Melzar
Who he was
Melzar, also referred to as "the steward," was a Babylonian official appointed by Ashpenaz, the chief eunuch, to oversee Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 1:11). He was responsible for providing them with their daily provisions and monitoring their well-being. When Daniel requested a diet of vegetables and water instead of the king's food and wine, Melzar initially hesitated, fearing for his own life if the young men's appearance suffered (Daniel 1:11). However, he agreed to a ten-day test, and when Daniel and his friends appeared healthier than those who ate the king's food, Melzar allowed them to continue with their chosen diet (Daniel 1:16).
Every mention
Daniel 2 mentions
What the dictionary says
Probably a Persian word meaning master of wine, i.e., chief butler; the title of an officer at the Babylonian court (Dan. 1:11, 16) who had charge of the diet…
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain