NEVUKADNE'TSTSAR the king made 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 Babel.
Then Nevukadne'tstsar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nevukadne'tstsar the king had set up.
Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nevukadne'tstsar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nevukadne'tstsar had set up.
Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nevukadne'tstsar the king has set up:
And whoso falls not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nevukadne'tstsar the king had set up.
Wherefore at that time certain Kasdiym came near, and accused the Yahudiym.
They spoke and said to the king Nevukadne'tstsar, O king, live forever.
You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
And whoso falls not down and worships, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
There are certain Yahudiym whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babel, Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego; these men, O king, have not regarded you: they serve not your elohiym, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
Then Nevukadne'tstsar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Nevukadne'tstsar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, do not ye serve my elohiym, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
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 music, 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 Eloah that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, answered and said to the king, O Nevukadne'tstsar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter.
If it be so, our Eloah whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your elohiym, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
Then was Nevukadne'tstsar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego.
And these three men, Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Then Nevukadne'tstsar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
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 the Son of Eloah.
Then Nevukadne'tstsar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, ye servants of the Most High Eloah, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Then Nevukadne'tstsar spoke, and said, Blessed be the Eloah of Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, who has 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 eloah, except their own Eloah.
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the Elohiym of Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other Elohiym that can deliver after this sort.
Then the king promoted Shadrak, Meyshak, and Aved Nego, in the province of Babel.