Daniel 3:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

NIV: and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

NASB: And he ordered certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in order to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.

CSB: and he commanded some of the best soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.

NLT: Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

KJV: And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

NKJV: And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

These three Hebrew men were among those captured from Judah and made to serve the king of Babylon (Daniel 1:1–7). They openly refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol (Daniel 3:16–18), driving the king into an irrational rage. He ordered a furnace—probably a lime kiln—superheated (Daniel 3:19), and now commands that the men be tied up.

Kilns such as these were usually made of earth, with carefully sized openings on top and on one side. Even at normal burning temperatures, it would be unlikely for anyone to be able to climb out if they fell in. The fact that the furnace is superheated makes this even less of a risk—yet the king demands his victims be tied up. This reflects the king's raging, uncontrolled temper. Rather than thinking about his actions, he seems to be lashing out with spite. A modern English language expression notes that "when a man's temper gets the best of him, it reveals the worst of him." Ecclesiastes 7:9 wisely counsels: "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools."

The real lesson to be learned will be delivered soon. Nebuchadnezzar is attempting to display his royal power. Soon the God of Israel will display His strength by rescuing His three loyal servants (Daniel 3:24–25).

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.