נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא עֲבַד צְלֵם דִּי־דְהַב רוּמֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁתִּין פְּתָיֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁת אֲקִימֵהּ בְּבִקְעַת דּוּרָא בִּמְדִינַת בָּבֶל

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold; its height was sixty cubits, about thirty meters, and its width six cubits. Although it was apparently in human form, the limbs of the image were not entirely proportionate in size. He erected it in the plain of Dura, a name that is used in reference to several different locations, in the province of Babylonia.

וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא שְׁלַח לְמִכְנַשׁ לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא סִגְנַיָּא וּפַחֲוָתָא אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּא גְדָבְרַיָּא דְּתָבְרַיָּא תִּפְתָּיֵא וְכֹל שִׁלְטֹנֵי מְדִינָתָא לְמֵתֵא לַחֲנֻכַּת צַלְמָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא

King Nebuchadnezzar sent a command to assemble the satraps, who ruled over large regions, the senior prefects, second-in-command to the satraps, and the governors, rulers over smaller provinces, including, at a later stage, the small state of Judah, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the officers, and all the rulers of the provinces. All these functionaries were invited to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

בֵּאדַיִן מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא סִגְנַיָּא וּפַחֲוָתָא אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּא גְדָבְרַיָּא דְּתָבְרַיָּא תִּפְתָּיֵא וְכֹל שִׁלְטֹנֵי מְדִינָתָא לַחֲנֻכַּת צַלְמָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא וְקָיְמִין לָקֳבֵל צַלְמָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּר

Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the officers, and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

וְכָרוֹזָא קָרֵא בְחָיִל לְכוֹן אָמְרִין עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא

The herald cried out forcefully: It is commanded to you, peoples, groups defined by the area where they live, nations, ethnic groups, and languages, groups that speak the same language or dialect:

בְּעִדָּנָא דִּי־תִשְׁמְעוּן קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס סַבְּכָא פְסַנְתֵּרִין סוּמְפֹּנְיָה וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא תִּפְּלוּן וְתִסְגְּדוּן לְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא

When you hear the sound of the horn,the pipe, the lyre, an ornamented string instrument, the sambuca, a small, triangular lyre, the psaltery, an instrument with many strings or keys, the bagpipe, perhaps an instrument that was able to join together many diverse sounds, and all types of musical instruments, when this impressive, loud music is played, which serves as a sign for those not in the immediate vicinity as well, you shall fall on your faces and prostrate yourselves before the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected.

וּמַן־דִּי־לָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָא יִתְרְמֵא לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא

Whoever does not fall and prostrate himself, at that moment, he will be sentenced and cast into a burning fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar’s determination was expressed through his invitation to all dignitaries from every state, the instruction concerning the musical signal that would be heard from afar, obligating all residents to bow down to the image, and his warning to anyone who might think of disobeying his decree of the cruel death that awaited them.

כָּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה בֵּהּ זִמְנָא כְּדִי שָׁמְעִין כָּל־עַמְמַיָּא קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְּסַנְטֵרִין וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא נָפְלִין כָּל־עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא סָגְדִין לְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא

Thereupon, faced with this threat, at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the sambuca, the psaltery, and all types of musical instruments, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, people who speak the same language or dialect, fell and prostrated themselves to the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

כָּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה בֵּהּ זִמְנָא קְרִבוּ גֻּבְרִין כַּשְׂדָּאִין וַאֲכַלוּ קַרְצֵיהוֹן דִּי יְהוּדָיֵא

Thereupon, at that time, certain Chaldean men approached and informed on the Judeans.

עֲנוֹ וְאָמְרִין לִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמִין חֱיִי

They spoke, saying to King Nebuchadnezzar: O king, live forever. A call similar to “long live the king,” which was and is customary in many languages and countries.

אַנְתְּ מַלְכָּא שָׂמְתָּ טְעֵם דִּי כָל־אֱנָשׁ דִּי־יִשְׁמַע קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְסַנְתֵּרִין וְסוּפֹּנְיָה וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד לְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא

You, O king, issued a directive, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the sambuca, the psaltery, the bagpipe, and all types of musical instruments, shall fall and prostrate himself before the golden image,

וּמַן־דִּי־לָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד יִתְרְמֵא לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא

and whoever does not fall and prostrate himself will be cast into a burning fiery furnace.

