Historical

Chapter 3

The Fiery Furnace. ¹ King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, which he set up in the plain of Dura^[a] in the province of Babylon. ² He then ordered the satraps,^[b] prefects, and governors, the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the officials of the provinces to be summoned to the dedication of the statue which he had set up. ³ The satraps, prefects, and governors, the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the officials of the provinces came together for the dedication and stood before the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ A herald cried out: “Nations and peoples of every language, ^5 [c]when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, you must fall down and worship the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ Whoever does not fall down and worship shall be instantly cast into a white-hot furnace.” ⁷ Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, the nations and peoples of every language all fell down and worshiped the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁸ At that point, some of the Chaldeans came and accused the Jews ⁹ to King Nebuchadnezzar: “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ O king, you issued a decree that everyone who heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, and double-flute, and all the other musical instruments should fall down and worship the golden statue; ¹¹ whoever did not was to be cast into a white-hot furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have made administrators of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have paid no attention to you; they will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”

¹³ Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and sent for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were promptly brought before the king. ¹⁴ King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? ¹⁵ Now, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I made, whenever you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, then all will be well;^[d] if not, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?” ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If our God, whom we serve, can save us^[e] from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! ¹⁸ But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”

¹⁹ Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual ²⁰ and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. ²¹ They were bound and cast into the white-hot furnace with their trousers, shirts, hats and other garments, ²² for the king’s order was urgent. So huge a fire was kindled in the furnace that the flames devoured the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. ²³ But these three fell, bound, into the midst of the white-hot furnace.

Prayer of Azariah.^{[f] 24} They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord. ²⁵ Azariah^[g] stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud:

⁴⁶ Now the king’s servants who had thrown them in continued to stoke the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brush. ⁴⁷ The flames rose forty-nine cubits above the furnace, ⁴⁸ and spread out, burning the Chaldeans that it caught around the furnace. ⁴⁹ But the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the furnace, ⁵⁰ and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. The fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm. ⁵¹ Then these three in the furnace with one voice sang, glorifying and blessing God:

Deliverance from the Furnace. ⁹¹ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and rose in haste, asking his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they answered. ⁹² “But,” he replied, “I see four men unbound and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” ⁹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar came to the opening of the white-hot furnace and called: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out.” Thereupon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. ⁹⁴ When the satraps, prefects, governors, and counselors of the king came together, they saw that the fire had had no power over the bodies of these men; not a hair of their heads had been singed, nor were their garments altered; there was not even a smell of fire about them. ⁹⁵ Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. ⁹⁶ Therefore I decree for nations and peoples of every language that whoever blasphemes the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces and his house made into a refuse heap. For there is no other God who can rescue like this.” ⁹⁷ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

^98 [h]King Nebuchadnezzar to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on earth: May your peace abound! ⁹⁹ It has seemed good to me to publish the signs and wonders which the Most High God has accomplished in my regard.

Chapter 4

Nebuchadnezzar’s Madness. ¹ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, content and prosperous. ² I had a terrifying dream as I lay in bed, and the images and my visions frightened me. ³ So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me to give the interpretation of the dream. ⁴ When the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners had come in, I related the dream before them; but none of them could tell me its meaning. ⁵ Finally there came before me Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god,^[i] and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods.^(C) I repeated the dream to him: ⁶ “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery is too difficult for you; this is the dream that I saw, tell me its meaning.

⁷ “These were the visions I saw while in bed: I saw a tree of great height at the center of the earth. ⁸ It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the earth. ⁹ Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing food for all. Under it the wild beasts found shade, in its branches the birds of the air nested; all flesh ate of it. ¹⁰ In the vision I saw while in bed, a holy watcher^[j] came down from heaven ¹¹ and cried aloud in these words:

¹⁵ “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning. None of the wise men in my kingdom can tell me the meaning, but you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

¹⁶ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a time, dismayed by his thoughts. “Belteshazzar,” the king said to him, “do not let the dream or its meaning dismay you.” “My lord,” Belteshazzar replied, “may this dream be for your enemies, and its meaning for your foes. ¹⁷ The tree that you saw, large and strong, its top touching the heavens, that could be seen by the whole earth, ¹⁸ its leaves beautiful, its fruit abundant, providing food for all, under which the wild beasts lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air dwelt— ¹⁹ you are that tree, O king, large and strong! Your majesty has become so great as to touch the heavens, and your rule reaches to the ends of the earth. ²⁰ As for the king’s vision of a holy watcher, who came down from heaven and proclaimed: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump in the earth. Bound with iron and bronze, let him be fed with the grass of the field, and bathed with the dew of heaven; let his lot be with wild beasts till seven years pass over him’— ²¹ here is its meaning, O king, here is the sentence that the Most High has passed upon my lord king: ^22 (E)You shall be cast out from human society and dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox and be bathed with the dew of heaven; seven years shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship and gives it to whom he will. ²³ The command that the stump of the tree is to be left means that your kingdom shall be preserved for you, once you have learned that heaven is sovereign. ²⁴ Therefore, O king, may my advice be acceptable to you; atone for your sins by good deeds,^[k] and for your misdeeds by kindness to the poor; then your contentment will be long lasting.”

²⁵ All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁶ Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, ²⁷ the king said, “Babylon the great! Was it not I, with my great strength, who built it as a royal residence for my splendor and majesty?” ²⁸ While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice spoke from heaven, “It has been decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingship is taken from you! ²⁹ You shall be cast out from human society, and shall dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox, and seven years shall pass over you, until you learn that the Most High is sovereign over human kingship and gives it to whom he will.” ^30 [l]At once this was fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was cast out from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails like the claws of a bird.

³¹ When this period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven; my reason was restored to me, and I blessed the Most High, I praised and glorified the One who lives forever,

³³ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles sought me out; I was restored to my kingdom and became much greater than before. ³⁴ Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, all of whose works are right and ways just; and who is able to humble those who walk in pride.