Daniel 3
1In his eighteenth year Nabuchodonosor the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Deira, in the province of Babylon.
2And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces, chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, to come to the dedication of the image.
3So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes, those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the dedication of the image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up; and they stood before the image.
4Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, you peoples, tribes, and languages,
5at what hour you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and lute, and every kind of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor has set up.
6And whoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace.
7And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and lute, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.
8Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying,
9O king, live for ever.
10You, O king, has made a decree that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and lute, and all kinds of music,
11and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace.
12There are certain Jews whom you has appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who have not obeyed your decree, O king: they serve not your gods, and worship not the golden image which you have set up.
13Then Nabuchodonosor in wrath and anger commanded to bring Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and they were brought before the king.
14And Nabuchodonosor answered and said to them, Is it true, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up?
15Now then if you be ready, whenever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and lute, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if you worship not, in the same hour you shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?
16Then answered Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago and said to king Nabuchodonosor, We have no need to answer you concerning this matter.
17For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from your hands, O king.
18But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the image which you have set up.
19Then Nabuchodonosor was filled with wrath, and the form of his countenance was changed toward Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual, until it should burn to the uttermost.
20And he commanded mighty men to bind Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21Then those men were bound with their coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace,
22for as much as the king's word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot.
23But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire.
24 And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God and blessing the Lord.
25Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,
26Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers: your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:
27For you are righteous in all the things that you have done to us: yes, true are all your works, your ways are right, and all your judgments truth.
28In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, you have executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment did you bring all these things upon us because of our sins.
29For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from you.
30In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments, nor kept them, neither done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.
31Therefore all that you have brought upon us, and every thing that you have done to us, you have done in true judgment.
32And you did deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.
33And now we can't open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to your servants; and to them that worship you.
34Yet deliver us not up wholly, for your name's sake, neither disannul you your covenant:
35And cause not your mercy to depart from us, for your beloved Abraham's sake, for your servant Isaac's sake, and for your holy Israel's sake;
36To whom you have spoken and promised, that you would multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lies upon the seashore.
37For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.
38Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before you, and to find mercy.
39Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.
40Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after you: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in you.
41And now we follow you with all our heart, we fear you, and seek your face.
42Put us not to shame: but deal with us after your lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of your mercies.
43Deliver us also according to your marvelous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord: and let all them that do your servants hurt be ashamed;
44And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken;
45And let them know that you are God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.
46And the king's servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood;
47So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.
48And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
49But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and struck the flame of the fire out of the oven;
50And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.
51Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,
52Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. And blessed is your glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
53Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
54Blessed are you that behold the depths, and sit upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
55Blessed are you on the glorious throne of your kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified for ever.
57O all you works of the Lord, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,
58O you heavens, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
59O you angels of the Lord, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
60O all you waters that be above the heaven, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
61O all you powers of the Lord, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
62O you sun and moon, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
63O you stars of heaven, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
64O every shower and dew, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
65O all you winds, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,
66O you fire and heat, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
67O you winter and summer, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
68O you dews and storms of snow, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
69O you nights and days, bless you the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever.
70O you light and darkness, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
71O you ice and cold, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
72O you frost and snow, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
73O you lightnings and clouds, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
74O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
75O you mountains and little hills, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
76O all you things that grow in the earth, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
77O you mountains, bless you the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.
78O you seas and rivers, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
79O you whales, and all that move in the waters, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
80O all you fowls of the air, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
81O all you beasts and cattle, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
82O you children of men, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
83O Israel, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
84O you priests of the Lord, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
85O you servants of the Lord, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
86O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
87O you holy and humble men of heart, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
88O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless you the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: for he has delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire has he delivered us.
89O give thanks to the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endures for ever.
90O all you that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endures for ever.
91Then these three men, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell bound into the midst of the burning furnace, and walked in the midst of the flame, singing praise to God, and blessing the Lord.
92And Nabuchodonosor heard them singing praises; and he wondered, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? and they said to the king, Yes, O king.
93And the king said, But I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there has no harm happened to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the Son of God.
94Then Nabuchodonosor drew near to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, you servants of the most high God, proceed forth, and come here. So Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, came forth out of the midst of the fire.
95Then were assembled the satraps, and captains, and heads of provinces, and the royal princes; and they saw the men, and perceived that the fire had not had power against their bodies, and the hair of their head was not burnt, and their coats were not scorched, nor was the smell of fire upon them.
96And king Nabuchodonosor answered and said, Blessed be the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants, because they trusted in him; and they have changed the king's word, and delivered their bodies to be burnt, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
97Therefore I publish a decree: Every people, tribe, or language, that shall speak reproachfully against the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago shall be destroyed, and their houses shall be plundered: because there is no other God who shall be able to deliver thus.
98Then the king promoted Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon, and advanced them, and gave them authority to rule over all the Jews who were in his kingdom.
99King Nabuchodonosor to all nations, tribes, and tongues, who dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.
100It seemed good to me to declare to you the signs and wonders which the most high God has wrought with me,
101how great and mighty they are: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to all generations.
Commentaries for Daniel 3:0