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English Standard Version

Daniel 3:15

Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abed-Nego;   Coercion;   Conspiracy;   Dulcimer;   Faith;   Flute;   Furnace;   Indictments;   Infidelity;   Meshach;   Mishael;   Music;   Persecution;   Psaltery;   Rulers;   Sackbut;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Boasters;   Children;   Home;   Humility-Pride;   Impiety;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Righteousness-Unrighteousness;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Idolatry;   Persecution;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Flute;   Furnaces;   Image;   Music;   Punishments;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Deliver;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cornet;   Day;   Dulcimer;   Flute;   Meshach;   Psaltery;   Sackbut;   Shadrach;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Day;   Dulcimer;   Flute;   Sackbut;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bagpipe;   Daniel, Book of;   God;   Image, Nebuchadnezzar's;   Zither;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Angels of the Seven Churches;   Dulcimer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Music (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abednego ;   Cornet;   Dulcimer,;   Flute;   Furnace;   Meshach ;   Psaltery;   Sackbut;   Shadrach ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Sackbut;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abednego;   Day;   Dulcimer;   Hour;   Sackbut;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Day;   Dulcimer;   Flute;   Psaltery;   Sackbut,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Day;   Music;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Hour;   Worship;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Fire;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”
Hebrew Names Version
Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to you fall down and worship the image which I have made, [well]: but if you don't worship, you 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?
King James Version
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; 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?
New American Standard Bible
"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 musical instruments, to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you from my hands?"
New Century Version
In a moment you will again hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers, harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments. If you bow down and worship the statue I made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will immediately be thrown into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to save you from my power then?"
Amplified Bible
"Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Now therefore are ye ready when ye heare the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, to fall downe, and worship the image, which I haue made? for if ye worship it not, ye shall be cast immediatly into the middes of an hote fierie fornace: for who is that God, that can deliuer you out of mine handes?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"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?"
Berean Standard Bible
Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown immediately into the burning fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?"
Contemporary English Version
Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don't, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me."
Complete Jewish Bible
All right, then. If you are prepared, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, to fall down and worship the gold statue, very well. But if you won't worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing hot furnace — and what god will save you from my power then?"
Darby Translation
Now if ye be ready at the time that ye hear the sound of the cornet, pipe, lute, sambuca, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast that same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace: and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Easy-to-Read Version
Now when you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must bow down and worship the gold idol. If you are ready to worship the idol I have made, that is good. But if you don't worship it, you will be thrown very quickly into the hot furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!"
George Lamsa Translation
Now if you are ready, at the time you hear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, the harp, the sackbut, the psaltery, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good; but if you do not worship, you shall at once be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is your god that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Good News Translation
Now then, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, oboes, lyres, zithers, harps, and all the other instruments, bow down and worship the statue. If you do not, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Do you think there is any god who can save you?"
Lexham English Bible
Now if you are ready so that when you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, immediately you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god who will rescue you from my hands?"
Literal Translation
Now if you are ready, at the time you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, zither, the lyre, harp, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, fall down and worship the image which I have made. But if you do not worship, in that moment you shall bethrown into the middle of a burning, fiery furnace. And who is that god who shall deliver you out of my hand?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
wel, be redy herafter, when ye heare the noyse of the tropettes, blowne with the harpes, shawmes, psalteries, symphonies and all ye other melodies: that ye fall downe, and worshipe the ymage which I haue made. But yff ye worshipe it not, ye shal be cast immediatly in to an hote burnynge ouen. Let se, what god is there, yt maye delyuer you out of my hondes?
American Standard Version
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 music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made, 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?
Bible in Basic English
Now if you are ready, on hearing the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all sorts of instruments, to go down on your faces in worship before the image which I have made, it is well: but if you will not give worship, that same hour you will be put into a burning and flaming fire; and what god is there who will be able to take you out of my hands?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made [, well]; but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is the god that shall deliver you out of my hands?'
King James Version (1611)
Now if ye be ready that at what time yee heare the sound of the cornet, flute, harpe, sackbut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all kindes of musicke, ye fall downe, and worship the image which I haue made, well: but if yee worship not, ye shall be cast the same houre into the midst of a fierie furnace, and who is that God that shall deliuer you out of my handes?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe therfore be redy when ye heare the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, shawme, psaltries, dulcimers, and al instrumentes of musicke, to fal downe and worship the image whiche I haue made: for if ye worship it not, ye shalbe cast immediatly into the mids of a hot firie fornace: for who is that God that can deliuer you out of my handes?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Now then if ye be ready, whensoever ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, in the same hour ye shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?
English Revised Version
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 music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made, 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?
World English Bible
Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to you fall down and worship the image which I have made, [well]: but if you don't worship, you 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?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Now therfor be ye redi, in what euer our ye heren the sown of trumpe, of pipe, of harpe, of sambuke, of sawtree, and of symphonye, and of al kynde of musikis, bowe ye doun you, and worschipe the ymage which Y made; that if ye worschipen not, in the same our ye schulen be sent in to the furneis of fier brennynge; and who is God, that schal delyuere you fro myn hond?
Update Bible Version
Now if you are ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image which I have made, [well]: but if you don't worship, you 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?
Webster's Bible Translation
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 music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [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?
New English Translation
Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don't pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?"
New King James Version
Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"
New Living Translation
I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?"
New Life Bible
Now if you are ready to get down on your knees and worship the object I have made when you hear the sound of the horns and harps and all kinds of music, very well. But if you will not worship, you will be thrown at once into the fire. And what god is able to save you from my hands?"
New Revised Standard
Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, if ye be ready, at what time ye shall hear the sound of the cornet, the pipe, the lyre, the harp, the psaltery and the bagpipes, and all the instruments of music, ye shall fall down and adore the image which I have made, but, if ye shall not adore, instantly, shall ye be cast into the midst of the burning furnace of fire, - and who is the god that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now, therefore, if you be ready, at what hour soever, you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and symphony, and of all kind of music, prostrate yourselves, and adore the statue which I have made: but if you do not adore, you shall be cast the same hour into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?par
Revised Standard Version
Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well and good; but if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace; and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?"
Young's Literal Translation
Now, lo, ye are ready, so that at the time that ye hear the voice of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sackbut, the psaltery, and the symphony, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and do obeisance to the image that I have made! -- and lo, ye do no obeisance -- in that hour ye are cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; who is that God who doth deliver you out of my hands?'

