Ashpenaz in Book of Daniel

Ashpenaz

There's not really that much to say about Ashpenaz, except that he's a pretty reasonable dude. He gives Daniel, Shadrach, and friends the right to stick to their own diet, instead of eating the profane Babylonian food. He's clearly a broadminded and tolerant individual. He also gives them their Babylonian names—in Daniel's case, the totally rad name "Belteshazzar" (dangerously close to Belshazzar, so watch it). He changes Shadrach and co.'s original names—Hananiah, Misha'el, and Azariah—to their admittedly catchier Babylonian versions, too. So yeah, we like Ashpenaz.