Chapter
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Verse

Daniel 3:10

ESV You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.
NIV Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,
NASB You, O king, have made a decree that every person who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, is to fall down and worship the golden statue.
CSB You as king have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue.
NLT You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.
KJV Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
NKJV You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;

What does Daniel 3:10 mean?

The accusing Chaldeans (Daniel 3:8–9) remind King Nebuchadnezzar of his recent command: that at a certain musical signal, everyone was to worship the golden image he had constructed (Daniel 3:1–7). Their target will be three of the captive Hebrews (Daniel 1:6–7; 3:12) who were recently honored by the king (Daniel 2:48–49). The way their attack is described indicates pure malice; it's even possible they simply invented the accusation. And yet, it turns out to be true: the Hebrew men did not, and would not, bow to worship an idol (Daniel 3:16–18).

Scripture isn't clear if these accusers were among the same men who failed to discern Nebuchadnezzar's frightening dream (Daniel 2:8–11). If they were the same men, they had been under a death sentence until Daniel saved them and all the other wise men of Babylon (Daniel 2:12, 17–19). They should have been grateful to the Jewish people, but instead they seem jealous. These men may have proven themselves frauds when they could not solve the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, but here they are very crafty. No doubt their reminder to the king was intended to prod him to take swift action to carry out his own threat.

This verse is one of several (Daniel 3:5, 7, 15) which repeats the same list of musical instruments. This duplication subtly mocks the bureaucratic, heavy-handed nature of Nebuchadnezzar's rule.
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