Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image
1
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubitsa and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on 1the plain of Dura, in 2the province of Babylon.
2
Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather 3the satraps, the prefects, and 4the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3
Then 5the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
5
that when you hear the 8sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you 9are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
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And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately 10be cast into a burning fiery furnace."
7
Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all 11the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
The Fiery Furnace
9
They declaredb to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
10
You, O king, 14have made a decree, that every man who 15hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, 16shall fall down and worship the golden image.
11
And whoever does not fall down and worship 17shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.
12
There are certain Jews whom you have 18appointed over the affairs of 19the province of Babylon: 20Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, 21pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
13
Then Nebuchadnezzar 22in furious rage commanded that 23Shadrach, 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 24you 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.c But if you do not worship, 25you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And 26who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"
16
27Shadrach, 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, 28our 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.d
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 29filled with fury, and the expression of his face 30was changed against 31Shadrach, 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 32to bind 33Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21
Then these men were 34bound in their cloaks, their tunics,e their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.
22
Because the king's order was 35urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up 36Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell 37bound into the burning fiery furnace.
24
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was 38astonished and rose up 39in haste. He declared to his 40counselors, "Did we not cast three men 41bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
25
He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, 42walking in the midst of the fire, and they 43are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like 44a son of the gods."
26
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, 45"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the 46Most High God, come out, and come here!" Then 47Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.
27
And the 48satraps, the prefects, the governors, and 49the king's counselors gathered together and saw that 50the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their 51cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
28
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of 52Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who 53has sent his angel and 54delivered his servants, who 55trusted in him, and set asidef the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than 56serve and worship any god except their own God.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)