The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an imageq of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,a and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps,r prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officialss to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language,t this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp,u pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the imagev of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.w 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”x

7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.y

8 At this time some astrologersb z came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever!a 10 Your Majesty has issued a decreeb that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,c 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegod—who pay no attentione to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”f

13 Furiousg with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my godsh or worship the imagei of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what godj will be able to rescuek you from my hand?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegol replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliverm us from it, and he will delivern usc from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.o”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated sevenp times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoq and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,r 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,s come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal adviserst crowded around them.u They saw that the firev had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angelw and rescuedx his servants! They trustedy in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.z 29 Therefore I decreea that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble,b for no other god can savec in this way.”

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