Daniel 3

The King’s Golden Image

1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an 1image of gold, the height of which was sixty 2cubits and its width six 3cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the 4province of Babylon. 2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the 5satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you 6the command is given, 7O peoples, nations and men of every 8language, 5that at the moment you 9hear the sound of the horn, flute, 10lyre, 11trigon, 12psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. 6But whoever does not fall down and worship shall 13immediately be 14cast into the midst of a 15furnace of blazing fire.” 7Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, 16lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every 17language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Worship of the Image Refused

8For this reason at that time certain 18Chaldeans came forward and 1920brought charges against the Jews. 9They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “21O king, live forever! 10You, O king, have 22made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, 23lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to 24fall down and worship the golden image. 11But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 12There are certain Jews whom you have 25appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in 26rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve 27my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15Now if you are ready, 28at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, 29lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will 30immediately be 31cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and 32what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”

1633Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 1734If it be so, our 35God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; 36and 37He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 1838But even if He does not, 39let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Daniel’s Friends Protected

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with 40wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered 41by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21Then these men were tied up in their 4243trousers, their 44coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22For this reason, because the king’s 45command was 4647urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, 48fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and 49walking about in the midst of the fire 50without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the 51gods!” 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the 52Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego 53came out of the midst of the fire. 27The 54satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the 55fire had no 56effect on 57the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their 5859trousers 60damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the 61God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has 62sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their 63trust in Him, 64violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as 65not to serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I 66make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of 67Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their 68houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is 69no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30Then the king 70caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.