Daniel 3

The King’s Golden Image

1NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 madeH5648 a 1statueH6755 of goldH1722, the heightH7314 of which was 2sixtyH8361 cubitsH521, and its widthH6613 sixH8353 cubitsH521; he setH6966 it upH6966 on the plainH1236 of DuraH1757 in the 3provinceH4083 of BabylonH895. 2NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 also sentH7972 word to assembleH3673 the 4satrapsH324, the prefectsH5460 and the governorsH6347, the counselorsH148, the chiefH1411 treasurersH1411, the judgesH1884, the magistratesH8614, and allH3606 the administratorsH7984 of the provincesH4083 to comeH858 to the dedicationH2597 of the statueH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 had setH6966 upH6966. 3ThenH116 the satrapsH324, the prefectsH5460 and the governorsH6347, the counselorsH148, the chiefH1411 treasurersH1411, the judgesH1884, the magistratesH8614, and allH3606 the administratorsH7984 of the provincesH4083 were assembledH3673 for the dedicationH2597 of the statueH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 had setH6966 upH6966; and they stoodH6966 beforeH6903 the statueH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 had setH6966 upH6966. 4Then the heraldH3744 loudlyH2429 proclaimedH7123: “To you 5the commandH560 isH560 givenH560, you 6peoplesH5972, nationsH524, and populations of all 7languagesH3961, 5that at the momentH5732 you 8hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 9lyreH7030, 10trigonH5443, 11psalteryH6460, bagpipeH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicalH2170 instrumentsH2170, you are to fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 has setH6966 upH6966. 6But whoeverH4479 does not fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 shall immediatelyH8160 be 12thrownH7412 into the middleH1459 of a 13furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135.” 7ThereforeH6903H1836 as soonH2166 as allH3606 the peoplesH5972 heardH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 14lyreH7030, trigonH5443, psalteryH6460, 15bagpipeH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicalH2170 instrumentsH2170, allH3606 the peoplesH5972, nationsH524, and populations of all 16languagesH3961 fellH5308 downH5308 and worshipedH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 that NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 had setH6966 upH6966.

Worship of the Image Refused

8For thisH1836 reasonH6903 at that timeH2166 certainH1400 17ChaldeansH3779 cameH7127 forwardH7127 and 1819broughtH399 chargesH7170 againstH1768 the JewsH3062. 9They beganH6032 toH6032 speakH6032 and saidH560 to NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430: “20O kingH4430, liveH2418 foreverH5957! 10You, O kingH4430, have 21madeH7761 a decreeH2942 that everyH3606 personH606 whoH1768 hearsH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 22lyreH7030, trigonH5443, psalteryH6460, and bagpipeH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicalH2170 instrumentsH2170, is to 23fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755. 11But whoeverH4479 does not fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 shall be thrownH7412 into the middleH1459 of a furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135. 12ThereH383 areH383 certainH1400 JewsH3062 whomH1768 you have 24appointedH4483 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, norH3809 do they worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 whichH1768 you have setH6966 upH6966.”

13ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 in 25rageH7266 and angerH2528 gaveH560 ordersH560 to bringH858 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665; thenH116 theseH479 menH1400 were broughtH858 beforeH6925 the kingH4430. 14NebuchadnezzarH5020 beganH6032 speakingH6032 and saidH560 to them, “Is it trueH6656, ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665, that you doH383 not serveH6399 26my godsH426, norH3809 worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 that I have setH6966 upH6966? 15NowH3705 ifH2006 you are readyH6263, 27at the momentH5732 you hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the hornH7162, fluteH4953, 28lyreH7030, trigonH5443, psalteryH6460 and bagpipeH5481, and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musicalH2170 instrumentsH2170, to fallH5308 downH5308 and worshipH5457 the statueH6755 that I have madeH5648, very well. But ifH2006 you do not worshipH5457, you will 29immediatelyH8160 be 30thrownH7412 into the midstH1459 of a furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135; and 31whatH4479 godH426 is there whoH1768 can rescueH7804 you from my handsH3028?”

1632ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665 repliedH6032 to the kingH4430, “NebuchadnezzarH5020, we areH2818 not inH2818 needH2818 ofH2818 an answerH6600 to giveH8421 you concerningH5922 thisH1836 matterH1836. 17IfH2006 it be so, our 33GodH426 whomH1768 we serveH6399 is ableH3202 to rescueH7804 us from the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135; 34and 35He will rescueH7804 us from your handH3028, O kingH4430. 1836But even ifH2006 He does not, 37let it beH3046 knownH3046 to you, O kingH4430, that we are not going to serveH6399 your godsH426 norH3809 worshipH5457 the goldenH1722 statueH6755 that you have setH6966 upH6966.”

