Arioch appears in two contexts: as one of the four kings who fought against the five kings in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14), and as the commander whom Nebuchadnezzar sent to execute the wise men of Babylon — an order that prompted Daniel's intervention. The name likely means 'lion-like' or 'fierce.'
The two Arioch references bookend significant moments in the lives of patriarchs and prophets. In Genesis 14, his defeat by Abraham with 318 trained men illustrates that God grants victory to His servant against overwhelming odds. In Daniel, Arioch becomes the unwitting instrument through which Daniel is brought before the king — setting the stage for the revelation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and Daniel's rise. God uses even hostile figures to advance His redemptive purposes.