Daniel 3

The King’s Golden Image

1NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 madeH5648 an 1imageH6755 of goldH1722, the heightH7314 of which was sixtyH8361 2cubitsH521 and its widthH6613 sixH8353 3cubitsH521; he setH6966 it up on the plainH1236 of DuraH1757 in the 4provinceH4083 of BabylonH895. 2Then NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 sentH7972 word to assembleH3673 the 5satrapsH324, the prefectsH5460 and the governorsH6347, the counselorsH148, the treasurersH1411, the judgesH1884, the magistratesH8614 and allH3606 the rulersH7984 of the provincesH4083 to comeH858 to the dedicationH2597 of the imageH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 had setH6966 up. 3ThenH116 the satrapsH324, the prefectsH5460 and the governorsH6347, the counselorsH148, the treasurersH1411, the judgesH1884, the magistratesH8614 and allH3606 the rulersH7984 of the provincesH4083 were assembledH3673 for the dedicationH2597 of the imageH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 had setH6966 up; and they stoodH6966 beforeH6903 the imageH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 had setH6966 up. 4Then the heraldH3744 loudlyH2429 proclaimedH7123: “To you 6the commandH560 is givenH560, 7O peoplesH5972, nationsH524 and men of every 8languageH3961, 5that at the momentH5732 you 9hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 10lyreH7030, 11trigonH5443, 12psalteryH6460, bagpipeH5481 and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170, you are to fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 imageH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 has setH6966 up. 6But whoeverH4479 does not fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 shall 13immediatelyH8160 be 14castH7412 into the midstH1459 of a 15furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135.” 7ThereforeH3606H6903H1836 at that timeH2166, whenH1768 allH3606 the peoplesH5972 heardH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 16lyreH7030, trigonH5443, psalteryH6460, bagpipeH5481 and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170, allH3606 the peoplesH5972, nationsH524 and men of every 17languageH3961 fellH5308 downH5308 and worshipedH5457 the goldenH1722 imageH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 had setH6966 up.

Worship of the Image Refused

8For thisH1836 reasonH3606H6903 at that timeH2166 certainH1400 18ChaldeansH3779 cameH7127 forwardH7127 and 1920broughtH399 chargesH7170 againstH1768 the JewsH3062. 9They respondedH6032 and saidH560 to NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430: “21O kingH4430, liveH2418 foreverH5957! 10You, O kingH4430, have 22madeH7761 a decreeH2942 that everyH3606 manH606 whoH1768 hearsH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 23lyreH7030, trigonH5443, psalteryH6460, and bagpipeH5481 and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170, is to 24fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 imageH6755. 11But whoeverH4479 does not fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 shall be castH7412 into the midstH1459 of a furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135. 12ThereH383 are certainH1400 JewsH3062 whomH1768 you have 25appointedH4483 overH5922 the administrationH5673 of the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895, namely ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665. TheseH479 menH1400, O kingH4430, have disregardedH3809H7761H5922H2942 you; they do not serveH6399 your godsH426 or worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 imageH6755 whichH1768 you have setH6966 up.”

13ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 in 26rageH7266 and angerH2528 gaveH560 ordersH560 to bringH858 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665; thenH116 theseH479 menH1400 were broughtH858 beforeH6925 the kingH4430. 14NebuchadnezzarH5020 respondedH6032 and saidH560 to them, “Is it trueH6656, ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665, that you doH383 not serveH6399 27my godsH426 or worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 imageH6755 that I have setH6966 up? 15NowH3705 ifH2006 you are readyH6263, 28at the momentH5732 you hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 29lyreH7030, trigonH5443, psalteryH6460 and bagpipeH5481 and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicH2170, to fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 the imageH6755 that I have madeH5648, very well. But ifH2006 you do not worshipH5457, you will 30immediatelyH8160 be 31castH7412 into the midstH1459 of a furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135; and 32whatH4479 godH426 is there whoH1768 can deliverH7804 you out of my handsH3028?”

