Daniel 3
3
Gold statue
1King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue. It was ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up in the Dura Valley in the province of Babylon. 2King Nebuchadnezzar then ordered the chief administrators, ministers, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to assemble and come for the dedication of the statue that he had set up. 3So the chief administrators, ministers, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of the statue the king had set up. 4The herald proclaimed loudly: “Peoples, nations, and languages! This is what you must do: 5When you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument, you must bow down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Anyone who will not bow down and worship will be immediately thrown into a furnace of flaming fire.” 7So because of this order as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute,#3.7 Identification of the instruments is not certain; several of the Aramaic terms are Greek loanwords. and every kind of instrument, all the peoples, nations, and languages bowed down and worshipped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Plot against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
8At that moment some Chaldeans came forward, seizing a chance to attack the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar:
“Long live the king! 10Your Majesty, you gave a command that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument should bow down and worship the gold statue. 11Anyone who wouldn’t bow and worship would be thrown into a furnace of flaming fire. 12Now there are some Jews, ones you appointed to administer the province of Babylon—specifically, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored your command. They don’t serve your gods, and they don’t worship the gold statue you’ve set up.”
13In a violent rage Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were brought before the king.
14Nebuchadnezzar said to them: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I’ve set up? 15If you are now ready to do so, bow down and worship the gold statue I’ve made when you hear the sound of horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument. But if you won’t worship it, you will be thrown straight into the furnace of flaming fire. Then what god will rescue you from my power?”
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar: “We don’t need to answer your question. 17If our God—the one we serve—is able to rescue us from the furnace of flaming fire and from your power, Your Majesty, then let him rescue us.#3.17 Or he will deliver us 18But if he doesn’t, know this for certain, Your Majesty: we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you’ve set up.”
Inside the furnace
19Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his face twisted beyond recognition because of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In response he commanded that the furnace be heated to seven times its normal heat. 20He told some of the strongest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of flaming fire. 21So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound, still dressed in all their clothes, and thrown into the furnace of flaming fire. (22Now the king’s command had been rash, and the furnace was heated to such an extreme that the fire’s flame killed the very men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it.) 23So these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell, bound, into the furnace of flaming fire.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in shock and said to his associates, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?”
They answered the king, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25He replied, “Look! I see four men, unbound, walking around inside the fire, and they aren’t hurt! And the fourth one looks like one of the gods.” 26Nebuchadnezzar went near the opening of the furnace of flaming fire and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27The chief administrators, ministers, governors, and the king’s associates crowded around to look at them. The fire hadn’t done anything to them: their hair wasn’t singed; their garments looked the same as before; they didn’t even smell like fire!
Nebuchadnezzar praises God
28Nebuchadnezzar declared: “May the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be praised! He sent his messenger#3.28 Or angel to rescue his servants who trusted him. They ignored the king’s order, sacrificing their bodies, because they wouldn’t serve or worship any god but their God. 29I now issue a decree to every people, nation, and language: whoever speaks disrespectfully about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s God will be torn limb from limb and their house made a trash heap, because there is no other god who can rescue like this.”
30Then the king made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prosperous in the province of Babylon.
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Daniel 3
3
King Nebuchadnezzar's Gold Statue
1 #
4 Macc 13.9. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered a gold statue to be built 27 meters high and nearly 3 meters wide. He had it set up in Dura Valley near the city of Babylon, 2and he commanded his governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, and his other officials to come from everywhere in his kingdom to the dedication of the statue. 3So all of them came and stood in front of it.
4Then an official stood up and announced:
People of every nation and race, now listen to the king's command! 5Trumpets, flutes, harps, and all other kinds of musical instruments will soon start playing. When you hear the music, you must bow down and worship the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Anyone who refuses will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace.
7As soon as the people heard the music, they bowed down and worshiped the gold statue that the king had set up.
8Some Babylonians used this as a chance to accuse the Jews to King Nebuchadnezzar. 9They said, “Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! 10You commanded everyone to bow down and worship the gold statue when the music played. 11And you said that anyone who did not bow down and worship it would be thrown into a flaming furnace. 12Sir, you appointed three men to high positions in Babylon Province, but they have disobeyed you. Those Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuse to worship your gods and the statue you have set up.”
13King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. So he sent for the three young men and said, 14“I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up. 15Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don't, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me.”
16The three men replied, “Your Majesty, we don't need to defend ourselves. 17The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace. 18But even if he doesn't, we still won't worship your gods and the gold statue you have set up.”
19Nebuchadnezzar's face twisted with anger at the three men. And he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20Next, he commanded some of his strongest soldiers to tie up the men and throw them into the flaming furnace. 21-23#Az/Song 1-68; 3 Macc 6.6. The king wanted it done at that very moment. So the soldiers tied up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and threw them into the flaming furnace with all of their clothes still on, including their turbans. The fire was so hot that flames leaped out and killed the soldiers.
24Suddenly the king jumped up and shouted, “Weren't only three men tied up and thrown into the fire?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” his officers answered.
25“But I see four men walking around in the fire,” the king replied. “None of them is tied up or harmed, and the fourth one looks like a god.”#3.25 a god: Aramaic “a son of the gods” or “a son of God.”
26Nebuchadnezzar went closer to the flaming furnace and said to the three young men, “You servants of the Most High God, come out at once!”
They came out, 27and the king's high officials, governors, and advisors all crowded around them. The men were not burned, their hair wasn't scorched, and their clothes didn't even smell like smoke. 28King Nebuchadnezzar said:
Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own. 29And I won't allow people of any nation or race to say anything against their God. Anyone who does will be chopped up and their houses will be torn down, because no other god has such great power to save.
30After this happened, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in Babylon Province.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.