3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a statue of gold sixty cubits high and six cubits broad. He set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
How thick is six cubits, and how could it support something sixty cubits high? The common cubit was divided into six palms × four fingers = 24 digits. Royal cubits added a palm for seven palms × four fingers = 28 digits. These lengths typically ranged from 1 ft 5+1⁄2 in to 1 ft 8+13⁄16 in), with an ancient Roman cubit as long as 120 cm (3 ft 11 in).
Rashi notes, "If its thickness was only six [cubits], how could it stand at a height of sixty cubits? Said Rav Bibi: They would set it up, and it would fall, until they brought all the gold of Jerusalem and poured a base around its feet, to fulfill what was said (Ezekiel 7:19): "and their gold will be for a repugnant thing."
It's ironic how, having learned the truth about the statue from the last chapter and having been shown that HaShem, the God of Daniel, is true and rules over all human affairs, Nebuchadnezzar proceeds to use the knowledge for his own glory rather than giving glory to God and humbling himself and his kingdom. This is a stark reminder of how we, too, can often "miss the mark" when it comes to using divine knowledge for our own benefit.
3:2 King Nebuchadnezzar then sent word to gather the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, officers, and all the provincial officials to attend the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3:3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, officers, and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and stood before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3:4 The herald proclaimed in a loud voice, "You are commanded, O peoples and nations of every language,
3:5 when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, psaltery, bagpipe, and all other types of instruments, to fall down and worship the statue of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
3:6 Whoever will not fall down and worship shall at once be thrown into a burning fiery furnace."
3:7 And so, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, psaltery, and all other types of instruments, all peoples and nations of every language fell down and worshiped the statue of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3:8 Seizing the occasion, certain Chaldeans came forward to slander the Jews.
Remember, in this context, the Chaldeans were highly educated holders of history and political matters. They were committed to the Nephilim agenda of King Nimrod, founder of Babel. Like their peers and wannabes today, they seized any opportunity to attack the Jews and their God. Antisemitism is the oldest form of hatred and bigotry.
Rather than encouraging his citizens to worship the true God- Nebuchadnezzar now, if not before, knows Who that is- he orders them to commit idolatry.
3:9 They spoke up and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
3:10 You, O king, gave an order that everyone who hears the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, psaltery, bagpipe, and all types of instruments must fall down and worship the golden statue,
3:11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a burning fiery furnace.
3:12 There are certain Jews [in Aramaic: Yehudim] whom you appointed to administer the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; those men pay no heed to you, O king; they do not serve your god or worship the statue of gold that you have set up."
3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in raging fury, ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to be brought; so those men were brought before the king.
3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke to them and said, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my god or worship the statue of gold that I have set up?
3:15 Now if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue that I have made when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all other types of instruments, [well and good]; but if you will not worship, you shall at once be thrown into a burning fiery furnace. What god is there that can save you from my power?"
Note the wording. Nebuchadnezzar is well aware of his actions. He knows this will be a contest between the gods of the Nephilim and the God of the Torah: "What god is there that can save you from my power?" he charges. As discussed, the essence of the Babel Paradigm is that we are all gods and that the king is the high god. Only through obedience to the king may the commoners be elevated. Believing the Nefilim lie, Nebuchadnezzar has come to think that as king, he is superior even to HaShem.
3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego said in reply to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter,
3:17 for if this must happen, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will save us from your power, O king.
3:18 But even if He does not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the statue of gold that you have set up."
There is a vital point here. Emunah (true faith) in HaShem is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. As the many millions of martyrs demonstrate, there is no guarantee that He will rescue us. He certainly can, and when it serves His purposes, He does, but we must always be prepared to die for His glory and purposes if it comes to that. The three Hebrews thought HaShem might intervene and save them, but if not, they were prepared to die, and so must we be.
3:19 Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego that his visage was distorted, and he gave an order to heat up the furnace to seven times its usual heat.
3:20 He commanded some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to throw them into the burning fiery furnace.
3:21 So these men, in their shirts, trousers, hats, and other garments, were bound and thrown into the burning fiery furnace.
3:22 Because the king's order was urgent, and the furnace was heated to excess, a tongue of flame killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
3:23 But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, dropped, bound, into the burning fiery furnace.
3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and, rising in haste, addressed his companions, saying, "Did we not throw three men, bound, into the fire?" They spoke in reply, "Surely, O king."
3:25 He answered, "But I see four men walking about unbound and unharmed in the fire and the fourth looks like a divine being [Aramaic: a ben elochin]."
As Rashi suggests, a more stringent translation would be: '-is like [that of] an angel.' He is saying, 'This is akin to the angel I encountered during my time with Sannecherib, when his armies were consumed by fire, as it is written (II Kings 19: 35): '[And an angel of the Lord went forth] and slew...of the camp of Assyria.' Notably, Nebuchadnezzar fled among the ten who escaped. This parallel between the two accounts invites us to delve deeper into the nature of this 'ben Elohim.'
It's intriguing to note that Nebuchadnezzar was present in both instances, and here draws a comparison between the fourth being and the one he witnessed. However, neither of these texts (here or II Kings 19: 35) provides a definitive identity of this "ben Elohin."
In Aramaic, the "in" ending is the same as the "im" plural ending in Hebrew. The fourth figure resembled one of the ben elohim, one of the sons of God. Typically, this term ben elohim is translated as an "angel," as is supported by verse 28 that states HaShem sent His מַלְאֲכֵהּ֙ or angel. Although as we've discussed all humans are ben elohim, humans are not מלאכים or angels.
Those who argue that this fourth being was Yeshua ben Miriam in a previous form, need to realize that humans and angels are distinct species. This is evident in the plain meaning of the verse, and is further supported by subsequent verses where the king acknowledges: "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who sent His angel or מַלְאֲכֵהּ֙." The Aramaic text and standard translations agree that the being in question was an angel, not a human. < br>< br>
3:26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the hatch of the burning fiery furnace and called, "Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the fire.
3:27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal companions gathered around to look at those men, on whose bodies the fire had had no effect, the hair of whose heads had not been singed, whose shirts looked no different, to whom not even the odor of fire clung.
3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke up and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who sent His angel to save His servants who, trusting in Him, flouted the king's decree at the risk of their lives rather than serve or worship any god but their own God.
3:29 I hereby give an order that [anyone of] any people or nation of whatever language who blasphemes the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb, and his house confiscated, for there is no other God who is able to save in this way."
3:30 Thereupon the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.
3:31 "King Nebuchadnezzar to all people and nations of every language that inhabit the whole earth: May your well-being abound!
3:32 The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to relate.
3:33 How great are His signs; how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion endures throughout the generations."
Alas, this change of heart was not to be permanent either. Some commentators believe these opening chapters are not sequential and that the king had not yet dreamt of the statue in chapter two, but I find no reason to assume this. This statue's creation seems to be the result of what he saw previously. While certain acts of God are more evident than others, people without emunah in HaShem will often, in hindsight, forget or mentally bury the evidence HaShem has granted them, as seems to be the case here with Nebuchadnezzar.
Continue to Chapter Four
* © This series is by John of AllFaith, © April 12, 1997 (last updated April 27,2024)
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