Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego they were assigned Chaldean names, so that Hananiah became Shadrach (שַׁדְרַך "Šaḏraḵ"), Mishael became Meshach (מֵישַׁ֖ךְ "Mêšaḵ") and Azariah became Abednego (עֲבֵ֣דנְג֑וֹ "‘Ǎḇêḏ-Nəḡō") . Shadrach's name is possibly derived from Shudur Aku "Command of Aku (the moon god)", Meshach is probably a variation of Mi-sha-aku, meaning "Who is as Aku is?", and Abednego is either "Slave of the god Nebo/Nabu" or a variation of Abednergal, "Slave of the god Nergal." The Chaldean names are related to the Hebrew names, but the name of a heathen god has replaced that of Yahweh. The word "Dura" (where the statue is erected) means
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is generally accepted that the Book of Daniel originated as a collection of folktales among the Jewish community in Babylon and Mesopotamia in the Persian and early Hellenistic periods (5th to 3rd centuries BCE), expanded by the visions of chapters 7-12 in the Maccabean era (mid-2nd century). Modern scholarship agrees that Daniel is a legendary figure. It is possible that the name was chosen for the hero of the book because of his reputation as a wise seer in Hebrew tradition. The tales are in the voice of an anonymous narrator, except for chapter 4 which is in the form