Daniel 3:14 and 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?

◄ Daniel 3:14 ►

New International Version
and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?

New Living Translation
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?

English Standard Version
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

Berean Standard Bible
and 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?

King James Bible
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

New King James Version
Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?

New American Standard Bible
Nebuchadnezzar began speaking and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods, nor worship the golden statue that I have set up?

NASB 1995
Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

NASB 1977
Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

Legacy Standard Bible
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you are not serving my gods and do not worship the golden image that I have set up?

Amplified Bible
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up?

Christian Standard Bible
Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up?

American Standard Version
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Contemporary English Version
"I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up.

English Revised Version
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Nebuchadnezzar asked them, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don't honor my gods or worship the gold statue that I set up?

Good News Translation
He said to them, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you refuse to worship my god and to bow down to the gold statue I have set up?

International Standard Version
Nebuchadnezzar asked them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't worship my gods and that you don't worship the golden statue that has been set up?

Majority Standard Bible
and 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?

NET Bible
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't serve my gods and that you don't pay homage to the golden statue that I erected?

New Heart English Bible
Nebuchadnezzar answered them, "Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Webster's Bible Translation
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do ye not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

World English Bible
Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and you don’t worship the golden image which I have set up?

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Nebuchadnezzar has answered and said to them, “Is [it] a laid plan, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego—my gods you are not serving, and to the golden image that I have raised up you are not worshiping?

Young's Literal Translation
Nebuchadnezzar hath answered and said to them, 'Is it a laid plan, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego -- my gods ye are not serving, and to the golden image that I have raised up ye are not doing obeisance?

Smith's Literal Translation
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, Is it on purpose O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed Nego, ye not serving to my gods, and to the image of gold that I set up, ye not prostrating yourselves?

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Nabuchodonosor the king spoke to them, and said: Is it true, O Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the golden statue that I have set up?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And king Nebuchadnezzar addressed them and said, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the gold statue, which I have set up?

New American Bible
King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up?

New Revised Standard Version
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up?

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king spoke and said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my god nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Nebukadnetsar the King answered and said to them: “In truth, Shadrak, Mishak and Abednego, do you not serve my god, and do you not bow down to the image of gold that I have set up?

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them: 'Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Nabuchodonosor answered and said to them, Is it true, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that ye serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up?

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused
…13Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and 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?”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 20:3
You shall have no other gods before Me.

Isaiah 46:5-7
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike? / They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. / They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.

Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.

Revelation 13:15
The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.

1 Kings 18:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

Matthew 4:10
“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Acts 4:19-20
But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God. / For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Isaiah 44:9-20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ...

Jeremiah 10:5
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

2 Kings 17:35
For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. / Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

1 Corinthians 8:5-6
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

Deuteronomy 6:13-14
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name. / Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.

Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

2 Corinthians 6:16-17
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” / “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Treasury of Scripture

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

ture.

Exodus 21:13,14
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee…

my gods.

Daniel 3:1
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

Daniel 4:8
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

Isaiah 46:1
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.

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Daniel 3

1. Nebuchadnezzar dedicates a golden image in Dura.
3. They being threatened, make a good confession.
8. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are accused for not worshipping the image.
19. They are cast into the furnace,
24. from which God delivers them.
28. Nebuchadnezzar seeing the miracle blesses God, and advances them.

Berean Study Bible

And Nebuchadnezzar said to them
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, is a central figure in the Book of Daniel. His name, derived from the Akkadian "Nabu-kudurri-usur," means "Nabu, protect my boundary." Historically, Nebuchadnezzar was known for his military conquests and monumental building projects, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. In this context, his authority and power are evident as he directly addresses Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Is it true
This phrase indicates a moment of confrontation and inquiry. The king is seeking confirmation of the report he has received. The Hebrew root for "true" (אֲמַר) suggests a search for authenticity and reliability. This moment reflects the tension between the king's authority and the steadfast faith of the three Hebrew men.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
These are the Babylonian names given to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, respectively. Their original Hebrew names reflect their devotion to the God of Israel, while their Babylonian names are associated with Babylonian deities. This renaming signifies an attempt to assimilate them into Babylonian culture, yet they remain faithful to their God, demonstrating the theme of identity and faithfulness under pressure.

that you do not serve my gods
The phrase "serve my gods" underscores the polytheistic nature of Babylonian religion. The Hebrew word for "serve" (עֲבַד) implies worship and allegiance. The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to serve these gods is a profound declaration of their exclusive devotion to the God of Israel, challenging the prevailing religious norms of the time.

or worship the golden statue
The "golden statue" represents Nebuchadnezzar's attempt to unify his empire under a single religious symbol. Historically, such statues were common in ancient Near Eastern cultures as symbols of divine and royal authority. The Hebrew word for "worship" (סָגַד) involves bowing down or prostrating oneself, an act of submission and reverence. The refusal to worship the statue is a bold act of defiance against idolatry.

