Daniel 3:2-12

2 Therefore Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather together the wise men, magistrates, and judges, and dukes, and tyrants, [or strong men,] and prefects, and all princes of countries, that they should come together to the hallowing of the image which the king Nebuchadnezzar had raised [up]. (And so Nebuchadnezzar sent out word to gather together the wise men, and magistrates, and judges, and leaders, and strong men, and prefects, and all the rulers, or all the governors, of the provinces, that they should come together to the dedication of the figure which King Nebuchadnezzar had raised up.)
3 Then the wise men, magistrates, and judges, and dukes, and tyrants, (or strong men,) and best men, that were set in powers, and all the princes of countries, were gathered together, that they should come together to the hallowing of the image, which the king Nebuchadnezzar had raised [up]. Forsooth they stood in the sight of the image, which Nebuchadnezzar had set (up); (Then the wise men, and magistrates, and judges, and leaders, and strong men, and best men, who were set in power, and all the governors of the provinces, were gathered together, that they should all come together to the dedication of the figure, which King Nebuchadnezzar had raised up. And they stood before the figure, which Nebuchadnezzar had set up;)
4 and a beadle cried mightily, It is said to you, peoples, kindreds, and languages; (and a crier shouted out loudly, It is said to you, all the peoples, and nations, or tribes, of every language;)
5 in the hour in which ye hear the sound of trump, and of pipe, and of harp, of sambuca, and of psaltery, and of symphony, and of all kind of musics, fall ye down, and worship the golden image which the king Nebuchadnezzar made. (at the time when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and zither, and lute, yea, of a symphony, and of all kinds of music, fall ye down, and worship the gold figure which King Nebuchadnezzar hath made.)
6 Soothly if any man falleth not down, and worshippeth not, in the same hour he shall be sent into a furnace of fire burning. (Truly if anyone falleth not down, and worshippeth not, in that same hour he shall be sent into a furnace of burning fire.)
7 Therefore after these things, anon as all peoples heard the sound of trump, and of pipe, and of harp, of sambuca, and of psaltery, of symphony, and of all kind of musics, all peoples, lineages, and languages fell down, and worshipped the golden image which the king Nebuchadnezzar had made. (And so after these things, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and zither, and lute, yea, of a symphony, and of all kinds of music, all the peoples, and tribes, or nations, of every language, fell down, and worshipped the gold figure which King Nebuchadnezzar had made.)
8 And anon in that time men of Chaldea nighed, and accused the Jews, (And at once, the Chaldeans approached, and accused the Jews,)
9 and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar (and said to King Nebuchadnezzar), King, live thou without end.
10 Thou, king, hast set a decree, that each man that heareth the sound of trump, of pipe, and of harp, of sambuca, and of psaltery, and of symphony, and of all kind of musics, bow down himself, and worship the golden image; (Thou, king, hast made a decree, that everyone who heareth the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and zither, and lute, yea, of a symphony, and of all kinds of music, bow he himself down, and worship the gold figure;)
11 forsooth if any man falleth not down, and worshippeth not, be he sent into the furnace of fire burning (and if anyone falleth not down, and worshippeth not, be he sent into the furnace of burning fire.)
12 Therefore men Jews be, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, which thou hast ordained on the works of the country of Babylon. Thou king, these men have despised thy decree; they honour not thy gods, and they worship not the golden image, which thou raisedest. (And so there be some Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, whom thou hast ordained over the works of the province of Babylon. O king, these men have despised thy decree; they do not honour thy gods, and they do not worship the gold figure, which thou hast raised up.)

Daniel 3:2-12 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.