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Text -- Daniel 3:1-16 (NET)
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Context
Daniel’s Friends Are Tested
3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made . It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide . He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon .
3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps , prefects , governors , counselors , treasurers , judges , magistrates , and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he had erected .
3:3 So the satraps , prefects , governors , counselors , treasurers , judges , magistrates , and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected . They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected .
3:4 Then the herald made a loud proclamation: “To you, O peoples , nations , and language groups , the following command is given:
3:5 When you hear the sound of the horn , flute , zither , trigon , harp , pipes , and all kinds of music , you must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected .
3:6 Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire !”
3:7 Therefore when they all heard the sound of the horn , flute , zither , trigon , harp , pipes, and all kinds of music , all the peoples , nations , and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected .
3:8 Now at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against the Jews .
3:9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar , “O king , live forever !
3:10 You have issued an edict , O king , that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn , flute , zither , trigon , harp , pipes , and all kinds of music .
3:11 And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire .
3:12 But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon – Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego – and these men have not shown proper respect to you, O king . They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected .”
3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage demanded that they bring Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego before him. So they brought them before the king .
3:14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true , Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego , that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected ?
3:15 Now if you are ready , when you hear the sound of the horn , flute , zither , trigon , harp , pipes , and all kinds of music , you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made . If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire . Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power ?”
3:16 Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar , “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this .
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes: Dan 3:1 The dimensions of the image (ninety feet high and nine feet wide) imply that it did not possess normal human proportions, unless a base for the image ...
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NET Notes: Dan 3:2 Aram “Nebuchadnezzar the king.” The proper name and title have been replaced by the relative pronoun (“he”) in the translation...
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NET Notes: Dan 3:7 Though not in the Aramaic text of BHS, this word appears in many medieval Hebrew MSS, some LXX MSS, and Vulgate. Cf. vv. 5, 10, 15.
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NET Notes: Dan 3:9 O king, live forever! is a comment of typical court courtesy that is not necessarily indicative of the real sentiments of the speaker. Ancient orienta...
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NET Notes: Dan 3:12 Daniel’s absence from this scene has sparked the imagination of commentators, some of whom have suggested that perhaps he was unable to attend t...
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NET Notes: Dan 3:13 Aram “these men.” The pronoun is used in the translation to avoid undue repetition.
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