The king builds a golden god
1King Nebuchadnezzar built a golden statue [1] 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. [2] He put it on the plains of Dura, [3] in Babylon province.2When it came time to dedicate the statue, he ordered officials from all provinces to attend. He sent orders out to governors, commissioners, advisors, treasurers, judges, and every other leader in provinces throughout the empire. 3So all these officials came to the dedication of the statue and watched to see what would happen.
“Bow to the statue or die”
4Someone shouted an announcement to the crowd. “This is a royal command for everyone here—for people of all nations and languages. 5You will soon hear an ensemble of horns, flutes, small lyre harps, trigon triangular harps, full harps, and drums. When the music starts, bow low and honor [4] the statue. 6Anyone who refuses to bow will be immediately escorted into a blazing furnace.” [5]7As soon as the crowd heard the music of the ensemble, all the people who were there bowed to King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue—no matter what country they came from or what language they spoke.
Locals criticize Jewish immigrants
8Some of the Babylonians used this occasion to criticize Jewish exiles living in the land. [6]9They told King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king. 10You issued a royal decree, ordering everyone to bow and worship the golden statue when they heard the music of the ensemble. 11You said that anyone who refuses will get thrown into a blazing furnace. 12Well, it just so happens that there are some Jewish officials you put in charge of the Babylon province who won’t do that. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego don’t care what you say. They don’t worship your gods, and they won’t bow to your golden statue.”
King orders Jews thrown in the furnace
13Nebuchadnezzar flipped his lid again, this time flying into a rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He had the men arrested and brought to him.14The king asked the men, “So tell me, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t worship my gods, and you won’t bow to my golden statue? 15I want you to prepare yourself. You’re going to hear horns, flutes, small lyre harps, trigon triangular harps, full harps, and drums—the entire ensemble. When you hear this, drop and worship the statue I made. If you don’t, I will immediately throw you into a blazing furnace. Do you have a god who will save you from me?
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego told the king, “You are the king. We don’t see any point in debating the matter with you and offering a defense. 17If our God can protect us from you and save our lives, then let him do it. 18But if he doesn’t, that won’t make any difference. Believe us when we tell you that under no circumstances will we worship Babylonian gods. And we won’t worship the golden statue either.” 19Nebuchadnezzar’s demeaner quickly changed from mean to meaner. He went livid on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace stoked to seven times hotter than usual. 20He ordered some of his strongest soldiers to tie up each of the men and throw them into the furnace.
21Soldiers tied up the men who remained fully dressed, from their underclothes to their head coverings. 22The king wanted this execution done immediately. So people working the furnace cranked up the blaze. The fire was so hot that it killed the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the flames.
23The three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego plummeted into the raging fire.
The fourth Man
24Suddenly, King Nebuchadnezzar bolted out of his chair, shocked. He said to the officials with him, “There were only three of them, right?” The officials said, “Yes, king. That’s right.” 25Nebuchadnezzar said, “I see four. There are four men. They’re untied and just walking around in there. That fourth man doesn’t look human. He looks like a god.” [7]26The king moved toward the door into the furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! You three servants of the greatest God of all, come out of there! Come on out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the furnace.
27All the officials, governors, and royal advisors gathered around the men and saw that the fire had zero effect on them. Their hair wasn’t singed, their clothes weren’t burned, and they didn’t even smell like smoke.
29So I’m making a royal decree. Anyone who badmouths the God of these men will be torn from limb to limb and their houses destroyed. [8] There is no god anywhere who can do what this God just did today when he saved these men.”
30The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to more important assignments in the province of Babylon.
