Open English Translation G DAN Chapter 3

3 Nevukadnetsar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits,[fn] and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Bavel. 2 Then Nevukadnetsar the king sent to gather together the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nevukadnetsar the king had set up. 3 Then the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nevukadnetsar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nevukadnetsar had set up.

4 Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it’s commanded, peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nevukadnetsar the king has set up. 6 Anyone who doesn’t fall down and worship will be thrown into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.”

7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nevukadnetsar the king had set up.

8 Therefore at that time certain Kasdim (Chaldeans) came near, and brought accusation against the Yehudim (Jews). 9 They answered Nevukadnetsar the king, “Oh king, live forever! 10 You, Oh king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden image; 11 and anyone who doesn’t fall down and worship will be thrown into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Yehudim whom you’ve appointed over the affairs of the province of Bavel (Babylon): Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego. These men, Oh king, haven’t respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you’ve set up.”

13 Then Nevukadnetsar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego be brought. Then these men were brought before the king. 14 Nevukadnetsar answered them, “Is it on purpose, Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego, that you don’t serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I’ve set up? 15 Now if you’re ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I’ve made, good; but if you don’t worship, you’ll be thrown the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. Who’s that god who’ll deliver you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego answered the king, “Nevukadnetsar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If it happens, our god whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he’ll deliver us out of your hand, Oh king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, Oh king, that we won’t serve your gods or worship the golden image which you’ve set up.”

19 Then Nevukadnetsar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego, and to throw them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, their mantles, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the middle of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego. 23 These three men, Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

24 They walked in the middle of the fire, praising God, and blessing the master. 25 Then Azaryah stood, and prayed like this. Opening his mouth in the middle of the fire he said, 26 “Blessed are you, Oh master, you God of our fathers! Your name is worthy to be praised and glorified forever; 27 for you’re righteous in all the things that you’ve done. Yes, all your works are true. Your ways are right, and all your judgements are truth. 28 In all the things that you’ve brought onto us, and onto the holy city of our fathers, Yerushalem (Jerusalem), you’ve executed true judgements. Because according to truth and justice you’ve brought all these things onto us because of our sins. 29 Because we’ve sinned and committed iniquity in departing from you. 30 In all things we’ve trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments or kept them. We haven’t done as you’ve commanded us, that it might go well with us. 31 Therefore all that you’ve brought onto us, and everything that you’ve done to us, you’ve done in true judgement. 32 You delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king who’s the most wicked in all the world. 33 And now we can’t open our mouth. Shame and reproach have come on your servants and those who worship you. 34 Don’t utterly deliver us up, for your name’s sake. Don’t annul your covenant. 35 Don’t cause your mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Avraham who’s loved by you, and for the sake of Yitshak (Isaac) your servant, and Yisrael (Israel) your holy one, 36 to whom you promised that you’d multiply their descendants as the stars of the sky, and as the sand that’s on the sea shore. 37 Because we, Oh master, have become less than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins. 38 There isn’t at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to offer before you, and to find mercy. 39 Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted, 40 like the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like ten thousands of fat lambs. So let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, that we may wholly go after you, for they won’t be ashamed who put their trust in you. 41 And now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face. 42 Put us not to shame; but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy. 43 Deliver us also according to your marvellous works, and give glory to your name, Oh master. Let all those who harm your servants be confounded. 44 Let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken. 45 Let them know that you’re the master, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”

46 The king’s servants who put them in didn’t stop making the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and small wood, 47 so that the flame streamed out forty nine cubits above the furnace. 48 It spread and burnt those Kasdim (Chaldeans) whom it found around the furnace. 49 But the angel of the master came down into the furnace together with Azaryah and his fellows, and he struck the flame of the fire out of the furnace, 50 and made the middle of the furnace as it’d been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire didn’t touch them at all. It neither hurt nor troubled them.

51 Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying, 52 “Blessed are you, Oh master, you God of our fathers, to be praised and exalted above all forever! 53 Blessed is your glorious and holy name, to be praised and exalted above all forever! 54 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, to be praised and glorified above all forever! 55 Blessed are you who see the depths and sit on the cherubim, to be praised and exalted above all forever. 56 Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, to be praised and extolled above all forever! 57 Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, to be praised and glorified forever!

58 Oh all you works of the master, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 59 Oh you heavens, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 60 Oh you angels of the master, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 61 Oh all you waters that are above the sky, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 62 Oh all you powers of the master, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 63 Oh you sun and moon, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 64 Oh you stars of heaven, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 65 Oh every shower and dew, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 66 Oh all you winds, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 67 Oh you fire and heat, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 68 Oh you dews and storms of snow, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 69 Oh you nights and days, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 70 Oh you light and darkness, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 71 Oh you cold and heat, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 72 Oh you frost and snow, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 73 Oh you lightnings and clouds, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 74 Oh let the earth bless the master! Let it praise and exalt him above all forever! 75 Oh you mountains and hills, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 76 Oh all you things that grow on the earth, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 77 Oh[fn] sea and rivers, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 78 Oh you springs, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 79 Oh you whales and all that move in the waters, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 80 Oh all you birds of the air, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 81 Oh all you wild animals and cattle, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 82 Oh you children of men, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 83 Oh let Yisrael (Israel) bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever. 84 Oh you priests of the master, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 85 Oh you servants of the master, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 86 Oh you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 87 Oh you who are holy and humble of heart, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever! 88 Oh Hananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, bless the master! Praise and exalt him above all forever; for he’s rescued us from Haidais, and saved us from the hand of death! He’s delivered us out of the middle of the furnace and burning flame. He’s delivered us out of the middle of the fire. 89 Oh give thanks to the master, for he’s good; for his mercy is forever. 90 Oh all you who worship the master, bless the god of gods, praise him, and give him thanks; for his mercy is forever!”

91 Then Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) the king was astonished and rose up in haste. He spoke and said to his counsellors, “Didn’t we throw three men bound into the middle of the fire?”[fn]

They answered the king, “True, Oh king.”

92 He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they’re unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

93 Then Nevukadnetsar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego, you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!”

Then Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego came out of the middle of the fire. 94 The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.

95 Nevukadnetsar spoke and said, “Blessed be the god of Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego, who’s sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 96 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, who speak anything evil against the god of Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego, will be cut in pieces, and their houses will be made a dunghill, because there’s no other god who’s able to deliver like this.”

97 Then the king promoted Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved-Nego in the province of Bavel (Babylon).[fn]