Daniel 3

The gold image

1King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2Then King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. They stood before the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4A herald called out loudly, “Peoples, nations, and languages, this is the command for you: 5When you hear the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Anyone who does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” 7So when all the peoples heard the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The accusation

8At that time some Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10You, O king, issued a command that everyone who hears the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. 11Anyone who does not fall down and worship must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12But there are Jews you appointed to administer the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They do not serve your god or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Before the furnace

13Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego brought before him. The men were brought to the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold statue I set up? 15Now, if you are ready, when you hear the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you will not worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. What god could rescue you from my hand?” 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves to you in this matter. 17If that is so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the blazing furnace, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18But even if not, know this, O king: we will not serve your god or worship the gold statue you set up.” 19Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and his expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. 20He ordered some of the strongest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21The men were bound in their robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22The king’s order was urgent and the furnace so fiercely heated that the flames killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego up to it. 23The three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—fell bound into the blazing furnace.

The fourth figure

24Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped up in alarm. “Didn’t we throw three bound men into the fire?” he asked his advisers. “Certainly, O king,” they answered. 25“Look!” he said. “I see four men walking free in the fire, and they are unharmed. The fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing furnace and called, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the fire. 27The satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around them. They saw that the fire had no power over the men’s bodies: no hair on their heads was singed, their robes were unchanged, and not even the smell of fire clung to them. 28Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants, who trusted him. They defied the king’s command and surrendered their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their own God. 29I therefore decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who speaks against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego will be torn limb from limb, and their house reduced to a refuse heap. No other god can rescue like this.” 30Then the king advanced Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.