Daniel 3 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image

1 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 made ^H5648 an image ^H6755 of gold ^H1722, the height ^H7314 of which was [fn]sixty ^H8361 cubits ^H521 and its width ^H6613 six ^H8353 cubits ^H521; he set ^H6966 it up ^H6966 on the plain ^H1236 of Dura ^H1757 in the province ^H4083 of Babylon ^H895.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 sent ^H7972 word to assemble ^H3673 the satraps ^H324, the prefects ^H5460 and the governors ^H6347, the counselors ^H148, the treasurers ^H1411, the judges ^H1884, the magistrates ^H8614 and all ^H3606 the rulers ^H7984 of the provinces ^H4083 to come ^H858 to the dedication ^H2597 of the image ^H6755 that Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 had set ^H6966 up ^H6966. 3 Then ^H116 the satraps ^H324, the prefects ^H5460 and the governors ^H6347, the counselors ^H148, the treasurers ^H1411, the judges ^H1884, the magistrates ^H8614 and all ^H3606 the rulers ^H7984 of the provinces ^H4083 were assembled ^H3673 for the dedication ^H2597 of the image ^H6755 that Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 had set ^H6966 up ^H6966; and they were standing ^H6966 before ^H6903 the image ^H6755 that Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 had set ^H6966 up ^H6966. 4 Then the herald ^H3744 loudly ^H2429 called ^H7123 out: “To you it is ^H560 said ^H560, O peoples ^H5972, nations ^H524, and men of every tongue ^H3961, 5 that at the time ^H5732 you hear ^H8086 the sound ^H7032 of the horn ^H7162, flute ^H4953, [fn]lyre ^H7030, [fn]trigon ^H5443, [fn]psaltery ^H6460, bagpipe ^H5481, and all ^H3606 kinds ^H2178 of music ^H2170, you are to fall ^H5308 down ^H5308 and worship ^H5457 the golden ^H1722 image ^H6755 that Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 has set ^H6966 up ^H6966. 6 But whoever ^H4479 does not fall ^H5308 down ^H5308 and worship ^H5457 shall [fn]immediately ^H8160 be cast ^H7412 into the midst ^H1459 of a furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135.” 7 Therefore ^H6903 H1836 at that time ^H2166, when ^H1768 all ^H3606 the peoples ^H5972 heard ^H8086 the sound ^H7032 of the horn ^H7162, flute ^H4953, [fn]lyre ^H7030, trigon ^H5443, psaltery ^H6460, bagpipe ^H5481, and all ^H3606 kinds ^H2178 of music ^H2170, all ^H3606 the peoples ^H5972, nations ^H524, and men of every tongue ^H3961 fell ^H5308 down ^H5308 and worshiped ^H5457 the golden ^H1722 image ^H6755 that Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 had set ^H6966 up ^H6966.

We Will Not Serve Your Gods

8 For this ^H1836 reason ^H6903 at that time ^H2166 certain ^H1400 Chaldeans ^H3779 came ^H7127 near ^H7127 and [fn]brought ^H399 charges ^H7170 against ^H1768 the Jews ^H3062.

9 They answered ^H6032 and said ^H560 to Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430: “O king ^H4430, live ^H2418 forever ^H5957! 10 You, O king ^H4430, have made ^H7761 a decree ^H2942 that every ^H3606 man ^H606 who ^H1768 hears ^H8086 the sound ^H7032 of the horn ^H7162, flute ^H4953, [fn]lyre ^H7030, trigon ^H5443, psaltery ^H6460, and bagpipe ^H5481 and all ^H3606 kinds ^H2178 of music ^H2170, is to fall ^H5308 down ^H5308 and worship ^H5457 the golden ^H1722 image ^H6755. 11 But whoever ^H4479 does not fall ^H5308 down ^H5308 and worship ^H5457 shall be cast ^H7412 into the midst ^H1459 of a furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135. 12 There ^H383 are ^H383 certain ^H1400 Jews ^H3062 whom ^H1768 you have appointed ^H4483 over ^H5922 the administration ^H5673 of the province ^H4083 of Babylon ^H895, namely Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665. These ^H479 men ^H1400, O king ^H4430, do not ^H3809 pay ^H7761 attention ^H7761 H5922 to you ^H2942; they do not serve ^H6399 your gods ^H426 and do not worship ^H5457 the golden ^H1722 image ^H6755 which ^H1768 you have set ^H6966 up ^H6966.”

13 Then ^H116 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 in rage ^H7266 and wrath ^H2528 said ^H560 to bring ^H858 Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665; then ^H116 these ^H479 men ^H1400 were brought ^H858 before ^H6925 the king ^H4430. 14 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 answered ^H6032 and said ^H560 to them, “Is it true ^H6656, Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665, that you are not serving ^H6399 my gods ^H426 and do not worship ^H5457 the golden ^H1722 image ^H6755 that I have set ^H6966 up ^H6966? 15 Now ^H3705 if ^H2006 you are ready ^H6263, at the time ^H5732 you hear ^H8086 the sound ^H7032 of the horn ^H7162, flute ^H4953, [fn]lyre ^H7030, trigon ^H5443, psaltery ^H6460, and bagpipe ^H5481 and all ^H3606 kinds ^H2178 of music ^H2170, then you shall fall ^H5308 down ^H5308 and worship ^H5457 the image ^H6755 that I have made ^H5648. But if ^H2006 you do not worship ^H5457, you will [fn]immediately ^H8160 be cast ^H7412 into the midst ^H1459 of a furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135; and what ^H4479 god ^H426 is there who ^H1768 can save ^H7804 you out of my hands ^H3028?”

