Daniel 3

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king madeUnder pretence of religion, and holiness in making an image to his idol Bel, he sought his own ambition and vain glory: and this declares that he was not touched with the true fear of God before, but that he confessed him on a sudden motion, as the wicked when they are overcome with the greatness of his works. The Greek interpreters write that this was done eighteen years after the dream, and as may appear, the King feared lest the Jews by their religion should have altered the state of his commonwealth: therefore he meant to bring all to one type of religion, and so rather sought his own peace than God's glory.an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof 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 princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to theShowing that the idol is not known for an idol as long as he is with workmen: but when the ceremonies and customs are recited and used, and the consent of the people is there, then they think they have made a god out of a block.dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar theThis was sufficient with the wicked at all times to approve their religion, if the king's authority were alleged for the establishment of it, not considering in the meantime what God's word allowed.king had set up.

³ So the nobles, princes and dukes, the iudges, the receiuers, the counsellers, the officers, and all the gouernours of the prouinces were assembled vnto the dedicating of the image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp: and they stood before the image, which Nebuchad-nezzar had set vp.

⁴ Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people,These are the two dangerous weapons, which Satan used to fight against the children of God, the consent of the multitude, and the cruelty of the punishment. For even though some feared God, yet the multitude who consented to the wickedness persuaded them: and here the King required not an inward consent, but an outward gesture, that the Jews might by little and little learn to forget their true religion.nations, and languages,

⁵ That when ye heare the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, ye fall downe and worship the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King hath set vp,

⁶ And whosoeuer falleth not downe & worshippeth, shall the same houre bee cast into the middes of an hote fierie fornace.

⁷ Therefore assoone as all the people heard the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and all instruments of musike, all the people, nations, and languages fell downe, and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp.

⁸ By reason whereof at that same time came men of the Caldeans, and grieuously accused the Iewes.

⁹ For they spake and said to the King Nebuchad-nezzar, O King, liue for euer.

¹⁰ Thou, O King, hast made a decree, that euery man that shall heare the sounde of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, shall fall downe and worship the golden image,

¹¹ And whosoeuer falleth not downe, and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the mids of an hote fierie fornace.

¹² There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon,It seems that they named not Daniel, because he was greatly in the king's favour, thinking if these three had been destroyed, they might have had better occasion to accuse Daniel. And this declares that this policy of erecting this image was invented by the malicious flatterers who sought nothing but the destruction of the Jews, whom they accused of rebellion and ingratitude.Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

¹³ Then Nebuchad-nezzar in his anger and wrath commaunded that they should bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: so these men were brought before the King.

¹⁴ And Nebuchad-nezzar spake, and said vnto them, What disorder? Will not you, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego serue my god, nor worship the golden image, that I haue set vp?

¹⁵ Signifying that he would receive them to grace if they would now obey his decree.Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye 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 Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, weFor they would have done injury to God, if they would have doubted in this holy cause, and therefore they say that they are resolved to die for God's cause.[are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.

¹⁷ If it be [so], our God whom we serve isThey have two points as their foundation: first on the power and providence of God over them, and second on their cause, which was God's glory, and the testifying of his true religion with their blood. And so they make open confession, that they will not so much as outwardly consent to idolatry.able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.

¹⁸ But if not, bee it knowen to thee, O King, that wee will not serue thy gods, nor worship the golden image, which thou hast set vp.

¹⁹ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one sevenThis declares that the more that tyrants rage, and the more crafty they show themselves in inventing strange and cruel punishments, the more is God glorified by his servants, to whom he gives patience and constancy to abide the cruelty of their punishment. For either he delvers them from death, or else for this life gives them better.times more than it was wont to be heated.

²⁰ And hee charged the most valiant men of warre that were in his armie, to binde Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the hote fierie fornace.

²¹ So these men were bounde in their coates, their hosen, and their clokes, with their other garments, and cast into the middes of the hote fierie fornace.

²² Therefore, because the Kings commaundement was straite, that the fornace should be exceeding hote, the flame of the fire slew those men that brought foorth Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

