1Král Nabukadnezar nechal vyrobit zlatou sochu. Byla 60 loktů vysoká a 6 loktů široká. Nechal ji postavit na pláni Dura v provincii Babylon. 2Potom dal shromáždit satrapy, hejtmany, místodržící, radní, pokladníky, soudce, hodnostáře a všechny úředníky provincií, aby se dostavili k zasvěcení té sochy, kterou vztyčil král Nabukadnezar. 3Satrapové, hejtmani, místodržící, radní, pokladníci, soudci, hodnostáři a všichni úředníci provincií se tedy shromáždili k zasvěcení té sochy, kterou vztyčil král Nabukadnezar. Když stanuli před sochou, kterou Nabukadnezar vztyčil, 4zvolal hlasatel mocným hlasem: „Lidé všech národů a jazyků, přikazuje se vám toto: 5Jakmile uslyšíte roh, píšťalu, citeru, harfu, cimbál, buben a všechnu tu hudbu, padněte a klanějte se zlaté soše, kterou vztyčil král Nabukadnezar. 6Kdokoli by nepadl a neklaněl se, bude ihned hozen do rozpálené ohnivé pece!“ 7Jakmile tedy všichni ti lidé ze všech národů a jazyků uslyšeli roh, píšťalu, citeru, harfu, cimbál a všechnu tu hudbu, padali a klaněli se té zlaté soše, kterou vztyčil král Nabukadnezar. 8Tehdy ale přišli jistí mágové s obviněním proti Židům. 9„Ať žiješ, králi, navěky!“ pozdravili krále Nabukadnezara. 10„Sám jsi, Výsosti, ráčil vydat nařízení, že každý, kdo uslyší roh, píšťalu, citeru, harfu, cimbál, buben a všechnu tu hudbu, musí padnout a klanět se té zlaté soše, 11a kdokoli by nepadl a neklaněl se, bude hozen do rozpálené ohnivé pece. 12Jsou tu ale jistí Židé, které jsi ráčil pověřit správou provincie Babylon – Šadrach, Mešach a Abednego – a tito muži si z tebe, králi, nic nedělají. Tvé bohy nectí a zlaté soše, kterou jsi vztyčil, se neklanějí.“ 13Nabukadnezar soptil hněvem. Poručil, ať mu Šadracha, Mešacha a Abednega přivedou, a když ty muže ke králi přivedli, 14Nabukadnezar jim řekl: „Je to pravda, Šadrachu, Mešachu a Abednego, že nectíte mé bohy a neklaníte se zlaté soše, kterou jsem vztyčil? 15Jste teď připraveni, jakmile uslyšíte roh, píšťalu, citeru, harfu, cimbál, buben a všechnu tu hudbu, padnout a klanět se té soše, kterou jsem vyrobil? Jestli se nepokloníte, budete ihned hozeni do rozpálené ohnivé pece! A který bůh by vás mohl zachránit z mé moci?“ 16„Na to ti, Nabukadnezare, nepotřebujeme sami odpovídat,“ řekli králi Šadrach, Mešach a Abednego. 17„Jestli nás Bůh, kterého ctíme, bude chtít zachránit, zachrání nás z rozpálené ohnivé pece i ze tvé moci, králi. 18A i kdyby ne, vezmi na vědomí, králi, že tvé bohy ctít nebudeme a zlaté soše, kterou jsi vztyčil, se nepokloníme.“ 19Nabukadnezar se na Šadracha, Mešacha a Abednega rozzuřil. S tváří zkřivenou vztekem ihned poručil rozpálit tu pec sedmkrát více, než se rozpalovala obvykle, 20a největším silákům ze svého vojska přikázal, ať Šadracha, Mešacha a Abednega svážou a hodí je do rozpálené ohnivé pece. 21A tak ty muže svázali, jak byli – v pláštích, kalhotách i čepicích – a hodili je do rozpálené ohnivé pece. 22Protože byl králův rozkaz tak přísný, rozpálili pec tak silně, že ty muže, kteří do ní Šadracha, Mešacha a Abednega házeli, sežehl plamen. 23Tito tři muži, Šadrach, Mešach a Abednego, pak dopadli svázaní doprostřed rozpálené ohnivé pece. 24Náhle se král Nabukadnezar zděsil. Vstal a ohromen se ptal svých rádců: „Copak jsme nehodili do plamenů tři svázané muže?“ „Jistě, Výsosti,“ odpověděli. 25„Jenže já vidím čtyři muže,“ on na to, „a rozvázané! Procházejí se v plamenech, vůbec nic jim není a ten čtvrtý vypadá jako boží syn!“ 26Nabukadnezar přistoupil k otvoru rozpálené ohnivé pece a zvolal: „Šadrachu, Mešachu, Abednego, služebníci Nejvyššího Boha, pojďte ven!“ A tak Šadrach, Mešach a Abednego vyšli z ohně ven. 27Satrapové, hejtmani, místodržící i královští rádcové se shromáždili, aby viděli ty muže, kterým oheň vůbec neublížil. Ani vlasy na hlavě neměli ožehlé, ani na pláštích nebylo nic znát a nebyli ani cítit ohněm. 