Chapter Three

1–7. The erection by Nebuchadnezzar of a statue on the field of Dura and the decree concerning worship of it. 8–23. The non-compliance by Daniel’s friends with the royal command and their casting into the fiery furnace. 24–48. The penitent and supplicatory prayer of the three youths. 49–90. Their deliverance and song of thanksgiving. 91–100. The glorification by Nebuchadnezzar of the almightiness of the God of Israel and the elevation of the youths.

Daniel 3:1. King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Samuel 25:8. According to the testimony of the LXX, the translation of Theodotion in the Slavonic Bible, the erection by Nebuchadnezzar of a statue fell in the 18th year of his reign—the year of the final destruction of Jerusalem, 19th (2 Kgs. 25:8; Jer 52:12) from the actual ascension of Nebuchadnezzar to the throne, it is the 18th according to the official Babylonian reckoning, which the prophet Daniel followed (see the exposition of Dan 2:1). The conquest of Judah, which had caused him no little trouble, provided sufficient cause to thank the gods, his helpers in war, by a special celebration in their honor. Its form—the erection of a statue and worship of it—fully corresponded to the spirit of the time. According to the testimony of cuneiform inscriptions, Nebuchadnezzar had the custom of honoring his gods on certain days of the year. Thus, he arranged solemn processions in honor of Marduk, in which priests or state officials carried among the people the statues of the gods, and he reverently bowed before them. We see the same thing in the present case. According to the Hebrew name “tselem” (cf. Dan 2:31 et seq.), the statue erected by Nebuchadnezzar represented a human figure, in which form painting in the catacombs depicts it. Here it has the appearance of a human bust standing on a tall column. But whom the statue represented—Nebuchadnezzar himself, as Saint John Chrysostom, blessed Jerome, Simeon Metaphrastes, and some modern exegetes think, or some god—is difficult to say. In support of the first opinion, one usually refers to the words of the three youths to the king: “we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you have set up” Dan 3:18. They, it is said, clearly distinguish between the service of gods and worship of the golden statue: the latter was not the image of any deity. In reality, the friends of Daniel only refuse to worship the former idols and the newly erected one. In their eyes, the latter is such a forbidden idol, forbidden by the law, as the first. Neither the colossal dimensions of the statue (60 cubits = 13 fathoms 6 vershoks [approx. 30 m] in height and 6 cubits = 1 fathom 15 vershoks [approx. 3 m] in width), nor its enormous value, assuming it was all gold, are fabulous. The history of Oriental peoples knows cases of construction of even larger statues. Thus, according to Herodotus, in Memphis there stood a statue of 75 feet (225 m) in height—and the Heliopolis idol of the sun had 150 cubits (75 m) in height and 75 c. (37 m) in width. The value of the statue should not astonish. The complete authenticity of the biblical narrative is confirmed by the testimony of ancient historians about the existence among the Assyro-Babylonians of enormous cast golden statues. Of them, Herodotus saw in the Babylonian temple a large golden image of Bel sitting, before which a table, a chair, and a bench were arranged, all of pure gold weighing 800 talents (worth up to 26,000,000 rubles). According to Diodorus Siculus, on top of the temple of Bel stood three cast-gold statues—of Bel himself, Milita, and Juno. The first of them weighed 1,000 Babylonian talents (about 30.3 tons); the second, placed on a golden chariot, had the same weight; the third, holding in its right hand a serpent, and in its left a scepter adorned with precious stones, weighed 800 talents. For these three deities on top of the temple there was a common golden table weighing 500 talents, on it two golden goblets weighing 30 talents (about 900 kg), two incense boxes weighing 300 talents, and three bowls, of which the one belonging to Bel weighed 1,200 talents, and each of the other two 600 talents. Finally, Nebuchadnezzar himself speaks in one inscription of how he covered with pure, heavy gold the altar for one Babylonian statue and covered with gold the interior of the upper sanctuary of the pyramid in Borsippa. The value of the statue would be significantly reduced if it was only gilded. The possibility of this is confirmed by the account of the prophet Daniel about the statue of Bel, made of clay and covered with bronze on the outside Dan 14:7. The site of the erection of the statue was the valley of Dura or Duir, which name is borne to the present day by the plain located to the southeast of Babylon. Daniel 3:2. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather the satraps, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the administrators of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. The dedication ceremony of the statue erected by Nebuchadnezzar was attended with appropriate pomp. It was attended by the most important officials summoned from all parts of the Babylonian empire: satraps (Hebrew achashdarpenin)—governors of individual provinces 2 Sam 25:22; Dan 6:2; Ezra 8:36, combining in their hands the highest military and civil authority; military commanders (Hebrew signaia, Assyrian saknu)—military leaders of provinces Jer 51:23; governors (Hebrew pachavata; Assyrian pihu)—civil rulers of provinces subordinate to the satraps (cf. peha Ezra 8:36; Nehem 2:7 in relation to peha abar nara—Ezra 5:3; Ezra 6:6 according to Ezra 5); judges (Hebrew adargazraia); treasurers (Hebrew gedabraia)—officials who supervised economic and financial matters of the country; counselors (Hebrew detabraia)—supreme guardians of laws, who oversaw the legal affairs of the state; judges (Hebrew tiptaia) in the proper and narrow sense of the word, and finally all sorts of provincial officials of various ranks and positions.

