Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Nevukhadnetztzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and the breadth of it six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Bavel.
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King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet thick. He set it up on the Dura plain in the province of Babylon.
2 Then Nevukhadnetztzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nevukhadnetztzar the king had set up.
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He then ordered all the important leaders in the province, everybody who was anybody, to the dedication ceremony of the statue.
3 Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nevukhadnetztzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nevukhadnetztzar had set up.
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They all came for the dedication, all the important people, and took their places before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
4 Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,
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A herald then proclaimed in a loud voice: "Attention, everyone! Every race, color, and creed, listen!
5 that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nevukhadnetztzar the king has set up;
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When you hear the band strike up - all the trumpets and trombones, the tubas and baritones, the drums and cymbals - fall to your knees and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 and whoever doesn't fall down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
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Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown immediately into a roaring furnace."
7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nevukhadnetztzar the king had set up.
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The band started to play, a huge band equipped with all the musical instruments of Babylon, and everyone - every race, color, and creed - fell to their knees and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Kasdim came near, and brought accusation against the Yehudim.
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Just then, some Babylonian fortunetellers stepped up and accused the Jews.
9 They answered Nevukhadnetztzar the king, O king, live for ever.
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They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "Long live the king!
10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;
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You gave strict orders, O king, that when the big band started playing, everyone had to fall to their knees and worship the gold statue,
11 and whoever doesn't fall down and worships, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
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and whoever did not go to their knees and worship it had to be pitched into a roaring furnace.
12 There are certain Yehudim whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Bavel: Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego; these men, O king, have not regarded you: they don't serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
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Well, there are some Jews here - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - whom you have placed in high positions in the province of Babylon. These men are ignoring you, O king. They don't respect your gods and they won't worship the gold statue you set up."
13 Then Nevukhadnetztzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
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Furious, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought in. When the men were brought in,
14 Nevukhadnetztzar answered them, Is it on purpose, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego, that you don't serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
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Nebuchadnezzar asked, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't respect my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to you fall down and worship the image which I have made, [well]: but if you don't worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?
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I'm giving you a second chance - but from now on, when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If you don't worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?"
16 Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego answered the king, Nevukhadnetztzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us.
17 If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
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If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king.
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
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But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up."
19 Then was Nevukhadnetztzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego: [therefore] he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
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Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, cut off Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace fired up seven times hotter than usual.
20 He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego, [and] to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
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He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them up, hands and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe, were pitched into the roaring fire.
22 Therefore because the king's mitzvah was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego.
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Because the king was in such a hurry and the furnace was so hot, flames from the furnace killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it,
23 These three men, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
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while the fire raged around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
24 Then Nevukhadnetztzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said to his counselors, Didn't we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, True, O king.
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Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, "Didn't we throw three men, bound hand and foot, into the fire?" "That's right, O king," they said.
25 He answered, Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
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"But look!" he said. "I see four men, walking around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of the gods!"
26 Then Nevukhadnetztzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spoke and said, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego, you servants of Ha`Elyon God, come forth, and come here. Then Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego came forth out of the midst of the fire.
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Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring furnace and called in, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High God, come out here!" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.
27 The satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their pants changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.
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All the important people, the government leaders and king's counselors, gathered around to examine them and discovered that the fire hadn't so much as touched the three men - not a hair singed, not a scorch mark on their clothes, not even the smell of fire on them!
28 Nevukhadnetztzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
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Nebuchadnezzar said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him! They ignored the king's orders and laid their bodies on the line rather than serve or worship any god but their own.
29 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other god who is able to deliver after this sort.
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"Therefore I issue this decree: Anyone anywhere, of any race, color, or creed, who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be ripped to pieces, limb from limb, and their houses torn down. There has never been a god who can pull off a rescue like this."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego in the province of Bavel.
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Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.