28Nabukadnezar tehdy prohlásil: „Požehnán buď Bůh Šadrachův, Mešachův a Abednegův, jenž poslal svého anděla a zachránil své služebníky, kteří se na něj spolehli! Vzepřeli se dokonce i královskému rozkazu a raději by položili život, než aby sloužili a klaněli se jinému bohu, než je jejich Bůh. 29Proto nařizuji lidem všech národů a jazyků: Kdokoli by se rouhal Bohu Šadrachovu, Mešachovu a Abednegovu, bude rozčtvrcen a jeho dům obrácen v smetiště. Žádný jiný Bůh přece nedokáže zachránit jako tento!“ 30Král se pak postaral, aby se Šadrachovi, Mešachovi a Abednegovi v babylonské provincii dobře dařilo. 31Král Nabukadnezar lidem všech národů a jazyků v celém obydleném světě: Hojný pokoj vám! 32S potěšením vám dávám na vědomost divy a zázraky, které při mně vykonal Nejvyšší Bůh. 33Jak nesmírné jsou jeho divy, jak mocné jeho zázraky! Jeho království trvá navěky, jeho vláda nad všemi pokoleními!
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S IDOLATROUS IMAGE; SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO ARE DELIVERED FROM THE FURNACE. (Dan. 3:1-30)
image--Nebuchadnezzar's confession of God did not prevent him being a worshipper of idols, besides. Ancient idolaters thought that each nation had its own gods, and that, in addition to these, foreign gods might be worshipped. The Jewish religion was the only exclusive one that claimed all homage for Jehovah as the only true God. Men will in times of trouble confess God, if they are allowed to retain their favorite heart-idols. The image was that of Bel, the Babylonian tutelary god; or rather, Nebuchadnezzar himself the personification and representative of the Babylonian empire, as suggested to him by the dream (
Dan 2:38), "Thou art this head of gold." The interval between the dream and the event here was about nineteen years. Nebuchadnezzar had just returned from finishing the Jewish and Syrian wars, the spoils of which would furnish the means of rearing such a colossal statue [PRIDEAUX]. The colossal size makes it likely that the frame was wood, overlaid with gold. The "height," sixty cubits, is so out of proportion with the "breadth," exceeding it ten times, that it seems best to suppose the thickness from breast to back to be intended, which is exactly the right proportion of a well-formed man [AUGUSTINE, The City of God, 15.20]. PRIDEAUX thinks the sixty cubits refer to the image and pedestal together, the image being twenty-seven cubits high, or forty feet, the pedestal thirty-three cubits, or fifty feet. HERODOTUS [1.183] confirms this by mentioning a similar image, forty feet high, in the temple of Belus at Babylon. It was not the same image, for the one here was on the plain of Dura, not in the city.
2 princes--"satraps" of provinces [GESENIUS].
captains--rulers, not exclusively military.
sheriffs--men learned in the law, like the Arab mufti [GESENIUS].
3 stood before the image--in an attitude of devotion. Whatever the king approved of, they all approve of. There is no stability of principle in the ungodly.
4 The arguments of the persecutor are in brief, Turn or burn.
5 cornet--A wind instrument, like the French horn, is meant.
flute--a pipe or pipes, not blown transversely as our "flute," but by mouthpieces at the end.
sackbut--a triangular stringed instrument, having short strings, the sound being on a high sharp key.
psaltery--a kind of harp.
dulcimer--a bagpipe consisting of two pipes, thrust through a leathern bag, emitting a sweet plaintive sound. Chaldee sumponya, the modern Italian zampogna, Asiatic zambonja.
fall down--that the recusants might be the more readily detected.
