Daniel 3

Revised Geneva Translation

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was 60 cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babel.

² Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to gather together the nobles, the princes and the dukes; the judges, the receivers, the counselors, the officers, and all the governors of the provinces, that they should come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

³ So the nobles, princes, and dukes; the judges, the receivers, the counselors, the officers, and all the governors of the provinces were assembled for the dedicating of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. And they stood before the image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁴ Then a herald cried aloud, “Be it known to you, O people, nations, and languages,

⁵ That when you hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all instruments of music, you shall fall down, and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

⁶ “And whoever does not fall down and worship, shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a hot fiery furnace!”

⁷ Therefore as soon as all the people heard the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all instruments of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down, and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

⁸ By reason whereof, at that same time came men of the Chaldeans, and grievously accused the Jews.

⁹ For they spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever.

¹⁰ “You, O king, have made a decree that every man who shall hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all instruments of music, shall fall down, and worship the golden image.

¹¹ “And whoever does not fall down, and worship, that he should be cast into the midst of a hot fiery furnace.

¹² “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the charge of the province of Babel: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not regarded your commandment. Nor will they serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his anger and wrath, commanded that they should bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king.

¹⁴ And Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said to them, “What is this? Will not you, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, serve my god, and worship the golden image that I have set up?

¹⁵ “Now, therefore, you should be ready when you hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all instruments of music, to fall down, and worship the image which I have made. “For if you do not worship it, you shall immediately be cast into the midst of a hot fiery furnace. For who is that God, that can deliver you out of my hands?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not hesitant to answer you in this matter.

¹⁷ “Behold, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace. And he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

¹⁸ “But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of rage. And his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore, he commanded that they should heat the furnace to seven times hotter than it was normally heated.

²⁰ And he charged the most valiant men of war, who were in his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the hot fiery furnace.

²¹ So these men were bound in their coats, their hats, and their cloaks, with their other garments, and cast into the midst of the hot fiery furnace.

²² Therefore, because the king’s commandment was urgent, that the furnace should be exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who brought forth Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the hot fiery furnace.

²⁴ Then, Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished; and rose up quickly, and spoke; and said to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men, bound, into the midst of the fire?” Who answered, and said to him, “It is true, O king.”

²⁵ And he answered, and said, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the appearance of the fourth is like the son of God.

²⁶ Then the king Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the hot fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the servants of the high God, come out and come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came forth from the midst of the fire.

²⁷ Then the nobles, princes, and dukes, and the king’s counselors came together to see these men, because the fire had no power over their bodies. For not a hair of their head was burnt, nor their clothing, nor was any smell of fire upon them.

²⁸ So, Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his Angel, and delivered his servants, who put their trust in him; and have changed the king’s commandment, and offered their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

²⁹ “Therefore, I make a decree that every people, nation, and language, which speaks any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be torn in pieces, and their houses shall be laid waste, because there is no god that can deliver like this.”

³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babel.

³¹ Nebuchadnezzar, king to all people, nations and languages, who dwell in all the world, Peace be multiplied to you.

³² I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders, that the high God has wrought toward me.

³³ How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And his dominion is from generation to generation.