Daniel 3:18
in Daniel 3But 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
KJV
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
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This verse in Daniel 3
Commentary
16 notes on this verseVerse 18. "But if He does not will to do so" - phrasing which admirably avoids the idea, "If He is not able," which would be inconsistent with what they had just asserted, "He is able to deliver us" - but rather they say, "If He does not will to do so." Thereby they indicate that it will not be a matter of God's inability but rather of His sovereign will if they do perish.
This site's exposition
we have no need to answer
on Daniel 3:16-18
The three say God “is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king”. They add, “But even if He does not,” “we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue”. Their refusal holds in either case.
This site's exposition
But even if He does not
Jerome notes that "even if He does not" concerns God's will and leaves his power untouched, for the three had said he is able. Cyprian read the verse as courage. The king was to know that they could also die for the God they served.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
But what is better for you O man, having testified to depart from this world in glory, or having been rescued here and waiting patiently to keep sinning? For we have seen many who have confessed before the tribunal who were, through some pretext against the design of God, destroyed, and we have seen they who lived a sufficient time and being found in transgressions, also were destroyed. How does a confession to God aid them? For it is better for them rather that they are taken from this world as pure, having a heavenly crown, then remaining here to heap up sins for themselves concerning which they have to render an account. Therefore let the one who is brought forth on account of the Name pray that at some time having testified in such a way, to depart. For this one will never in any way be judged, but he will judge "having his own share in the first resurrection." [Revelation 20:6] And so be firm O man, never stammering in faith, and whenever you are called to testify obey willingly, so that your faith may be shown. It has happened that God has tested you as he tested Abraham, when he demanded Isaac. Having been brought forward, perhaps he wills to deliver you, and in this you glorify God. And you mimic the three boys and understand their faith! For they said to the king, "God is able to release us, but if he does not will, we are under the authority of God, we would rather gladly die than do what is prescribed by you." [Daniel 3:18] Whom then Nebuchadnezzar also seeing the pure and blameless boys coming out from the furnace was astounded and amazed. For neither was their hair singed nor their cloaks changed nor was the smell of fire in them.
You see the assurance of the words which were spoken through one mouth, so that in no word may they stumble. For after the king threatened them and said, "Why do you not serve my gods and not worship the golden image which I set up?" [Daniel 3:14] They answered, "We have no need to answer you concerning this matter," [Daniel 3:16] not regarding him worthy of a defense of such a statement. Then, after the king said, "You shall be cast into the burning furnace of fire, and what god is there who shall take you out of my hands?" [Daniel 3:15] They added to the word which was spoken by the king and said, "There is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire and from your hands, O king." After the king again said, "And so, now if you are prepared, when you should hear the sound of the trumpet, pipes and lyres, harp and psaltery and all the family of musical instruments, fall down and worship the golden image." [Daniel 3:15] They said to him, "Let it be known to you O king that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden image which you set up." [Daniel 3:18]
For the king set before them three matters through one word, like those who contend for three prizes in a contest, so that even in one matter, having laid a trap, he might trip these boys up. But they, wishing to be defeated in nothing, genuinely answered in three statements. For they set at naught the first matter of the king, showing that the idol which was worshiped by him was not worthy of any account. Secondly, they taught the king that it is necessary to fear and worship a certain king, saying, "There is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire." [Daniel 3:17] Then thirdly, wishing to demonstrate their faith, they said, "And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden image which you set up." [Daniel 3:18] For in this, they fortified themselves through speech, lest, after they were cast into the furnace, they would also be incinerated and the Chaldeans would have boasted and deceived the king saying, "Do not be vexed, O king, you prevailed and you took the prize from them. For they, shrieking and burning in the fire, were saying, 'We beg you, Lord and king, we will do what is commanded by you, we will worship the image.'" Therefore after death believers, who did not wish to give a place of pretext to the devil, are called martyrs, according to every way they fortified themselves. For they who believe have carried up all authority and glory to God, because he is able to deliver us, but if not we would rather gladly die than to do what is prescribed by you, Nebuchadnezzar!
