Daniel 3

1KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 madeH5648 a goldenH1722 statueH6755H17681 sixtyH8361 cubitsH521 highH7314 and sixH8353 cubitsH521 wideH6613,2 and he set it upH6966 on the plainH1236 of DuraH1757 in the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895. 2Then KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 sentH7972 word to assembleH3673 the satrapsH324, prefectsH5460, governorsH6347, advisersH148, treasurersH1411, judgesH1884, magistratesH8614, and all the otherH3606 officialsH7984 of the provincesH4083 to attendH858 the dedicationH2597 of the statueH6755H1768 he had set upH6966.

3SoH116 the satrapsH324, prefectsH5460, governorsH6347, advisersH148, treasurersH1411, judgesH1884, magistratesH8614, and allH3606 the rulersH7984 of the provincesH4083 assembledH3673 for the dedicationH2597 of the statueH6755 thatH1768 KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 had set upH6966, and they stoodH6966 beforeH6903 it.

4Then the heraldH3744 loudlyH2429 proclaimedH7123, “O peopleH5972 of every nationH524 and languageH3961, this is what you are commandedH560: 5As soon asH5732H1768 you hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, zitherH7030, lyreH5443, harpH6460, pipesH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170,3 you must fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722H1768 statue thatH6755 KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 has set upH6966. 6And whoeverH4479H1768 does notH3809 fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 will immediatelyH8160 be thrownH7412 intoH1459 the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861.”

7ThereforeH3606H6903H1836, as soon asH2166H1768 allH3606 the peopleH5972 heardH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, zitherH7030, lyreH5443, harpH6460, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170, the peopleH5972 of everyH3606 nationH524 and languageH3961 would fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 thatH1768 KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020 had set upH6966.

8

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused

At this timeH1836H2166 some astrologersH37794 came forwardH7127H1400 and maliciouslyH399 accusedH7170H1768 the JewsH3062, 9sayingH6032H560 to KingH4430 NebuchadnezzarH5020, “O kingH4430, may you liveH2418 foreverH5957! 10YouH607, O kingH4430, have issuedH7761 a decreeH2942 thatH1768 everyoneH3606H606 whoH1768 hearsH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, zitherH7030, lyreH5443, harpH6460, pipesH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170 must fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755, 11and that whoeverH4479H1768 does notH3809 fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 will be thrownH7412 intoH1459 the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861. 12But there areH383 someH1400 JewsH3062H1768 you have appointedH4483H3487 to manageH5922H5673 the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895—ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665H1400—who have ignoredH3809H7761H5922 youH2942, O kingH4430, and have refused toH3809 serveH6399 your godsH426 or worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 you have set upH6966.”

13ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020, furiousH2528 with rageH7266, summonedH560H858 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665. SoH116 theseH479 menH1400 were broughtH858 beforeH6925 the kingH4430, 14and NebuchadnezzarH5020 saidH560 to them, “ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665, is it trueH6656 that you do notH3809H383 serveH6399 my godsH426 or worshipH5457 the goldenH1722H1768 statueH6755 I have set upH6966H3809? 15NowH3705 whenH1768H5732 you hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, zitherH7030, lyreH5443, harpH6460, pipesH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170, ifH2006 you areH383 readyH6263 to fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 the statueH6755H1768 I have madeH5648, very good. But ifH2006 you refuseH3809 to worshipH5457, you will be thrownH7412 at onceH8160 intoH1459 the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861. Then whatH4479 godH426 will be ableH1932 to deliver youH7804 fromH4481 my handsH3028?”

16ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665H560 repliedH6032 to the kingH4430, “O NebuchadnezzarH5020, weH586 haveH3809 no needH2818 to answer youH8421 inH5922 thisH1836 matterH6600. 17IfH2006 the GodH426 whomH1768 weH586 serveH6399 existsH383, then He is ableH32025 to deliver usH7804 fromH4481 the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861 and fromH4481 your handH3028, O kingH4430. 18But even ifH2006 He does notH3809, let itH1934 be knownH3046 to you, O kingH4430, thatH1768 we will notH3809H383 serveH6399 your godsH426 or worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 you have set upH6966.”

The Fiery Furnace

19At thisH116, NebuchadnezzarH5020 was filledH4391 with rageH2528, and the expressionH6755 on his faceH600 changedH8133 towardH5922 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665. He gave ordersH6032H560 to heatH228 the furnaceH861H2298 seven timesH7655 hotterH5922 thanH1768 usualH2370H228, 20and he commandedH560 some mighty menH1401 of valorH2429 in his armyH2429 to tie upH3729 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665 and throw themH7412 into the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861.

21SoH116 they were tied upH3729, wearing robesH5622, trousersH6361, turbansH3737, and other clothesH3831, and they were thrownH7412 intoH1459 the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861.

22

The king’sH4430 commandH4406 was so urgentH2685 and the furnaceH861 soH3493 hotH228 that the fieryH5135 flamesH7631 killedH6992H1994 theH479 menH1400 whoH1768 carried upH5559 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665. 23And theseH479 threeH8532 menH1400, ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665, firmly boundH3729, fellH5308 intoH1459 the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861.

24SuddenlyH116 KingH4430H8429 NebuchadnezzarH5020 jumped upH6966 in amazementH927 and askedH6032H560 his advisersH1907, “Did we notH3809 throwH7412 threeH8532 menH1400, firmly boundH3729, intoH1459 the fireH5135?”

“CertainlyH3330, O kingH4430,” they repliedH6032H560.

25“LookH1888H6032!” he exclaimedH560. “IH576 seeH2370 fourH703 menH1400, unboundH8271 and unharmedH2257H3809H383, walking aroundH1981 inH1459 the fireH5135—and the fourthH7244 looksH7299H1768 likeH1821 a sonH1247 of the godsH426!6”

26ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 approachedH7127 the doorH8651 of the blazingH3345 fieryH5135 furnaceH861H6032 and called outH560, “ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665, servantsH5649H1768 of the Most HighH5943 GodH426, come outH5312H858!”

SoH116 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665 came outH5312 ofH4481H1459 the fireH5135, 27and when the satrapsH324, prefectsH5460, governorsH6347, and royalH4430 advisersH1907 had gathered aroundH3673, they sawH2370 that the fireH5135 had noH3809 effectH7981 on the bodiesH1655 of theseH479H1768 menH1400. NotH3809 a hairH8177 of their headsH7217 was singedH2761, their robesH5622 were unaffectedH3809H8133, and there was noH3809H5709 smellH7382 of fireH5135 on them.

28NebuchadnezzarH5020H560 declaredH6032, “BlessedH1289 be the GodH426 ofH1768 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665, who has sentH7972 His angelH43987 and deliveredH7804 His servantsH5649H1768 whoH1768 trustedH7365 in HimH5922. They violatedH8133H3052 the king’sH4430 commandH4406 and risked their livesH1655H1768H3809 rather than serveH6399H3809 or worshipH5457 anyH3606 godH426 exceptH3861 their own GodH426. 29Therefore I decreeH7761H2942 thatH1768 the peopleH5972 of anyH3606 nationH524 or languageH3961 whoH1768 sayH560 anything offensiveH7955 againstH5922 the GodH426 ofH1768 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665 will be cutH5648 into piecesH1917 and their housesH1005 reducedH7739H3606 to rubbleH5122. ForH6903H1768 there isH383 noH3809 otherH321 godH426 whoH1768 canH3202 deliverH5338 in this wayH1836.”

30ThenH116 the kingH4430 promotedH6744 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and AbednegoH5665 in the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895.