1Nebuchadnezzar the kingmade an 1image of gold, the height of which was sixtycubits and its widthsixcubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the 2province of Babylon.
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Then Nebuchadnezzar the kingsent word to assemble the 3satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
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Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stoodbefore the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
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Then the heraldloudlyproclaimed: "To you the command is given, 4O peoples, nations and men of every language,
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that at the moment you 5hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and allkinds of music, you are to falldown and worship the goldenimage that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
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"But whoever does not falldown and worship shall immediately be 6cast into the midst of a 7furnace of blazingfire."
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Therefore** at that time, whenall the peoplesheard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and allkinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every languagefelldown and worshiped the goldenimage that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Worship of the Image Refused
8 For thisreason* at that timecertain8Chaldeanscameforward and 9broughtchargesagainst the Jews.
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They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: "10O king, liveforever!
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"You, O king, have 11made a decree that everymanwhohears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and allkinds of music, is to 12falldown and worship the goldenimage.
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"But whoever does not falldown and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazingfire.
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"There are certainJewswhom you have 13appointedover the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. Thesemen, O king, have disregarded*** you; they do not serve your gods or worship the goldenimagewhich you have set up."
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ThenNebuchadnezzar in 14rage and angergaveorders to bringShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; thenthesemen were broughtbefore the king.
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Nebuchadnezzarresponded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve15my gods or worship the goldenimage that I have set up?
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"Nowif you are ready, 16at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and allkinds of music, to falldown and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be 17cast into the midst of a furnace of blazingfire; and 18whatgod is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"
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19Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-negoreplied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answerconcerningthismatter.
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"If it be so, our 20Godwhom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazingfire; and 21He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
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"22But even if He does not, 23let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the goldenimage that you have set up."
Daniel's Friends Protected
19ThenNebuchadnezzar was filled with 24wrath, and his facialexpression was alteredtowardShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by givingorders to heat the furnaceseventimesmorethan* it was usuallyheated.
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He commandedcertainvaliantwarriorswho were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazingfire.
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Thenthesemen were tied up in their 25trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazingfire.
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For thisreason*, because* the king'scommand was 26urgent and the furnace had been madeextremelyhot, the flame of the fireslewthosemenwhocarried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
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But thesethreemen, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, 27fell into the midst of the furnace of blazingfire still tied up.
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ThenNebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his highofficials, "Was it not threemen we castbound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
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He said, "Look! I seefourmenloosed and 28walking about in the midst of the firewithoutharm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the 29gods!"
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ThenNebuchadnezzarcamenear to the door of the furnace of blazingfire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the 30MostHighGod, and comehere!" ThenShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego31came out of the midst of the fire.
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The 32satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king'shighofficialsgatheredaround and saw in regard to thesemen that the 33firehadnoeffect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their headsinged, nor were their 34trousersdamaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
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Nebuchadnezzarresponded and said, "Blessed be the 35God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has 36sent His angel and delivered His servantswhoput their 37trust in Him, violating the king'scommand, and yielded up their bodiesso as 38not to serve or worshipanygodexcept their own God.
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"Therefore I 39make a decree that anypeople, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensiveagainst the God of 40Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be tornlimb from limb and their 41housesreduced to a rubbishheap, inasmuch** as there is 42noothergodwho is able to deliver in this way."
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Then the king43caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.