Tyndale Open Study NotesDaniel 3

This section contains stories and dreams from the experiences of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Daniel used his special gift to understand dreams and showed great skill in the study of literature and science (Daniel 1:17). Chapter 2 provides a broad overview of history until God's kingdom appears (Daniel 2:44–49). Daniel 3–6 describes the fall of Babylon and the rise of Persia. History is moving toward a clear goal. That goal is the everlasting kingdom of God (Daniel 2:44; 4:2–3, 34; 6:26).

Nebuchadnezzar's obsession with power might have been fueled by the vision in Daniel 2. This obsession led him to build a golden statue and order everyone in his empire to worship it. He did not understand that God cannot be contained in any created object.

The three young Hebrews refused to worship the statue as a god. They remained faithful to the Lord, and the Lord saved them from the king's anger.

• The plain of Dura may have been the plain next to the city of Babylon. Another possibility is that the Aramaic term refers to the great outer wall of Babylon described by the Greek historian Herodotus.

• statue: This word means "image."

The various classes of people listed here were all governmental officials.

Pipes might be translated as "drums," or this could be a musical term meaning to be "in harmony" with the other instruments.

all the people: Outside of Israel, idol worship was common. So, all the non-Jewish people obeyed the king's command.

In some situations, the Lord’s people must refuse to obey the established authorities in order to remain faithful to the Lord (compare Acts 4:19; 5:29; Romans 13:1–7).

These Jews had disobeyed the king by refusing to worship his statue. Disobeying the king was considered an act of high treason (see Daniel 2:10–13).

Nebuchadnezzar could become very angry, even with his most honored officials (compare Daniel 2:12, 48–49).

is it true: The Aramaic word hatzdāʾ appears only here in the Old Testament. The king might have been asking, “Are you doing this on purpose?”

Now when … very good: The three men may have received a second chance because they had previously served the king and had a good relationship with him.

The three men declared their loyalty to God above all else. They trusted the God who had saved the entire nation of Israel from Pharaoh's power (Exodus 18:10). God later showed that those who stay faithful until death will be saved even after they have died (Daniel 12:1–3).

In the Greek version and the Latin Vulgate, The Prayer of Azariah and The Song of the Three Jews appear after Daniel 3:23 (see Daniel Book Introduction, “Author and Date”).

• walking around: The same word appears in Genesis 3:8–9.

• like a son of the gods!: The king understood the being to be the Lord’s angel (Daniel 3:28).

The title Most High often refers to God in religious texts (for example, Daniel 4:2, 24–25; 7:25; Genesis 14:18; Numbers 24:16; Deuteronomy 32:8–9; Psalm 73:11; Isaiah 14:14). In Canaanite religion, it often referred to Baal.

The king was surprised that God could rescue his people. However, the three Hebrew men knew their God could rescue them (Daniel 3:17).

promoted: A similar word appears in Genesis 39:2. The men received rewards for their righteousness and faithfulness to the Lord.