Daniel 3:22-30

22 for why the commandment of the king constrained. Forsooth the furnace was made full hot; certainly the flame of the fire killed those men, that had sent Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace (And because the king's order was unyielding, and the furnace was made so very hot, the flame of the fire killed those men, who sent Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace.)

23 Soothly these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound in the midst of the chimney of fire burning. (And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire.)

24 Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonied, and rose hastily, and said to his best men, Whether we sent not three men fettered into the midst of the fire? Which answered the king, and said, Verily, king. (Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and rose hastily, and said to his best men, Did we not send three fettered men into the midst of the fire? And they answered the king, and said, Truly we did, O king.)

25 The king answered, and said, Lo! I see four men unbound, and going in the midst of the fire, and nothing of corruption is in them; and the likeness of the fourth is like the son of God (and the appearance of the fourth is like an angel, or like a son of God/is like the Son of God).

26 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar nighed to the door of the furnace of fire burning, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the servants of high God living, go ye out, and come ye. And anon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went out of the midst of the fire. (Then King Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of burning fire, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the servants of the living Most High God, come ye out now. And at once Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went out from the midst of the fire.)

27 And the wise men, and magistrates, and judges, and mighty men of the king were gathered together, and beheld those men, for the fire had nothing of power in the bodies of them, and an hair of their head was not burnt; also the breeches of them were not changed, and the odour of fire had not passed by them. (And the wise men, and magistrates, and judges, and mighty men of the king were gathered together, and saw that the fire had no power to harm their bodies, and that not even a hair on their heads was burned; and that their breeches, or their pants, were not burned, and that the odour of the fire had passed them by, or did not linger about them.)

28 And Nebuchadnezzar brake out, and said, Blessed be the God of them, that is, of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that sent his angel, and delivered his servants that believed into him (who sent his angel, and rescued his servants who believed in him), and changed the word of the king, and gave their bodies, that they should not serve, and that they should not worship any god, except their God alone.

29 Therefore this decree is set of me, That each people, and languages, and lineages, whoever speaketh blasphemy against God of Shadrach, of Meshach, and of Abednego, perish, and his house be destroyed; for none other is God, that may save so. (And so this decree is made by me, That any person, of any language, or tribe, or nation, whomever speaketh blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be put to death, and his house shall be destroyed; for there is no other God who can save anyone in this manner.)

30 Then the king advanced Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon; and sent into all the land an epistle, containing these words.

Daniel 3:22-30 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.