Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue

1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold; its height sixty cubits, and its breadth six cubits: he set it up in the valley of Dura, in the province of Babel. 2And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together to the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the chief judges, the treasurers, those skilled in law, the lawyers, and all the rulers of the provinces, to the drinking to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. 3At that time there being gathered together the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the chief judges, the treasurers, those skilled in law, the lawyers and all the rulers of the provinces, to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up; and standing before the image that Nebuchadnezzar set up. 4And a herald called with strength, To you they say, O peoples, nations, and tongues, 5In the time ye shall hear the voice of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the lyre, the psaltery, the bagpipe, and all sorts of music, ye shall fall and prostrate yourselves to the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. 6And whoever shall not fall and prostrate himself in the same moment, he shall be cast into a furnace of flaming fire. 7For this cause in that time that all peoples heard the voice of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the lyre, the psaltery, and all sorts of music, all peoples, nations, and tongues, fell prostrating themselves to the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused

8For this cause, at that time men of the Chaldeans drew near and ate up the Jews piece meal. 9They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever. 10Thou, O king, didst set an edict, that every man that shall hear the voice of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the lyre, the psaltery and the bagpipe, and all sorts of music, shall fall and prostrate himself to the image of gold: 11And whoever shall not fall and prostrate himself shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of flaming fire. 12There are men, Jews, that thou didst appoint over the business of the province of Babel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men set not an account to thee, O king: they served not to thy gods; and to the image of gold that thou didst set up they prostrated themselves not.

13At that time Nebuchadnezzar in anger and wrath, said to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar 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? 15Now if ye being prepared that in the time that ye shall hear the voice of the horn, the pipe, the harp, the lyre, the psaltery, and the bagpipe, and all sorts of music, ye shall fall and prostrate yourselves to the image that I made; and if ye shall not prostrate yourselves in the same moment, ye shall be cast into the midst of the furnace of flaming fire; and who that God that shall deliver you from my hands?

16Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego answered, and saying to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we need not to turn back to thee upon this word. 17If it is, our God whom we served will be able to deliver us from the furnace of flaming fire, and from thy hand, O king, he will deliver us. 18And if not, it shall be made known to thee, O king, that to thy gods we serve not, and to the image of gold that thou didst set up we will not prostrate ourselves:

The Fiery Furnace

19In that time Nebuchadnezzar being filled with wrath, and the form of the visage was changed to him against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego: he answered and said to heat to the furnace one seven times above that it was seen to be heated. 20To the strong, the strong of strength that were in his army, he said to bind to Shadrach, Mesbach, and Abed-Nego, to cast into the furnace of flaming fire. 21Then these men were bound in their wide trowsers, their tunics, and their mantles, and their clothing, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of flaming fire. 22For this cause, as the word of the king being severe, and the furnace exceedingly heated, these men that took up to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, the flame of fire killed them. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of flaming fire, bound.

24At that time Nebuchadnezzar the king was grieved, and rose up in haste; he answered and said to the counselors, Did we not cast three men into the midst of the fire, bound? They answering and saying to the king, True, O king. 25He 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. 26At that time Nebuchadnezzar drew near to the door of the furnace of flaming fire; he answered and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, ye servants of God most high, go forth, and come. Then came forth Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, from the midst of the fire. 27And there being gathered together the satraps, the prefects, and governors, and the king's counselors, looking upon these men that upon their bodies the fire had no power, and a hair of their head was not singed, and their wide trowsers were not changed, and the smell of fire passed not upon them.

28Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, Blessed be their God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent his messenger and delivered for his servants that trusted upon him, and they changed the king's word, and gave their bodies that they will not serve and prostrate themselves to any god, except to their God. 29And an edict being set from me, That every people, nation and tongue, that shall say an error against their God, of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, shall be made pieces, and his house shall be set a dung-hill, because that there is no other God that shall be able to deliver according to this. 30Then the king caused to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, to prosper in the province of Babel.