CHAPTER 3
1Nebuchadnezzar made a statue of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. He set it up in the Dura Valley in the province of Babylonia. 2And Nebuchadnezzar sent out to assemble the satraps, the governors and officials, the councillors, the treasurers, the judges, the commanders of the camps, and all the administrators of the provinces to come for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3Then did the satraps, the governors and officials, the councillors, the judges, the commanders of the camps, and all the administrators of the provinces assemble for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they were standing before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4And the herald called out loudly: “To you, is it said, peoples, nations, and tongues! 5When you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lute, the zither, the lyre, the flute, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6And whoever does not fall down at once shall be cast into the furnace of blazing fire.” 7Therefore, when they would hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lute, the zither, the lyre, the flute, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and tongues would at once worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8Because of this, at that time Chaldean men came forward and denounced the Jews. 9They spoke out and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever! 10You, O king, put out a decree that any man who heard the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lute, the zither, the lyre, the flute, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. 11And whoever did not fall down and worship would be cast into the furnace of blazing fire. 12There are certain Jewish men whom you have appointed over the work of the province of Babylonia, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These have paid no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your god, and they do not worship the gold statue that you set up.” 13Then did Nebuchadnezzar say in anger and fury to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then were these men brought before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar spoke out and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you are not serving my god, and are not worshipping the gold statue that I put up? 15Now, if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lute, the zither, the lyre, the flute, and all kinds of music, and you worship the statue that I have made, [all will be well]. And if you do not worship, you will at once be thrown into the furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god who can save you from my hands?” 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to answer you about this matter. 17If our God, Whom we serve, is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire and from your hand, O king, He shall save us. 18And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your god, and we will not worship the gold statue that you have set up.” 19Then was Nebuchadnezzar filled with wrath, and the look of his face changed because of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke out and said to stoke the furnace seven times hotter than it was wont to be stoked. 20And to the valiant warriors of his army, he said to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in order to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21Then were these men bound in their trousers, their tunics, their headgear, and their garments and were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22Therefore because the king’s word was severe, and the furnace was intensely stoked, those men who had brought up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did the fire’s flame kill. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the furnace of blazing fire. 24Then was King Nebuchadnezzar astounded and arose in haste. He spoke out and said to his councillors, “Did we not throw three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “Indeed, O king.” 25He answered and said, “Why, I see four men walking unbound within the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the appearance of the fourth is like a divine being!” 26Then did Nebuchadnezzar approach the gate of the furnace of blazing fire. He spoke out and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out!” Then did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego come out from within the fire. 27And the satraps, governors, officials, and the king’s councillors were assembled and saw these men, that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair on their heads was not singed, and their trousers were in no way different and the smell of fire had not touched them. 28Nebuchadnezzar spoke out and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who has sent His messenger and saved His servants who trusted in Him and defied the king’s word and submitted their bodies, for they would not serve nor worship any god except their God. 29And let a decree be set out by me that any people, nation, or tongue that speaks ill of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces and their house shall be turned into a dung-heap, for there is no other god that can rescue like this.” 30Then did the king exalt Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylonia: 31“King Nebuchadnezzar, to all his people, nations, and tongues that dwell in all the earth, may your well-being abound. 32The signs and wonders that the most high God has performed with me, it pleases me to tell.
33His signs, how great they are,
and His wonders, how powerful!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and his dominion for all generations.”