Day 251: Daniel 3

Chapter 3



The Golden Image
1: King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2: Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3: Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4: And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,
5: that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6: And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”
7: Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8: Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.
9: They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!
10: You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.
11: And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.
12: There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
13: Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king.
14: 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?
15: Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
16: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17: If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18: But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The Fiery Furnace
19: Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.
20: And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21: Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.
22: Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

(Additions to Daniel, inserted between 3.23 and 3.24)

The Prayer of Azariah in the Furnace

1 They walked around in the midst of the flames, singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord.

2 Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:

3 “Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors, and worthy of praise;

and glorious is your name forever!

4 For you are just in all you have done;

all your works are true and your ways right,

and all your judgments are true.

5 You have executed true judgments in all you have brought upon us

and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors;

by a true judgment you have brought all this upon us because of our sins.

6 For we have sinned and broken your law in turning away from you;

in all matters we have sinned grievously.

7 We have not obeyed your commandments,

we have not kept them or done what you have commanded us for our own good.

8 So all that you have brought upon us,

and all that you have done to us,

you have done by a true judgment.

9 You have handed us over to our enemies, lawless and hateful rebels,

and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world.

10 And now we cannot open our mouths;

we, your servants who worship you, have become a shame and a reproach.

11 For your name’s sake do not give us up forever,

and do not annul your covenant.

12 Do not withdraw your mercy from us,

for the sake of Abraham your beloved

and for the sake of your servant Isaac

and Israel your holy one,

13 to whom you promised

to multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven

and like the sand on the shore of the sea.

14 For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any other nation,

and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

15 In our day we have no ruler, or prophet, or leader,

no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,

no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.

16 Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,

17 as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls,

or with tens of thousands of fat lambs;

such may our sacrifice be in your sight today,

and may we unreservedly follow you,

for no shame will come to those who trust in you.

18 And now with all our heart we follow you;

we fear you and seek your presence.

19 Do not put us to shame,

but deal with us in your patience

and in your abundant mercy.

20 Deliver us in accordance with your marvelous works,

and bring glory to your name, O Lord.

21 Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame;

let them be disgraced and deprived of all power,

and let their strength be broken.

22 Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,

glorious over the whole world.”

The Song of the Three Jews

23 Now the king’s servants who threw them in kept stoking the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brushwood.

24 And the flames poured out above the furnace forty-nine cubits, 

25 and spread out and burned those Chaldeans who were caught near the furnace. 

26 But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions, and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace, 

27 and made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it. The fire did not touch them at all and caused them no pain or distress.

28 Then the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace:

29 “Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,

and to be praised and highly exalted forever;

30 And blessed is your glorious, holy name,

and to be highly praised and highly exalted forever.

31 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,

and to be extolled and highly glorified forever.

32 Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim,

and to be praised and highly exalted forever.

33 Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,

and to be extolled and highly exalted forever.

34 Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,

and to be sung and glorified forever.

35 “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

36 Bless the Lord, you heavens;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

37 Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

38 Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heavens;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

39 Bless the Lord, all you powers of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

40 Bless the Lord, sun and moon;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

41 Bless the Lord, stars of heaven;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

42 “Bless the Lord, all rain and dew;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

43 Bless the Lord, all you winds;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

44 Bless the Lord, fire and heat;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

45 Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

46 Bless the Lord, dews and falling snow;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

47 Bless the Lord, nights and days;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

48 Bless the Lord, light and darkness;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

49 Bless the Lord, ice and cold;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

50 Bless the Lord, frosts and snows;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

51 Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

52 “Let the earth bless the Lord;

let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

53 Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

54 Bless the Lord, all that grows in the ground;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

55 Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

56 Bless the Lord, you springs;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

57 Bless the Lord, you whales and all that swim in the waters;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

58 Bless the Lord, all birds of the air;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

59 Bless the Lord, all wild animals and cattle;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

60 “Bless the Lord, all people on earth;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

61 Bless the Lord, O Israel;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

62 Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

63 Bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

64 Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

65 Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

66 “Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

For he has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the power[c] of death,

and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace;

from the midst of the fire he has delivered us.

67 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

68 All who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods,

sing praise to him and give thanks to him,

for his mercy endures forever.”

 ( End of additions to Daniel, inserted between 3.23 and 3.24)

24: Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
25: 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.”
26: Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.
27: And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
28: Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.
29: Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”
30: Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.