1633ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665 repliedH6032 to the kingH4430, “O NebuchadnezzarH5020, we do not needH2818 to giveH8421 you an answerH6600 concerningH5922 thisH1836 matterH6600. 1734IfH2006 it be so, our 35GodH426 whomH1768 we serveH6399 is ableH3202 to deliverH7804 us from the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135; 36and 37He will deliverH7804 us out of your handH3028, O kingH4430. 1838But even ifH2006 He does not, 39let it be knownH3046 to you, O kingH4430, that we are not going to serveH6399 your godsH426 or worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 imageH6755 that you have setH6966 up.”

Daniel’s Friends Protected

19ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 was filledH4391 with 40wrathH2528, and his facialH600 expressionH6755 was alteredH8133 towardH5922 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665. He answeredH6032 41by givingH560 ordersH560 to heatH228 the furnaceH861 sevenH7655 timesH2298 moreH5922 thanH5922H1768 it was usuallyH2370 heatedH228. 20He commandedH560 certainH1400 valiantH2429 warriorsH1401 whoH1768 were in his armyH2429 to tieH3729 up ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665 in order to castH7412 them into the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135. 21ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 were tiedH3729 up in their 4243trousersH5622, their 44coatsH6361, their capsH3737 and their other clothesH3831, and were castH7412 into the midstH1459 of the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135. 22For thisH1836 reasonH3606H6903, becauseH4481H1768 the king’sH4430 45commandH4406 was 4647urgentH2685 and the furnaceH861 had been madeH228 extremelyH3493 hotH228, the flameH7631 of the fireH5135 slewH6992 thoseH479 menH1400 whoH1768 carriedH5559 up ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665. 23But theseH479 threeH8532 menH1400, ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665, 48fellH5308 into the midstH1459 of the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135 still tiedH3729 up.

24ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 was astoundedH8429 and stoodH6966 up in hasteH927; he saidH560 to his highH1907 officialsH1907, “Was it not threeH8532 menH1400 we castH7412 boundH3729 into the midstH1459 of the fireH5135?” They repliedH6032 to the kingH4430, “CertainlyH3330, O kingH4430.” 25He saidH560, “LookH1888! I seeH2370 fourH703 menH1400 loosedH8271 and 49walkingH1981 about in the midstH1459 of the fireH5135 50withoutH3809 harmH2257, and the appearanceH7299 of the fourthH7244 is likeH1821 a sonH1247 of the 51godsH426!” 26ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 cameH7127 nearH7127 to the doorH8651 of the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135; he respondedH6032 and saidH560, “ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665, comeH5312 out, you servantsH5649 of the 52MostH5943 HighH5943 GodH426, and comeH858 hereH5312!” ThenH116 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665 53cameH5312 out of the midstH1459 of the fireH5135. 27The 54satrapsH324, the prefectsH5460, the governorsH6347 and the king’sH4430 highH1907 officialsH1907 gatheredH3673 aroundH3673 and sawH2370 in regard to theseH479 menH1400 that the 55fireH5135 hadH7981 noH3809 56effectH7981 on 57the bodiesH1655 of these men norH3809 was the hairH8177 of their headH7217 singedH2761, norH3809 were their 5859trousersH5622 60damagedH8133, norH3809 had the smellH7382 of fireH5135 even comeH5907 upon them.

28NebuchadnezzarH5020 respondedH6032 and saidH560, “BlessedH1289 be the 61GodH426 of ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665, whoH1768 has 62sentH7972 His angelH4398 and deliveredH7804 His servantsH5649 whoH1768 putH7365 their 63trustH7365 in Him, 64violatingH8133 the king’sH4430 commandH4406, and yieldedH3052 up their bodiesH1655 soH1768 as 65not to serveH6399 or worshipH5457 anyH3606 godH426 exceptH3861 their own GodH426. 29Therefore I 66makeH7761 a decreeH2942 that anyH3606 peopleH5972, nationH524 or tongueH3961 that speaksH560 anything offensiveH7960 againstH5922 the GodH426 of 67ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665 shall be tornH5648 limbH1917 from limb and their 68housesH1005 reducedH7739 to a rubbishH5122 heapH5122, inasmuchH3606H6903H1768 as thereH383 is 69noH3809 otherH321 godH426 whoH1768 is ableH3202 to deliverH5338 in thisH1836 way.” 30ThenH116 the kingH4430 70caused ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336 and Abed-negoH5665 to prosperH6744 in the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895.