Daniel 3:25 "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!"

◄ Daniel 3:25 ►

New International Version
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

New Living Translation
“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

English Standard Version
He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Berean Standard Bible
“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!”

King James Bible
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

New King James Version
“Look!” he answered, “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 the Son of God.”

New American Standard Bible
He responded, “Look! I see four men untied and walking about in the middle of the fire unharmed, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

NASB 1995
He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

NASB 1977
He answered and said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

Legacy Standard Bible
He answered and said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

Amplified Bible
He answered, “Look! I see four men untied, walking around in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

Christian Standard Bible
He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

American Standard Version
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

Contemporary English Version
"But I see four men walking around in the fire," the king replied. "None of them is tied up or harmed, and the fourth one looks like a god."

English Revised Version
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king replied, "But look, I see four men. They're untied, walking in the middle of the fire, and unharmed. The fourth one looks like a son of the gods."

Good News Translation
"Then why do I see four men walking around in the fire?" he asked. "They are not tied up, and they show no sign of being hurt--and the fourth one looks like an angel."

International Standard Version
"Look!" he told them, "I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being."

Majority Standard Bible
“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!”

NET Bible
He answered, "But I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!"

New Heart English Bible
He answered, "Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are unharmed; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

Webster's Bible Translation
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt: and the form of the fourth is like the son of God.

World English Bible
He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
He answered and has said, “Behold, I am seeing four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the appearance of the fourth [is] like to a son of the gods.”

Young's Literal Translation
He answered and hath said, 'Lo, I am seeing four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like to a son of the gods.'

Smith's Literal Translation
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose going about in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them: and the aspect of the fourth like to the Son of God.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered, and said: Behold I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He answered and said, “Behold, I see four men unbound and walking in the midst of the fire, and no harm is in them, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of God.”

New American Bible
Azariah stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud:

New Revised Standard Version
Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
The king answered and said, Behold I see men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like that of the Son of God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The King answered and said: “Behold, I see four men loose and walking within the fire, and they have no pain, and the appearance of the fourth is like to a son of the gods!”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
He answered and said: 'Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said, But I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there has no harm happened to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Fiery Furnace
…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!” 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,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Exodus 3:2-6
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed. / So Moses thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?” / When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered. ...

Psalm 91:11-12
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. / They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Isaiah 63:9
In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Matthew 28:3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

Revelation 1:13-15
and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. / The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. / His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.

Acts 12:7
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.

Genesis 18:1-2
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. / And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

Joshua 5:13-15
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?” / “Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as Commander of the LORD’s army.” Then Joshua fell facedown in reverence and asked Him, “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?” / The Commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Judges 13:3-6
The angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are barren and have no children; but you will conceive and give birth to a son. / Now please be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and not to eat anything unclean. / For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall touch his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” ...

Ezekiel 1:26-28
Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man. / From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. / The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

Matthew 14:25-27
During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. / When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. / But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

Mark 16:5-6
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. / But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.

Luke 24:4
While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them.

John 20:12
and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.

Treasury of Scripture

He answered and said, See, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

walking.

Isaiah 43:2
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

they have no hurt.

Psalm 91:3-9
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence…

Mark 16:18
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Acts 28:5
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

the Son of God.

Daniel 3:18,18
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up…

Job 1:6
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

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Appearance Aspect Fire Form Four Fourth Gods Harm Hurt Loose Middle Midst Unharmed Walking

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Appearance Aspect Fire Form Four Fourth Gods Harm Hurt Loose Middle Midst Unharmed Walking

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

Look!” he exclaimed
The word "Look" is a call to attention, a moment of revelation. In the context of Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar is astonished by what he sees. This exclamation signifies a turning point, where the miraculous becomes undeniable. The Hebrew root for "look" often implies not just seeing with the eyes, but perceiving with understanding. It is a moment where the divine breaks into the ordinary, demanding recognition and reflection.

“I see four men
The phrase "I see" indicates personal witness and testimony. Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king, is the one who observes this miracle, which underscores the universal reach of God's power. The number "four" is significant in biblical numerology, often representing completeness and universality. The presence of four men instead of the expected three (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) introduces the divine intervention in a tangible form.

unbound and unharmed
"Unbound" signifies liberation and freedom. The Hebrew context suggests a release from physical and spiritual bondage. This is a powerful image of deliverance, as the men were previously tied and thrown into the fire. "Unharmed" emphasizes divine protection. Despite the intense heat of the furnace, which killed the soldiers who threw them in, these men are preserved. This miraculous preservation is a testament to God's sovereignty and care for His faithful.

walking around in the fire—
"Walking around" suggests a sense of peace and confidence. In a situation where one would expect panic or destruction, there is instead calm and assurance. The fire, a symbol of trial and judgment, becomes a place of divine fellowship and protection. This imagery is reminiscent of God's presence with His people in their trials, as seen throughout Scripture.

