Dual Panel1Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> made<5648> an image<6755> of gold<1722>, the height<7314> of which was sixty<8361> cubits<521> and its width<6613> six<8353> cubits<521>; he set<6966> it up on the plain<1236> of Dura<1757> in the province<4083> of Babylon<895>.
2Then Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> sent<7972> word to assemble<3673> the satraps<324>, the prefects<5460> and the governors<6347>, the counselors<148>, the treasurers<1411>, the judges<1884>, the magistrates<8614> and all<3606> the rulers<7984> of the provinces<4083> to come<858> to the dedication<2597> of the image<6755> that Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> had set<6966> up.
3Then<116> the satraps<324>, the prefects<5460> and the governors<6347>, the counselors<148>, the treasurers<1411>, the judges<1884>, the magistrates<8614> and all<3606> the rulers<7984> of the provinces<4083> were assembled<3673> for the dedication<2597> of the image<6755> that Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> had set<6966> up; and they stood<6966> before<6903> the image<6755> that Nebuchadnezzar<5020> had set<6966> up.
4Then the herald<3744> loudly<2429> proclaimed<7123>: "To you the command<560> is given<560>, O peoples<5972>, nations<524> and men of every language<3961>,
5that at the moment<5732> you hear<8086> the sound<7032> of the horn<7162>, flute<4953>, lyre<7030>, trigon<5443>, psaltery<6460>, bagpipe<5481> and all<3606> kinds<2178> of music<2170>, you are to fall<5308> down<5308> and worship<5457> the golden<1722> image<6755> that Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> has set<6966> up.
6"But whoever<4479> does not fall<5308> down<5308> and worship<5457> shall immediately<8160> be cast<7412> into the midst<1459> of a furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>."
7Therefore<3606><6903><1836> at that time<2166>, when<1768> all<3606> the peoples<5972> heard<8086> the sound<7032> of the horn<7162>, flute<4953>, lyre<7030>, trigon<5443>, psaltery<6460>, bagpipe<5481> and all<3606> kinds<2178> of music<2170>, all<3606> the peoples<5972>, nations<524> and men of every language<3961> fell<5308> down<5308> and worshiped<5457> the golden<1722> image<6755> that Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> had set<6966> up.
8For this<1836> reason<3606><6903> at that time<2166> certain<1400> Chaldeans<3779> came<7127> forward<7127> and brought<399> charges<7170> against<1768> the Jews<3062>.
9They responded<6032> and said<560> to Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430>: "O king<4430>, live<2418> forever<5957>!
10"You, O king<4430>, have made<7761> a decree<2942> that every<3606> man<606> who<1768> hears<8086> the sound<7032> of the horn<7162>, flute<4953>, lyre<7030>, trigon<5443>, psaltery<6460>, and bagpipe<5481> and all<3606> kinds<2178> of music<2170>, is to fall<5308> down<5308> and worship<5457> the golden<1722> image<6755>.
11"But whoever<4479> does not fall<5308> down<5308> and worship<5457> shall be cast<7412> into the midst<1459> of a furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>.
12"There<383> are certain<1400> Jews<3062> whom<1768> you have appointed<4483> over<5922> the administration<5673> of the province<4083> of Babylon<895>, namely Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>. These<479> men<1400>, O king<4430>, have disregarded<3809><7761><5922><2942> you; they do not serve<6399> your gods<426> or worship<5457> the golden<1722> image<6755> which<1768> you have set<6966> up."
13Then<116> Nebuchadnezzar<5020> in rage<7266> and anger<2528> gave<560> orders<560> to bring<858> Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>; then<116> these<479> men<1400> were brought<858> before<6925> the king<4430>.
14Nebuchadnezzar<5020> responded<6032> and said<560> to them, "Is it true<6656>, Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>, that you do<383> not serve<6399> my gods<426> or worship<5457> the golden<1722> image<6755> that I have set<6966> up?
15"Now<3705> if<2006> you are ready<6263>, at the moment<5732> you hear<8086> the sound<7032> of the horn<7162>, flute<4953>, lyre<7030>, trigon<5443>, psaltery<6460> and bagpipe<5481> and all<3606> kinds<2178> of music<2170>, to fall<5308> down<5308> and worship<5457> the image<6755> that I have made<5648>, very well. But if<2006> you do not worship<5457>, you will immediately<8160> be cast<7412> into the midst<1459> of a furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>; and what<4479> god<426> is there who<1768> can deliver<7804> you out of my hands<3028>?"
16Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665> replied<6032> to the king<4430>, "O Nebuchadnezzar<5020>, we do not need<2818> to give<8421> you an answer<6600> concerning<5922> this<1836> matter<6600>.
17"If<2006> it be so, our God<426> whom<1768> we serve<6399> is able<3202> to deliver<7804> us from the furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>; and He will deliver<7804> us out of your hand<3028>, O king<4430>.
18"But even if<2006> He does not, let it be known<3046> to you, O king<4430>, that we are not going to serve<6399> your gods<426> or worship<5457> the golden<1722> image<6755> that you have set<6966> up."
19Then<116> Nebuchadnezzar<5020> was filled<4391> with wrath<2528>, and his facial<600> expression<6755> was altered<8133> toward<5922> Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>. He answered<6032> by giving<560> orders<560> to heat<228> the furnace<861> seven<7655> times<2298> more<5922> than<5922><1768> it was usually<2370> heated<228>.
20He commanded<560> certain<1400> valiant<2429> warriors<1401> who<1768> were in his army<2429> to tie<3729> up Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665> in order to cast<7412> them into the furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>.
21Then<116> these<479> men<1400> were tied<3729> up in their trousers<5622>, their coats<6361>, their caps<3737> and their other clothes<3831>, and were cast<7412> into the midst<1459> of the furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>.
22For this<1836> reason<3606><6903>, because<4481><1768> the king's<4430> command<4406> was urgent<2685> and the furnace<861> had been made<228> extremely<3493> hot<228>, the flame<7631> of the fire<5135> slew<6992> those<479> men<1400> who<1768> carried<5559> up Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>.
23But these<479> three<8532> men<1400>, Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>, fell<5308> into the midst<1459> of the furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135> still tied<3729> up.
24Then<116> Nebuchadnezzar<5020> the king<4430> was astounded<8429> and stood<6966> up in haste<927>; he said<560> to his high<1907> officials<1907>, "Was it not three<8532> men<1400> we cast<7412> bound<3729> into the midst<1459> of the fire<5135>?" They replied<6032> to the king<4430>, "Certainly<3330>, O king<4430>."
25He said<560>, "Look<1888>! I see<2370> four<703> men<1400> loosed<8271> and walking<1981> about in the midst<1459> of the fire<5135> without<3809> harm<2257>, and the appearance<7299> of the fourth<7244> is like<1821> a son<1247> of the gods<426>!"
26Then<116> Nebuchadnezzar<5020> came<7127> near<7127> to the door<8651> of the furnace<861> of blazing<3345> fire<5135>; he responded<6032> and said<560>, "Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>, come<5312> out, you servants<5649> of the Most<5943> High<5943> God<426>, and come<858> here<5312>!" Then<116> Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665> came<5312> out of the midst<1459> of the fire<5135>.
27The satraps<324>, the prefects<5460>, the governors<6347> and the king's<4430> high<1907> officials<1907> gathered<3673> around<3673> and saw<2370> in regard to these<479> men<1400> that the fire<5135> had<7981> no<3809> effect<7981> on the bodies<1655> of these men nor<3809> was the hair<8177> of their head<7217> singed<2761>, nor<3809> were their trousers<5622> damaged<8133>, nor<3809> had the smell<7382> of fire<5135> even come<5907> upon them.
28Nebuchadnezzar<5020> responded<6032> and said<560>, "Blessed<1289> be the God<426> of Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665>, who<1768> has sent<7972> His angel<4398> and delivered<7804> His servants<5649> who<1768> put<7365> their trust<7365> in Him, violating<8133> the king's<4430> command<4406>, and yielded<3052> up their bodies<1655> so<1768> as not to serve<6399> or worship<5457> any<3606> god<426> except<3861> their own God<426>.
29"Therefore I make<7761> a decree<2942> that any<3606> people<5972>, nation<524> or tongue<3961> that speaks<560> anything offensive<7960> against<5922> the God<426> of Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665> shall be torn<5648> limb<1917> from limb and their houses<1005> reduced<7739> to a rubbish<5122> heap<5122>, inasmuch<3606><6903><1768> as there<383> is no<3809> other<321> god<426> who<1768> is able<3202> to deliver<5338> in this<1836> way."
30Then<116> the king<4430> caused Shadrach<7715>, Meshach<4336> and Abed-nego<5665> to prosper<6744> in the province<4083> of Babylon<895>.