16 Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665 answered ^H6032 and said ^H560 to the king ^H4430, “O Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020, we do not need ^H2818 to respond ^H8421 to you with an answer ^H6600 concerning ^H5922 this ^H1836 matter ^H1836. 17 [fn]If ^H2006 it be so, our God ^H426 whom ^H1768 we serve ^H6399 is able ^H3202 to save ^H7804 us from the furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135; [fn]and He will save ^H7804 us out of your hand ^H3028, O king ^H4430. 18 But if ^H2006 not, let it be ^H3046 known ^H3046 to you, O king ^H4430, that we are not going to serve ^H6399 your gods ^H426, and we will not worship ^H5457 the golden ^H1722 image ^H6755 that you have set ^H6966 up ^H6966.”

Daniel’s Friends Delivered

19 Then ^H116 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 was filled ^H4391 with wrath ^H2528, and the image ^H6755 of his face ^H600 changed ^H8133 toward ^H5922 Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665. He answered ^H6032 and said ^H560 to heat ^H228 the furnace ^H861 seven ^H7655 times ^H2298 more ^H5922 than ^H5922 H1768 it was usually ^H2370 heated ^H228.

20 And he said ^H560 to certain ^H1400 mighty ^H1401 men ^H1401 of valor ^H2429 who ^H1768 were in his military ^H2429 [fn]host ^H2429 to tie ^H3729 up ^H3729 Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665 in order to cast ^H7412 them into the furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135. 21 Then ^H116 these ^H479 men ^H1400 were tied ^H3729 up ^H3729 in their [fn]trousers ^H5622, their [fn]coats ^H6361, their caps ^H3737, and their other clothes ^H3831 and were cast ^H7412 into the midst ^H1459 of the furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135. 22 For this ^H1836 reason ^H6903, because ^H4481 H1768 the king’s ^H4430 word ^H4406 was [fn]urgent ^H2685 and the furnace ^H861 had been heated ^H228 to an extraordinary ^H3493 degree ^H3493, the flame ^H7631 of the fire ^H5135 killed ^H6992 those ^H479 men ^H1400 who ^H1768 carried ^H5559 up ^H5559 Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665. 23 But these ^H479 three ^H8532 men ^H1400, Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665, fell ^H5308 into the midst ^H1459 of the furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135 still tied ^H3729 up ^H3729.

24 Then ^H116 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 the king ^H4430 was astounded ^H8429 and hurriedly ^H927 stood ^H6966 up ^H6966; he answered ^H6032 and said ^H560 to his high ^H1907 officials ^H1907, “Was it not three ^H8532 men ^H1400 we cast ^H7412 tied ^H3729 up ^H3729 into the midst ^H1459 of the fire ^H5135?” They answered ^H6032 and said ^H560 to the king ^H4430, “Certainly ^H3330, O king ^H4430.” 25 He answered ^H6032 and said ^H560, “Look ^H1888! I see ^H2370 four ^H703 men ^H1400 loosed ^H8271 and walking ^H1981 about ^H1981 in the midst ^H1459 of the fire ^H5135 [fn]without ^H3809 harm ^H2257, and the appearance ^H7299 of the fourth ^H7244 is like ^H1821 a son ^H1247 of the gods ^H426!” 26 Then ^H116 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 came ^H7127 near ^H7127 to the door ^H8651 of the furnace ^H861 of blazing ^H3345 fire ^H5135; he answered ^H6032 and said ^H560, “Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665, come ^H5312 out ^H5312, you servants ^H5649 of the Most ^H5943 High ^H5943 God ^H426, and come ^H858 here ^H5312!” Then ^H116 Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665 came ^H5312 out ^H5312 of the midst ^H1459 of the fire ^H5135. 27 Then the satraps ^H324, the prefects ^H5460, the governors ^H6347, and the king’s ^H4430 high ^H1907 officials ^H1907 gathered ^H3673 around ^H3673 and saw ^H2370 in regard to these ^H479 men ^H1400 that the fire ^H5135 had ^H7981 no ^H3809 power ^H7981 over [fn]the bodies ^H1655 of these men, nor ^H3809 was the hair ^H8177 of their head ^H7217 singed ^H2761, nor ^H3809 were their [fn]trousers ^H5622 [fn]damaged ^H8133, nor ^H3809 had the smell ^H7382 of fire ^H5135 even come ^H5709 upon them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar ^H5020 answered ^H6032 and said ^H560, “Blessed ^H1289 be the God ^H426 of Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665, who ^H1768 has sent ^H7972 His angel ^H4398 and saved ^H7804 His servants ^H5649 who ^H1768 put ^H7365 their trust ^H7365 in Him, [fn]violating ^H8133 the king’s ^H4430 word ^H4406, and gave ^H3052 up their bodies ^H1655 so ^H1768 as not to serve ^H6399 and not to worship ^H5457 any ^H3606 god ^H426 except ^H3861 their own God ^H426. 29 Therefore I make ^H7761 a decree ^H2942 that any ^H3606 people ^H5972, nation ^H524, or tongue ^H3961 that says ^H560 anything offensive ^H7960 against ^H5922 the God ^H426 of Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665 shall be torn ^H5648 limb ^H1917 from limb and their houses ^H1005 reduced ^H7739 to a rubbish ^H5122 heap ^H5122, inasmuch ^H6903 H1768 as there ^H383 is ^H383 no ^H3809 other ^H321 god ^H426 who ^H1768 is able ^H3202 to deliver ^H5338 in this ^H1836 way.” 30 Then ^H116 the king ^H4430 caused Shadrach ^H7715, Meshach ^H4336, and Abed-nego ^H5665 to succeed ^H6744 in the province ^H4083 of Babylon ^H895.