The Image of Gold

1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and its width six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the administrators, 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 which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

3Then the satraps, the administrators, and governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

5That at what time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up:

6And whosoever falls not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

7Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Disobey King

8Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

9They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever.

10You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

11And whosoever falls not down and worships, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

12There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded you: they serve not your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

14Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do you not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

15Now if you are ready that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if you worship not, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

18But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

Saved in the Fiery Furnace

19Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

20And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, and their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

22Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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 up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the most high God, come forth, and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth out of the midst of the fire.

27And the satraps, administrators, and governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats affected, nor had the smell of fire come upon them.

28Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, who speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap: because there is no other God that can deliver in this way.

30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.