Daniel 3:4. Then a herald cried out loudly, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, Daniel 3:5. At the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, harp, and all kinds of music, you will fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. The dedication of the statue and its worship were accompanied, according to Nebuchadnezzar’s command, by the playing of various wind and string instruments, which fully conformed to the spirit of the time. According to the testimony of Assyrian monuments, music took place at every outstanding celebration. Thus, Esarhaddon, after the battle with Sanduarri, king of the cities Kundu and Sizu, returned to Nineveh with singers and musicians. On one bas-relief from the time of Ashurbanipal, this king’s triumphal procession is depicted accompanied by 11 musicians and 15 singers. Similarly, the musical instruments mentioned by the prophet Daniel were in use among the Assyro-Babylonians. Thus, the trumpet (Hebrew keren)—a simple horn, distinguished by a pure and strong sound, appears on a bas-relief of Sennacherib; the flute (Hebrew mashrокita)—a simple shepherd’s pipe, is represented on bas-reliefs of various periods as consisting of two pipes, but not joined by a mouthpiece, but completely separate; the harp—something like our guitar, is depicted on Assyrian monuments in its original form, in the form of two beams, one horizontal and one perpendicular, on which eight to ten strings were stretched; the psaltery (Hebrew pesanterin)—an instrument like your guitar, but without a neck: an empty box inside, on which up to 10 strings were stretched, is reproduced on the bas-relief of Ashurbanipal, depicting a solemn procession in Susa. As for the sackbut (Hebrew savka) and symphony, their structure is precisely unknown (See drawings, for example, in Delitzsch: “Bible and Babylon,” pp. 87–89). The moment of worship of the statue was announced to the peoples, tribes (Aramaic jummaia)—constituent parts of a given people (cf. Hebrew jummah, jummoth, used to designate individual tribes of the Ismaelite and Midianite peoples—Gen 25:16) and languages—societies speaking one dialect, through a herald (karoz). This word, formerly derived from the Greek “κηρυξ”, is now recognized as an ancient Chaldean word: according to the testimony of Professor Hommel, it appears in an Aramaic inscription of the 7th or 6th century B.C.

Daniel 3:6. And whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. Worship of the statue was a solemn recognition of the power of the gods who had given Nebuchadnezzar dominion over his enemies. From this point of view, resistance to the king’s command was a rebellion against the gods of the king, against him himself as their worshipper, and therefore was punished by burning in a furnace—the customary execution method among the Assyro-Babylonians for rebels and insurgents. It was practiced, for example, by Shalmaneser II and Ashurbanipal, who burned captives, including children. The latter even burned his own brother Shammugas for insurrection. This kind of execution passed from the Assyrians to the Chaldeans: according to the testimony of the prophet Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar burned two Jewish false prophets—Sedekiah and Ahab—who preached among the Jewish captives of the speedy fall of Babylon, the return to their homeland, and thereby stirred the captives against his power Jer 29:21-22.