אִיתַי גֻּבְרִין יְהוּדָאיִן דִּי־מַנִּיתָ יָתְהוֹן עַל־עֲבִידַת מְדִינַת בָּבֶל שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ לָא־שָׂמוּ עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא טְעֵם לֵאלָהָךְ לָא פָלְחִין וּלְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵימְתָּ לָא סָגְדִין

There are certain Judean men whom you appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylonia: Shadrakh, Hananya, Meshakh, Mishael, and Aved Nego, Azarya. Although it was Daniel who initiated the appointment of his friends, since the king approved the appointments (see 2:49), these Chaldeans are correct in ascribing the decision to the king. They continued: These men, O king, do not pay attention to you, they take no notice of you: They do not worship your gods, and they do not prostrate themselves to the golden image that you have erected. You commanded that all who hear must participate in the ritual you established, and yet your own men, whom you appointed to senior positions in your government, have flouted your order.

בֵּאדַיִן נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר בִּרְגַז וַחֲמָא אֲמַר לְהַיְתָיָה לְשַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ בֵּאדַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ הֵיתָיוּ קֳדָם מַלְכָּא

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, said to bring Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego. Then these men were brought before the king.

עָנֵה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וְאָמַר לְהוֹן הַצְדָּא שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ לֵאלָהַי לָא אִיתֵיכוֹן פָּלְחִין וּלְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵימֶת לָא סָגְדִין

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them: Impudence! Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, you do not worship my gods, and you do not prostrate yourselves to the golden image that I have erected? Since they refused to obey the king’s order, he could have thrown them into the furnace without delay. However, it is possible that since he knew them and was fond of them, he gave them another chance.

כְּעַן הֵן אִיתֵיכוֹן עֲתִידִין דִּי בְעִדָּנָא דִּי־תִשְׁמְעוּן קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְּסַנְתֵּרִין וְסוּמְפּוֹנְיָה וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא תִּפְּלוּן וְתִסְגְּדוּן לְצַלְמָא דִי־עַבְדֵת; וְהֵן לָא תִסְגְּדוּן בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָא תִתְרְמוֹן לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא וּמַן־הוּא אֱלָהּ דִּי יְשֵׁיזְבִנְכוֹן מִן־יְדָי

Now, if you are prepared that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the sambuca, the psaltery, and the bagpipe, and all types of musical instruments, you fall and prostrate yourselves to the image that I made, then all is well; but if you do not prostrate yourselves, at that time you will be cast into the burning fiery furnace; who is the god who will save you from my hands?

עֲנוֹ שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ וְאָמְרִין לְמַלְכָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לָא־חַשְׁחִין אֲנַחְנָא עַל־דְּנָה פִּתְגָם לַהֲתָבוּתָךְ

Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego spoke, saying to the king: Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to reply to you, to ponder or say anything more in this matter.

הֵן אִיתַי אֱלָהָנָא דִּי־אֲנַחְנָא פָלְחִין יָכִל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתַנָא מִן־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא וּמִן־יְדָךְ מַלְכָּא יְשֵׁיזִב

Behold our God, whom we worship, exists; He is able to save us from the burning, fiery furnace, and will save us from your hand, O king. The false gods of the other nations are unable to save their adherents, but our God will rescue us from both the furnace and from your grasp.

וְהֵן לָא יְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵא־לָךְ מַלְכָּא דִּי לֵאלָהָךְ לָא־אִיתָנָא פָלְחִין וּלְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵימְתָּ לָא נִסְגֻּד

Behold, even if He will not deliver us, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden image that you have erected. They could have used an excuse for their inaction, by saying that they didn’t hear the instruments, or that they were busy with some administrative task, but instead they admitted that they refused to bow down before the image. Furthermore, they declared sharply and unambiguously that they did not believe in idolatry and would not worship the image.

