[1] Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty
cubits, and the breadth of it six cubits: he set it up in the plain of
Dura, in the province of Babylon. [2] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to
gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges,
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the
king had set up. [3] Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the
judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of
the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. [4] Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is
commanded, peoples, nations, and languages, [5] that whenever you hear the
sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music,
you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has
set up; [6] and whoever doesn`t fall down and worships shall the same hour
be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. [7] Therefore at that
time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither,
lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and
the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. [8] Therefore at that time certain
Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. [9] They
answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live for ever. [10] You, O king,
have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn,
flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down
and worship the golden image; [11] and whoever doesn`t fall down and
worships, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. [12]
There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the
province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king,
have not regarded you: they don`t serve your gods, nor worship the golden
image which you have set up. [13] Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and
fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought
these men before the king. [14] Nebuchadnezzar answered them, Is it on
purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you don`t serve my god, nor
worship the golden image which I have set up? [15] Now if you are ready
whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe,
and all kinds of music to you fall down and worship the image which I have
made, [well]: but if you don`t worship, you shall be cast the same hour
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall
deliver you out of my hands? [16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered
the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
[17] If it 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, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. [19] Then was
Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: [therefore] he spoke, and commanded that
they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be
heated. [20] He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, [and] to cast them into the burning fiery
furnace. [21] Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and
their mantles, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of
the burning fiery furnace. [22] Therefore because the king`s commandment
was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed
those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. [23] These three
men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of
the burning fiery furnace. [24] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was
astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said to his counselors,
Didn`t we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered
the king, True, O king. [25] He answered, Look, 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. [26] Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to
the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spoke and said, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth, and
come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the
midst of the fire. [27] The satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and
the king`s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the
fire had no power on their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed,
neither were their pants changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.
[28] Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants
who trusted in him, and have changed the king`s word, and have yielded
their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their
own God. [29] Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and
language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a
dunghill; because there is no other god who is able to deliver after this
sort. [30] Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the
province of Babylon.

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