Daniel 3:1-18

The Faithfulness of Three Young Israelites and God’s Deliverance

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold. Its height [was] sixty cubits [and] its width [was] six cubits; he set it up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent [directions] to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all of the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king [had] set up.

3 Then the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province [were] assembled for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king [had] set up, and [were] standing {before} the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then the herald proclaimed {aloud}, "To you {it is commanded}, O peoples, {nations and people of all languages},

5 [that] at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp, [the] drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king [has] set up.

6 And {whoever} does not fall down and worship will be thrown {immediately} into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire."

7 {Therefore}, {at that time}, {as soon as} all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, {the nations and people of all languages} [were] falling down [and] were worshiping the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 {Therefore} {at this time} [some] {astrologers} came forward and {they denounced the Jews}.

9 {They responded and said} to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may [you] live {forever}!

10 You, O king, have made a decree that {everyone} who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and [the] drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.

11 {And whoever} {does not fall down} and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

12 [However] there are Judean men whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego--these men, O king, {pay you no heed} [and] [were] not serving your god, and the statue of gold that you set up they are not worshiping."

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "[Is it] true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [that] you are not serving my god, and [you are] not worshiping the statue of gold that I have set up?

15 Now if you are ready so that {when} you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and [the] drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, [that will be good]. But if you do not worship it, {immediately} you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and {who is the god} who will rescue you from my hands?"

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter {to present a defense to you}.

17 {If it is so}, our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us.

18 And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that {we will not serve your gods}, and the statue of gold that you have set up we will not worship."

Daniel 3:1-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 3

In this chapter an account is given of a golden image made by Nebuchadnezzar; its size; and where placed, Da 3:1, a summons to all his princes, governors, and officers, to attend the dedication of it, Da 3:2,3, a proclamation commanding men of all nations to fall down and worship it, at hearing the sound of music, Da 3:4-7, an accusation of the Jews to the king, particularly Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for not worshipping it, Da 3:8-12, the king's sending for them in rage, and threatening to cast them into a fiery furnace if they continued to disobey his will, Da 3:13-15, their answer, which showed an inflexible resolution at all events not to comply with it, Da 3:16-18 the king's order to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, and cast them into it, which was executed; the consequence of which was, they that cast them in were destroyed through the vehement heat of the furnace, but the three Jews were unhurt, Da 3:19-23. Nebuchadnezzar's amazement at the sight of four persons, instead of three; and these loose, walking in the midst of the fire without hurt; and one of them like the Son of God, which he observed to his counsellors, Da 3:24,25, upon which he called to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to come out of the furnace, which they did in the presence of his princes, governors, and officers, having received not the least harm in their persons or clothes, Da 3:26,27 and then the king, praising the God of the Jews, published an edict that none should speak against him on pain of death; and restored the three men to their former dignity, Da 3:28-30.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "to [the] front"
• [b]. Literally "with power"
• [c]. Literally "they [are] saying"
• [d]. Literally "the nations and the languages"
• [e]. Aramaic "the gold"
• [f]. Literally "who that"
• [g]. Literally "the time"
• [h]. Literally "All of because this"
• [i]. Literally "at the time"
• [j]. Literally "as that"
• [k]. Literally "the nations and the languages"
• [l]. Aramaic "the gold"
• [m]. Literally "All because of this"
• [n]. Literally "at it the time"
• [o]. Literally "Chaldean men"
• [p]. Literally "they ate their pieces of the Jews"
• [q]. Literally "they answered and [were] saying"
• [r]. Literally "to eternity"
• [s]. Literally "all of humanity"
• [t]. Aramaic "the gold"
• [u]. Literally "And who that"
• [v]. Literally "not he falls down"
• [w]. Aramaic "whom you have appointed them"
• [x]. Literally "not they pay heed to you"
• [y]. Aramaic "the gold"
• [z]. Aramaic "the gold"
• [aa]. Literally "at that time"
• [ab]. Literally "at that [very] time"
• [ac]. Literally "who he god"
• [ad]. Or "that"
• [ae]. Literally "to return to you"
• [af]. Literally "If there is"
• [ag]. Literally "your gods not there is us serving"
• [ah]. Aramaic "the gold"