¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;

^12 (A)And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”

The king answered and said, “The thing is true, ^(B)according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[a]does not alter.”

⁴ Then a herald cried ^[a]aloud: “To you it is commanded, ^(A)O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; ⁶ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall ^(B)be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

⁷ So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

^12 (A)Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province ^(B)according to its script, and to every people in their language. ^(C)In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ And the letters were ^(D)sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, ^(E)in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and ^(F)to plunder their ^[a]possessions. ^14 (G)A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day.

¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, ^(A)to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has ^[a]the mark or ^(B)the name of the beast, ^(C)or the number of his name.

⁵⁷ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might ^(A)seize Him.

¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, ^(A)good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ^(B)And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

Assyria Shall Be Broken