Far from serving our Lord for payment, we are motivated by affection and longing, and at the same time we prefer the service of our God to everything. Hence, instead of asking for relief from the troubles unconditionally, we embrace the Lord's planning and providence; …
And so even then, in this way the three boys, who were disciples of faith in Babylon, answered the king saying, "We have no need to answer you concerning this matter." [Daniel 3:16] Daniel, having heard these words, approved. But again they said, "There is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire and from your hands, O king." [Daniel 3:17] The Blessed Daniel, being a prophet and foreseeing what is to come, approved as being true what was spoken by them. And the boys, so that they may exhibit to the king their unsurpassable faith, added saying, "And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not serve the golden image which you set up." [Daniel 3:18] Whom again the blessed Daniel, having heard their voice a third time, and having been amazed, crowned them in faith as speaking beautiful truths.
8 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
They believed that they might escape according to their faith, but they added, "and if not," that the king might know that they could also die for the God they worshipped. For this is the strength of courage and of faith, to believe and to know that God can deliver from present death, and yet not to fear death nor to give way, that faith may be the more mightily proved. The uncorrupted and unconquered might of the Holy Spirit broke forth by their mouth, so that the words which the Lord in His Gospel spoke are seen to be true: "But when they shall seize you, take no thought what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."
I will dare to say something and I will not venture to say something else while speaking. These boys, having read the contents of Scripture, saw what was spoken by the prophet, that it was written concerning them. For how else did the contents of Scripture say to Babylon, "I shall make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know me," [Psalm 87:4] except if it foresees by the Spirit the mysteries of the economy there? For these, having seen all men worshiping the image and heeding the prescription of the king, settled their minds to speak. This is not idly written, brothers, this is similarly fulfilled in us now. For behold, it happened that even every family received our captives and they became slaves to the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar, just as the great devil, tyrannizes against us and having made a golden image compels people to idolatry. We the faithful stand fast unto death, lest we disgrace our teacher, Moses, or lest we permit our family to be ridiculed. Let us, as the three boys, conquer all the power of the Babylonians. God will deliver us from the hand of the king, as he rescued our forefathers from the hand of Pharaoh. Let us recall what happened long ago in the land of Egypt. When the sea was struck with a staff, it was put to flight and the Jordan River, when it saw the Ark, was turned back to its source, and Rahab the prostitute, when she was found faithful in the city of Jericho, she was preserved from the slaughter of the sword. And now God is able to easily quench the fire of the furnace. If you are threatened with the sword, let us submit to death; if thrown to wild beasts let us not cower before the beasts. Let not the crowd of the Babylonians prevail in that faithful day. Urging one another on as living combatants, the three young boys were led on by the Spirit to the pit, contending before myriads of unbelieving men.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, Those that would avoid sin must not parley with temptation. When that which we are allured or affrighted to is manifestly evil the motion is rather to be rejected with indignation and abhorrence than reasoned with; stand not to pause about it, but say, as Christ has taught us, Get thee behind me, Satan.
And truly, all things considered, the saving of them from this sinful compliance was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace as the saving of them out of the fiery furnace was in the kingdom of nature.
But if not,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But if not - That is, “if he should “not” deliver us; if it should “not” occur that he would protect us, and save us from that heated oven: whatever may be the result in regard to us, our determination is settled.” Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods ... - This answer is firm and noble. It showed that their minds were made up, and that it was with them a matter of “principle” not to worship false gods.
IF YOU read the second chapter of the Book of Daniel, you will think that Nebuchadnezzar was not far from the Kingdom of God. His dream had troubled him, but Daniel had explained it. Then the king made this confession to Daniel, "Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you could reveal this secret."
