עֲבֵד נְגוֹ
𐤏𐤁𐤃 𐤍𐤂𐤅
Aved Nego
H5664 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating a Babylonian court official, specifically one of three Israelite youths (alongside Hananiah and Mishael) exiled to Babylon and assigned new Babylonian names as a sign of their integration into imperial service. The name translates to 'servant of [the god] Nego/Nebo,' indicating a deliberate association with Babylonian deities rather than its bearer's Israelite heritage.
Semantic Range
personal name, servant of Nebo/Nebo; functionary holding Babylonian identity by imposed name; exiled Israelite youth operating under Babylonian authority
Root / Etymology
Derives from the root עבד meaning 'to serve' or 'servant,' combined with 'Nego/Nebo' (נְגוֹ), a form presumed to reference the Babylonian deity Nabu/Nebo, god of wisdom and writing. The second component in Hebrew (נְגוֹ) is generally agreed to be a Hebrew transcription of the Babylonian god's name, but its form reflects scribal confusion or deliberate alteration within the biblical text, making the exact etymology of the second element somewhat uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עֲבֵד נְגוֹ (Abed-Nego) only occurs in the Aramaic portions of Daniel (Dan 1–3) as the Babylonian name for Azariah, one of the four exiled Israelite youths. The text presents this renaming as part of a wider imperial assimilation policy, replacing Israelite identities with names evoking Babylonian gods. Scholars widely agree that 'Nego' is a textual corruption or euphemistic alteration of Nebo/Nabu, possibly to avoid direct mention of foreign gods. In Biblical usage, the name is always attached to the Babylonian court context and does not function as a common noun. English translations typically render the name as 'Abed-nego,' obscuring the original meaning and religious implications. The designation should not be confused with typical Hebrew theophoric names; its form and function emphasize the imposed Babylonian identity during the exilic period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as עֲבֵד נְגוֹא; Abed-Nego, the Babylonian name of one of Daniel's companions; Abed-nego.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עבד (ʿ-b-d) — to work, to serve, to labor, to be in subjection
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4566 | מַעְבָּד | their deeds |
| H4567 | מַעְבָד | his deeds |
| H5647 | עָבַד | he served |
| H5648 | עֲבַד | you did |
| H5649 | עֲבַד | servant |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5664-02 |
נְגֽוֹ | nego | HNp |
nego | Servant of Nego | 1 |
H5664-01 |
עֲבֵ֥ד | aved | HNp |
Abed | male servant | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5664-01 |
Daniel 1:7 | עֲבֵ֥ד | aved | HNp |
Abed | male servant |
H5664-02 |
Daniel 1:7 | נְגֽוֹ | nego | HNp |
nego | Servant of Nego |