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CHAPTER 3
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.
2
Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the
judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to
the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3
Then the princes, the
governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, 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,
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:
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.
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:
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.
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?
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?
16
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we
are
not careful to answer thee in this matter.
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.
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
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