Danielchapter 3
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Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Furnace — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
A.A golden image and music that commands worshipvv. 1-7
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, the people of every nation and language would fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
B.But if not: three men who will not bowvv. 8-18
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews, 9 saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever! 10 You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. 12 But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up? 15 Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
C.The furnace heated seven times hottervv. 19-23
19 At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, 20 and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace. 21 So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
D.A fourth man walking in the firevv. 24-27
24 Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they replied. 25 “Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.
E.The king's decree honoring the God who deliversvv. 28-30
28 Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Chapter summary
The king who heard about a head of gold builds an image entirely of gold, sixty cubits by six, on the plain of Dura, and orders every people to fall down at the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
Chapter summary
The king who heard about a head of gold builds an image entirely of gold, sixty cubits by six, on the plain of Dura, and orders every people to fall down at the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
The king who heard about a head of gold builds an image entirely of gold, sixty cubits by six, on the plain of Dura, and orders every people to fall down at the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer. Three refuse, and answer the furnace with the highest note in the book: 'our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… but if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods.' The furnace, heated seven times hotter, kills the men who carry them, but Nebuchadnezzar rises astonished: 'Lo, I see four men loose… and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.' Not a hair singed.
Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.
Context
Prophecy · Daniel — Daniel overview
- A. 1–7 A golden image and music that commands worship
- B. 8–18 But if not: three men who will not bow
- C. 19–23 The furnace heated seven times hotter
- D. 24–27 A fourth man walking in the fire
- E. 28–30 The king's decree honoring the God who delivers
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
Daniel 39 verses
- Daniel 3:1King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
- Daniel 3:4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded:
- Daniel 3:10You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue,
- Daniel 3:12But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
- Daniel 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
- Daniel 3:15Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”
- Read Daniel 3: 3 more there →
Daniel 68 verses
- Daniel 6:1Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
- Daniel 6:6So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!
- Daniel 6:7All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.
- Daniel 6:12So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
- Daniel 6:13Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”
- Daniel 6:16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
- Read Daniel 6: 2 more there →
Daniel 25 verses
- Daniel 2:4Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
- Daniel 2:5The king replied to the astrologers, “My word is final: If you do not tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces and your houses will be reduced to rubble.
- Daniel 2:12This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
- Daniel 2:15“Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. At this time Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.
- Daniel 2:49And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.
- Read Daniel 2 →
Esther 33 verses
- Esther 3:5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage.
- Esther 3:8Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
- Esther 3:12On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.
- Read Esther 3 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
Isaiah 462 verses
- Isaiah 46:1Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.
- Isaiah 46:6They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
- Read Isaiah 46 →
Revelation 172 verses
- Revelation 17:13These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
- Revelation 17:17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
- Read Revelation 17 →
Revelation 132 verses
- Revelation 13:13And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people.
- Revelation 13:14Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived.
- Read Revelation 13 →
Daniel 42 verses
- Daniel 4:1King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
- Daniel 4:2I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
- Read Daniel 4 →
Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.