and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”
The "fourth" figure is described as looking "like a son of the gods." This phrase has been the subject of much theological discussion. In the Aramaic text, the term used can imply a divine or angelic being. From a conservative Christian perspective, this figure is often interpreted as a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. This interpretation aligns with the belief in Christ's eternal presence and His role as the ultimate deliverer. The phrase "son of the gods" reflects Nebuchadnezzar's polytheistic understanding, yet it points to a being of divine nature, highlighting the mystery and majesty of God's intervention.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) The Son of God.--These words, let us remember, are uttered by a heathen king, who calls this same Person, in Daniel 3:28, "an angel" of the God whom the three children worshipped. Probably Nebuchadnezzar thought that He stood to Jehovah in the same relation that he himself did to Merodach. His conceptions of the power of Jehovah were evidently raised by what he had witnessed, though as yet he does not recognise Him as being more than a chief among gods. He has not risen to that conception of the unity of God which is essential to His absolute supremacy. But still the question has to be answered, What did the king see? The early Patristic interpretation was that. it was none other than Christ Himself. We have no means of ascertaining anything further, and must be content with knowing that the same "Angel of God's presence" who was with Israel in the wilderness watched over the people in Babylon.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. The Greek versions do not present much worthy of note, only both insert molka, "king," instead of the pronoun, and omit "answered." From the fact that ver. 24 ends with malka, it may have been dropped out of the Masse-retie text. The insertion of ענה ('ana), "answered," may be due to the frequent recurrence of this phrase. The Peshitta omits "four," otherwise agreeing with the Massoretic. The phrase," the Son of God," is clearly wrong; the correct translation is, "The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." Along with the three victims of his superstition was seen a fourth figure, like one of the figures portrayed on his palace walls as belonging to the demi-gods. This is the culmination of the king's astonishment. It was astonishing to see those men loose that had been east into the furnace bound; still more so to see them walking, and none showing signs of having received any hurt; but most awe-inspiring of all is the vision of the fourth figure, like a son of the gods. We must not interpret this on Hebrew lines, as does Mr. Bevan, and comp. Genesis 6:2. He knows the usage in the Tar-gums is to retain the Hebrew plural in ־ים when "God" is meant, as in the Peshitta Version of the passage he refers to. As in most heathen mythologies, there were not only gods, but demi-gods, of several different classes. The god Nebuchadnezzar specially worshipped, Silik-Moulou-ki (Marduk), was regarded as the son of Hea. There was a god of fire also, who was associated with these. The suggestion of Dr. Fuller, that here in bar we have not the word for "son," but rather a truncated form of this god of fire, Iz-bar, is worthy of consideration. It is impossible to say whether Ibis vision of a divine being was vouchsafed to those standing about Nebuchadnezzar as well as to himself. While we ought to guard against ascribing to the Babylonian monarch the idea that this appearance was that of the Second Person of the Christian Trinity, we are ourselves at liberty to maintain this, or to hold that it was an angel who strengthened these servants of God in the furnace. The Septuagint renders bar-cloheen by ἄγγελος. Theodotion has υἱῷ Θεοῦ.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“Look!”
הָֽא־ (hā-)
Interjection
Strong's 1888: Lo! behold!

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

“I
אֲנָ֨ה (’ă·nāh)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 576: I

see
חָזֵ֜ה (ḥā·zêh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2370: To gaze upon, mentally to dream, be usual

four
אַרְבְּעָ֗ה (’ar·bə·‘āh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 703: Four

men,
גֻּבְרִ֣ין (guḇ·rîn)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1400: A person

unbound
שְׁרַ֙יִן֙ (šə·ra·yin)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 8271: To free, separate, to unravel, commence, to reside

and unharmed,
וַחֲבָ֖ל (wa·ḥă·ḇāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2257: A hurt, injury

walking around
מַהְלְכִ֣ין (mah·lə·ḵîn)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1981: To walk

in
בְּגֽוֹא־ (bə·ḡō·w-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1459: Midst, middle

the fire—
נוּרָ֔א (nū·rā)
Noun - common singulard
Strong's 5135: A fire

and the fourth
רְֽבִיעָאָ֔ה (rə·ḇî·‘ā·’āh)
Number - ordinal masculine singular determinate
Strong's 7244: Fourth, a fourth

looks
וְרֵוֵהּ֙ (wə·rê·wêh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7299: Appearance

like
דָּמֵ֖ה (dā·mêh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1821: To resemble

a son
לְבַר־ (lə·ḇar-)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1247: A son, grandson

of the gods!”
אֱלָהִֽין׃ (’ĕ·lā·hîn)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 426: God

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OT Prophets: Daniel 3:25 He answered Look I see four men (Dan. Da Dn)