Chapter 3

Nebuchadnezzar the king made⁵⁷ an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up⁸⁵ in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent⁵⁷ to gather together⁵⁸ the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come⁵⁸ to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.⁸⁵

Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together⁷⁶ unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up;⁸⁵ and they stood⁶¹ before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.⁸⁵

Then an herald cried⁶² aloud, To you it is commanded,⁶¹ O people, nations, and languages,

[That] at what time ye hear⁶⁰ the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, ⁷⁰³⁰ sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down⁶⁰ and worship⁶⁰ the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:⁸⁵

And whoso falleth not down⁶⁰ and worshippeth⁶⁰ shall the same hour be cast⁸² into the midst of a burning⁶² fiery furnace.

Therefore ^{6903 1836} at that time, when all the people heard⁶¹ the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, ⁷⁰³⁰ sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down⁶¹ [and] worshipped⁶¹ the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.⁸⁵

Wherefore ^{3606 1836} at that time certain Chaldeans came near,⁵⁷ and accused ^{399 57} the Jews.

They spake⁵⁷ and said⁶¹ to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live⁵⁹ for ever.

Thou, O king, hast made⁵⁷ a decree, that every man that shall hear⁶⁰ the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, ⁷⁰³⁰ sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, ⁵⁴⁸¹ and all kinds of musick, shall fall down⁶⁰ and worship⁶⁰ the golden image:

And whoso falleth not down⁶⁰ and worshippeth,⁶⁰ [that] he should be cast⁸² into the midst of a burning⁶² fiery furnace.

There are certain Jews whom thou hast set⁶⁷ over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have⁵⁷ not regarded thee: they serve⁶¹ not thy gods, nor worship⁶¹ the golden image which thou hast set up.⁸⁵

Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded⁵⁷ to bring⁸⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought⁹⁰ these men before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar spake⁶¹ and said⁶¹ unto them, [Is it] true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve⁶¹ my gods, nor worship⁶¹ the golden image which I have set up?⁸⁵

Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear⁶⁰ the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, ⁷⁰³⁰ sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down⁶⁰ and worship⁶⁰ the image which I have made;⁵⁷ [well]: but if ye worship⁶⁰ not, ye shall be cast⁸² the same hour into the midst of a burning⁶² fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver¹²⁹ you out of my hands?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered⁵⁷ and said⁶¹ to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful⁶¹ to answer⁸⁶ thee in this matter.

If it be [so], our God whom we serve⁶¹ is able⁶¹ to deliver¹²⁸ us from the burning⁶² fiery furnace, and he will deliver¹²⁹ [us] out of thine hand, O king.

But if not, be it⁶⁰ known⁶³ unto thee, O king, that we will not serve⁶¹ thy gods, nor worship⁶⁰ the golden image which thou hast set up.⁸⁵

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full⁷⁷ of fury, and the form of his visage was changed⁷³ against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake,⁶¹ and commanded⁶¹ that they should heat⁵⁸ the furnace one seven times more than it was wont⁶³ to be heated.⁵⁸

And he commanded⁵⁷ the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind⁶⁸ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, [and] to cast⁵⁸ [them] into the burning⁶² fiery furnace.

Then these men were bound⁶⁵ in their coats, their hosen, ⁶³⁶¹ and their hats, and their [other] garments, and were cast⁶³ into the midst of the burning⁶² fiery furnace.

Therefore ^{6903 1836} because the king's commandment was urgent,⁸⁹ and the furnace exceeding hot,⁶³ the flame of the fire slew⁶⁷ those men ¹⁹⁹⁴ that took up⁸⁵ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down⁵⁷ bound⁷¹ into the midst of the burning⁶² fiery furnace.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied,⁵⁷ and rose up⁵⁷ in haste,⁷⁸ [and] spake,⁶¹ and said⁶¹ unto his counsellors, Did not we cast⁵⁷ three men bound⁷¹ into the midst of the fire? They answered⁶¹ and said⁶¹ unto the king, True, O king.

He answered⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ Lo, I see⁶² four men loose,⁶¹ walking⁸⁹ in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like⁶² the Son of God.

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near⁵⁷ to the mouth of the burning⁶² fiery furnace, [and] spake,⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth,⁵⁹ and come⁵⁹ [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth⁶¹ of the midst of the fire.

And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together,⁷⁶ saw⁶² these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power,⁵⁷ nor was an hair of their head singed,⁷³ neither were their coats changed,⁵⁷ nor the smell of fire had passed⁵⁷ on them.

[Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake,⁶¹ and said,⁶¹ Blessed⁶³ [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent⁵⁷ his angel, and delivered¹²⁷ his servants that trusted¹²⁵ in him, and have changed⁶⁷ the king's word, and yielded⁵⁷ their bodies, that they might not serve⁶⁰ nor worship⁶⁰ any god, except their own God.

Therefore I make⁶³ a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak⁶⁰ any thing amiss ⁷⁹⁵⁵ against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut⁷⁹ in pieces, and their houses shall be made⁷⁵ a dunghill: because ³⁶⁰⁶ there is no other God that can⁶⁰ deliver⁸⁶ after this sort.

Then the king promoted⁸⁵ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.