Daniel 3:8. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. Daniel 3:9. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever! Daniel 3:10. You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, harp, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image, Daniel 3:11. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. Daniel 3:12. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men have not obeyed your decree, O king. They do not serve your gods and will not worship the golden image that you have set up. Daniel 3:13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought, and they brought these men before the king. Daniel was absent from the ceremony for some reason, but his friends, remaining faithful to the law of Moses Exod 20:2-4, did not obey the king’s command, of which he was informed by the Chaldeans who were jealous of their elevation. The friends are accused of not serving the king’s gods and of not worshipping the statue he had erected. The first part of the denunciation does not necessarily require recognition that images and statues of other gods were present at the dedication ceremony. From the fact of the youths’ non-worship of the golden statue, the Chaldeans could draw a general conclusion about their denial of all Babylonian deities. Constructed in this way, the accusation became particularly grave. The act of the youths was a blasphemy not only against the Babylonian gods, but also against Nebuchadnezzar himself, in whose name the violated command had been issued. Hence the comprehensible nature of his anger.

Daniel 3:14. Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and will not worship the golden image that I have set up? Daniel 3:15. Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, harp, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire that same hour. And what god can rescue you from my hand? But however strong was the irritation seized the king, he could not entertain the thought that his command was violated by persons clothed with his special trust. Therefore, before putting into effect the threat, he wishes to know: for what reasons did his friends not obey his command—by chance or intentionally. If consciously, let them reconsider and worship the statue. Otherwise, death awaits them, from which there is no escape.

Daniel 3:16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. Daniel 3:17. If our God, whom we serve, is able, he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire and from your hand, O king. Daniel 3:18. But even if he does not, know, O king, that we will not serve your gods and will not worship the golden image that you have set up. The threat of the king is not terrible to the friends. God, whom they serve, will save them from death, will deliver them even as He delivered them before (chapter 2). And if for some reason this does not happen, then fear of death is overcome by the consciousness that, by not worshipping the statue, they will remain faithful to their religion.

Daniel 3:21. Then these men were bound in their tunics, their trousers, their hats, and their other garments, and were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. The speed with which the angry king’s command was carried out did not allow time to remove the clothing from the youths. They were cast into the furnace “in their coats, hosen, and hats,” in Aramaic: “besarbaleigon patisheigon vekorbaleigon”. Sarbalin—a lower garment closely fitting the body, like our long shirt; patish—a tunic, worn over the shirt; and corblan—a garment worn over the two lower ones, like a mantle. The use by the Assyro-Babylonians of such clothing is confirmed by Herodotus. According to him, they wore a long, flowing tunic, over it another woolen one, and over it a small white mantle.

