Daniel 3

The King’s Golden Image

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

Worship of the Image Refused

8For this reason at that time certain 17Chaldeans came forward and 1819brought charges against the Jews. 9They began to speak and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “20O king, live forever! 10You, O king, have 21made a decree that every person who hears the sound of the horn, flute, 22lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, is to 23fall down and worship the golden statue. 11But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire. 12There are certain Jews whom you have 24appointed 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, nor do they worship the golden statue which you have set up.”

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in 25rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar began speaking and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve 26my gods, nor worship the golden statue that I have set up? 15Now if you are ready, 27at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, 28lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will 29immediately be 30thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and 31what god is there who can rescue you from my hands?”

1632Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we are not in need of an answer to give you concerning this matter. 17If it be so, our 33God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire; 34and 35He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 1836But even if He does not, 37let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

Daniel’s Friends Protected

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with 38wrath, and his facial expression was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He answered 39by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20And he ordered certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in order to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21Then these men were tied up in their 40trousers, their 41coats, their caps, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire. 22For this reason, because the king’s 42command was 43harsh and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 44fell into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up quickly; he said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the middle of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Absolutely, O king.” 25He responded, “Look! I see four men untied and 45walking about in the middle of the fire 46unharmed, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the 47gods!” 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the 48Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego 49came out of the middle of the fire. 27The 50satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the 51fire had no 52effect on 53the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their heads singed, nor were their 5455trousers 56damaged, nor had even the smell of fire touched them.

28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the 57God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has 58sent His angel and rescued His servants who put their 59trust in Him, 60violating the king’s command, and surrendered their bodies 61rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I 62make a decree that any people, nation, or population of any language that speaks anything offensive against the God of 63Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their 64houses made a rubbish heap, because there is 65no other god who is able to save in this way.” 30Then the king 66made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego prosperous in the province of Babylon.