Daniel’s Friends Protected

19ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 was filledH4391 with 38wrathH2528, and his facialH600 expressionH6755 was changedH8133 towardH5922 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665. He answeredH6032 39by givingH560 ordersH560 to heatH228 the furnaceH861 sevenH7655 timesH2298 moreH5922 thanH5922H1768 it was usuallyH2370 heatedH228. 20And he orderedH560 certainH1400 valiantH2429 warriorsH1401 whoH1768 were in his armyH2429 to tieH3729 upH3729 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665 in order to throwH7412 them into the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135. 21ThenH116 theseH479 menH1400 were tiedH3729 upH3729 in their 40trousersH5622, their 41coatsH6361, their capsH3737, and their other clothesH3831, and were thrownH7412 into the middleH1459 of the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135. 22For thisH1836 reasonH6903, becauseH4481H1768 the king’sH4430 42commandH4406 was 43harshH2685 and the furnaceH861 had been madeH228 extremelyH3493 hotH228, the flameH7631 of the fireH5135 killedH6992 thoseH479 menH1400 whoH1768 tookH5559 upH5559 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665. 23But theseH479 threeH8532 menH1400, ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665, 44fellH5308 into the middleH1459 of the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135 still tiedH3729 upH3729.

24ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 the kingH4430 was astoundedH8429 and stoodH6966 upH6966 quicklyH927; he saidH560 to his counselorsH1907, “Was it not threeH8532 menH1400 that we threwH7412 boundH3729 into the middleH1459 of the fireH5135?” They repliedH6032 to the kingH4430, “AbsolutelyH3330, O kingH4430.” 25He respondedH6032H560, “LookH1888! I seeH2370 fourH703 menH1400 untiedH8271 and 45walkingH1981 aboutH1981 in the middleH1459 of the fireH5135 46unharmedH3809H2257, and the appearanceH7299 of the fourthH7244 is likeH1821 a sonH1247 of the 47godsH426!” 26ThenH116 NebuchadnezzarH5020 cameH7127 nearH7127 to the doorH8651 of the furnaceH861 of blazingH3345 fireH5135; he saidH560, “ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665, comeH5312 outH5312, you servantsH5649 of the 48MostH5943 HighH5943 GodH426, and comeH858 hereH5312!” ThenH116 ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665 49cameH5312 outH5312 of the middleH1459 of the fireH5135. 27The 50satrapsH324, the prefectsH5460, the governorsH6347, and the king’sH4430 counselorsH1907 gatheredH3673 togetherH3673 and sawH2370 that the 51fireH5135 hadH7981 noH3809 52effectH7981 on 53the bodiesH1655 of theseH479 menH1400, norH3809 was the hairH8177 of their headsH7217 singedH2761, norH3809 were their 5455trousersH5622 56damagedH8133, norH3809 had even the smellH7382 of fireH5135 touchedH5709 them.

28NebuchadnezzarH5020 respondedH6032 and saidH560, “BlessedH1289 be the 57GodH426 of ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665, whoH1768 has 58sentH7972 His angelH4398 and rescuedH7804 His servantsH5649 whoH1768 putH7365 their 59trustH7365 in Him, 60violatingH8133 the king’sH4430 commandH4406, and surrenderedH3052 their bodiesH1655 61ratherH1768H3809 thanH3809 serveH6399 or worshipH5457 anyH3606 godH426 exceptH3861 their own GodH426. 29Therefore I 62makeH7761 a decreeH2942 that anyH3606 peopleH5972, nationH524, or population of any languageH3961 that speaksH560 anything offensiveH7960 againstH5922 the GodH426 of 63ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665 shall be tornH5648 limbH1917 from limbH1917 and their 64housesH1005 madeH7739 a rubbishH5122 heapH5122, becauseH6903H1768 thereH383 isH383 65noH3809 otherH321 godH426 whoH1768 is ableH3202 to saveH5338 in thisH1836 way.” 30ThenH116 the kingH4430 66made ShadrachH7715, MeshachH4336, and Abed-negoH5665 prosperousH6744 in the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895.