DAN 3:4 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

UST Then an announcer shouted, “You people who come from many countries and many people-groups and who speak many languages, listen to what the king has commanded!

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Then the herald made a loud proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given:

LSV And a crier is calling mightily: “They are saying to you: O peoples, nations, and languages!

FBV Then a herald announced in a loud voice, “People of all nations and languages, pay attention to the king's command!

T4T Then an announcer shouted, “You people who come from many countries and many people-groups and who speak many languages, listen to what the king has commanded!

LEB Then the herald proclaimed _⌊aloud_⌋,[fn] “To you _⌊it is commanded_⌋,[fn] O peoples, _⌊nations and people of all languages_⌋,[fn]

3:4 Literally “with power”

3:4 Literally “they are saying”

3:4 Literally “the nations and the languages”

BBE Then one of the king's criers said in a loud voice, To you the order is given, O peoples, nations, and languages,

Moff the herald shouted, “O races, nations, folk of every tongue, your orders are,

JPS And the herald cried aloud: 'To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

ASV Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

DRA Then a herald cried with a strong voice: To you it is commanded, O nations, tribes, and languages:

YLT And a crier is calling mightily: 'To you they are saying: O peoples, nations, and languages!

Drby And the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, [O] peoples, nations, and languages,

RV Then the herald cried aloud, to you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,
(Then the herald cried aloud, to you it is commanded, Oh peoples, nations, and languages, )

SLT And a herald called with strength, To you they say, O peoples, nations, and tongues,

Wbstr Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

KJB-1769 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,[fn][fn]
(Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, Oh people, nations, and languages, )

3.4 aloud: Chaldee, with might

3.4 it…: Chaldee, they command

KJB-1611 [fn][fn]Then an herauld cryed aloud, To you it is commaunded, O people, nations, and languages,
(Then an herauld cried aloud, To you it is commanded, Oh people, nations, and languages,)

3:4 Cald. with might.

3:4 Cald. they command.

Bshps Then an herald cryed a loude: To you it is commaunded O people, nations, and languages,
(Then an herald cried a loude: To you it is commanded Oh people, nations, and languages,)

Gnva Then an herald cried aloude, Be it knowen to you, O people, nations, and languages,
(Then an herald cried aloud, Be it known to you, Oh people, nations, and languages, )

Cvdl the bedell cried out wt all his might: O ye people, kynreddes and tunges, to you be it sayde:
(the bedell cried out with all his might: Oh ye/you_all people, kindreds and tongues, to you be it said:)

Wycl It is seid to you, puplis, kynredis, and langagis;
(It is said to you, peoples, kindreds, and languages;)

Luth Und der Ehrenhold rief überlaut: Das laßt euch gesagt sein, ihr Völker, Leute und Zungen:
(And the/of_the honour(n)hold shouted abovelaut: The let you said be, you(pl)/their/her peoples, people/folk and tongues:)

ClVg et præco clamabat valenter: Vobis dicitur populis, tribubus, et linguis:
(and I_beg clamabat they_are_stronger: To_you(pl) it_is_said of_the_peoples, tribes, and tongues/languages: )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–30: God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace

This is the only chapter in the book of Daniel where the author does not refer to Daniel himself. Scholars have debated why this might be. Possibly he was traveling somewhere else in the empire on the king’s business at this time.

The author wrote Daniel 3 in the Aramaic language. These Notes usually follow the Aramaic found in the Masoretic Text (MT). The early Greek translation of Daniel 3 is somewhat different from the Aramaic. The Greek translation includes two stories that are not in the MT. The first is called “The Prayer of Azariah” (3:24–45). The second is called “The Song of the Three Young Men” (3:50–90). These two stories are connected by a short paragraph (3:46–50). Most English versions do not include these two stories. The NJB, however, does include them. As a result the verse numbers in the NJB are different from those of most other English versions.

In some other places the Greek text of Daniel 3 differs from the Aramaic of the Masoretic Text. For example, the Greek text includes a date in 3:1 that is not in the MT. Scholars have different views on why the two texts differ. It is possible that the Greek versions may have translated from a different Aramaic original. The Notes will discuss the differences between the two texts for certain important passages.

