The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image^(A) of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,^[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² He then summoned the satraps,^(B) prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials^(C) to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. ³ So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

⁴ Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language,^(D) this is what you are commanded to do: ⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp,^(E) pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image^(F) of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.^{(G) 6} Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”^(H)

⁷ Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.^(I)

⁷ the Philistines were afraid.^(A) “A god has^[a] come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. ⁸ We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck^(B) the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues^(C) in the wilderness. ⁹ Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they^(D) have been to you. Be men, and fight!”