IF YOU read the second chapter of the Book of Daniel, you will think that Nebuchadnezzar was not far from the Kingdom of God. His dream had troubled him, but Daniel had explained it. Then the king made this confession to Daniel, "Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you could reveal this secret." He acknowledged that Jehovah, the God of the Jews, was the greatest of gods, and was a great interpreter of secrets, but in a short time we find this man setting up an idol and persecuting to the death those who would not worship it. He seems, indeed, to have turned the blessing into a curse, and made the image of his dream the pattern of the idol he set up for the nation to worship, thus making that through which God had graciously revealed His power and wisdom, the very instrument of his folly and vainglory. Man's proud heart is the same in all generations and the same thing happens even today. Have you not seen in your time men seriously impressed? They could not hold their own. They seemed stricken down by the force of the Truth of God and you felt almost sure that they would become, like Saul of Tarsus, true converts, and even Apostles of the faith. But after a while they forgot it, forgot it all, and became, at last, the most bitter and determined opponents of the Truth of God before which they seemed once to bow. Every minister who has a congregation of any considerable size must have met with such people. I remember one who, being at a Prayer Meeting where there was much wrestling power with God, was so overcome that he prayed aloud and seemed to cry with all his heart for mercy—and before he left, he said that he had found it. But the next day he declared that he would never go to such a meeting again—that he had been almost caught, but he would not trust himself in such society any more.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהֵ֣ן | vehen | and if | H2006 → | 19 times |
| לָ֔א | la' | not | H3809 → | 82 times |
| יְדִ֥יעַ | yedia' | known | H3046 → | 47 times |
| לֶהֱוֵא־ | leheve'- | let it be | H1934 → | 71 times |
| לָ֖ךְ | lakh | to you | ||
| מַלְכָּ֑א | malka' | king O | H4430 → | 180 times |
| דִּ֤י | di | that | H1768 → | 345 times |
| לֵֽאלָהָךְ֙ | lelahayikh | to god your | H426 → | 95 times |
| לָא־ | la'- | not | H3809 → | 82 times |
| אִיתַ֣נָא | ʾitayna' | are we | H383 → | 17 times |
| פָֽלְחִ֔ין | falechin | paying reverence | H6399 → | 10 times |
| וּלְצֶ֧לֶם | uletzelem | and to [the] image of | H6755 → | 17 times |
| דַּהֲבָ֛א | dahava' | <the> gold | H1722 → | 23 times |
| דִּ֥י | di | which | H1768 → | 345 times |
| הֲקֵ֖ימְתָּ | hakeimeta | you have set up | H6966 → | 35 times |
| לָ֥א | la' | not | H3809 → | 82 times |
| נִסְגֻּֽד׃ ס | nisgud | we will pay homage | H5457 → | 12 times |
וְהֵ֣ןand if
vehenH2006 →19 times
לָ֔אnot
la'H3809 →82 times
יְדִ֥יעַknown
yedia'H3046 →47 times
לֶהֱוֵא־let it be
leheve'-H1934 →71 times
לָ֖ךְto you
lakh
מַלְכָּ֑אking O
malka'H4430 →180 times
דִּ֤יthat
diH1768 →345 times
לֵֽאלָהָךְ֙to god your
lelahayikhH426 →95 times
לָא־not
la'-H3809 →82 times
אִיתַ֣נָאare we
ʾitayna'H383 →17 times
פָֽלְחִ֔יןpaying reverence
falechinH6399 →10 times
וּלְצֶ֧לֶםand to [the] image of
uletzelemH6755 →17 times
דַּהֲבָ֛א<the> gold
dahava'H1722 →23 times
דִּ֥יwhich
diH1768 →345 times
הֲקֵ֖ימְתָּyou have set up
hakeimetaH6966 →35 times
לָ֥אnot
la'H3809 →82 times
נִסְגֻּֽד׃ סwe will pay homage
nisgudH5457 →12 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 10:39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
it leads to
- John 12:25
Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
- Mark 8:35–36
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
- Luke 17:33
Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
- Matthew 16:25–26
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- Luke 9:24
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
- John 12:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Daniel
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2217: “Three Names High on the Muster Roll” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyprian, Epistle LV; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 2.37.1-7; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 2.23.1-4; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 2.24.1-8; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 2.22.1-5; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 2.19.1-8; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER THREE; John Calvin, Commentary on the Prophet Daniel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 3:18.