Daniel 3

The Fiery Furnace. 1King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, which he set up in the plain of Dura#Dura: several places in Babylonia bore this name. Probably the present reference is to one located close to Babylon. Giant statues of the type mentioned here were not uncommon in antiquity; a cubit was about a foot and a half. The unrealistic proportions of this statue suggest a comic effect. in the province of Babylon. 2He then ordered the satraps,#Satraps: Persian provincial governors. prefects, and governors, the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the officials of the provinces to be summoned to the dedication of the statue which he had set up. 3The satraps, prefects, and governors, the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the officials of the provinces came together for the dedication and stood before the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4A herald cried out: “Nations and peoples of every language, 5#The precise identification of the instruments is disputed. Several of the names are Greek. when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, you must fall down and worship the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Whoever does not fall down and worship shall be instantly cast into a white-hot furnace.” 7Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, the nations and peoples of every language all fell down and worshiped the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8At that point, some of the Chaldeans came and accused the Jews 9to King Nebuchadnezzar: “O king, live forever! 10O king, you issued a decree that everyone who heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, and double-flute, and all the other musical instruments should fall down and worship the golden statue; 11whoever did not was to be cast into a white-hot furnace. 12There are certain Jews whom you have made administrators of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have paid no attention to you; they will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”

13Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and sent for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were promptly brought before the king. 14King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15Now, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I made, whenever you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, then all will be well;#Then all will be well: lacking in Aramaic; this phrase is supplied from the context. if not, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?” 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If our God, whom we serve, can save us#If our God…can save us: the youths do not question the efficacy of the divine power, but whether it will be exercised (v. 18). from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”

19Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. 21They were bound and cast into the white-hot furnace with their trousers, shirts, hats and other garments, 22for the king’s order was urgent. So huge a fire was kindled in the furnace that the flames devoured the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. 23But these three fell, bound, into the midst of the white-hot furnace.

Prayer of Azariah.#These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures. 24They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord. 25Azariah#Azariah: i.e., Abednego; cf. Dn 1:7. stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud:

26“Blessed are you, and praiseworthy,

O Lord, the God of our ancestors,

and glorious forever is your name.

27For you are just in all you have done;

all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right,

and all your judgments proper.

28You have executed proper judgments

in all that you have brought upon us

and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.

By a proper judgment you have done all this

because of our sins;

29For we have sinned and transgressed

by departing from you,

and we have done every kind of evil.

30Your commandments we have not heeded or observed,

nor have we done as you ordered us for our good.

31Therefore all you have brought upon us,

all you have done to us,

you have done by a proper judgment.

32You have handed us over to our enemies,

lawless and hateful rebels;

to an unjust king, the worst in all the world.

33Now we cannot open our mouths;

shame and reproach have come upon us,

your servants, who revere you.

34For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever,

or make void your covenant.

35Do not take away your mercy from us,

for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,

Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

36To whom you promised to multiply their offspring

like the stars of heaven,

or the sand on the shore of the sea.

37For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,

brought low everywhere in the world this day

because of our sins.

38We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,

no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,

no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.

39But with contrite heart and humble spirit

let us be received;

As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bulls,

or tens of thousands of fat lambs,

40So let our sacrifice be in your presence today

and find favor before you;

for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

41And now we follow you with our whole heart,

we fear you and we seek your face.

Do not put us to shame,

42but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.

43Deliver us in accord with your wonders,

and bring glory to your name, O Lord:

44Let all those be put to shame

who inflict evils on your servants;

Let them be shamed and powerless,

and their strength broken;

45Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,

glorious over the whole world.”

46Now the king’s servants who had thrown them in continued to stoke the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brush. 47The flames rose forty-nine cubits above the furnace, 48and spread out, burning the Chaldeans that it caught around the furnace. 49But the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the furnace, 50and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. The fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm. 51Then these three in the furnace with one voice sang, glorifying and blessing God:

52“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors,

praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;

And blessed is your holy and glorious name,

praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

53Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,

praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.

54Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,

praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

55Blessed are you who look into the depths

from your throne upon the cherubim,

praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,

praiseworthy and glorious forever.

57Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,