Daniel 3
The full text of Daniel 3 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Hebrew and Aramaic. Free to read.
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.
3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded:
5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews.
9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the gold statue,
11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 But there are some Jews whom you have placed over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the gold statue you have set up."
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the statue I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer regarding this matter.
17 If the God we serve exists, he is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace and from your hand, O king.
18 But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans, and other garments, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up,
23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Wasn't it three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, Your Majesty."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
27 and the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Translation notes (10)
- Daniel 3:1a The dimensions of 60 by 6 cubits (approximately 90 by 9 feet) describe a figure that is extremely tall and thin, more like an obelisk than a human. It was possibly gold-plated rather than made of solid gold.
- Daniel 3:5a Three of these instrument names—qithros, pesanterin, and sumponeyah—are Greek loanwords, and their presence is debated as evidence for the dating of the book.
- Daniel 3:8a The Aramaic idiom here literally means "ate the pieces of" the Jews, referring to a malicious accusation (compare Daniel 6:24).
- Daniel 3:12a The phrase "pay no attention to you" was calculated to enrage the king by framing the religious refusal as personal disrespect.
- Daniel 3:16a They drop the courtesy title "O king," addressing him simply by name, which demonstrates extraordinary boldness before absolute power.
- Daniel 3:17a This can also be translated as "If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us..." The Aramaic is ambiguous, allowing for either "if he exists" or "if he is able." Both readings preserve uncertainty about the outcome while still affirming faith.
- Daniel 3:19a The phrase "seven times" is symbolic of extreme or complete intensity rather than a precise measurement.
- Daniel 3:21a The terms for the clothing are notoriously difficult Aramaic and Persian words. The main point is that they were thrown in fully clothed, which makes the later survival of their garments even more miraculous.
- Daniel 3:25a The Aramaic phrase bar elahin can mean "a son of the gods" (reflecting a pagan perspective) or "a son of God" (a theological reading). Nebuchadnezzar speaks from his polytheistic framework here; compare verse 28 where he calls it "his angel."
- Daniel 3:26a The phrase "Most High God" (Aramaic: elaha illaya) is a supreme title that Nebuchadnezzar uses, acknowledging this God's superiority.
About this translation
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