Daniel 3:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

NIV: and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

NASB: But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

CSB: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

NLT: So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

KJV: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

NKJV: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

These three men are captive Israelites (Daniel 1:6–7), promoted to high office (Daniel 2:48–49), who refused to obey the king's command to commit idolatry (Daniel 3:16–18). In a rage, the king demanded they be tied up and immediately thrown into a superheated fire (Daniel 3:19–21). The furnace was so hot that it killed the men sent to throw the Hebrews into the flames (Daniel 3:22). Nebuchadnezzar has fulfilled his threat against those who refused to worship his golden image (Daniel 3:1–7). Yet God would soon fulfill His will in the lives of His three faithful servants.

Nebuchadnezzar's era used kilns to process limestone into quicklime: a cheap and useful chemical. A large kiln, or "furnace," might be made of earth or brick, with a large opening at the top and a smaller port on the side. Lime and fuel would be layered from the top, and the shape of the kiln would allow airflow to maintain the fire. That the three Hebrew men "fell into" the fire likely means they were dragged to the top of the kiln and pushed into the open hole. This might also explain why the executioners died: if the furnace was drastically overheated, even the brick might have been dangerous to touch.

This verse repeats nearly the same information found in an earlier verse (Daniel 3:21). Much of Daniel chapter 3 features repetitive phrases. This includes a list of instruments (Daniel 3:5, 7, 10, 15), the execution device (Daniel 3:6, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21, 26) and around a dozen duplications of the phrase "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." This not only adds poetic flair, but it also mocks the heavy-handed, overbearing nature of Nebuchadnezzar's reign.

Daniel 3:19–25 follows the description of Nebuchadnezzar's angry response to an accusation: that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:6–7) refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image (Daniel 3:1–7, 8–12). Rather than begging for mercy, the men openly refuse to commit idolatry (Daniel 3:16–18). This enrages the king, who tries to make an example of them, which is thwarted by God (Daniel 3:22–27). The passage is recorded in Aramaic, highlighting its importance to non-Jewish people of the ancient world.

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.