Daniel 3:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.

NIV: and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

NASB: But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire.

CSB: Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.

NLT: That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.

KJV: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

NKJV: and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

When Nebuchadnezzar's astrologers failed to uncover the secret of his dream, he ordered them all killed (Daniel 2:8–12). Yet Daniel, one of the Hebrew captives, was able to solve the riddle and end the threat (Daniel 2:17–19). In response, the king promoted Daniel and his three Jewish friends to high authority (Daniel 2:48–49). This seems to have made other advisors jealous. They will accuse—with pure malice (Daniel 3:8, 12)—that three of the men refused to worship the king's golden idol (Daniel 3:1–7). The accusers reminded Nebuchadnezzar of the penalty he decreed: being burnt alive.

The world has always included those who don't merely want to punish God's people, but to wipe them from the face of the earth. Hebrews chapter 11 mentions believers who were killed for their faith. They were "stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword" (Hebrews 11:37). The Devil who opposes God and God's people lurks behind vicious persecutors. When the risen Lord addressed the church in Smyrna, He predicted, "Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

An earlier verse noted that the men's accusation was malicious and slanderous (Daniel 3:8). Their intent was not honorable, regardless of whether it was true. In fact, their claim may have been invented: they may have had no idea whether the Jews worshipped the statue, but simply wanted to bully them. And yet, the accused Hebrews will openly refuse to bow to a pagan idol (Daniel 3:16–18).

Daniel 3:8–18 records an accusation, a confrontation, and a confession. Daniel's three friends (Daniel 1:6–7) are reported to the king by jealous advisors who claim the Jewish men refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image (Daniel 3:1, 4–5). The king offers them an opportunity to disprove the charge, or at least to change their minds. Instead, the three faithful men admit they have not and will not compromise their faith in the One True God. Whether they live or die, they will not worship the false gods of Babylon. This passage is part of the Scriptures recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28).

Nebuchadnezzar builds a golden idol, possibly inspired by the explanation of his own dream (Daniel 2:36–38). He commands all people to worship it, at a given musical signal, on pain of death. Three Hebrew men openly defy this command and are thrown into a superheated furnace. To his shock, the king sees a supernatural figure with the still-living Israelites. Not only do they survive, but their clothes aren't singed nor even smelling like smoke. The king praises their faith, and their God, commanding that no one speak ill of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

The first chapter of Daniel explained how four captive Israelite boys became respected advisors to a Babylonian king. Chapter 2 showed these men praying for divine wisdom to untangle that same king's dream. These events set the stage for this chapter and the famous trio of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The men refuse to bow to an idol and are rescued from fiery death by God. This is the last mention of these men in Scripture, as focus shifts back to Babylon's kings and the prophet Daniel.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.