Outline: This chapter can be divided into four parts:

1. Setting: Nebuchadnezzar commanded all his officials of Babylon to come and worship the golden image that he had set up. (3:1–7)

2. Problem: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the image. The king threatened to kill them, but they still refused. (3:8–18)

3. Action: The king ordered his soldiers to throw the three young men into the furnace. (3:19–23)

4. Result/Outcome: God delivered the three young men from the furnace, and Nebuchadnezzar gave honor to God. (3:24–30)

The author gave prominence to Daniel 3:16–18, when the three young men proclaimed that they trusted in God to rescue them. If you have a way in your language to mark this section as important, you should use do that here

Headings:

The Notes interpret Daniel 3:1–30 as a one unit with one heading. However, in some languages it may be helpful to divide this chapter into more than one unit and to give each unit a separate heading. The following are some examples of how English versions divide the chapter into units and the headings they give for each unit:

Some versions have one heading. For example:
1. “The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace” (NIV)
2. “The Fiery Furnace” (REB)
3. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Refuse to Worship an Idol” (GW)

2. Some have two headings:

“The Golden Image” (NRSV, 3:1–18)
- “Nebuchadnezzar’s Gold Statue” (NLT, 3:1–18)
“The Fiery Furnace” (NRSV, 3:19–30)
- “The Blazing Furnace” (NLT, 3:19–30)

3. The GNT has four headings:

“Nebuchadnezzar Commands Everyone to Worship a Gold Statue” (3:1–7)
“Daniel’s Three Friends Are Accused of Disobedience” (3:8–18)
“Daniel’s Three Friends Are Sentenced to Death” (3:19–25)
“The Three Men Are Released and Promoted” (3:26–30)

Special Translation Problems:

Lists: The author liked to use lists. He repeated these lists throughout the chapter. For example:
1. the list of the names of officials (3:2, 3, 27)
2. the list of musical instruments (3:5, 7, 10, 15)
3. the phrase: “peoples, nations, and languages” (3:4, 29)
Repetition: The author also liked to repeat phrases throughout the narrative. Some of these phrases are:
1. “the image that King Nebuchadnezzar set up” (3:1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 18)
2. “hear the sound of the horn” (3:5, 7, 10, 15)
3. “fall down and worship” (3:5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 15)
4. “burning fiery furnace” (3:6, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 26)
5. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” (3:12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22, 26, 28, 29, 30)

Each language uses repetition in its own way. These notes will discuss the significance of the repetitions in Daniel. In some languages, the repetition may not be natural. If that is true in your language, you will have to consider how best to communicate the same meaning.

Paragraph 3:4–6

The king’s herald announced that everyone present must bow down before the image of gold. Those who refused to do so would be punished by death in a furnace.

3:4a

Then the herald loudly proclaimed,

¶ Then a spokesman for the king announced in a loud voice,
¶ Then the king’s spokesman made/shouted this announcement/proclamation:

Then: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as Then here introduces the next important action in the narrative. It introduces the danger that threatened God’s people.

the herald loudly proclaimed: A herald was a man who announced messages for the king. He stood before a crowd of people and announced these messages with a loud voice. This was his responsibility. It is important that your readers understand that the herald was giving a royal message, not speaking his own ideas. In some languages it may help to make this clear by following the NCV and saying:

the man who made announcements for the king said in a loud voice (NCV)

the herald: There were probably several heralds in the king’s service. This particular herald has not been mentioned before, so in some languages it may be natural to say:

a herald (GNT)

loudly proclaimed: The phrase loudly proclaimed describes the normal way in which a herald would deliver the king’s messages to the people. Other ways English versions translate this expression are:

called out loudly (GW)

shouted out (NLT)

announced in a loud voice (GNT)

made a loud proclamation (NET)

3:4b

“O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded:

“The king commands you^(plur) who belong to every race, and to every nation, and who speak every language,
“People of every province, nation, and language! Listen to what the king has commanded:
“To all you^(plur) people who have come from many nations and speak many languages, the king has given this command:

O people of every nation and language: The herald addressed himself to the representatives of the whole empire. His words are more literally “Nations, peoples, and languages.” This is figurative language. It indicates that the herald addressed many different groups of people, people who were from different nations and who spoke many different languages. You should translate in a way that is natural in your language for a person who speaks to a large audience. For example, you may be able to say:

People of every province, nation and language! (GW)

People of all nations, races, and languages! (GNT)

You, people from all tribes and nations and language-groups, give me your attention.

this is what you are commanded: This clause introduces the king’s command. The Aramaic uses the form “they are commanding you” and the BSB translates it as a passive clause. If it is more natural in your language to use an active clause, you may say:

The king commands you…

listen to the king’s command! (NLT)

General Comment on 3:4

In some languages it may be more natural to change the word order in the clause and follow the Aramaic order. For example:

You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,… (NRSV)

Parallel DAN 3:4

Section 3:1–30: God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace

Paragraph 3:4–6

3:4a

3:4b

General Comment on 3:4