1 King Nebuchadnezzar had an image (STATUE) of gold made that was around 30 metres high and 3 metres wide, on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he called the Satraps, Prefects, Governors, Advisors, Treasurers, Judges, Rulers, and all the other Officials in his Kingdom to come together. He wanted all of them to come to the dedication ceremony for this massive statue .
3 So all the men came and stood in front of the idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the man who makes announcements for the king spoke in a loud voice, “All you people from many nations and language groups, listen to me. This is what you are commanded to do: 5 You must bow down as soon as you hear the sound of all the musical instruments. When you hear the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must worship the gold image (LIKE A NATIONAL ANTHEM). King Nebuchadnezzar has set this idol up. 6 Whoever does not bow down and worship this gold idol will immediately be thrown into a very hot furnace.”
7 So as soon as they heard the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, they bowed down and worshiped the image. All the peoples, nations, and different language groups there worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Then some of the Chaldeans came up to the King and began speaking against the people from Judah. 9 They said, “King, may you live forever! 10 King, you gave a command. You said that everyone who hears the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments must bow down and worship the gold idol. 11 And you also said that whoever does not bow down and worship the gold idol will be thrown into a very hot furnace. 12 There are some Judeans who you made important Officials in the province of Babylon that ignored your order, O’ King. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They don’t worship your gods and goddesses, and they refuse to bow down and worship the gold image you set up.”
13 So Nebuchadnezzar became furious and called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were brought to him. 14 And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t worship my deities? And that you didn’t bow down and worship the gold image I’ve set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, you WILL bow down and worship the gold idol dammit. If you’re ready to worship the image I’ve made … good! But if you don’t worship it, you will be taken immediately and thrown into the burning hot furnace. Then no deity will be able to deliver you from my hand then!”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to explain these things to you! 17 If you throw us into the hot furnace, the Alahim we serve can deliver us. If He wants to, He can deliver us from your hand! 18 But even if YAHUAH doesn’t deliver us, we want you to know, O’ King, that we flat-out refuse to serve your deities. We WILL NOT bow down and worship the ridiculous gold image that you’ve set up!”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar’s expression changed. He `saw red’ and was filled with wrath for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave an order for the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than it usually was. 20 Then he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his Army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, then to throw them into the raging hot furnace.
21 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and thrown into the hot furnace. They were wearing their robes, pants, turbans, and other clothes. 22 The King was so angry when he gave the command, that the soldiers quickly made the furnace very hot. And the fire was pumped so hot, so quickly, that the flames even killed the strong soldiers when they went approached the fire to throw in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the fire, bound up very tightly.
24 As King Nebuchadnezzar watched this with great satisfaction, he suddenly jumped to his feet, freaked out of his mind! He was stunned at what he saw and asked his advisors, “Didn’t we only tie up three men, and throw them into the fire?”
His advisors said, “We certainly did, O’King.” 25 “Well Look! I can see four men walking around in the fire. They’re not tied up and they’re not even burning. And the fourth man looks like an Angel, the son of a deity.” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the opening of the hot furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out now! Servants of the Most High Alahim, come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27 When they came out, the Satraps, Prefects, Governors, and Royal Advisors crowded around them. They could see that the fire had not burned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their bodies were not burned at all. Their hair was not burned, and their robes were not burned. They didn’t even smell as if they had been near fire.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the Alahim of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their Alahim has sent His Angel and delivered his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their Alahim and refused to obey my command. They were willing to give up their bodies and die instead of serving or worshiping any other deity. 29 So I now make this law: Anyone from any nation or language who says anything against the Alahim of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces, and their house will be destroyed until it is a pile of dirt and ashes. No other deity can deliver His people like this.” 30 Then the King promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into higher positions in the province of Babylon.
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