Notes on Daniel (Ch. 3) ~ Blaine Robison, M.A.

Notes on Daniel

Chapter Three

Blaine Robison, M.A.

Published 18 November 2009; Revised 20 December 2022

Chapter 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Scripture: Unless otherwise indicated Scripture quotations are taken from the NASB Updated Edition (1995). The text for this chapter may be found here. Click here for Abbreviations of Bible Versions. Most versions can be accessed on the Internet.

Sources: Bibliographic data for sources cited may be found at the end of the article. The Septuagint (LXX) is the Jewish translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, which was in use by Jews by the mid-2nd century BC. The LXX with English translation may be found here. Citations for Talmud tractates are from the Soncino Babylonian Talmud (1948); found at Halakhah.com.

Special Terms: In order to emphasize the Hebraic and Jewish nature of Scripture I use the terms Tanakh (Old Testament) and Besekh (New Testament), as well as the terms Yeshua (Jesus) and Messiah (Christ).

Syntax: Unless otherwise noted the meaning of Hebrew words is from The New Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (1981), abbreviated as "BDB."

Please see the Introduction for background information on the book of Daniel, interpretative approaches and historical context.

Chapter Overview

In Chapter Three Nebuchadnezzar builds a large image of gold, demanding all to worship it; threatening, at the same time, that anyone who refused should be cast into a fiery furnace, a punishment not uncommon in that country (cf. Jer 29:22). Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who are in attendance, refuse, and are thrown into a fiery furnace. Yet they are saved by God, fulfilling a promise made by Isaiah (Isa 43:2). The miraculous intervention prompts King Nebuchadnezzar to praise their God as the Most High.

Chapter Outline

The King’s Golden Image, 3:1-7

Idolatry Refused, 3:8-18

Protection in the Fire, 3:19-27

Blessing of Nebuchadnezzar, 3:28-30

1― Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

Some time has elapsed since the end of chapter two and Nebuchadnezzar has forgotten his former praise of God. As he reflected on his part of the vision being the gold head must have gone to his head. Since he was the head of gold in the dream-vision, why not impress the people of the empire with his importance in history by replicating that dream statue into reality. Thus, some commentators think Nebuchadnezzar wanted to exalt his achievements. Others believe that he created an image of Babylon’s chief god, Marduk (Miller). The image was probably overlaid with gold, rather than being solid gold.

The measurements of the image are immense. The height of sixty cubits and the width of six cubits equals 90 feet high and 9 feet wide, equal to at least a six-story building. This must have looked grotesque because it would be equivalent of a person six feet tall and seven inches wide. The height may well have included the base on which the statue stood. In fact, a French archaeologist discovered a high rectangular brick structure forty-five feet square and twenty feet high, which may have been the base or platform for some colossal image, perhaps the great image of Nebuchadnezzar (Sevener 29). The precise location of Dura cannot be determined with certainty, but excavations uncovered a mound near a small tributary of the Euphrates called Dura.

2― Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, 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.

With the image finished and erected in place Nebuchadnezzar summoned eight groups of government officials that represent the hierarchy within the Babylonian empire. Thus, a sizeable crowd assembled for the dedication of the image.

3― 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 stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Of interest is that the listing of government positions does not include the one man who should have been there — Daniel, since he was regent of the district of Babylon. Perhaps the king did not wish his capital to be left without leadership.

4― Then the herald loudly proclaimed: "To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language,

The public proclamation of the king's messenger acknowledges the ethnic diversity of the crowd assembled from across the Babylonian empire. The herald probably spoke in Imperial Aramaic in which this chapter is written, so the assumption is that the dignitaries in the crowd were conversant enough in Aramaic as to understand the speech.

5― that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

Moment: Aram. iddan, refers to a fixed, appointed or definite time (BDB 1105). The announcement of the king's decree appears to be a form of a loyalty test. Perhaps in Nebuchadnezzar's mind a formal commitment from the key leaders of the empire would forestall the prediction of the kingdoms of silver, bronze and iron.

6― "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire."

The furnace of blazing fire could refer to one of three possibilities. First, a kiln used to smelt metal for the gold plating and for manufacturing the bricks to construct the base and possibly the inner parts of the statue. Mesopotamian smelting furnaces tended be shaped like an old-fashioned milk-bottle with a large opening for inserting ore to be smelted and a smaller opening at ground level for the wood and charcoal to provide the heat. Temperatures in these kilns could reach as high as 1800 degrees Fahrenheit (Miller).

