1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image {tselem: cult statue} of gold; its height was sixty cubits and its width was six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon {Bavel: imperial province}.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king {malka: sovereign ruler} sent to assemble the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors {adargazraya: high officials}, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces to come for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 Then the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication {lachanuḵat: formal ceremony} of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king {malkā: supreme ruler} had set up, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had established.
4 And the herald cried out {kare: shouted proclamation} loudly, “To you it is commanded, O peoples {ammayya: ethnic assemblies}, nations, and languages.”
5 At the time that you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, harp, trigon, psalteries, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image {tselem: idol statue} that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up {haqim: established}.
6 And whoever does not fall down and worship {yisgud: submissive bowing}, at that hour he shall be thrown into the midst of a furnace {attun: kiln-oven} of fire, burning.
7 Therefore, at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound {qol: ceremonial summons} of the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the psalteries, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped {sogdin: bowed in homage} the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore, at that time, certain Chaldean men approached and brought charges {kartsehon: formal accusations} against the Jews {yehudaye: Judean exiles}.
9 They answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king {malka: royal title used in formal address}, live forever {le-olmin: Aramaic phrase meaning for all ages}!”
10 You, O king, have established a decree {teem: official royal order} that every person who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, harp, trigon, psalteries, or bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship {yisgud: ritual homage} the golden image.
11 And whoever does not fall down {yippēl: prostrate} and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace {attun: large kiln}.
12 There are men, Jews, whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego—these men, O king, have not set their regard upon you {samu: to place mental focus}; they do not serve your god {elah: object of worship}, nor do they worship the golden image that you have set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar {nevuḵadneṣar: Babylonian king} in rage and fury ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego to be brought. Then these men were brought before the king {malka: royal ruler}.
14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods {elahay: personal deities} nor worship the golden image {tselem: statue} which I have set up?”
15 Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, psalteries, and bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made—then if you do not worship immediately, you shall be cast into the midst of a burning furnace. And who is god {elah, Divine Power} who will deliver you from my hand {yedai, Sovereign Control}?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to respond {laḥatāvutakh: make a reply} to you regarding this matter {pitgam: deliberated response}.”
17 If it be so, our God {elahana: Sustaining Protector} whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king {malka: royal title}.
18 But if not, let it be known {yedia: public notice} to you, O king, that we are not serving your gods, and to the gold image you have set up we will not bow down {nisgud: prostrate worship}.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar {nevukhadnetsar: Babylonian monarch} was filled with rage {chema: consuming fury}, and the image of his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He then ordered that the furnace be heated seven times more than was customary.
20 And he commanded the mighty men of valor {gibbarey-chayil: elite warriors} who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and throw them into the burning furnace of fire {nura: intense flame}.
21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks {sarbal: outer garments}, their turbans, their mantles {karbelat: cloak}, and their other garments, and were thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Because of this, since the king’s command was pressing {machtsefah: pressing demand} and the furnace had been heated exceedingly, the flame of the fire killed those men {gubrayya: valiant men} who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego into it.
23 And these three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—fell, bound {mekappetin: hands tied}, into the midst {gowa: inner area} of the furnace of fire that was burning.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king {malka: king of Babylon} was astonished {tevah: sudden shock} and rose up in alarm. He answered and said to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "Certainly, O king."
25 He answered and said, "Look! I see four men unbound {sherayin: without restraints} walking in the midst of the fire, and no harm is upon them; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods {elahin: divine beings}."
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the burning furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God {elaha illa’a: Supreme Deity}, come out and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came forth from the midst of the fire {nura: fiery ordeal}.
27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors assembled and examined the men, and they saw that the fire had no power {shlet: capacity to control} over their bodies, nor was any hair of their heads singed, nor were their garments {sarbalehon: outer robes} altered, nor had the smell of fire come upon them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God {elahahhon: Faithful Deliverer} of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His angel {malakheih: divine envoy} and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and who changed the king's command and gave their bodies so that they would not serve or worship any god except their own God."
29 And from me a decree is issued, that every people, nation, and language that speaks wrongly against the God {Elah, Supreme Rescuer} of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their house shall become a dung heap {newali: place of refuse}, for there is no other god who can deliver in this way.
30 Then the king {malka: royal ruler} promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon {bavel: center of empire}.