6 No other nation but the Jews would feel this edict oppressive; for it did not prevent them worshipping their own gods besides. It was evidently aimed at the Jews by those jealous of their high position in the king's court, who therefore induced the king to pass an edict as to all recusants, representing such refusal of homage as an act of treason to Nebuchadnezzar as civil and religious "head" of the empire. So the edict under Darius (
Dan 6:7-
Dan 6:9) was aimed against the Jews by those jealous of Daniel's influence. The literal image of Nebuchadnezzar is a typical prophecy of "the image of the beast," connected with mystical Babylon, in
Rev 13:14. The second mystical beast there causeth the earth, and them that dwell therein, to worship the first beast, and that as many as would not, should be killed (
Rev 13:12,
Rev 13:15).
furnace--a common mode of punishment in Babylon (
Jer 29:22). It is not necessary to suppose that the furnace was made for the occasion. Compare "brick-kiln,"
2Sam 12:31. Any furnace for common purposes in the vicinity of Dura would serve. CHARDIN, in his travels (A.D. 1671-1677), mentions that in Persia, to terrify those who took advantage of scarcity to sell provisions at exorbitant prices, the cooks were roasted over a slow fire, and the bakers cast into a burning oven.
7 None of the Jews seem to have been present, except the officers, summoned specially.
8 accused the Jews--literally, "ate the rent limbs," or flesh of the Jews (compare
Job 31:31;
Ps 14:4;
Ps 27:2;
Jer 10:25). Not probably in general, but as
Dan 3:12 states, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Why Daniel was not summoned does not appear. Probably he was in some distant part of the empire on state business, and the general summons (
Dan 3:2) had not time to reach him before the dedication. Also, the Jews enemies found it more politic to begin by attacking Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who were nearer at hand, and had less influence, before they proceeded to attack Daniel.
9 live for ever--A preface of flattery is closely akin to the cruelty that follows. So
Acts 24:2-
Acts 24:3, &c., Tertullus in accusing Paul before Felix.
12 serve not thy gods--not only not the golden image, but also not any of Nebuchadnezzar's gods.
13 bring--Instead of commanding their immediate execution, as in the case of the Magi (
Dan 2:12), Providence inclined him to command the recusants to be brought before him, so that their noble "testimony" for God might be given before the world powers "against them" (
Matt 10:18), to the edification of the Church in all ages.
14 Is it true--rather, as the Margin [THEODOTION], "Is it purposely that?" &c. Compare the Hebrew,
Num 35:20,
Num 35:22. Notwithstanding his "fury," his past favor for them disposes him to give them the opportunity of excusing themselves on the ground that their disobedience had not been intentional; so he gives them another trial to see whether they would still worship the image.
15 who is that God--so Sennacherib's taunt (
2Kgs 18:35), and Pharaoh's (
Exod 5:2).
16 not careful to answer thee--rather, "We have no need to answer thee"; thou art determined on thy side, and our mind is made up not to worship the image: there is therefore no use in our arguing as if we could be shaken from our principles. Hesitation, or parleying with sin, is fatal; unhesitating decision is the only safety, where the path of duty is clear (
Matt 10:19,
Matt 10:28).
17 If it be so--VATABLUS translates, "Assuredly." English Version agrees better with the original. The sense is, If it be our lot to be cast into the furnace, our God (quoted from
Deut 6:4) is able to deliver us (a reply to Nebuchadnezzar's challenge, "Who is that God that shall deliver you?"); and He will deliver us (either from death, or in death,
2Tim 4:17-18). He will, we trust, literally deliver us, but certainly He will do so spiritually.
18 But if not, &c.--connected with
Dan 3:18. "Whether our God deliver us, as He is able, or do not, we will not serve thy gods." Their service of God is not mercenary in its motive. Though He slay them, they will still trust in Him (
Job 13:15). Their deliverance from sinful compliance was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace, as that from the furnace was in the kingdom of nature. Their youth, and position as captives and friendless exiles, before the absolute world potentate and the horrid death awaiting them if they should persevere in their faith, all enhance the grace of God, which carried them through such an ordeal.
19 visage . . . changed--He had shown forbearance (
Dan 3:14-
Dan 3:15) as a favor to them, but now that they despise even his forbearance, anger "fills" him, and is betrayed in his whole countenance.
seven times more than it was wont--literally, "than it was (ever) seen to be heated." Seven is the perfect number; that is, it was made as hot as possible. Passion overdoes and defeats its own end, for the hotter the fire, the sooner were they likely to be put out of pain.
21 coats . . . hosen . . . hats--HERODOTUS [1.195] says that the Babylonian costume consisted of three parts: (1) wide, long pantaloons; (2) a woollen shirt; (3) an outer mantle with a girdle round it. So these are specified [GESENIUS], "their pantaloons, inner tunics (hosen, or stockings, are not commonly worn in the East), and outer mantles." Their being cast in so hurriedly, with all their garments on, enhanced the miracle in that not even the smell of fire passed on their clothes, though of delicate, inflammable material.
