Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar’s Gold Statue

3King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide

and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.H5020H4430H5648H6755H1722H7314H8361H521H6613H8353H521H6966H1236H1757H4083H8952Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.H5020H4430H7972H3673H324H5460H6347H148H1411H1884H8614H3606H7984H4083H858H2597H6755H5020H4430H69663So all these officials

came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.H116H324H5460H6347H148H1411H1884H8614H3606H7984H4083H3673H2597H6755H5020H4430H6966H6966H6903H6755H5020H69664Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command!H3744H7123H2429H560H5972H524H39615When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments

, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.H5732H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H5481H3606H2178H2170H5308H5457H1722H6755H5020H4430H69666Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”H4479H5308H3809H5308H5457H8160H7412H1459H3345H5135H8617So at the sound of the musical instruments

, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.H6903H1836H2166H1768H3606H5972H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H3606H2178H2170H3606H5972H524H3961H5308H5457H1722H6755H5020H4430H69668But some of the astrologers

went to the king and informed on the Jews.H6903H3606H1836H2166H1400H3779H7127H7170H399H30629They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!H6032H560H4430H5020H4430H2418H595710You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.H607H4430H7761H2942H3606H606H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H5481H5481H3606H2178H2170H5308H5457H1722H675511That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.H4479H5308H3809H5308H5457H7412H1459H3345H5135H86112But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”H383H1400H3062H3487H4483H5922H5673H4083H895H7715H4336H5665H479H1400H4430H7761H3809H2942H5922H6399H3809H426H3809H5457H1722H6755H696613Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,H116H5020H7266H2528H560H858H7715H4336H5665H116H858H479H1400H6925H443014Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?H5020H6032H560H6656H7715H4336H5665H3809H383H6399H426H3809H5457H1722H6755H696615I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments

. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”H3705H2006H383H6263H5732H8086H7032H7162H4953H7030H7030H5443H6460H5481H3606H2178H2170H5308H5457H6755H5648H2006H5457H3809H7412H8160H1459H3345H5135H861H4479H426H7804H4481H302816Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.H7715H4336H5665H6032H560H4430H5020H586H3809H2818H8421H5922H1836H660017If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.H2006H426H586H6399H383H3202H7804H4481H3345H5135H861H4481H7804H4481H3028H443018But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”H2006H3809H1934H3046H4430H383H3809H6399H426H3809H5457H1722H6755H6966

The Blazing Furnace

19Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.H116H5020H4391H2528H6755H600H8133H5922H7715H4336H5665H6032H560H228H861H2298H7655H5922H1768H2370H22820Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.H560H2429H1401H1400H2429H3729H7715H4336H5665H7412H3345H5135H86121So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments.H116H479H1400H3729H5622H6361H6361H3737H3831H7412H1459H3345H5135H86122And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in.H3606H6903H4481H1836H4430H4406H2685H861H3493H228H7631H5135H6992H479H1400H1994H5267H7715H4336H566523So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.H479H8532H1400H7715H4336H5665H5308H3729H1459H3345H5135H86124But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.H116H5020H4430H8429H6966H927H6032H560H1907H3809H7412H8532H1400H3729H1459H5135H6032H560H4430H3330H443025“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god

!”H6032H560H1888H576H2370H703H1400H8271H1981H1459H5135H383H3809H2257H7299H7244H1821H1247H42626Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire.H116H5020H7127H8651H3345H5135H861H6032H560H7715H4336H5665H5649H5943H426H5312H858H116H7715H4336H5665H5312H4481H1459H513527Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!H324H5460H6347H4430H1907H3673H2370H479H1400H1655H5135H3809H7981H3809H8177H7217H2761H3809H5622H8133H3809H7382H5135H570928Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.H5020H6032H560H1289H426H7715H4336H5665H7972H4398H7804H5649H7365H5922H8133H4430H4406H3052H1655H3809H6399H3809H5457H3606H426H3861H42629Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”H4481H7761H2942H3606H5972H524H3961H560H7960H7955H5922H426H7715H4336H5665H5648H1917H1005H7739H5122H6903H3606H383H3809H321H426H3202H5338H183630Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.H116H4430H6744H7715H4336H5665H4083H895