בֵּאדַיִן נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הִתְמְלִי חֱמָא וּצְלֵם אַנְפּוֹהִי אֶשְׁתַּנִּי עַל־שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ עָנֵה וְאָמַר לְמֵזֵא לְאַתּוּנָא חַד־שִׁבְעָה עַל דִּי חֲזֵה לְמֵזְיֵהּ

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury against Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, and the expression on his face was distorted with anger; he spoke, saying in his rage to heat the furnace seven times more than it was fit to be heated, so that the fire would be fierce enough to burn all three men instantly.

וּלְגֻבְרִין גִּבָּרֵי־חַיִל דִּי בְחַיְלֵהּ אֲמַר לְכַפָּתָה לְשַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ לְמִרְמֵא לְאַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא

He said to mighty warriors who were in his forces to bind Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, to tie them by their hands and feet, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

בֵּאדַיִן גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ כְּפִתוּ בְּסַרְבָּלֵיהוֹן פַּטְּשֵׁיהוֹן וְכַרְבְּלָתְהוֹן וּלְבוּשֵׁיהוֹן וּרְמִיו לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא

Then these men were bound in their trousers, alternatively, their cloaks, their tunics,their hats, and their garments, and were cast into the burning fiery furnace. The three men insisted that they should not enter the fiery furnace in a lowly, demeaned state, but with pride, dressed in their finest garments.

כָּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה מִן־דִּי מִלַּת מַלְכָּא מַחְצְפָה וְאַתּוּנָא אֵזֵה יַתִּירָה גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ דִּי הַסִּקוּ לְשַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ קַטִּל הִמּוֹן שְׁבִיבָא דִּי נוּרָא

Thereupon, because the king’s commandment was peremptory, and the furnace was exceedingly hot, a flare of fire killed those men who took up Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego to the mouth of the furnace. Generally, a pillar of fire emerges from a furnace, but in this case the fire was so fierce that the furnace emitted many flames, one of which burned the guards bringing Hananya, Mishael, and Azarya.

וְגֻבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ תְּלָתֵּהוֹן שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ נְפַלוּ לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן־נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא מְכַפְּתִין

And these three men, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. It seems that they were brought to the opening of the furnace. When the flames then emerged and burned those standing around them, they were flung inside.

אֱדַיִן נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא תְּוַהּ וְקָם בְּהִתְבְּהָלָה עֲנֵה וְאָמַר לְהַדָּבְרוֹהִי הֲלָא גֻבְרִין תְּלָתָה רְמֵינָא לְגוֹא־נוּרָא מְכַפְּתִין עָנַיִן וְאָמְרִין לְמַלְכָּא יַצִּיבָא מַלְכָּא

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose from his seat in haste, and spoke, saying to his commanders: Didn’t we cast three bound men into the midst of the fire? They spoke, saying to the king: True, O king.

עָנֵה וְאָמַר הָא־אֲנָה חָזֵה גֻּבְרִין אַרְבְּעָה שְׁרַיִן מַהְלְכִין בְּגוֹא־נוּרָא וַחֲבָל לָא־אִיתַי בְּהוֹן וְרֵוֵהּ דִּי רְבִיעָאָה דָּמֵה לְבַר־אֱלָהִין

He spoke, saying: I see four unbound men walking in the fire, and no harm comes to them. They are strolling inside the furnace like people walking on the street, with no signs of suffering any harm. And the fourth resembles a son of the gods.

בֵּאדַיִן קְרֵב נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לִתְרַע אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא עָנֵה וְאָמַר שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד־נְגוֹ עַבְדוֹהִי דִּי־אֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה פֻּקוּ וֶאֱתוֹ בֵּאדַיִן נָפְקִין שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ מִן־גּוֹא נוּרָא

Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the gate of the burning fiery furnace; he spoke, saying: Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, servants of God Most High, emerge and come. I permit you to leave the furnace. Then Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego emerged from within the fire. The fourth figure did not emerge, as he did not only look like an angel, he actually was an angel.