²³ And these three men Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell downe bound into the middes of the hote fierie fornace. par {cf2 (3:24) And they walked in the middes of the flame, praising God, & magnified the Lord. (3:25) Then Azarias stoode vp, & praied on this maner, and opening his mouth in ye mids of the fire, saide, (3:26) Blessed be thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy Name is worthie to bee praised and honoured for euermore. (3:27) For thou art righteous in all the things, that thou hast done vnto vs, and all thy works are true, and thy waies are right, and all thy iudgementes certeine. (3:28) In all the things that thou hast brought vpon vs, and vpon Ierusalem, the holy citie of our fathers, thou hast executed true iudgementes: for by right and equitie hast thou brought all these things vpon vs, because of our sinnes. (3:29) For we haue sinned and done wickedly, departing from thee: in all things haue we trespassed, (3:30) And not obeied thy commaundements, nor kept them, neither done as thou haddest commanded vs, that we might prosper. (3:31) Wherefore in all that thou hast broughtvpon vs, and in euery thing that thou hast done to vs, thou hast done them in true iudgement: (3:32) As in deliuering vs into the handes of our wicked enemies, and most hatefull traitours, and to an vnrighteous King, and the most wicked in all the worlde. (3:33) And nowe we may not open our mouthes: we are become a shame and reproofe vnto thy seruants, and to them that worship thee. (3:34) Yet for thy names sake, we beseech thee, giue vs not vp for euer, neither breake thy couenant, (3:35) Neither take away thy mercie from vs, for thy beloued Abrahams sake, and for thy seruant Isaacs sake, and for thine holy Israels sake, (3:36) To whome thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiplie their seed as ye starres of heauen, & as the sand, that is vpon the sea shore. (3:37) For we, O Lorde, are become lesse then any nation, and be kept vnder this day in all the world, because of our sinnes: (3:38) So that now we haue neither prince, nor prophet, nor gouernour, nor burnt offering, nor sacrifice, nor oblation, nor incense, nor place to offer ye first fruits before thee, that we might finde mercie. (3:39) Neuerthelesse in a contrite heart, & an humble spirit, let vs be receiued. (3:40) As in the burnt offring of rams & bullocks, and as in ten thousand of fat lambes, so let our offring be in thy sight this daye, that it may please thee: for there is no confusion vnto them that put their trust in thee. (3:41) And now we follow thee with all our heart, and feare thee, and seeke thy face. (3:42) Put vs not to shame, but deale with vs after thy louing kindenesse, and according to the multitude of thy mercies. (3:43) Deliuer vs also by thy miracles, and giue thy Name the glory, O Lord, (3:44) That all they which doe thy seruantes euill, may be confounded: euen let them bee confounded by thy great force and power, and let their strength be broken, (3:45) That they may know, that thou only art the Lord God, and glorious ouer the whole worlde. (3:46) Now the kings seruants that had cast them in, ceased not to make the ouen hote with naphtha, and with pitch, and with towe, & with fagots, (3:47) So that the flame went out of the fornace fourtie and nine cubites. (3:48) And it brake forth, and burnt those Chaldeans, that it found by the fornace. (3:49) But the Angel of the Lord went downe into the fornace with them that were with Azarias, and smote the flame of the fire out of the fornace, (3:50) And made in the middes of the fornace like a moyst hissing winde, so that the fire touched the not at all, neither grieued, nor troubled them. (3:51) Then these three (as out of one mouth) praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the fornace, saying, (3:52) Blessed be thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praysed, & exalted aboue all things for euer, & blessed be thy glorious & holy Name, and praysed aboue all things, and magnified for euer. (3:53) Blessed be thou in the Temple of thine holy glory, and praysed aboue all thinges, and exalted for euer. (3:54) Blessed be thou that beholdest the depthes, and sittest vpon the Cherubins, and praysed aboue all things, and exalted for euer. (3:55) Blessed be thou in the glorious Throne of thy kingdome, and praysed aboue all things, and exalted for euer. (3:56) Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen, & praysed aboue all things, & glorified for euer. (3:57) All ye works of the Lord, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:58) O heauens, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:59) O Angels of the Lorde, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:60) Al ye waters that be aboue the heauen, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:61) All ye powers of the Lord, blesse ye ye Lord: prayse him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:62) O sunne & moone, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:63) O starres of heauen, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:64) Euery showre and dewe, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:65) All ye windes, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:66) O fire & heate, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:67) O winter & sommer, blesse ye ye Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:68) O dewes and stormes of snowe, blesse yee the Lord: prayse him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:69) O frost and colde, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:70) O yee & snow, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:71) O nights & dayes, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:72) O light and darkenesse, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:73) O lightnings & cloudes, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:74) Let the earth blesse the Lorde: let it prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:75) O mountaines, & hilles, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:76) All things that growe on the earth, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue al things for euer. (3:77) O fountaines, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:78) O sea, and floods, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:79) O whales, and all that moue in the waters, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:80) All ye foules of heauen, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:81) All ye beastes and cattel, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:82) O children of men, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:83) Let Israel blesse the Lord, praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:84) O Priestes of the Lorde, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:85) O seruants of the Lord, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:86) O spirites and soules of the righteous, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euerpar (3:87) O Saintes and humble of heart, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all thinges for euer. (3:88) O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, & exalt him aboue all things for euer: for he hath deliuered vs from the hel, & saued vs from the hand of death, and deliuered vs out of the middes of the fornace, and burning flame: euen out of the middes of the fire hath he deliuered vs. (3:89) Confesse vnto the Lord, that he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for euer. (3:90) All ye that worship the Lord, blesse the God of gods: prayse him, and acknowledge him: for his mercy endureth worlde without ende.}

²⁴ Then Nebuchad-nezzar the King was astonied and rose vp in haste, and spake, and saide vnto his counsellers, Did not wee cast three men bound into the middes of the fire? Who answered and said vnto the King, It is true, O King.

²⁵ He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like theFor the angels were called the sons of God because of their excellency. Therefore the king called this angel whom God sent to comfort his own in these great torments, the son of God.Son of God.

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,This commends their obedience to God, that they would not because of any fear depart out of this furnace until the appointed time, as Noah remained in the ark, until the Lord called him forth.came forth of the midst of the fire.

²⁷ Then the nobles, princes and dukes, and the Kings counsellers came together to see these men, because the fire had no power ouer their bodies: for not an heare of their head was burnt, neither was their coates changed, nor any smell of fire came vpon them.

²⁸ [Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said,He was moved by the greatness of the miracle to praise God, but his heart was not touched. And here we see that miracles are not sufficient to convert men to God, but that doctrine most chiefly be joined with them, without which there can be no faith.Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and 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 speakIf this heathen king moved by God's Spirit would punish blasphemy, and made a law and set a punishment for such transgressors, much more ought all they that profess religion make sure that such impiety does not happen, lest according as their knowledge and responsibility is greater, so they suffer double punishment.any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

³⁰ Then the King promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the prouince of Babel.