Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue 1 Brenton In his eighteenth year Nabuchodonosor the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Deira, in the province of Babylon. BSB BSB: King 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.
2 Brenton And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces, chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, to come to the dedication of the image. BSB BSB: Then 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.
3 Brenton So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes, those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the dedication of the image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up; and they stood before the image. BSB BSB: So 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.
4 Brenton Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, ye peoples, tribes, and languages, BSB BSB: Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded:
5 Brenton at what hour ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and every kind of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor has set up. BSB BSB: 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 golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Brenton And whosoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace. BSB BSB: And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.”
7 Brenton And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. BSB BSB: Therefore, 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.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused 8 Brenton Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying , BSB BSB: At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews,
9 Brenton O king, live for ever. BSB BSB: saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever!
10 Brenton Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, BSB BSB: You, 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,
11 Brenton and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace. BSB BSB: and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
12 Brenton There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who have not obeyed thy decree, O king: they serve not thy gods, and worship not the golden image which thou hast set up. BSB BSB: But 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.”
13 Brenton Then Nabuchodonosor in wrath and anger commanded to bring Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and they were brought before the king. BSB BSB: Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
14 Brenton 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? BSB BSB: 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?
15 Brenton Now then if ye be ready, whensoever ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well : but if ye worship not, in the same hour ye shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand? BSB BSB: Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I have made, very good. 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?”
16 Brenton Then answered Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and said to king Nabuchodonosor, We have no need to answer thee concerning this matter. BSB BSB: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 Brenton For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from thy hands, O king. BSB BSB: If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king.
18 Brenton But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the image which thou hast set up. BSB BSB: 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.”
The Fiery Furnace 19 Brenton Then Nabuchodonosor was filled with wrath, and the form of his countenance was changed toward Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual , until it should burn to the uttermost. BSB BSB: At 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,
20 Brenton And he commanded mighty men to bind Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. BSB BSB: and 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.
21 Brenton Then those men were bound with their coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace, BSB BSB: So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
22 Brenton forasmuch as the king's word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot. BSB BSB: The 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.
23 Brenton Then these three men, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell bound into the midst of the burning furnace, BSB BSB: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
24 Brenton And Nabuchodonosor heard them singing praises; and he wondered, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? and they said to the king, Yes, O king. BSB BSB: Suddenly 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 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: “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!”
26 Brenton Then Nabuchodonosor drew near to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high God, proceed forth, and come hither. So Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, came forth out of the midst of the fire. BSB BSB: Then 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,
27 Brenton Then were assembled the satraps, and captains, and heads of provinces, and the royal princes; and they saw the men, and perceived that the fire had not had power against their bodies, and the hair of their head was not burnt, and their coats were not scorched, nor was the smell of fire upon them. BSB BSB: and 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.
28 Brenton And king Nabuchodonosor answered and said, Blessed be the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants, because they trusted in him; and they have changed the king's word, and delivered their bodies to be burnt, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. BSB BSB: Nebuchadnezzar 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.
29 Brenton Wherefore I publish a decree: Every people, tribe, or language, that shall speak reproachfully against the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses shall be plundered: because there is no other God who shall be able to deliver thus. BSB BSB: Therefore 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.”
30 Brenton Then the king promoted Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon, and advanced them, and gave them authority to rule over all the Jews who were in his kingdom. BSB BSB: Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.