1:7 Belteshazzar . . . Shadrach . . . Meshach . . . Abednego. Suggestions for the meanings of these names include: Belteshazzar, “May Bel protect his life”; Shadrach, “the command of Aku,” (the Sumerian moon god); Meshach, “Who is what Aku is?” and Abednego, “servant of Nebo” (a Babylonian god). Bel is another name for Marduk, the chief Babylonian god (cf. 4:8).