Shadrach

I was on the phone with one of my law partners today, discussing a matter we are handling together. For the purpose of the story, it bears pointing out that he is in his early 50s. We got to a point in our discussion that required one of us to comment on something someone else had said or done. He began, "Like Shadrach, Meshach, Aben. . .umm, wait. . .are you familiar with the bible verse?", before quickly considering his audience and adding, "Never mind." It was, under all ordinary social constructs, the appropriate thing to do. It's a pretty obscure reference, and I am no biblical scholar.

What did I say? Nothing. We simply moved on.

What did I want to say? "Wait, please finish your analogy. Though I am not familiar with the bible verse, I am intimately familiar with The Beastie Boys critically acclaimed but commercially under appreciated second album, Paul's Boutique. In the song "Shadrach", Ad Rock, Mike D and MCA rapped about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It was my favorite song on the album, yet to this day I have no idea who these three fellows were. I might have guessed them Old Testament figures, but like a lot of other things percolating in my first semester of college, I didn't give this enough thought. In any event, I am actually interested in what you are about to say, though not for any reason you would ever expect."

My friend did not finish, but through the wonder of Google, I was able to find the reference in Daniel 1-3 and glean what this was all about. Recall that the Internet did not exist in 1990. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were, for lack of a more artful explanation, three men who were spared from a death in a fiery furnace by their faith in God. What this has to do with Ad Rock having, "more stories than J.D. got Salinger" (or a dispute over reclamation bonds, for that matter) is anyone's guess. But I feel better for knowing.