וּמִתְכַּנְּשִׁין אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא סִגְנַיָּא וּפַחֲוָתָא וְהַדָּבְרֵי מַלְכָּא חָזַיִן לְגֻבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ דִּי לָא־שְׁלֵט נוּרָא בְּגֶשְׁמְהוֹן וּשְׂעַר רֵאשְׁהוֹן לָא הִתְחָרַךְ וְסַרְבָּלֵיהוֹן לָא שְׁנוֹ וְרֵיחַ נוּר לָא עֲדָת בְּהוֹן

The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s commanders, the officials the king had invited, assembled and saw these men, that the fire did not take hold of their bodies, the hair of their head was not singed, their trousers were unchanged by the fire, and the odor of fire did not cover them. They had emerged from inside a fire that was so powerful that the soldiers who had stood too close were killed by its flames, and yet they were not harmed by it at all, not their bodies, nor their hair, nor their clothing.

עָנֵה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וְאָמַר בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֲהוֹן דִּי שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ דִּי־שְׁלַח מַלְאֲכֵהּ וְשֵׁיזִב לְעַבְדוֹהִי דִּי הִתְרְחִצוּ עֲלוֹהִי וּמִלַּת מַלְכָּא שַׁנִּיו וִיהַבוּ גֶשְׁמְהוֹן דִּי לָא־יִפְלְחוּן וְלָא־יִסְגְּדוּן לְכָל־אֱלָהּ לָהֵן לֵאלָהֲהוֹן

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying: Blessed is the God of Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, who sent His angel, and saved His servants, who trusted in Him and defied the king’s word and sacrificed their bodies so as not to worship and not to prostrate themselves to any god except their God. Idol worshippers who saw Nebuchadnezzar’s new deity were willing to accept the command of the king, who perhaps sought to establish a new religion, as it did not bother them to add one more god to the idols they already worshipped. By contrast, these three men were willing to place themselves in great danger out of loyalty to God.

וּמִנִּי שִׂים טְעֵם דִּי כָל־עַם אֻמָּה וְלִשָּׁן דִּי־יֵאמַר שָׁלוּ עַל־אֱלָהֲהוֹן דִּי שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹא הַדָּמִין יִתְעֲבֵד וּבַיְתֵהּ נְוָלִי יִשְׁתַּוֵּה כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי לָא אִיתַי אֱלָהּ אָחֳרָן דִּי־יִכֻּל לְהַצָּלָה כִּדְנָה

And from me is issued a decree that any people, nation, or language, groups that speak the same language or dialect, that says anything amiss against the God of Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego will be rendered into pieces, and their houses will be made a dunghill, since there is no other god that is capable of salvation of this sort. Nebuchadnezzar was a capricious individual, yet nevertheless he was willing to acknowledge the truth and was not ashamed to admit his error.

בֵּאדַיִן מַלְכָּא הַצְלַח לְשַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ בִּמְדִינַת בָּבֶל

Then, after witnessing the miracle that occurred to them when they fulfilled the will of God, the king promoted, or bestowed favors upon, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego in the province of Babylonia.

נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא לְכָל־עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא דִּי־דָיְרִין בְּכָל־אַרְעָא שְׁלָמְכוֹן יִשְׂגֵּא

From King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, groups that speak the same language or dialect, that reside in the entire earth: May your peace be abundant. This is a standard opening of a letter, which bears the name of the sender and the recipients, followed by a greeting of peace.

אָתַיָּא וְתִמְהַיָּא דִּי עֲבַד עִמִּי אֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה שְׁפַר קָדָמַי לְהַחֲוָיָה

It is pleasing for me to relate the signs and the wonders that God Most High has performed with me. I wish to share with you the marvels that God has performed for me.

אָתוֹהִי כְּמָה רַבְרְבִין וְתִמְהוֹהִי כְּמָה תַקִּיפִין מַלְכוּתֵהּ מַלְכוּת עָלַם וְשָׁלְטָנֵהּ עִם־דָּר וְדָר

How great are His signs, His miracles, and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation, in each and every generation. King Nebuchadnezzar declares to all the nations, both those who are under his dominion and those who are not, the content of the revelation he received: There is a supreme God who reigns over all places and all times.