8 For this reason e at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews . 9 They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king : " O king , live forever ! 10 "You, O king , have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn , flute , lyre , trigon , psaltery , and bagpipe and all kinds of music , is to fall down and worship the golden image . 11 "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire . 12 "There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon , namely Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego . These men , O king , have disregarded e e e you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up." 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego ; then these men were brought before the king . 14 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is it true , Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego , that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 "Now if you are ready , at the moment you hear the sound of the horn , flute , lyre , trigon , psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music , to fall down and worship the image that I have made , very well. But if you do not worship , you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire ; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands ?" 16 Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king , "O Nebuchadnezzar , we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter . 17 "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire ; and He will deliver us out of your hand , O king . 18 " But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king , that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath , and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego . He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than e it was usually heated . 20 He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire . 21 Then these men were tied up in their trousers , their coats , their caps and their other clothes , and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire . 22 For this reason e , because e the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot , the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego . 23 But these three men , Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego , fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste ; he said to his high officials , "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire ?" They replied to the king , "Certainly , O king ." 25 He said , "Look ! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm , and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods !" 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire ; he responded and said , "Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego , come out, you servants of the Most High God , and come here !" Then Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire . 27 The satraps , the prefects , the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed , nor were their trousers damaged , nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said , "Blessed be the God of Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego , who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command , and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God . 29 "Therefore I make a decree that any people , nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap , inasmuch e e as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way." 30 Then the king caused Shadrach , Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Daniel 3:8-30
Commentary on Daniel 3:8-18
(Read Daniel 3:8-18)
True devotion calms the spirit, quiets and softens it, but superstition and devotion to false gods inflame men's passions. The matter is put into a little compass, Turn, or burn. Proud men are still ready to say, as Nebuchadnezzar, Who is the Lord, that I should fear his power? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not hesitate whether they should comply or not. Life or death were not to be considered. Those that would avoid sin, must not parley with temptation when that to which we are allured or affrighted is manifestly evil. Stand not to pause about it, but say, as Christ did, Get thee behind me, Satan. They did not contrive an evasive answer, when a direct answer was expected. Those who make their duty their main care, need not be anxious or fearful concerning the event. The faithful servants of God find him able to control and overrule all the powers armed against them. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst. If He be for us, we need not fear what man can do unto us. God will deliver us, either from death or in death. They must obey God rather than man; they must rather suffer than sin; and must not do evil that good may come. Therefore none of these things moved them. The saving them from sinful compliance, was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace, as the saving them out of the fiery furnace was in the kingdom of nature. Fear of man and love of the world, especially want of faith, make men yield to temptation, while a firm persuasion of the truth will deliver them from denying Christ, or being ashamed of him. We are to be meek in our replies, but we must be decided that we will obey God rather than man.
Commentary on Daniel 3:19-27
(Read Daniel 3:19-27)
Let Nebuchadnezzar heat his furnace as hot as he can, a few minutes will finish the torment of those cast into it; but hell-fire tortures, and yet does not kill. Those who worshipped the beast and his image, have no rest, no pause, no moment free from pain, Hebrews 12:29. Could we but see into the eternal world, we should behold the persecuted believer safe from the malice of his foes, while they are exposed to the wrath of God, and tormented in unquenchable fires.
Commentary on Daniel 3:28-30
(Read Daniel 3:28-30)
What God did for these his servants, would help to keep the Jews to their religion while in captivity, and to cure them of idolatry. The miracle brought deep convictions on Nebuchadnezzar. But no abiding change then took place in his conduct. He who preserved these pious Jews in the fiery furnace, is able to uphold us in the hour of temptation, and to keep us from falling into sin.