Daniel 3:22. Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was overheated, the flame killed the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in. From a human point of view, the destruction of the youths was inevitable. If those who cast them in were killed by the flame, then all the more should those cast into the furnace perish. But the more inevitable the destruction seemed, the more remarkable was the miracle of their deliverance. Dan 3:24-90. In the present Hebrew text of the Book of the Prophet Daniel, this passage is absent, just as it was in ancient times—in the era of Origen and blessed Jerome. It has been preserved in the LXX translation, from which was compiled the ancient Latin translation, cited by Tertullian, Theodotion, the Vulgate, in all Eastern, Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Arabic, and finally Slavonic and Russian translations, composed according to the text of Theodotion. The absence of the passage in the original Hebrew-Aramaic text of the book gives, apparently, grounds for thinking that it was not there originally either. But this conclusion is weakened, in the first place, by the presence of verses 24–90 in the translation of Theodotion. He translated directly from the Hebrew, independently of the LXX; consequently, he could only have derived this excerpt from there. The existence of it in the original text is further attested by the unnaturalness of the present Hebrew reading of verses 23 and 24: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell bound into the furnace heated by fire (23). King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and hastily rose up, and said to his nobles: “Did we not cast three men... behold, I see four” Dan 3:91-92. As is evident, there is no connection between the verses; an overly abrupt transition has occurred, presupposing an undoubted omission. And this latter is excellently supplied by verses 24–90 of the Greek text, which speak of the deliverance of the youths cast into the furnace, of the Angel descending to them in the flames, of their singing and walking in the midst of fire. Having seen them alive, and noticing another fourth, Nebuchadnezzar “was astonished,” etc. The Greek reading is far more consistent and logical than the Hebrew. The omission in the latter presupposes the existence also in the original original text of a more extensive version of this passage, one similar to that which exists in the Greek translations. But admitting its existence in the Hebrew language, it is necessary to admit that the author of the considered passage is different from the writer of the third chapter of the Book of the Prophet Daniel. This is guaranteed by the use of Hebrew names for the youths: Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, while the canonical part of the chapter uses exclusively the Chaldean names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The exact time of writing of this passage is unknown. However, the fact that its Greek language is identical with the language of the entire LXX translation of the Book of the Prophet Daniel gives grounds for thinking that it also belongs to the author of the latter. In that case, the Hebrew or Aramaic original of verses 24–90 must have existed by the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. As for the historical authenticity of the reviewed passage, particularly the narrative of the miraculous deliverance of the three youths, it is confirmed by the canonical part of the chapter: verses 19–92 speak of the appearance in the furnace of an Angel, this “fourth man, like the Son of God” Dan 3:49. Dan 3:24-45. The prayer presented in these verses is divided into three parts: verses 26–33; verses 34–38; verses 39–45. It begins with a doxology to God and an acknowledgment that all the deeds of the Lord, His ways and judgments, manifested in relation to the God-chosen people in its captivity, and in relation to the city of Jerusalem—in its destruction, are true, that the people had sinned constantly, and therefore deservedly had been delivered into the hands of lawless enemies, the most hated apostates, and to an unrighteous king. The continuation of the prayer is a petition that the Lord, for the sake of His name and the covenant with the patriarchs, to whom He spoke saying He would multiply their seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the sea, would not abandon His people, now reduced more than all peoples, humbled so much that it has neither prince, nor prophet, nor whole offering, nor sacrifice, nor a place where it might offer them and find His mercy (cf. Lam 2:9). The prayer concludes with the supplication of Azariah on his own behalf and that of his companions, that the Lord would accept their spiritual sacrifice, offered from the fullness of a contrite heart, as a sacrifice of thousands of fat lambs, calves, and rams, that He would not put them to shame, those who hope in Him with all their heart, but would, according to the abundance of His mercy, save them, thereby glorified His name, but put their enemies to shame.

Daniel 3:46. But the servants of the king who threw them in did not stop stoking the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brushwood. Daniel 3:47. And the flame of the fire rose above the furnace forty-nine cubits. Daniel 3:48. And it burst forth and burned the Chaldeans who were near the furnace. Daniel 3:49. But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, Daniel 3:50. And drove the flames of fire out of the furnace, and made it so that in the middle of the furnace there was a moist wind blowing, and the fire did not touch them at all, and it did not hurt them, and it did not trouble them. By the power of divine omnipotence, the spatial action of the fire was limited. It did not touch the interior, the center of the furnace, but extended only to its periphery. And therefore, while the flames issuing from the furnace were burning those who tended the fire, throwing into it the naphtha customary in Babylon, the center of it was filled with a moist rustling wind. Dan 3:51-90. The miraculous deliverance of the three youths filled their souls with a feeling of the deepest gratitude, which poured forth in an exultant hymn. Full of spiritual rapture, they blessed and glorified the greatness of the Lord, calling upon all to sing and extol the Creator—both the heavenly powers, and the heavens, clouds and luminaries, and the magnificent phenomena of nature (night and day, light and darkness, lightning), and all physical elements and changes (rain, wind, fire, etc.), and the earth, and all terrestrial elements and organisms (mountains, hills, springs), all aquatic and earthly creatures (whales and fish, birds and beasts), finally all men in general, then Israelites, priests, etc. (cf. Ps 148).

