1 NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king made an image of gold, [ This "image" sounds an awful lot like the "image" in the king's dream from the previous chapter. There we saw a huge statue with a gold head, which Daniel equated with the king. Now this almost sounds as though the king has taken Daniel's equation between the statue's head and himself way too literally. so, perhaps what is happening here is the king has become egomaniacal and erected this statue in his own honor. This would then explain why he was so angry when the Jews refused to worship it, because then it is an insult to his royal person.] whose height was threescore cubits, [ About 90 feet high. ] and the breadth thereof six cubits: [ About 9 feet wide. So this is a big statue. ] he set it up in the plain of Dura, [ About 12 miles south of Babylon. ] 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 [ This is a royal affair, one that could have had thousands in attendance. Anyone with any kind of prominence in Babylon. ] 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, [ A triangular shaped stringed instrument. ] dulcimer, [ Like a bagpipe. ] and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image [ Most likely the image was gold plated as an image that size of solid gold would have had immense weight. ] that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

6 And whoso falleth not down [ This is serious. This is because Nebuchadnezzar wants to be honored for this great monument that he has put into place. ] and worshippeth shall the same hour [ There is no trial, no time or purpose for judgement. If the music happens you better drop to your knees immediately. ] 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. [ These particular Chaldeans were unfavorably disposed towards the Jews previously and were now using the present situation to have them executed. As Grandma would say they just kept stirring the pot - kept things in contention. ]

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: [ They are exact in what they quote here. They quoted exactly the same words given by the King in his decree. This is done to reinforce the idea that the king cannot every change his mind, but must hold true to his word. ]

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, [ They held important positions within the government. Nebuchadnezzar would have known exactly who they were as they would have been schooled for some 3 years in chapter one, at that time they came to the attention of the King that there were none like them. Interesting that Daniel is not listed here. Why? We don't know. ] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: [ Accusation number one. These men do not respect thee. ] they serve not thy gods, [ Accusation number two. They will not worship the national Gods. ] nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. [ Accusation number three. They will not bow to the image that you created. (Ex. 20:3-5 This was their law, they knew it and they were keeping them - at the expense of their lives.)]

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; [ He now is quoting his royal command to them - the charge to which they are being accused of. He is in a way giving them a second chance. As if to say surely you must have missed the decree. So now I am retelling it to you for your sake. They would have been well known and I don't think that Nebuchadnezzar wants to kill them. ] 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? [ And to my knowledge there is no God that could save you from the fiery furnace. So in a way Nebuchadnezzar has issued a challenge to God to show his hand. "Who is that God" he is about to find out. Remember they had all kind of Gods but he has no idea of what God you would pray too in order to escape death by fire in a furnace. ]

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. [ Explained in Matthew 10:19; D&C 84:85. ]

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, [ This is an example of true faith here. They just said that they believed that God would deliver them, and here they say that even if he does not deliver them they will still have the faith to know that he is indeed their God. They knew that they could trust God even if things did not turn out the way they wanted. So faith then in total TRUST IN HIM. ] 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 [ He knows who these three are, he knows that he has issued a royal decree and there is no wiggle room with it. So he knows that he must send these three young men to death, and he is not happy. He is as if you will just do as I asked everything will be ok but you still refuse. ] against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times [ To the perfect heat, as hot as it was able to be heated. ] more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, [ (Isaiah 43:1-2) ] and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, [ A tunic. ] and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. [ So kind of like they were dropped in from the top. There was no way to escape. At the bottom of the furnace there would have been a place in which to feed the fire, and it appears as if there was a place to watch what happens in the furnace as well. ]

22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. [ We get an idea of how hot it was, because those soldiers that pushed them into the furnace were killed by the heat as they got close to the point where the push in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Barn fire - just how hot, burn your lungs. All this demonstrates the power of the Lord in their deliverance. ]

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, [ James E. Talmage said that this is the great lesson in this chapter is this verse. That if there is three, there had better be four. The great lesson here is that God watches over his servants and helps them. ] and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the son of God. [ Should be better rendered as "as a son of the Gods" as he has no understanding of God or angels, of a living God as he only understand the idolatrous Gods. ]

26 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, [ This is what started it all. Thousands of dignitaries would have been invited from all over for the dedication of this large golden image. ] saw these men, [ Wow what a powerful testimony. Thousands see the miracle. ] upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, [ This does not mean that he has been converted, he is a heathen, he does not understand other than well we need to add one more God to the list of Gods that we will accept and worship. So as if to say well this new God has power too. ] who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29  Therefore I make a decree, [ So this decree is not just for these three boys but it applies to all of the house of Israel who finds themselves in bondage in Babylon. This would have been a blessing to every Jew that lived in the Babylonian area. ] That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

30 Then the king promoted [ Gave them greater positions of responsibility, more authority, power and honor. ] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.