I have set up
This phrase emphasizes Nebuchadnezzar's personal involvement and authority in establishing the statue. The act of setting up the statue is both a political and religious statement, asserting his power and the expectation of loyalty from his subjects. The Hebrew root (קֳמָה) for "set up" conveys the idea of establishing or erecting something with intention and purpose. This highlights the king's challenge to the sovereignty of God, which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego courageously resist.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) Is it true?--Literally, Is it of design or of set purpose that you have done this?

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? The Septuagint rendering here is, "Whom when he saw, Nebuchadnezzar the king said to them, Wherefore, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do ye not worship my gods, nod before the golden image which I have set up do ye not prostrate yourselves?" There seems to have been a difference of reading here. The first words must have been read as בהון עליהון (behon 'aleehon), and the mysterious word הַצְדָּא (hatzeda) had occupied a position before, not after אמר. The word צְדָא in the aphel in Syriac means "to look steadily." This interpretation of the word shows that the translator had before him a document in which Syriac meanings might be expected. Theodotion renders the last clause, "If truly (εἰ ἀληθῶς) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, my gods ye do not worship, and before the golden image which I have set up ye do not prostrate yourselves?" - a construction that shows a slavish following of the Aramaic. The sense here is really the same as that of the Authorized Version. The Peshitta renders the opening word of this latter portion of the verse, "in truth" - a rendering with which Jerome agrees. Professor Bevan suggests another reading, הַאַזְדָּא, followed by Behrmann. Unfortunately, the meaning of אַזְדָּא is very doubtful. The common rendering is "of set purpose." So Furst, Gesenius, Winer, among lexicographers, and Bertholdt, Ewald, Aben Ezra, Wordsworth, among commentators; Keil, Kliefoth, Kra-nichfeld, hold it to mean "with evil intent." It is suggested also that it may mean "in mockery." The reading suggested by Professor Bevan and supported by Behrmann is not to be thought of; they appeal to Theodotion, but when this word occurs in the previous chapter (ver. 5), Theodotion translates ἀπέστη, which makes it evident that אזדא (azda) did not mean "truth" to him. More may be said for the Peshitta, only that, though azda does seem to mean "truth," the translation is not the same in Daniel 2:5 and the present verse. If there is to be a change of reading, that indicated by the Septuagint translation is preferable. The Septuagint translator has had צדא before him, and there is no evidence that Theodotion had not. The change in the arrangement of the words is a simpler variation than any other, and it retains the word in its Syriac meaning; otherwise we should be inclined to follow the lexicographers, and translate "of set purpose." If we take the view of this word indicated above, then we may imagine Nebuchadnezzar looking steadfastly on those youths who had dared to oppose him, hoping, it may be, to see them shrink from his gaze, as he had seen so many of the kings he had conquered do. If this is correct, it gives a point to what the youths begin their answer with in ver. 16. If we take the more common rendering, we see the generosity of the king. Full of rage and fury as he is, he will give them an opening to say that it was of inadvertence that they failed to obey his decree. This is fully borne out by the next verse. If Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury at the crime against the gods, he yet was careful that the envy of the Chaldeans should not hinder him from giving the Jews who had been accused to him a chance to defend themselves. This mental fairness it was which, despite his outbursts of capricious rage, drew the affection of those about him to Nebuchadnezzar.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

and Nebuchadnezzar
נְבֻֽכַדְנֶצַּר֙ (nə·ḇu·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5020: Nebuchadnezzar -- a Babylonian king

said
וְאָמַ֣ר (wə·’ā·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 560: To say, tell, command

to them,
לְה֔וֹן (lə·hō·wn)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

“Shadrach,
שַׁדְרַ֥ךְ (šaḏ·raḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7715: Shadrach -- Babylonian name of one of Daniel's companions

Meshach,
מֵישַׁ֖ךְ (mê·šaḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4336: Meshach -- a Babylonian name

and Abednego,
נְג֑וֹ (nə·ḡōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5665: Abed-nego -- 'servant of Nebo', Babylonian name of one of Daniel's companions

is it true
הַצְדָּ֕א (haṣ·dā)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6656: A, design

that you do not
לָ֤א (lā)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809: Not, no

serve
פָּֽלְחִ֔ין (pā·lə·ḥîn)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6399: To pay reverence to, serve

my gods
לֵֽאלָהַ֗י (lê·lā·hay)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 426: God

or worship
סָֽגְדִֽין׃ (sā·ḡə·ḏîn)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5457: To prostrate oneself

the golden
דַּהֲבָ֛א (da·hă·ḇā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 1722: Gold

statue
וּלְצֶ֧לֶם (ū·lə·ṣe·lem)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6755: An idolatrous figure

I have set up?
הֲקֵ֖ימֶת (hă·qê·meṯ)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6966: To arise, stand

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OT Prophets: Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar answered them Is it on purpose (Dan. Da Dn)