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Nebuchadnezzar made a statue of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials to attend the dedication of the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then a herald loudly proclaimed, “This is what you are commanded to do, O people of every nation and language: 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drums, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 But if anyone does not fall down and worship, they will be immediately thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.”
7 Therefore, as soon as the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, all the people of every nation and language fell down and worshipped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time, some Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the gold statue, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have appointed to manage the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men pay no homage to you, O king. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and these men were brought in before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you do not worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god then that can rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the furnace of blazing fire, the God we serve is able to rescue us from it, and He can deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not rescue us, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered that furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual, 20 and he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So these men, wearing their trousers, robes, turbans, and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Because the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so extremely hot, the raging flames killed the soldiers who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the furnace of blazing fire.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and he leaped to his feet. He asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They answered the king, “Certainly, O king.”
25 He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, not tied up and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27 When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around them, they saw that the fire had not harmed the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their heads singed, their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants who trusted in Him! They defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree that the people of any nation or language who speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn in pieces and their houses will be turned into piles of rubble, for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.