1.
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
image. This could not have been an image of a human being. The height and breadth are out of all proportion for this; the former being one to ten instead of one to six. A figure drawn on this scale, will at once be seen to be impossible. Having determined that it is a human figure, tradition then assumes it to have been a proportional figure "on a pedestal", or simply "a bust on a pillar". But there is nothing in the text to suggest this. It would exactly suit an Asherah ( App-42 ). The Hebrew tzelem denotes something shaped by cutting or carving. Ezekiel 16:17 , and Dan 23:14 , practically make this certain. See the verb in Ezekiel 7:20 ; and compare what is said in Numbers 33:52 .
height . . . breadth. See above note.
threescore . . . six. The numbers of man ( App-10 ). Note the six instruments (compare Daniel 5:7 , Daniel 5:10 , Daniel 5:15 ). See note on 1 Samuel 17:4 .
2.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
the king sent . This great Durbar would hardly have taken place till after the campaign referred to in note on "came" (Daniel 1:1 ). It was therefore probably held about 475 B. C, in Daniel's thirty-eighth year, twenty years after Nebuchadnezzar's dream of himself, the "head of gold" (Daniel 2 ).
to gather together, &c . Note the eight technical terms. Well known to Daniel, but difficult for a Jew in Jer 300 years later to enumerate so minutely and so accurately.
princes = satraps.
governors . See note on Daniel 2:48 .
captains = pashas (as in Nehemiah 5:14 , Nehemiah 5:18 . Haggai 1:14 ), the first three being governmental.
judges = viziers, or chief judges.
treasurers: these two being courtiers.
counsellors = counsellors of State, judges. The same word as in Daniel 3:3 . Not the same word as in verses: Daniel 3:24 , Daniel 3:27 .
sheriffs = lawyers; these two being legal .
rulers, &c . = superintendents, being functional and general.
3.
Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4.
Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
herald . Chaldee. karo z a '. Not from the Greek kerux, but an old Persian word khresic', a crier, from which comes the Chaldee verb k evar, to make a proclamation, as in Daniel 5:29 .
people = peoples, or nations.
nations = races, or tribes.
languages = tongues. Figure of speech Catabasis. App-6 .
5.
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
cornet, &c. These names are supposed to be Greek, or from the Greek; but Athenaeus, a Greek grammarian (about A.D. 200-300), says the sambuke ("sack-but") was a Syriac invention. Strabo, in his geography (54 B.C. A.D. 24), ascribes Greek music to Asia, and says: "the Athenians always showed their admiration of foreign customs".
harp . Chaldee. kithros ; Greek. kithara. Terpander, a Greek musician (seventh century B. C), the father of Greek music, invented the kithara with seven strings (Strabo says) instead of four, and one is sculptured on a monument of Assurbanipal (Lenormant, La Divination chez les Chaldiens, pp 190, 191).
sackbut . See note on "cornet", above.
hour = moment. Chaldee sha' ah , as in verses: Daniel 3:3 , Daniel 3:6 , Daniel 3:15 ; Daniel 4:33 ; Daniel 5:5 .
6.
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
7.
Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8.
Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
certain = men: probably our grandees. Plural of Chaldee. g ebar. App-14 .
Chaldeans . See note on Daniel 1:4 .
9.
They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
10.
Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
man. Chaldee ' anash . App-14 .
11.
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12.
There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Shadrach, &c . See note on Daniel 1:7 .
men = strong men, or grandees. Plural of Chaldee. gebar . App-14 .
gods . Chaldee ' elah . App-4 .
13.
Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14.
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
true = of set purpose.
15.
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
well . Note the Figure of speech Aposiopesis ( App-6 ). Or, supply [well and good].
God . Chaldee ' elah . App-4 .
16.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
answered and said . See note on Deuteronomy 1:41 .
are not careful = do not account it needful.
17.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
is able to deliver us . The Massoretic pointing requires this punctuation: "to deliver us; from the burning fiery furnace He will deliver us".
18.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
19.
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
20.
And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
most mighty men . Chaldee = mighty [ones] of strength.
to bind. Chaldee. kephath. Occurs only here and verses: Daniel 3:21 , Daniel 3:23 , Daniel 3:24 .
21.
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
coats = cloaks, or mantles.
hosen = tunics.
hats = turbans, mantles, or cloaks.
22.
Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
commandments word .
those men = those very men.
23.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
counsellors: or, ministers [standing near] to him; either to his throne or near at the time. Chaldee. haddabrin. Not the same word as in verses: Daniel 3:2 , Daniel 3:3 .
25.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
the son of God = a son of God (no Art.): i.e. a superhuman being, or an angel. Compare Daniel 3:28 , and see App-23 . Nebuchadnezzar could know nothing of N.T. revelation.
26.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
mouth = door.
27.
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
saw = kept gazing upon.
changed: or, discolored.
28.
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
29.
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
speak, &c . = charge any fault or error.
amiss: or, rash. Compare 2 Samuel 6:7 , as Nebuchadnezzar himself had done.
cut in pieces, &c See note on Daniel 2:5 .
deliver = rescue.
30.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.