1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, its height sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4And the herald proclaimed with might: ‘To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and tongues:
5At the moment you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you shall fall down and worship the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
6And whoever does not fall down and worship, in that same hour shall be thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.’
7Therefore, at that time, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and tongues fell down and worshiped the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8Therefore at that time certain Chaldean men came forward and accused the Jews.
9They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, ‘O king, live forever!
10You, O king, have made a decree that every person who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the image of gold,
11and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
12There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have paid no heed to you: they do not serve your gods, and the image of gold that you have set up they do not worship.’
13Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king.
14Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, ‘Is it deliberate, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my god and do not worship the image of gold that I have set up?
15Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made—well and good. But if you do not worship, in that same hour you shall be thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. And who is the god that will deliver you from my hands?’
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded and said to the king, ‘Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you concerning this matter.
17If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and from your hand, O king, he will deliver us.
18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, and the image of gold that you have set up we will not worship.’
19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the appearance of his face was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He responded and gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
20And to certain mighty warriors who were in his army he gave orders to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the burning fiery furnace.
21Then these men were bound in their trousers, their tunics, their turbans, and their other garments, and were thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22Because of this—because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was exceedingly hot—those men who had carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the flame of the fire killed them.
23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose in haste. He responded and said to his counselors, ‘Did we not throw three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘Certainly, O king.’
25He responded and said, ‘Look, I see four men loosed, walking about in the midst of the fire, and there is no harm to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.’
26Then Nebuchadnezzar drew near to the door of the burning fiery furnace. He responded and said, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!’ Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the midst of the fire.
27And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw these men, that the fire had had no power over their bodies; the hair of their head was not singed, their trousers were not altered, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and who set aside the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
29And from me a decree is made: that any people, nation, or tongue that speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut into pieces, and their house shall be made a dunghill; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.’
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
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