Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar’s Gold Statue

3King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide

and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.H5020H4430H5648H6755H1722H7314H8361H521H6613H8353H521H6966H1236H1757H4083H895 2Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.H5020H4430H7972H3673H324H5460H6347H148H1411H1884H8614H3606H7984H4083H858H2597H6755H5020H4430H6966 3So all these officials

came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.H116H324H5460H6347H148H1411H1884H8614H3606H7984H4083H3673H2597H6755H5020H4430H6966H6966H6903H6755H5020H6966 4Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command!H3744H7123H2429H560H5972H524H3961 5When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments

, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.H5732H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H5481H3606H2178H2170H5308H5457H1722H6755H5020H4430H6966 6Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”H4479H5308H3809H5308H5457H8160H7412H1459H3345H5135H861 7So at the sound of the musical instruments

, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.H6903H1836H2166H1768H3606H5972H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H3606H2178H2170H3606H5972H524H3961H5308H5457H1722H6755H5020H4430H6966 8But some of the astrologers

went to the king and informed on the Jews.H6903H3606H1836H2166H1400H3779H7127H7170H399H3062 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!H6032H560H4430H5020H4430H2418H5957 10You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.H607H4430H7761H2942H3606H606H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H5481H5481H3606H2178H2170H5308H5457H1722H6755 11That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.H4479H5308H3809H5308H5457H7412H1459H3345H5135H861 12But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”H383H1400H3062H3487H4483H5922H5673H4083H895H7715H4336H5665H479H1400H4430H7761H3809H2942H5922H6399H3809H426H3809H5457H1722H6755H6966 13Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,H116H5020H7266H2528H560H858H7715H4336H5665H116H858H479H1400H6925H4430 14Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?H5020H6032H560H6656H7715H4336H5665H3809H383H6399H426H3809H5457H1722H6755H6966 15I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments

. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”H3705H2006H383H6263H5732H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H5481H3606H2178H2170H5308H5457H6755H5648H2006H5457H3809H7412H8160H1459H3345H5135H861H4479H426H7804H4481H3028 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.H7715H4336H5665H6032H560H4430H5020H586H3809H2818H8421H5922H1836H6600 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.H2006H426H586H6399H383H3202H7804H4481H3345H5135H861H4481H7804H4481H3028H4430 18But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”H2006H3809H1934H3046H4430H383H3809H6399H426H3809H5457H1722H6755H6966

The Blazing Furnace

19Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.H116H5020H4391H2528H6755H600H8133H5922H7715H4336H5665H6032H560H228H861H2298H7655H5922H1768H2370H228 20Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.H560H2429H1401H1400H2429H3729H7715H4336H5665H7412H3345H5135H861 21So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments.H116H479H1400H3729H5622H6361H6361H3737H3831H7412H1459H3345H5135H861 22And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in.H3606H6903H4481H1836H4430H4406H2685H861H3493H228H7631H5135H6992H479H1400H1994H5267H7715H4336H5665 23So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.H479H8532H1400H7715H4336H5665H5308H3729H1459H3345H5135H861 24But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.H116H5020H4430H8429H6966H927H6032H560H1907H3809H7412H8532H1400H3729H1459H5135H6032H560H4430H3330H4430 25“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god

!”H6032H560H1888H576H2370H703H1400H8271H1981H1459H5135H383H3809H2257H7299H7244H1821H1247H426 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire.H116H5020H7127H8651H3345H5135H861H6032H560H7715H4336H5665H5649H5943H426H5312H858H116H7715H4336H5665H5312H4481H1459H5135 27Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!H324H5460H6347H4430H1907H3673H2370H479H1400H1655H5135H3809H7981H3809H8177H7217H2761H3809H5622H8133H3809H7382H5135H5709 28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.H5020H6032H560H1289H426H7715H4336H5665H7972H4398H7804H5649H7365H5922H8133H4430H4406H3052H1655H3809H6399H3809H5457H3606H426H3861H426 29Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”H4481H7761H2942H3606H5972H524H3961H560H7960H7955H5922H426H7715H4336H5665H5648H1917H1005H7739H5122H6903H3606H383H3809H321H426H3202H5338H1836 30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.H116H4430H6744H7715H4336H5665H4083H895