Daniel 3:20

20 And he commanded {the strongest men of the guards} who [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw [them] into the furnace of blazing fire.

Daniel 3:20 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 3:20

And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army,
&c.] The most famous for courage of mind, and strength of body, that were in all his army: to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
either their hands or their feet, or both; unless it can be thought that they were all three bound together in one bundle, and so cast into the furnace; which is not improbable, as Gejerus observes; seeing the king afterwards wondered to see them walk separately in the furnace: there was no need to bind them, for they would not have resisted; and if he ordered this to secure them from the power of their God, it was vain and foolish: and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace:
if they were all three bound together, it required some able bodied men to take them up and cast them in, especially if the furnace was above them; though it is more probable that it was a more depressed place, or below them, and so the cast was more easy.

Daniel 3:20 In-Context

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."

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed {toward} Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [so he] {ordered and said} to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat [it] up.

20 And he commanded {the strongest men of the guards} who [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw [them] into the furnace of blazing fire.

21 Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their [other] clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

22 {Therefore} {because} the word of the king was severe and the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed these men who lifted up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "to the strong men, men of strength"