¶Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits; he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image, which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

¶Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up;

and whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

¶Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near and brought accusation against the Jews.

They spoke and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king, live for ever.

You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;

and whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

There are certain Jews, whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have disregarded you; they don’t serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.”

¶Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

If you are now ready, whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, it is well. But if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god who shall deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

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 your hand, O king.

But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.”

¶Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

He commanded certain mighty men, who were in his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.