Dual Panel1King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> had a golden <01722> statue <06755> made <05648>. It was ninety <08361> feet <0521> tall <07314> and nine <08353> feet <0521> wide <06613>. He erected <06966> it on the plain <01236> of Dura <01757> in the province <04083> of Babylon <0895>.
2Then King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> sent out a summons <07972> to assemble <03673> the satraps <0324>, prefects <05460>, governors <06347>, counselors <0148>, treasurers <01411>, judges <01884>, magistrates <08614>, and all <03606> the other authorities <07984> of the province <04083> to attend <0858> the dedication <02597> of the statue <06755> that <01768> he <05020> had erected <06966>.
3So <0116> the satraps <0324>, prefects <05460>, governors <06347>, counselors <0148>, treasurers <01411>, judges <01884>, magistrates <08614>, and all <03606> the other provincial <04083> authorities <07984> assembled <03673> for the dedication <02597> of the statue <06755> that <01768> King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> had erected <06966>. They were standing <06966> in front <06903> of the statue <06755> that <01768> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> had erected <06966>.
4Then the herald <03744> made <07123> a loud <02429> proclamation: “To you, O peoples <05972>, nations <0524>, and language groups <03961>, the following command <0560> is given:
5When <01768> you hear <08086> the sound <07032> of the horn <07162>, flute <04953>, zither <07030>, trigon <05443>, harp <06460>, pipes <05481>, and all <03606> kinds <02178> of music <02170>, you must bow down <05308> and pay homage <05457> to the golden <01722> statue <06755> that <01768> King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> has erected <06966>.
6Whoever <04479> does not <03809> bow down <05308> and pay homage <05457> will immediately <08160> be thrown into <07412> the midst <01459> of a furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>!”
7Therefore <06903> <03606> when <01768> they <05972> all <03606> heard <08086> the sound <07032> of the horn <07162>, flute <04953>, zither <07030>, trigon <05443>, harp <06460>, pipes, and all <03606> kinds <02178> of music <02170>, all <03606> the peoples <05972>, nations <0524>, and language groups <03961> began bowing down <05308> and paying homage <05457> to the golden <01722> statue <06755> that <01768> King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> had erected <06966>.
8Now <06903> <03606> at that <01836> time <02166> certain <01400> Chaldeans <03779> came forward <07127> and brought malicious <0399> accusations <07170> against <01768> the Jews <03062>.
9They said <0560> <06032> to King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020>, “O king <04430>, live <02418> forever <05957>!
10You <0607> have issued <07761> an edict <02942>, O king <04430>, that <01768> everyone <0606> <03606> must bow down <05308> and pay homage <05457> to the golden <01722> statue <06755> when <01768> they hear <08086> the sound <07032> of the horn <07162>, flute <04953>, zither <07030>, trigon <05443>, harp <06460>, pipes <05481>, and all <03606> kinds <02178> of music <02170>.
11And whoever <01768> <04479> does not <03809> bow down <05308> and pay homage <05457> must be thrown into <07412> the midst <01459> of a furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>.
12But there are <0383> Jewish <03062> men <01400> whom <01768> you appointed <04483> over <05922> the administration <05673> of the province <04083> of Babylon <0895>– Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665>– and these <0479> men <01400> have not <03809> shown <07761> proper respect <02942> to <05921> you, O king <04430>. They don’t <03809> serve <06399> your gods <0426> and they don’t <03809> pay homage <05457> to the golden <01722> statue <06755> that <01768> you have erected <06966>.”
13Then <0116> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> in a fit <07266> of rage <02528> demanded <0560> that they bring <0858> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665> before him. So <0116> they brought <0858> them <0479> <01400> before <06925> the king <04430>.
14Nebuchadnezzar <05020> said <0560> <06032> to them, “Is it true <06656>, Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665>, that you don’t <0383> <03809> serve <06399> my gods <0426> and that you don’t <03809> pay homage <05457> to the golden <01722> statue <06755> that <01768> I erected <06966>?
15Now <03705> if <02006> you are <0383> ready <06263>, when <01768> you hear <08086> the sound <07032> of <01768> the horn <07162>, flute <04953>, zither <07030>, trigon <05443>, harp <06460>, pipes <05481>, and all <03606> kinds <02178> of music <02170>, you must bow down <05308> and pay homage <05457> to the statue <06755> that <01768> I had made <05648>. If <02006> you don’t <03809> pay homage <05457> to it, you will immediately <08160> be thrown into <07412> the midst <01459> of the furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>. Now, who <04479> is <01932> that god <0426> who <01768> can rescue <07804> you from <04481> my power <03028>?”
16Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665> replied <06032> to King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020>, “We <0586> do not <03809> need <02818> to give <08421> you a reply <06600> concerning <05922> this <01836>.
17If <02006> our God <0426> whom <01768> we <0586> are serving <06399> exists <0383>, he is able <03202> to rescue <07804> us from the furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>, and he will rescue <07804> us, O king <04430>, from <04481> your power <03028> as well.
18But if <02006> not <03809>, let it be <01934> known <03046> to you, O king <04430>, that <01768> we don’t <0383> <03809> serve <06399> your gods <0426>, and we will not <03809> pay homage <05457> to the golden <01722> statue <06755> that <01768> you have erected <06966>.”
19Then <0116> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> was filled <04391> with rage <02528>, and his disposition <0600> <06755> changed <08133> toward <05922> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665>. He gave orders <0560> to heat <0228> the furnace <0861> seven times <07655> hotter <05922> than <01768> it was normally <02370> heated <0228>.
20He ordered <0560> strong <01401> soldiers <02429> <01400> in his army <02429> to tie up <03729> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665> and to throw them into <07412> the furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>.
21So <0116> those <0479> men <01400> were tied up <03729> while still wearing their cloaks <05622>, trousers <06361>, turbans <03737>, and other clothes <03831>, and were thrown <07412> into <01459> the furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>.
22But <06903> <03606> since <01768> <04481> the king’s <04430> command <04406> was so urgent <02685>, and the furnace <0861> was so excessively <03493> hot <0228>, the men <01400> who <01768> escorted <05267> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665> were killed <06992> by the leaping <07631> flames <05135>.
23But those <0479> three <08532> men <01400>, Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665>, fell <05308> into <01459> the furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135> while still securely bound <03729>.
24Then <0116> King <04430> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> was startled <08429> and quickly <0927> got up <06966>. He said <0560> <06032> to his ministers <01907>, “Wasn’t <03809> it three <08532> men <01400> that we tied up <03729> and threw <07412> into <01459> the fire <05135>?” They replied <0560> <06032> to the king <04430>, “For sure <03330>, O king <04430>.”
25He answered <0560> <06032>, “But <01888> I <0576> see <02370> four <0703> men <01400>, untied <08271> and walking around <01981> in the midst <01459> of the fire <05135>! No <03809> harm <02257> has come <0383> to them! And the appearance <07299> of the fourth <07244> is like <01821> that of a <01247> god <0426>!”
26Then <0116> Nebuchadnezzar <05020> approached <07127> the door <08651> of the furnace <0861> of blazing <03345> fire <05135>. He called out <06032>, “Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665>, servants <05649> of <01768> the most high <05943> God <0426>, come out <05312>! Come <0858> here!” Then <0116> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665> emerged <05312> from <04481> the fire <05135>.
27Once the satraps <0324>, prefects <05460>, governors <06347>, and ministers <01907> of the king <04430> had gathered around <03673>, they saw <02370> that <01768> those <0479> men <01400> were physically <01655> unharmed <07981> <03809> by the fire <05135>. The hair <08177> of their heads <07217> was not <03809> singed <02761>, nor <03809> were their trousers <05622> damaged <08133>. Not even <03809> the smell <07382> of fire <05135> was to be found <05709> on them!
28Nebuchadnezzar <05020> exclaimed <06032>, “Praised <01289> be the God <0426> of <01768> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665>, who <01768> has sent forth <07972> his angel <04398> and has rescued <07804> his servants <05649> who <01768> trusted <07365> in <05922> him, ignoring <08133> the edict <04406> of the king <04430> and giving up <03052> their bodies <01655> rather than <03809> serve <06399> or <03809> pay homage <05457> to any <03606> god <0426> other than <03861> their God <0426>!
29I hereby <07761> decree <02942> that <01768> any <03606> people <05972>, nation <0524>, or language group <03961> that <01768> blasphemes <07955> <0560> the god <0426> of <01768> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, or Abednego <05665> will be dismembered <05648> <01917> and his home <01005> reduced <07739> to rubble <05122>! For <06903> there <01768> exists <0383> no <03809> other <0321> god <0426> who <01768> can <03202> deliver <05338> in this <01836> way.”
30Then <0116> Nebuchadnezzar <04430> promoted <06744> Shadrach <07715>, Meshach <04336>, and Abednego <05665> in the province <04083> of Babylon <0895>.