Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue

1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image† of gold; its height was sixty cubits, its width six cubits.† He set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the administrators, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province, to come for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

3Then were gathered together the satraps, the administrators, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province, for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4And the herald was calling out with force: “To you⁺ it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5that at the time when you⁺ hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music,† you⁺ shall fall down and give homage to the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up! 6And whoever does not fall down and give homage to it, he shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning furnace of fire!”

7All because of this, at that time, accordingly as all the people heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, trigon, pipe, and all kinds of music, they fell down—all the people, nations, and languages—giving homage to the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused

8All because of this, at that time some astrologers,† men, came forward and they ate to pieces the Jews. 9They spoke and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O King, may you live forever! 10You, O king, have set forth a decree that any man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and pipe, and all kinds of music, must fall down and give homage to the image of gold. 11And whoever does not fall down and give homage, he shall be cast into the midst of a burning furnace of fire! 12There are men of the Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men do not set upon you, O king, the regard! To your gods they do not serve, and to the image of gold that you have set up they do not give homage!”

13Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you⁺ are not giving service to my gods and not giving homage to the image of gold that I have set up? 15Now, if you⁺ are ready, at that time when you⁺ hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and pipe, and all kinds of music, then you⁺ fall down and give homage to the image that I have made! And if you⁺ will not give homage in it, immediately you⁺ shall be cast into the midst of a burning furnace of fire—and who is the god who will deliver you⁺ from my hands?”

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered, and said to the king: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you in this matter. 17If our God, whom we serve, exists, He is able† to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire. From your hand, O king, He will deliver us. 18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that to your gods we are not serving, and to the image of gold that you have set up we will not give homage.”

The Fiery Furnace

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the image of his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He spoke and commanded to heat the furnace seven times more than it is seen to be heated. 20And to men mighty of valor who were in his army, he commanded to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, to cast them into the burning furnace of fire.

21Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, and their turbans, and their garments, and they were cast into the midst of the burning furnace of fire.

22All because of this, upon that the command of the king was urgent and the furnace was extremely hot, these men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, the flame of fire killed them. 23And these three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the burning furnace of fire, bound.

24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was startled, and he rose in haste; he spoke and said to his counselors, “Was it not that we cast three men into the midst of the fire, bound?”

They answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O King.”

25He answered and said, “Behold! I am seeing four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and there is to them no harm! And his appearance, that of the fourth, is like a son of the gods!†”

26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning furnace of fire; he answered and said: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of God Most High, come out and come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out from the midst of the fire. 27And gathered together the satraps, the administrators, and the governors, and the counselors of the king, and they saw these men whom the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their head was not singed, and their garments were not changed, and the smell of fire had not passed over them.

28Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who sent His angel† and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and who changed the word of the king, and gave up their bodies that they should not serve and not give homage to any god, except to their God! 29And a decree from me shall be set forth, that any people, nation, or language, that speaks wrong against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut into limbs and their houses shall be made a dunghill—all because that there is no other God who is able to deliver like this.”

30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.

Footnotes:

1 Or statue; here and throughout Daniel 3
1 The statue was approximately 90 feet high and 9 feet wide (27.4 meters high and 2.7 meters wide).
5 The precise identification of some musical instruments in this chapter is uncertain.
8 Or Chaldeans
17 Or If this be so, then the God whom we serve is able
25 Or like the Son of God
28 Or Angel