Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar’s Gold Statue

1King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, # 1Kg 12:28; Is 46:6; Jr 16:20; Hs 2:8; 8:4; Hab 2:19 90 feet high and nine feet wide. # Lit statue, its height 60 cubits, its width six cubits He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. # Gn 11:2; Dn 2:48-49 2King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers # Ezr 8:36; Dn 2:48; 6:1-7 of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue the king had set up. Then they stood before the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded: 5When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, # Or lyre lyre, # Or sambuke harp, drum, # Or pipe and every kind of music, # Gn 4:21; 1Ch 6:31; 25:6; Jb 21:12; 30:31; Ps 33:2; 71:22; ; 81:2; 149:3; 150:4; Is 5:12 you are to fall down and worship # Dn 2:46 the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6But whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.” # Jr 29:22; Mt 13:42,50; Rv 9:2

7Therefore, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and every kind of music, people of every nation and language fell down and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Furnace of Blazing Fire

8Some Chaldeans # Dn 2:2,4,5,10 took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuse # Lit and eat the pieces of # Ezr 4:12-16; Est 3:8-9; Dn 6:12,24 the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever. 10You as king have issued a decree # Dn 4:6; 6:26 that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. 11Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. 12There are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. # Dn 1:7 These men have ignored you, # Dn 6:13 the king; they do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

13Then in a furious rage # Dn 2:12 Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue # Jr 50:2 I have set up? 15Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire — and who is the god who can rescue you from my power? ” # Ex 5:20; 2Kg 18:35; Is 36:18

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17If the God we serve exists, # They do not doubt God’s existence as 3:18 shows. The “if” is part of an argument used to defend their refusal to serve Babylonian gods. # Ps 10:4; 14:1; 53:1; Hs 13:4; Heb 11:6 then He can rescue # 1Sm 17:37; Jb 5:19; Jr 15:20,21; 2Co 1:10 us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18But even if He does not rescue us, # Lit But if not we want you as king to know that we will not serve # Heb 11:25 your gods # Jos 24:15 or worship the gold statue you set up.”

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, # Est 7:7 and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than was customary, 20and he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, # The identity of these articles of clothing is uncertain. and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22Since the king’s command was so urgent # Or harsh # Dn 2:15 and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flames # Lit the flame of the fire killed those men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

Delivered from the Fire

24Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. # Dn 4:19 He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire? ”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king.

25He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; # Ps 91:3-9; Is 43:2 and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” # Or of a divine being # Mt 14:33; Mk 1:1; Lk 1:35; Jn 3:18; Ac 9:20

26Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God — come out! ” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. # Dn 4:2 27When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect # Heb 11:34 on # Lit fire had not overcome the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them. # Dt 29:5 28Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel # Or messenger # Heb 1:14 and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. # Ps 34:7; Is 37:36; Ac 5:19; 12:7 They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. # Ps 22:4-5; Is 12:2; 26:3-4; Jr 17:7 29Therefore I issue a decree # Dn 4:6 that anyone of any people, nation, or language # Dn 3:4,7; 4:1; 5:19; 6:25; 7:14; Rv 5:9; 7:9; 10:11; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15 who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. # Ezr 6:11; Dn 2:5 For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.” 30Then the king rewarded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. # Dn 2:48-49

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