears again in 4:8. Babylonian Renaming Policy Neo-Babylonian administrators routinely replaced foreign names with Akkadian ones invoking their own gods. Cuneiform ration tablets from Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (published in J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldean Kings, 1956) record the same practice for Egyptian, Phoenician, and other exiles. The state intended: 1. Cultural assimilation into Babylonian religion. 2. Administrative convenience—Akkadian forms were easier for officials to pronounce and record. 3. A reminder that the king (regarded as Marduk’s regent) held life-and-death authority over the captive. Direct Scriptural Statement Daniel 4:8 : “At last Daniel came before me—his name is Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him—and I told him the dream.” Nebuchadnezzar himself says the name was “after the name of my god,” confirming the assimilation motive. Consistency with Daniel 1:7 Daniel 1:7 lists the new names of the four Judean youths. The switch parallels older biblical precedents (Joseph to “Zaphenath-Paneah,” Genesis 41:45), but with an important difference: the exiles never adopt the pagan theology behind the names. Their Hebrew identity remains intact (Daniel 1:8; 3:17–18; 6:10). Archaeological Corroboration • The “Prism of Nebuchadnezzar” (British Museum BM 34113) catalogues elite captives given Babylonian names similar in construction to Belteshazzar. • Tablets from the palace archive mention officials called “Nabu-šar-uṣur,” “Marduk-šumu-uṣur,” echoing the same “god + protect” pattern. • The Babylonian Chronicle records the 597 BC capture of Jerusalem—independent confirmation of the setting in which Daniel was renamed. Why Daniel Retained the Name in Official Context Although Daniel never internalized Babylon’s idolatry, he answered to the court name for pragmatic reasons: 1. Submission without compromise (cf. Jeremiah 29:4–7). 2. Access to influence the empire’s leadership with Yahweh’s revelation. 3. Fulfillment of Isaiah 39:7, which had prophesied Judean nobles would serve in Babylon’s palace. Theological Irony Each time Nebuchadnezzar spoke “Belteshazzar,” he unwittingly credited Bel for the life of a prophet whose wisdom came from Yahweh. The narrative repeatedly contrasts Babylonian theology with the supremacy of Israel’s God (Daniel 2:20–22; 3:29; 4:34–37). Practical Application Modern culture may rename believers—label, categorize, or redefine them—but identity in Christ supersedes imposed titles. Daniel models steadfastness, strategic engagement, and confidence that “the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17). Answer in Brief Daniel was called Belteshazzar because Babylonian policy gave foreign officials names invoking local deities; the king deliberately selected a title meaning “Bel protect his life.” Scripture, archaeology, linguistics, and theology converge to show the name was a tool of assimilation that God turned into a platform for His glory. |
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