Second, the furnace could also have been a crematorium. Third, the furnace could have been specially built for the purpose of executions. Burning is one of the four methods of execution prescribed in the Torah (Lev. 20:14; 21:9), so it was a method of capital punishment in ancient times.

The kiln most likely would have been in use for the statue building. In any event, failure to bow to the image would result in immediate death. No explanation or appeal would be granted for disobedience of the king’s decree. The furnace had to be of great size to accommodate four men walking around in it.

7― Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

The assembled crowd took the warning to heart and complied with the decree. The use of the word worshipped does not mean that everyone present truly bowed out of conviction. The basic meaning is to prostrate oneself. They may have bowed because the image represented their king and by bowing to it they were acknowledging him as the supreme sovereign over their lives. Or, they may have bowed simply to avoid being killed.

There is a certain irony in this story. God demands absolute loyalty and obedience. A day will come when his judgment will result in many people being separated from his presence forever in a lake of fire (Rev 20:15).

8― For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.

The king's decree created an atmosphere for the "ugly head of anti-Semitism" (Sevener). For this reason: The opening phrase alludes to the previously stated order to introduce the noncompliance of some in attendance. certain: The masculine noun places a limitation on the number bringing the complaint and probably intends men in an official capacity. Chaldeans: pl. of Aram. Kasday, an inhabitant of Chaldea, the ancient name for the southern area of Babylonia on the lower Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Nebuchadnezzar himself is identified as a Chaldean (Ezra 5:12).

brought charges: The verbal phrase denotes a malicious and slanderous complaint. against the Jews: pl. of Aram. Yehudain, citizens of the Kingdom of Judah (2Kgs 16:6; 25:25; Jer 34:9). The southern kingdom also included the tribes of Benjamin and Simeon (Josh 19:1; 1Kgs 12:21; 2Chr 15:9). However, among the Babylonians the ethnic term did not distinguish between members of the twelve tribes of Israel. All of the people exiled from the land of Israel were called "Jews" (cf. Esth 8:9, 11, 17; Ezra 4:12, 23; 5:1, 5; 6:7, 14).

The attitude of the complainants may have sprung as much from envy as hatred. From their point of view the Jews were getting away with disobeying the king. Nebuchadnezzar probably didn't set out to persecute Jews, but these adversaries, like Haman of Esther's time, seized an opportunity to destroy God's chosen people. Satan has always known that the Messiah of Israel and Savior of mankind would come from Israel and has done everyone he could to destroy that people.

9― They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: "O king, live forever!

The complainants address the king with an ingratiating greeting. This was a customary form of address to a monarch, implying that long life was regarded as an eminent blessing (Barnes).

10― "You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image.

The Chaldean complainants recount the setting of the occasion and the elaborate musical ceremony that called for a worship response from the crowd.

11― "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

The complainants then reminded the king of his specific prescribed punishment for anyone disobeying his decree. Thus, the appeal provides the legal foundation for their complaint.

12― "There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up."

The complainants then name three specific Jews, Daniel's friends, as the offenders. Remember, this is a gathering of government officials, not the general public. Just as Haman singled out Mordecai, so the Chaldeans are quick to denounce Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These are the Chaldean names given to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Dan 1:7). The charge reminds the king that he had appointed these three men to their posts, which refers to the legal authority for appointment. No mention is made of Daniel as the one who actually appointed them.

The Chaldeans list three charges: (1) the Jews paid no attention to the king and his commands, (2) they did not serve the king's gods, implying they worshipped different gods than the king and (3) they refused to worship the gold statue the king himself had set up.

13― Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king.

The king flew into a rage over the thought of anyone daring to disobey an order of his. The three men are summoned. Apparently they weren't too far away. The king essentially convened a formal hearing.

14― Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

The king first inquired of the men whether the charge against them was factual. The king's question does not imply ignorance of Jewish religious beliefs. Daniel had previously revealed to Nebuchadnezzar the reality of the God of heaven and the king had acknowledged His existence as greater than all gods (2:28, 37, 44-47).

15― "Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"

The narrative curiously repeats for the fourth time the ceremonial role of the musical ensemble. The musical flourish apparently was very important to the king, not merely as a signal for starting something (like a gunshot starting a race), but as symbolic of the people’s unquestioning and instant obedience at the exact moment he wants his command to be obeyed. Since the edict did not consider the religious prerogatives of the various ethnic groups, the beliefs of the three Jewish men were irrelevant. The king then gave the three Jewish men a chance to obey his order. Nebuchadnezzar then manifested hubris by declaring that he was greater than any god. The contrast between absolute authority and absolute submission could not be more stark.

16― Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.

The three Jewish men without hesitation spoke or one spoke and the other two concurred. The bold response demonstrates they had essentially rejected the king's authority to dictate their religious behavior. In doing so they did not criticize the king or malign his gods.

17― "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

The theology of the Jewish men is striking. They knew of God's omnipotent power, to wit, He is able to deliver them. The verb "he will deliver" is actually imperfect tense. The imperfect essentially represents action that is incomplete. It can be translated in a variety of ways. (1) It may represent action to be completed in the future. (2) It may represent continuous action in the present. (3) It may represent action that is hypothetical or contingent and be translated with such words as "may, might, would, can, should, wants to, ought to."

Context determines which of these, if any, is the intended meaning. Most versions translate the verb as a confident future tense. In view of the next verse it probably should be translated as "he can deliver" (CSB, ISV) or "he may save" (EHV, NABRE). They are making a theological defense, not offering prophecy.

18― "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

But if not is an example of Hebraic logic. They know that sometimes God does not deliver, since righteous men were taken into captivity. However, they will not abandon their covenant loyalty to Him. This is the biblical meaning of faith - trusting faithfulness. Their words are similar to Job's, "though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" (Job 13:15). In pagan thought (and the modern mind) the failure to deliver from harm directly impugns the power of God. Many people are angry with God because He did not satisfy some personal desire. Surely a loving and powerful God will always deliver. Thus the logic of the Jewish men flies in the face of worldly logic.

The three Jewish men feared God more than they feared man. As Jesus later said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt 10:28). The three men did not doubt God's power. There was plenty of history in the Torah that recorded great wonders that God performed on behalf of Israel. However, God only acts in accordance with His sovereign will. The truth is, God permits trials to come. We may not know the purpose for trials, but God asks us to continue to trust Him.

19― Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

The king's anger at the defiant answer of the Jewish men was immediately visible on his face and he perhaps had to restrain himself from physical violence. He immediately ordered that the furnace be made even hotter. This is an irrational order since the fire didn’t have to be hotter to burn human flesh. Seven times is a proverbial saying; cf. Proverbs 24:16, "For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity" and Proverbs 26:16, "The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a discreet answer." No device for measuring temperature existed before the 1600s and a standard scale was not adopted until 1724 when Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit produced a temperature scale which now (slightly adjusted) bears his name.

20― He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.

Nebuchadnezzar ordered valiant warriors to bind the three Jews. KJV "most mighty men" may allude to courage or physical strength, but other versions as the CJB and NIV translate the description as "strongest soldiers." The king may have anticipated resistance and the choice would also prevent interference by anyone trying to rescue the Jewish men.

21― Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

It is an interesting detail that the captives were not stripped of their clothing, but tied up and cast into the fire still dressed. Normally, the clothing would immediately ignite and the body would be engulfed in flames.

22― For this reason, because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

Reference: DSS 1Q72 Daniel.

Apparently the soldiers didn't take precautions to protect themselves and carried out their instructions so quickly that they were killed in the process of throwing the three Jews into the furnace.

23― But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

The fact that the men fell into the middle of the furnace suggests they entered through an opening in the top of the furnace. A kiln would have an opening in the top and at the side (Miller).

24― Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."

The king prepared to watch the three Jews burn through the opening in the side of the kiln, but was completely surprised to see the men still alive and not alone. He queried one of his officials to determine whether someone else might have been cast into the furnace along with the Jews.

25― He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"

Loosed indicates that their bonds had disintegrated without causing a problem for their clothing or skin. Four men points to the fact that the fourth man was in human form. Walking about indicates the men were standing on a surface and moving about. Probably the fourth man was offering encouragement to the three victims. A son of: Aram. bar, can refer to either character or biological descent, in this case having the likeness of. the gods: pl. of Aram. elah, God or god, corresponding to Heb. eloah (BDB 1080). So, l'bar elahin is a divine being. Many commentators believe the fourth man to be a theophany, a physical manifestation of Yeshua, the Son of God (so Miller & Morris).

In the Tanakh an important figure known as the "Angel of ADONAI [Heb. Malak-YHVH] meets with and speaks to twelve different people: Hagar (Gen 16:7), Abraham (Gen 22:11), Moses (Ex 3:2), Balaam (Num 22:22), Deborah (Jdg 5:23), Gideon (Jdg 6:11), the wife of Manoah (Jdg 13:3), Manoah (Jdg 13:13), Gad (2Sam 24:11, 16), Elijah (1Kgs 19:7), Isaiah (2Kgs 19:35), and Zechariah (Zech 1:11), as well as the nation of Israel (Jdg 2:1). The "Angel of ADONAI" does not refer to an ordinary angel, but is a direct spokesman of Elohim, most likely a pre-incarnate visitation of the Word-Logos-Memra (John 1:1) or Daniel's Son of Man.