22 flame . . . slew those men-- (
Dan 6:24;
Ps 7:16).
23 fell down--not cast down; for those who brought the three youths to the furnace, perished by the flames themselves, and so could not cast them in. Here follows an addition in the Septuagint, Syrian, Arabic, and Vulgate versions. "The Prayer of Azarias," and "The Song of the Three Holy Children." It is not in the Chaldee. The hymn was sung throughout the whole Church in their liturgies, from the earliest times [RUFINUS in Commentary on the Apostles Creed, and ATHANASIUS]. The "astonishment" of Nebuchadnezzar in
Dan 3:24 is made an argument for its genuineness, as if it explained the cause of his astonishment, namely, "they walked in the midst of the fire praising God, but the angel of the Lord came down into the oven" (vs. 1 and vs. 27 of the Apocryphal addition). But
Dan 3:25 of English Version explains his astonishment, without need of any addition.
24 True, O king--God extorted this confession from His enemies' own mouths.
25 four--whereas but three had been cast in.
loose--whereas they had been cast in "bound." Nebuchadnezzar's question, in
Dan 3:24, is as if he can scarcely trust his own memory as to a fact so recent, now that he sees through an aperture in the furnace what seems to contradict it.
walking in . . . midst of . . . fire--image of the godly unhurt, and at large (
John 8:36), "in the midst of trouble" (
Ps 138:7; compare
Ps 23:3-
Ps 23:4). They walked up and down in the fire, not leaving it, but waiting for God's time to bring them out, just as Jesus waited in the tomb as God's prisoner, till God should let Him out (
Acts 2:26-
Acts 2:27). So Paul (
2Cor 12:8-9). So Noah waited in the ark, after the flood, till God brought him forth (
Gen 8:12-
Gen 8:18).
like the Son of God--Unconsciously, like Saul, Caiaphas (
John 11:49-
John 11:52), and Pilate, he is made to utter divine truths. "Son of God" in his mouth means only an "angel" from heaven, as
Dan 3:28 proves. Compare
Job 1:6;
Job 38:7;
Ps 34:7-
Ps 34:8; and the probably heathen centurion's exclamation (
Matt 27:54). The Chaldeans believed in families of gods: Bel, the supreme god, accompanied by the goddess Mylitta, being the father of the gods; thus the expression he meant: one sprung from and sent by the gods. Really it was the "messenger of the covenant," who herein gave a prelude to His incarnation.
26 the most high God--He acknowledges Jehovah to be supreme above other gods (not that he ceased to believe in these); so he returns to his original confession, "your God is a God of gods" (
Dan 2:47), from which he had swerved in the interim, perhaps intoxicated by his success in taking Jerusalem, whose God he therefore thought unable to defend it.
27 nor . . . an hair-- (
Luke 12:7;
Luke 21:18).
fire had no power--fulfilling
Isa 43:2; compare
Heb 11:34. God alone is a "consuming fire" (
Heb 12:29).
nor . . . smell of fire--compare spiritually,
1Thess 5:22.
28 In giving some better traits in Nebuchadnezzar's character, Daniel agrees with
Jer 39:11;
Jer 42:12.
changed the king's word--have made the king's attempt to coerce into obedience vain. Have set aside his word (so "alter . . . word,"
Ezra 6:11) from regard to God. Nebuchadnezzar now admits that God's law should be obeyed, rather than his (
Acts 5:29).
yielded . . . bodies--namely, to the fire.
not serve--by sacrificing.
nor worship--by prostration of the body. Decision for God at last gains the respect even of the worldly (
Pro 16:7).
29 This decree promulgated throughout the vast empire of Nebuchadnezzar must have tended much to keep the Jews from idolatry in the captivity and thenceforth (
Ps 76:10).
Punished with insanity for his haughtiness, he sinks to the level of the beasts (illustrating
Ps 49:6,
Ps 49:12). The opposition between bestial and human life, set forth here, is a key to interpret the symbolism in the seventh chapter concerning the beasts and the Son of man. After his conquests, and his building in fifteen days a new palace, according to the heathen historian, ABYDENUS (268 B.C.), whose account confirms Daniel, he ascended upon his palace roof (
Dan 4:29, Margin), whence he could see the surrounding city which he had built, and seized by some deity, he predicted the Persian conquest of Babylon, adding a prayer that the Persian leader might on his return be borne where there is no path of men, and where the wild beasts graze (language evidently derived by tradition from
Dan 4:32-
Dan 4:33, though the application is different). In his insanity, his excited mind would naturally think of the coming conquest of Babylon by the Medo-Persians, already foretold to him in the second chapter.
