Open English Translation DAN Chapter 3

3 King Nevukadnetstsar (Nebuchadnezzar) had a gold statue made that stood nearly thirty metres high and was almost three metres wide, and it was erected on the Dura plain in the Babylonian province. 2 Then King Nevukadnetstsar sent for the various levels of governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials, to all come to the dedication of the statue that he’d erected. 3 So all those officials assembled in front of the statue that the king had set up, ready for the dedication. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “You peoples, nations, and languages are commanded 5 that any time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, harps, pipes, and other instruments, you all must bow down and worship the gold statue that King Nevukadnetstsar has erected. 6 Anyone who refuses to bow down and worship it at that time, will be thrown into a blazing furnace.” 7 So when all those people who had gathered heard the sounds made by the musical instruments, they all bowed down to worship the gold statue.

8 But some Chaldean astrologers went to the king to make trouble for the Jews. 9 They reported to King Nevukadnetstsar, “Long live the king. 10 Oh king, you’ve made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the musical instruments, must bow down and worship the gold statue, 11 but anyone who doesn’t bow and worship will be thrown into a fiery furnace. 12 Now, there are certain Jews who you’ve appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon: Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego. These men, your majesty, don’t take any notice of you: they don’t serve your gods, or worship the gold statue that you’ve set up.”

13 Then Nevukadnetstsar in a furious rage commanded that Shadrak (Hananyah), Meyshak (Misha’el), and Avednego (Azaryah) be arrested. Then they were brought to the king 14 who questioned them, “Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego, is it true that you won’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue that I set up? 15 Now if you’re ready, as soon as you hear the musical instruments of music, if you all bow down and worship the statue I erected, everything will be okay. But if you don’t, you’ll immediately be thrown into a blazing hot furnace. Then what god could rescue you from my punishment?”

16 “Oh Nevukadnetstsar,” the three of them answered the king, “we don’t need to answer that last question. 17 If that’s what happens to us, the God that we serve is able to rescue us from the blazing fire and from your punishment. He will save us, your majesty. 18 But just so it’s clear your majesty, even if he doesn’t, we won’t serve your gods or worship that gold statue.”

19 That made Nevukadnetstsar absolutely furious and it could be seen in his face. He ordered that the furnace be made seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of his top warriors to tie up Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego and then to throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So while still fully dressed even with their turbans still on, they were tied up and thrown into the middle of the furnace where the fire was blazing. 22 Unfortunately, because of the king’s insistent command, the furnace was extremely hot and the flames killed the men who threw them in, 23 but Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego fell into the roaring flames while still securely tied up.

24 Then King Nevukadnetstsar was startled and jumped up and asked his counsellors, “Wasn’t it three who were tied up that were thrown there into the middle of the fire?

“Certainly, your majesty,” they replied.

25 “Look there, then!” he responded. “I can see four men walking in the middle of the fire, and they’re not tied up and they’re not hurt, and the fourth one looks like a young god.”

26 Then Nevukadnetstsar went over by the furnace door and called out, “Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come over here!” Then the three men walked out from the middle of the fire. 27 All the king’s officials gathered around them and saw that the fire hadn’t harmed them—their hair wasn’t even singed, their cloaks weren’t damaged, and they didn’t even smell like smoke.

28 Nevukadnetstsar spoke, “Praise the God of Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego. He sent his angel and rescued his servants who had put their trust in him. They took objection to the king’s command at the cost of their own lives, rather than serve or worship any god except their God. 29 I hereby make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrak, Meyshak, and Avednego will have their houses made into rubbish heaps and they’ll be torn limb from limb, because there’s no other god who’s able to save people like that.”

30 Then the king gave Shadrak (Hananyah), Meyshak (Misha’el), and Avednego (Azaryah) more important positions in Babylon province than they had before.