Daniel 3:91. Then King Nebuchadnezzar, startled, rose up quickly and said to his counselors, Did we not throw three men bound into the fire? They answered the king, It is true, O king. Daniel 3:92. He answered and said, Look, I see four men loose, walking about in the fire, and they are unharmed, and the appearance of the fourth is like the Son of God. The sight of the youths, singing and walking unharmed in the midst of the fire, brought Nebuchadnezzar to astonishment. This feeling was heightened by the presence in the furnace of a fourth figure—not resembling a man, but appearing to be a higher being. In accordance with the Babylonian belief that gods have wives and children (thus Sin was considered the father of the gods, Nergal—their mother; Shamash—the son of Sin; Nebo—the son of Marduk), Nebuchadnezzar called him (the Angel), different in appearance from men, the “Son of God.”

Daniel 3:93. Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the furnace of blazing fire and called out, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here! Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. Desiring to ascertain whether he had been deceived, Nebuchadnezzar approached the furnace and asked the youths to come forth. His desire was fulfilled: there is no doubt about their deliverance from death.

Daniel 3:94. And the satraps, prefects, governors, and counselors of the king gathered around and saw these men—the fire had had no power over their bodies, their hair was not singed, their tunics were not damaged, and no smell of fire was on them. The Babylonian officials, who had witnessed the death of those closely approaching the furnace Dan 3:48, were so struck by the miracle of deliverance of those who had been in the fire that they still could not believe it. And only personal examination of the delivered youths convinced them to acknowledge the act of deliverance from death.

Daniel 3:95. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him and disobeyed the king’s command, giving up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Daniel 3:96. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their house shall be destroyed, for there is no other god who can rescue in this way. For a second time, Nebuchadnezzar became convinced of the greatness of the God of the Hebrews, and for the second time he confessed His power. But this confession does not go beyond the acknowledgment of His superiority over other gods and does not contain faith in the Lord as the sole true God. Therefore, in his decree, Nebuchadnezzar does not require his subjects to believe only in the Most High, but threatens them with death in cases of blasphemy against Him, that is, imposes the very punishment that is due according to Babylonian laws for blasphemy.

Daniel 3:97. Then the king elevated Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon [and magnified them and granted them authority over the rest of the Jews in his kingdom]. Acknowledging the greatness of God the Hebrew, Nebuchadnezzar could not fail to honor the youths so miraculously saved by Him. He not only restored his favor to them, but endowed them with greater powers than before—he appointed them as chief governors over all the Jews living within the Babylonian empire.

Daniel 3:98. King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: May peace be multiplied to you! Daniel 3:99. It has seemed good to me to tell you of the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. Daniel 3:100. How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his dominion extends from generation to generation. The event in the last years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign—his second dream, his illness and recovery (chapter 4)—were so momentous that he announced them to his subjects in a special manifesto. In this he acted like other Assyrian kings who related in solemn proclamations the outstanding events of their reign and even their dreams. Beginning with a wish for peace to the peoples and tribes entering the Babylonian empire (cf. Ezra 4:17), Nebuchadnezzar’s decree proceeds to the glorification of the greatness of the Most High God and the wonders performed by Him over the king. Judging by such a beginning and similar conclusion Dan 4:31-34, one can suppose that the immediate occasion for the issuance of the manifesto was the feeling in Nebuchadnezzar of the deepest reverence before the hand of the Most High that had struck and healed him. Convinced by personal experience of the truth that the Most High governs kingdoms Dan 4:29, he also desires to convince others by his account. There were, as is supposed, other reasons for the issuance of the manifesto. The illness of Nebuchadnezzar was not a secret. It was known, for example, by court officials who excluded him from people Dan 4:29-30, known by counselors and nobles who found the king after his recovery Dan 4:33. From them and through them, rumors and reports of the king’s illness naturally penetrated into the people. Therefore, in order to prevent false and harmful rumors and to spread the correct understanding of the illness and its causes, Nebuchadnezzar deemed it necessary to recount it in a special decree.