Contextual Overview

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye hear: Daniel 3:10

harp: Kaithros in Arabic kitharat, Greek ךיטבסב, the guitar.

sackbut: Sabbecha ףבלגץךח, sambuke, a kind of harp.

psaltery: Pesanter, רבכפחסיןם, a stringed instrument struck with a plectrum; probably similar to what is called a psalterium in Egypt, which Hasselquist describes as a large oblique triangle, with two bottoms two inches from each other, and about twenty catguts of different sizes.

dulcimer: Soomphanya probably the same as the Talmudic סמפון [Strong's H5481], a pipe.

ye fall: Luke 4:7, Luke 4:8

well: Daniel 3:17, Exodus 32:32, Luke 13:9

and who: Daniel 3:28, Daniel 3:29, Daniel 6:16, Daniel 6:20, Exodus 5:2, 2 Kings 18:35, 2 Chronicles 32:15-17, Isaiah 36:20, Isaiah 37:23, Matthew 27:43

we are: Matthew 10:19, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11, Luke 21:14, Luke 21:15, Acts 4:8-12, Acts 4:19, Acts 5:29, Acts 6:15, Acts 24:10-13

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:18 - as Pharaoh Judges 18:28 - And there 2 Samuel 6:5 - David 1 Kings 19:2 - if I 2 Kings 18:22 - We trust 2 Kings 18:29 - Let not 2 Chronicles 21:11 - compelled Job 10:7 - and there Psalms 11:3 - what Psalms 12:4 - who Psalms 14:6 - Ye Psalms 71:11 - for there Psalms 73:9 - set Proverbs 30:31 - against Ecclesiastes 2:8 - musical instruments Ecclesiastes 8:4 - the word Isaiah 36:14 - General Isaiah 36:18 - Hath Isaiah 50:2 - have I Isaiah 51:13 - were ready Jeremiah 9:23 - neither Jeremiah 44:16 - we Ezekiel 36:20 - These Daniel 2:9 - there is Daniel 3:5 - the cornet Daniel 3:6 - falleth Daniel 3:20 - to bind Micah 7:10 - Where Matthew 13:42 - cast Matthew 20:25 - exercise dominion John 19:10 - knowest Ephesians 6:9 - forbearing Hebrews 7:25 - he is James 3:5 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"
Genesis 3:3
but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
Genesis 3:4
But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
Genesis 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:10
And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."
Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Genesis 3:14
The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now if ye be ready that at what time ye shall hear,.... The meaning is, that if they were disposed in mind, which the king was very desirous they should, both for his own honour, and for their safety, for whom he had a regard; and were willing to comply with his orders, and readily yield obedience to his will, and worship his idol; the following would be a signal to them, and all would be well with them: or it may be rendered, "when now ye shall be, that at what time ye shall hear" q; for the word signifies future, as well as "ready", and is by some so translated; and the sense is, when it shall be, or for the future, that they should hear

the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music; which was played not once only, but perhaps at certain times every day, and designed to be continued:

ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; it is well; so doing the king's wrath would be appeased, their lives would be preserved, and they continued in his favour, and in their honourable posts:

but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; immediately, without any delay; no reprieve will be granted, and much less a pardon:

and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? he knew their confidence in the God of Israel, which he attempts to break and remove; he foresaw the objection they would make, which he endeavours to anticipate by this proud and vain boast, forgetting what he himself had said, Daniel 2:47.

q הן איתיכון עתידין "si futuri estis", Gejerus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now, if ye be ready, that at what time ... - At the very time; on the very instant. It would seem probable from this that the ceremonies of the consecration of the image were prolonged for a considerable period, so that there was still an opportunity for them to unite in the service if they would. The supposition that such services would be continued through several days is altogether probable, and accords with what was usual on festival occasions. It is remarkable that the king was willing to give them another trial, to see whether they were disposed or not to worship the golden image. To this he might have been led by the apprehension that they had not understood the order, or that they had not duly considered the subject; and possibly by respect for them as faithful officers, and for their countryman Daniel. There seems, moreover, to have been in the bosom of this monarch, with all his pride and passion, a readiness to do justice, and to furnish an opportunity of a fair trial before he proceeded to extremities. See Daniel 2:16, Daniel 2:26, Daniel 2:46-47,

And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? - That is, he either supposed that the God whom they worshipped would not be “able” to deliver them, or that he would not be “disposed” to do it. It was a boast of Sennacherib, when he warred against the Jews, that none of the gods of the nations which he had conquered had been able to rescue the lands over which they presided, and he argued from these premises that the God whom the Hebrews worshipped would not be able to defend their country: “Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” Isaiah 36:18-20. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have reasoned in a similar manner, and with a degree of vain boasting that strongly resembled this, calling their attention to the certain destruction which awaited them if they did not comply with his demand.


 
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