rd

Daniel 3

1.Nebuchad-nezzár the King made aan image of gold, whose height was threscore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubites: he set it up in the plain of Durá, in the province of Babél.
2.Then Nebuchad-nezzár the King sent forth to gather together the nobles, the princes and the dukes, the judges, the receivers, the counsellors, the officers, and all the governors of the provinces, that they should come to the bdedication of the image, which Nebuchad-nezzár the cKing had set up.
3.So the nobles, princes, and dukes, the judges, the receivers, the counsellors, the officers, and all the governors of the provinces were assembled unto the dedicating of the image, that Nebuchad-nezzár the King had set up: and they stood before the image, which Nebuchad-nezzár had set up.
4.Then an herald cryed aloud, Be it knowen to you, ô people, dnations, and languages,
5.That when ye hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackebut, psalteries, dulcimer, and all instruments of musicke, ye fall down and worship the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzár the King hath set up.
6.And whosoever falleth not down and worshippeth, shal the same hour be cast into the middes of an hot fiery furnace.
7.Therefore assone as all the people heard the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackebut, psalterie, and all instruments of musicke, all the people, nations, and languages fell down, and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzár the King had set up.
8.¶ By reason whereof at that same time came men of the Caldeans, and grievously accused the Jews.
9.For they spake and said to the King Nebuchad-nezzár, O King, live for ever.
10.Thou, ô King, hast made a decree, that every man that shal hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harps, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musicke, shal fall down and worship the golden image,
11.And whosoever falleth not down, and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the middes of an hot fiery furnace.
12.There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the charge of the province of Babél, eShadrách, Meshách, and Abednegó: these men, ô King, have not regarded thy commandment, neither will they serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image, that thou hast set up.
13.¶ Then Nebuchad-nezzár in his anger and wrath commanded that they should bring Shadrách, Meshách, and Abednegó: so these men were brought before the King.
14.And Nebuchad-nezzár spake, and said unto them, What disorder? will not you, Shadrách, Meshách, and Abednegó serve my god, nor worship the golden image, that I have set up?
15.fNow therefore are ye ready when ye hear the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harp, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musicke, to fall down, and worship the image, which I have made? for if ye worship it not, ye shalbe cast immediately into the middes of an hot fiery furnace: for who is that God, that can deliver you out of mine hands?
16.Shadrách, Meshách, and Abednegó answered and said to the King, O Nebuchad-nezzár, we gare not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17.Behold, our God whom we serve, is hable to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, ô King.
18.But if not, be it knowen to thee, ô King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image, which thou hast set up.
19.¶ Then was Nebuchad-nezzár full of rage, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrách, Meshách, & Abednegó: therefore he charged and commanded that they should heat the furnace at once seven itimes more then it was wont to be heat.
20.And he charged the most valiant men of war that were in his army, to bind Shadrách, Meshách, and Abednegó, and to cast them into the hot fiery furnace.
21.So these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their cloaks, with their other garments, and cast into the middes of the hot fiery furnace.
22.Therefore, because the King’s commandment was straite, that the furnace should be exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that brought forth Shadrách, Meshách, & Abednegó.
23.And these three men Shadrách, Meshách, and Abednegó fell down bound into the middes of the hot fiery furnace.
24.¶ Then Nebuchad-nezzár the King was astonied and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the middes of the fire? Who answered and said unto the King, It is true, ô King.
25.And he answered, and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the middes of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the kson of God.
26.Then the King Nebuchad-nezzár came near to the mouth of the hot fiery furnace, and spake and said, Shadrách, Meshách & Abednegó, the servants of the hie God, go forth and come hether: so Shadrách, Meshách and Abednegó lcame forth of the middes of the fire.
27.Then the nobles, princes and dukes, & the King’s counsellors came together to see these men, because the fire had no power over their bodies: for not an hair of their head was burnt, neither was their coats changed, nor any smell of fire came upon them.
28.Wherefore Nebuchad-nezzár spake & said, mBlessed be the God of Shadrách, Meshách and Abednegó, who hath sent his Angel, & delivered his servants, that put their trust in him, & have changed the King’s commandment, & yielded their bodies rather then they would serve or worship any god, save their own God.
29.Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak any nblasphemy against the God of Shadrách, Meshách and Abednegó, shal be drawen in pieces, and their houses shal be made a jakes, because there is no god that can deliver after this sort.
30.Then the King promoted Shadrách, Meshách and Abednegó in the province of Babél.
31.Nebuchad-nezzár King unto all people, nations & languages, that dwell in all the oworld, Peace be multiplied unto you:
32.I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders, that the hie God hath wrought toward me.
33.How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! phis kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Notes

1-a.
Under 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 18 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, and therefore he meant to bring all to one kind of religion, and so rather sought his own quietness, then God’s glory.
2-b.
Showing, that the idol is not known for an idol so long as he is with the workman: but when the ceremonies and customs are recited, and used and the consent of the people is there, then of a block they think they have made a god.
2-c.
This was sufficient with the wicked at all times to approve their religion, if the King’s authority were alleged for the establishment thereof, not considering in the mean season what God’s word did permit.
4-d.
These are the two dangerous weapons wherewith Satan uses to fight against the children of God, the consent of the multitude and the cruelty of the punishment: for though some feared God, yet the multitude, which consented to the wickedness, astonied 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.
12-e.
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, which sought nothing but the destruction of the Jews, whom they accused of rebellion and ingratitude.
15-f.
Signifying, that he would receive them to grace, if they would now at the length obey his decree.
16-g.
For they should have done injury to God, if they should have doubted in this holy cause, and therefore they say, that they are resolved to die for God’s cause.
17-h.
They grounded on two points, first in the power, and providence of God over them, and secondly on their cause, which was God’s glory, and the testifying of his true religion, with their blood and so make open confession, that they will not so much as outwardly consent to idiolatry.
19-i.
This declares that the more, that tyrants rage, and the more witty they show themselves in inventing strange, and cruel punishments, the more is God glorified by his servants to whom he gives patient and constancy to abide the cruelty of their punishment: for either he delivers them from death or els for this life gives them a better.
25-k.
For the Angels were called the sons of God, because of their excellency: therefore the King called this Angel, whom God sent to comfort his in their great torments, the son of God.
26-l.
This commends their obedience unto God that they would not for any fear depart out of this furnace till the time was appointed, as Noah remained in the Ark till the Lord called him forth.
28-m.
He was moved by the greatness of the miracle to praise God, but he heart was not touched. And here we see that miracles are not sufficient to convert men to God, but that doctrine must chiefly be adjoined, without the which there can be no faith.
29-n.
If this heathen King moved by God’s Spirit, would not see blasphemy unpunished, but made a Law and set a punishment to such transgressors, much more ought all they that profess religion, take order that such impiety reign not, lest according as their knowledge and charge is greater, so they suffer double punishment.
31-l.
Meaning, so far as his dominion extended.
33-p.
Read Ch. 2.44.