King Nebuchadnezzar's Gold Statue
1 King Nebuchadnezzar ordered a gold statue to be built 27 meters high and nearly 3 meters wide. He had it set up in Dura Valley near the city of Babylon, 2 and he commanded his governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, and his other officials to come from everywhere in his kingdom to the dedication of the statue. 3 So all of them came and stood in front of it.
4 Then an official stood up and announced:
People of every nation and race, now listen to the king's command! 5 Trumpets, flutes, harps, and all other kinds of musical instruments will soon start playing. When you hear the music, you must bow down and worship the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Anyone who refuses will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace.
7 As soon as the people heard the music, they bowed down and worshiped the gold statue that the king had set up.
8 Some Babylonians used this as a chance to accuse the Jews to King Nebuchadnezzar. 9 They said, “Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! 10 You commanded everyone to bow down and worship the gold statue when the music played. 11 And you said that anyone who did not bow down and worship it would be thrown into a flaming furnace. 12 Sir, you appointed three men to high positions in Babylon Province, but they have disobeyed you. Those Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuse to worship your gods and the statue you have set up.”
13 King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. So he sent for the three young men and said, 14 “I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up. 15 Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don't, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me.”
16 The three men replied, “Your Majesty, we don't need to defend ourselves. 17 The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace. 18 But even if he doesn't, we still won't worship your gods and the gold statue you have set up.”
19 Nebuchadnezzar's face twisted with anger at the three men. And he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Next, he commanded some of his strongest soldiers to tie up the men and throw them into the flaming furnace. 21-23 The king wanted it done at that very moment. So the soldiers tied up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and threw them into the flaming furnace with all of their clothes still on, including their turbans. The fire was so hot that flames leaped out and killed the soldiers.
24 Suddenly the king jumped up and shouted, “Weren't only three men tied up and thrown into the fire?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” his officers answered.
25 “But I see four men walking around in the fire,” the king replied. “None of them is tied up or harmed, and the fourth one looks like a god.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar went closer to the flaming furnace and said to the three young men, “You servants of the Most High God, come out at once!”
They came out, 27 and the king's high officials, governors, and advisors all crowded around them. The men were not burned, their hair wasn't scorched, and their clothes didn't even smell like smoke. 28 King Nebuchadnezzar said:
Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own. 29 And I won't allow people of any nation or race to say anything against their God. Anyone who does will be chopped up and their houses will be torn down, because no other god has such great power to save.
30 After this happened, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in Babylon Province.
1 Nebuchad-nezzar the King made an image of gold, whose height was three score cubits, and the breadth thereof sixe cubites: hee set it vp in the plaine of Dura, in the prouince of Babel. 2 Then Nebuchad-nezzar ye King sent foorth to gather together the nobles, the princes and the dukes, the iudges, the receiuers, the counsellers, the officers, and all the gouernours of the prouinces, that they should come to the dedication of the image, which Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp. 3 So the nobles, princes and dukes, the iudges, the receiuers, the counsellers, the officers, and all the gouernours of the prouinces were assembled vnto the dedicating of the image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp: and they stood before the image, which Nebuchad-nezzar had set vp. 4 Then an herald cried aloude, Be it knowen to you, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That when ye heare the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, ye fall downe and worship the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King hath set vp, 6 And whosoeuer falleth not downe and worshippeth, shall the same houre bee cast into the middes of an hote fierie fornace. 7 Therefore assoone as all the people heard the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and all instruments of musike, all the people, nations, and languages fell downe, and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp. 8 By reason whereof at that same time came men of the Caldeans, and grieuously accused the Iewes. 9 For they spake and said to the King Nebuchad-nezzar, O King, liue for euer. 10 Thou, O King, hast made a decree, that euery man that shall heare the sounde of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, shall fall downe and worship the golden image, 11 And whosoeuer falleth not downe, and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the mids of an hote fierie fornace. 12 There are certeine Iewes whome thou hast set ouer the charge of ye prouince of Babel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: these men, O King, haue not regarded thy commandement, neither wil they serue thy gods, nor worship the golden image, that thou hast set vp. 13 Then Nebuchad-nezzar in his anger and wrath commanded that they should bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: so these men were brought before the King. 14 And Nebuchad-nezzar spake, and said vnto them, What disorder? will not you, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego serue my god, nor worship the golden image, that I haue set vp? 15 Now therefore are ye ready when ye heare the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, to fall downe, and worship the image, which I haue made? for if ye worship it not, ye shall be cast immediatly into the middes of an hote fierie fornace: for who is that God, that can deliuer you out of mine handes? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the King, O Nebuchad-nezzar, we are not carefull to answere thee in this matter. 17 Beholde, our God whom we serue, is able to deliuer vs from the hote fierie fornace, and hee will deliuer vs out of thine hand, O King. 18 But if not, bee it knowen to thee, O King, that wee will not serue thy gods, nor worship the golden image, which thou hast set vp. 19 Then was Nebuchad-nezzar full of rage, and the forme of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore hee charged and commanded that they should heate the fornace at once seuen times more then it was wont to be heat. 20 And hee charged the most valiant men of warre that were in his armie, to binde Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the hote fierie fornace. 21 So these men were bounde in their coates, their hosen, and their clokes, with their other garments, and cast into the middes of the hote fierie fornace. 22 Therefore, because the Kings commandement was straite, that the fornace should be exceeding hote, the flame of the fire slew those men that brought foorth Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 23 And these three men Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell downe bound into the middes of the hote fierie fornace. 24 Then Nebuchad-nezzar the King was astonied and rose vp in haste, and spake, and saide vnto his counsellers, Did not wee cast three men bound into the middes of the fire? Who answered and said vnto the King, It is true, O King. 25 And he answered, and said, Loe, I see foure men loose, walking in the middes of the fire, and they haue no hurt, and the forme of the fourth is like the sonne of God. 26 Then the King Nebuchad-nezzar came neere to the mouth of the hote fierie fornace, and spake and said, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the seruants of the hie God goe foorth and come hither: so Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came foorth of the middes of the fire. 27 Then the nobles, princes and dukes, and the Kings counsellers came together to see these men, because the fire had no power ouer their bodies: for not an heare of their head was burnt, neither was their coates changed, nor any smelll of fire came vpon them. 28 Wherefore Nebuchad-nezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who hath sent his Angel, and deliuered his seruants, that put their trust in him, and haue changed the Kings commandement, and yeelded their bodies rather then they would serue or worship any god, saue their owne God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, that euery people, nation, and language, which speake any blasphemie against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, shalbe drawen in pieces, and their houses shall be made a iakes, because there is no god that can deliuer after this sort. 30 Then the King promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the prouince of Babel. 31 Nebuchad-nezzar King vnto all people, nations and languages, that dwell in all the world, Peace be multiplied vnto you: 32 I thought it good to declare the signes and wonders, that the hie God hath wrought toward me. 33 How great are his signes, and how mightie are his wonders! his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome, and his dominion is from generation to generation.