31 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 . 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. 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. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed : "To you the command is given , O peoples , nations and men of every language , 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. 6 "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Daniel 3:1-6
Commentary on Daniel 3:1-7
(Read Daniel 3:1-7)
In the height of the image, about thirty yards, probably is included a pedestal, and most likely it was only covered with plates of gold, not a solid mass of that precious metal. Pride and bigotry cause men to require their subjects to follow their religion, whether right or wrong, and when worldly interest allures, and punishment overawes, few refuse. This is easy to the careless, the sensual, and the infidel, who are the greatest number; and most will go their ways. There is nothing so bad which the careless world will not be drawn to by a concert of music, or driven to by a fiery furnace. By such methods, false worship has been set up and maintained.