Side by side
Daniel 3
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Scene 1: The Gold StatueVerses 1 to 7
A huge gold statue stood on the plain of Dura. It was about 90 feet high and about 9 feet wide. That is about as tall as a nine-story building. King Nebuchadnezzar had set it up.
Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. His empire ruled many nations. Earlier, his army had taken Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from their home in Jerusalem.
The king sent for all his leaders. They came from every part of his empire. Governors, judges, treasurers, and many others stood in front of the statue for its dedication. A dedication is a ceremony to open something new.
Then a herald shouted out the king's order. A herald is a man who announces news out loud.
The order was this. When the music started, everyone had to fall down and worship the gold statue. The music would come from horns, flutes, harps, and many other instruments.
Anyone who did not bow would be thrown into a "blazing fiery furnace" (3:6) right away.
The music played. People from every nation and language fell down. They worshiped the gold statue.
But three men did not bow.
1King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. 4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded: 5As 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 golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.” 7Therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, the people of every nation and language would fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Scene 2: Reported to the KingVerses 8 to 12
Some of the king's astrologers came to him. They wanted to get the Jews in trouble. Here "Jews" means people from Judah, the land around Jerusalem.
The astrologers reminded the king of his order. Everyone had to bow when the music played. Anyone who did not bow would be thrown into the fire.
Then the astrologers gave names. They said there were some Jews the king had put in charge of the province. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" (3:12), they said. The astrologers said these three men had ignored the king. These men did not serve the king's gods. They did not worship the gold statue.
The Bible doesn't say why the astrologers did this. But remember, the king had given these three foreign young men very important jobs.
8At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews, 9saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever! 10You, O king, have 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 golden statue, 11and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. 12But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
Scene 3: The King's QuestionVerses 13 to 15
King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. He sent for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
The king asked them if it was true. Did they refuse to serve his gods and worship his statue?
Then he gave them one more chance. When the music played again, they had to bow down. If they refused, they would be thrown into the furnace at once.
The king ended with a question. "Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?" (3:15). Deliver means rescue.
His question was a boast. He did not think any god could rescue them from him.
13Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up? 15Now, if you are ready, 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 statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”
Scene 4: "Even If He Does Not"Verses 16 to 18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king. They did not argue or make excuses. They said they did not need to defend themselves.
Their answer was about God. God is "able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king" (3:17), they said.
Then they said more. "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up" (3:18).
The three friends did not know how this day would end. They knew God could save them. They did not know if God would. They still would not bow.
The three friends knew God's law. It told Israel not to bow down to idols (Exodus 20:5). The three friends were far from home. Everyone around them was bowing. They still belonged to God.
Their trust was in God, not in a promised rescue.
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. 18But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
Scene 5: Into the FireVerses 19 to 23
Now King Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage. His face changed as he looked at the three friends.
He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. This is a way of saying the fire should be as hot as possible.
He told some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up the three friends and throw them in.
The soldiers tied them up. The three friends still had all their clothes on. They wore robes, pants, and turbans. The soldiers threw them into the furnace.
The fire was so hot that the flames killed the soldiers who carried them up to it.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the fire. They were tied up tight.
The king's order had been carried out. The soldiers who threw them in were dead. The three friends were inside the fire.
19At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, 20and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace. 21So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. 22The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
Scene 6: Four Men in the FireVerses 24 to 25
Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up. He was amazed.
He asked his advisers, "Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?" (3:24).
"Yes, O king," they said.
The king said, "I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire" (3:25).
The ropes were gone. The men were walking. And there was a fourth person in the fire with them. The king said, "the fourth looks like a son of the gods" (3:25).
The three friends were not alone in the fire. Someone else was with them.
24Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they replied. 25“Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”
Scene 7: Come OutVerses 26 to 27
The king went up to the door of the furnace. He called them by name. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out" (3:26).
"Most High God" means the God above all others. The king who had asked what god could save them was now using this name.
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.
The king's leaders gathered around them. They saw that the fire had not hurt the three men at all.
"Not a hair of their heads was singed" (3:27). Singed means burned a little at the edges. Their robes were not damaged. They did not even smell like smoke.
Only the ropes that had tied them were gone.
26Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, 27and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Scene 8: The King Praises GodVerses 28 to 30
Nebuchadnezzar spoke. "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him" (3:28).
The king said the three friends had broken his command. They had risked their lives instead of worshiping any god but their own.
Then the king made a new law. Anyone who said anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would be killed and have their house destroyed. The king still ruled with threats. He said, "there is no other god who can deliver in this way" (3:29).
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They got even higher jobs in the province of Babylon. They were still far from home. But God had not forgotten them there.
The king had asked, "What god will be able to deliver you?" Now he had his answer.
28Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.” 30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
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