1
Nebuchadnezzar the kingmade an image of gold, whose height was threescorecubits, and the breadth thereof sixcubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2
Then Nebuchadnezzar the kingsent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3
Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stoodbefore the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
5
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet,flute,harp*, sackbut,psaltery,dulcimer, and allkinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the goldenimage that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
7
Thereforeat that time,whenall the peopleheard the sound of the cornet,flute,harp*, sackbut,psaltery, and allkinds of musick,all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the goldenimage that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
10
Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that everyman that shall hear the sound of the cornet,flute,harp*, sackbut,psaltery, and dulcimer*, and allkinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the goldenimage:
12
There arecertainJewswhom thou hast setover the affairs of the province of Babylon,Shadrach,Meshach, and Abednego;thesemen, O king,havenotregardedthee: they servenot thy gods,norworship the goldenimage which thou hast set up.
14
Nebuchadnezzarspake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach,Meshach, and Abednego, do notyeserve my gods,norworship the goldenimage which I have set up?
15
Nowif ye beready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet,flute,harp*, sackbut,psaltery, and dulcimer, and allkinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worshipnot, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burningfieryfurnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
19
Then was Nebuchadnezzarfull of fury, and the form of his visage was changedagainstShadrach,Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnaceone seven timesmorethan it was wont to be heated.
21
Thenthesemen were bound in their coats, their hosen*, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burningfieryfurnace.
22
Therefore*becausetheking'scommandment was urgent, and the furnaceexceedinghot, the flame of the fireslewthosementhat took upShadrach,Meshach, and Abednego.
24
ThenNebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we castthreemenbound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king,True, O king.
25
He answered and said, Lo,Iseefourmenloose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they havenohurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
26
ThenNebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burningfieryfurnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach,Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most highGod, come forth, and come hither. ThenShadrach,Meshach, and Abednego, came forthof the midst of the fire.
27
And the princes,governors, and captains, and the king'scounsellors, being gathered together, sawthesemen, upon whose bodies the fire had nopower, nor was an hair of their headsinged, neither were their coatschanged, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28
Then Nebuchadnezzarspake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach,Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king'sword, and yielded their bodies, that they might notservenorworshipanygod,except their own God.
29
Therefore Imake a decree, That everypeople,nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss*against the God of Shadrach,Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill:becausethereisnootherGod that candeliver after this sort.