The Fiery Furnace

Therefore at that time certain (A)Chaldeans (B)came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared[a] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, (C)have made a decree, that every man who (D)hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, (E)shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship (F)shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have (G)appointed over the affairs of (H)the province of Babylon: (I)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, (J)pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar (K)in furious rage commanded that (L)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when (M)you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.[b] But if you do not worship, (N)you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And (O)who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

16 (P)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, (Q)our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.[c] 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was (R)filled with fury, and the expression of his face (S)was changed against (T)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army (U)to bind (V)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were (W)bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[d] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was (X)urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up (Y)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell (Z)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was (AA)astonished and rose up (AB)in haste. He declared to his (AC)counselors, “Did we not cast three men (AD)bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, (AE)walking in the midst of the fire, and they (AF)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like (AG)a son of the gods.”

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 3:9 Aramaic answered and said; also verses 24, 26
  2. Daniel 3:15 Aramaic lacks well and good
  3. Daniel 3:17 Or If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king
  4. Daniel 3:21 The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27

At this time some astrologers[a](A) came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever!(B) 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree(C) that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,(D) 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego(E)—who pay no attention(F) to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”(G)

13 Furious(H) with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods(I) or worship the image(J) of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god(K) will be able to rescue(L) you from my hand?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego(M) replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver(N) us from it, and he will deliver(O) us[b] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.(P)

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven(Q) times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego(R) and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,(S) 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 3:8 Or Chaldeans
  2. Daniel 3:17 Or If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and