However, here we have only Nebuchadnezzar's words influenced by pagan myth. The fourth man more likely was an angel (see verse 28) since angels are called "sons of God" in Job 1:6; 2:1; and 38:7 (cf. Luke 20:36). Celestial messengers or angels figure prominently in Scripture as ministering spirits (Mark 1:13; Heb 1:14) and are far different from the Hollywood depiction and popular assumptions about angels. Angels are not glorified humans that earn status in heaven by doing good works on earth. All individual angels mentioned in Scripture have human form (Gen 18:2; Jdg 13:6) with masculine names or descriptions, contrary to popular art and media, which sometimes depicts them as female.

In addition, only a special group of heavenly beings are mentioned in Scripture as having wings (Ex 37:9; Isa 6:2; Ezek 10:5; Rev 4:8). Angels appear in the book of Daniel at 4:13, 17, 23; 6:22; 10:21 and 12:1, including the notable archangels Gabriel at 8:16 and 9:21 and Michael at 10:13, 21 and 12:1. The fourth man's different manner of appearance may have been a glorious light (cf. Ex 3:2; Jdg 13:6; Matt 28:1-3; Luke 24:4; Acts 12:7; 2Cor 11:14 ["angel of light"]; Rev 18:1). See my article The Host of Heaven.

26― Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire.

The king approached the door, but did not get so close as to risk his life. He ordered the three men to come out of the furnace.

27― The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

The king and all his officials witnessed the great miracle. The three Jews were not harmed in any way by the fire. Two particular details are given to indicate the degree of their safety: their hair was not singed and they did not even smell smoky.

28― Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.

The king amazingly offers a b’rakhah and praised the God of the Jews. His angel is an interesting reference and clarifies the son of the gods in verse 25. "His angel" also occurs at Gen 24:7, 40; Dan 6:22; Acts 12:11, 15; Rev 1:1; 22:6. This angel is a special messenger with the status comparable to an aide-de-camp to a modern commanding general of military forces. It is possible that this same unnamed angel is the one who led Abraham’s servant to find a bride for Isaac (Gen 24:7, 40), protected Daniel in the lion’s den (Dan 6:22), rescued Peter from imprisonment (Acts 12:11) and served as a guide to John the apostle throughout his Revelation experience.

A specific parallel expression "the angel of the Lord" occurs 54 times in the Tanakh, but not in the Besekh, and likely refers to this very angel that serves the Son of God. The king noted the three virtuous actions of the Jewish men: (1) they trusted the God of Israel; (2) they refused to commit idolatry and (3) they presented their bodies as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1).

29― "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."

The king issued a decree to hallow or sanctify the name of the God of Israel. The decree may have been an attempt to appease God to avoid divine retribution for the mistreatment of the three Israelites. The question of whether Nebuchadnezzar's blessing God and issuing a decree to institutionalize fear of God constituted salvation is variously debated. Some would say that salvation requires not only acknowledging the God of Israel but accepting Him as one's personal redeemer (Morris). These circumstances did enable Nebuchadnezzar to experience the prevenient grace of God, who could have easily killed him (as He does to other wicked monarchs in Scripture). Just as the piety of Cornelius was remembered before God (Acts 10:31), so this brief time in the light of God helped prepare the way for the king's repentance in Chapter Four.

30― Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

The three men of God were honored and rewarded. This might be considered a form of restitution, but certainly people would hold them in awe. They became instant celebrities and were accorded hero status among Jews (Heb 11:34). Their courage and loyalty to God will always be an inspiration to godly people. Unfortunately we are not told the answer to the question that would have been asked repeatedly, "so what did the fourth man in the fire say to you? What did you talk about?"

Works Cited

Barnes: Albert Barnes (1798-1870), Notes on the Whole Bible (1834). Baker Book House, 1949. Online.

BDB: The New Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. London: Oxford University Press, 1907. Reprinted by Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc., 1981.

Miller: Stephen R. Miller, Daniel. The New American Commentary, Vol. 18. Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1994.

Morris: The Defender's Study Bible. World Publishing Co., 1995. [KJV with annotations by Dr. Henry M. Morris.]

Sevener: Harold A. Sevener, God’s Man in Babylon. Chosen People Ministries, 1994.