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Friday, September 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Good News Translation

Daniel 3:24

Suddenly Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement. He asked his officials, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the blazing furnace?" They answered, "Yes, we did, Your Majesty."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abed-Nego;   Coercion;   Faith;   Furnace;   Indictments;   Meshach;   Miracles;   Mishael;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   The Topic Concordance - Jesus Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Persecution;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abednego;   Furnaces;   Image;   Punishments;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Meshach;   Shadrach;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Furnace;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Daniel, Book of;   God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Apocrypha;   Counsellor;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abednego ;   Counsellor;   Furnace;   Meshach ;   Miracles;   Shadrach ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Sackbut;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abednego;   Chief parables and miracles in the bible;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Astonished;   Bel and the Dragon (2);   Dress;   Song of the Three Children;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?”
Hebrew Names Version
Then Nevukhadnetztzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said to his counselors, Didn't we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, True, O king.
King James Version
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, 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.
English Standard Version
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
New American Standard Bible
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up quickly; he said to his counselors, "Was it not three men that we threw bound into the middle of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Absolutely, O king."
New Century Version
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was so surprised that he jumped to his feet. He asked the men who advised him, "Didn't we tie up only three men and throw them into the fire?" They answered, "Yes, O king."
Amplified Bible
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [looked and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, "Did we not throw three men who were tied up into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Nebuchad-nezzar the King was astonied and rose vp in haste, and spake, and saide vnto his counsellers, Did not wee cast three men bound into the middes of the fire? Who answered and said vnto the King, It is true, O King.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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."
Berean Standard Bible
Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, "Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?" "Certainly, O king," they replied.
Contemporary English Version
Suddenly the king jumped up and shouted, "Weren't only three men tied up and thrown into the fire?" "Yes, Your Majesty," the people answered.
Complete Jewish Bible
Suddenly N'vukhadnetzar sprang to his feet. Alarmed, he asked his advisers, "Didn't we throw three men, bound, into the flames?" They answered the king, "Yes, of course, your majesty."
Darby Translation
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste; he spoke and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet. He was very surprised and he asked his advisors, "We tied only three men, and we threw only three men into the fire. Is that right?" His advisors said, "Yes, King."
George Lamsa Translation
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was alarmed and rose up in a great fear, and spoke and said to his princes, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king.
Lexham English Bible
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and he rose up in haste and he asked, saying to his advisers, "Did we not throw three men, bound, into the midst of the fire? They answered, saying to the king, "Certainly, O king!"
Literal Translation
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed. And he rose up in haste; he spoke and said to his royal officials, Did we not throw three men bound into the middle of the fire? They replied and said to the king, True, O king.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then Nabuchodonosor the kynge marueled, and stode vp in all haist: he spake vnto his councel and sayde: dyd not ye cast these thre men bounde in to the fyre? They answered, and sayde vnto the kynge: Yee o kynge.
American Standard Version
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he 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.
Bible in Basic English
Then King Nebuchadnezzar, full of fear and wonder, got up quickly, and said to his wise men, Did we not put three men in cords into the fire? and they made answer and said to the king, True, O King.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was alarmed, and rose up in haste; he spoke and said unto his ministers: 'Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?' They answered and said unto the king: 'True, O king.'
King James Version (1611)
Then Nebuchad-nezzar the king was astonied, and rose vp in haste, and spake and said vnto his counsellers, Did not wee cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said vnto the king; True, O king.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Nabuchodonozor the king was astonied, & rose vp in all haste: he spake vnto his counsel, and sayd, Dyd not we cast three men bounde into the mids of the fire? They aunswered and sayde vnto the king: It is true, O king.
English Revised Version
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste: he 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.
World English Bible
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said to his counselors, Didn't we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, True, O king.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne kyng Nabugodonosor was astonyed, and roos hastily, and seide to hise beste men, Whether we senten not thre men feterid in to the myddis of the fier? Whiche answeriden the kyng, and seiden, Verili, kyng.
Update Bible Version
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in a hurry: he spoke and said to his counselors, Didn't we cast three [prominent] men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, [and] spoke, and said to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king.
New English Translation
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and quickly got up. He said to his ministers, "Wasn't it three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied to the king, "For sure, O king."
New King James Version
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
New Living Translation
But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?" "Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did," they replied.
New Life Bible
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was very surprised and stood up in a hurry. He said to his leaders, "Did we not throw three men who were tied up into the fire?" They answered, "That is true, O king."
New Revised Standard
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counselors, "Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?" They answered the king, "True, O king."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, Nebuchadnezzar the king, was amazed, and rose up in haste: he spake and said to his nearest friends - Were there not three men, we cast into the midst of the fire, fast bound? They answered and said to the king, Surely, O king!
Douay-Rheims Bible
24 [91] [fn] Then Nabuchodonosor the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles: Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, and said: True, O king.
Revised Standard Version
Then King Nebuchadnez'zar was astonished and rose up in haste. He said to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered the king, "True, O king."
Young's Literal Translation
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king hath been astonished, and hath risen in haste; he hath answered and said to his counsellors, `Have we not cast three men into the midst of the fire -- bound?' They have answered and are saying to the king, `Certainly, O king.'
THE MESSAGE
Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, "Didn't we throw three men, bound hand and foot, into the fire?" "That's right, O king," they said.

Contextual Overview

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar lost his temper, and his face turned red with anger at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 And he commanded the strongest men in his army to tie the three men up and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up, fully dressed—shirts, robes, caps, and all—and threw them into the blazing furnace. 22 Now because the king had given strict orders for the furnace to be made extremely hot, the flames burned up the guards who took the men to the furnace. 23 Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the heart of the blazing fire. 24 Suddenly Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement. He asked his officials, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the blazing furnace?" They answered, "Yes, we did, Your Majesty." 25 "Then why do I see four men walking around in the fire?" he asked. "They are not tied up, and they show no sign of being hurt—and the fourth one looks like an angel." 26 So Nebuchadnezzar went up to the door of the blazing furnace and called out, "Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Servants of the Supreme God! Come out!" And they came out at once. 27 All the princes, governors, lieutenant governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

astonied: Daniel 5:6, Acts 5:23-25, Acts 9:6, Acts 12:13

counsellors: or, governors, Daniel 3:2, Daniel 3:3

O king: Daniel 3:9, Daniel 3:10, Daniel 3:17, Daniel 4:22, Daniel 4:27, Daniel 5:18, Daniel 6:7, Daniel 6:22, 1 Samuel 17:55, Acts 26:13, Acts 26:27

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 38:16 - that the Acts 12:7 - And his

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
"We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered,
Genesis 3:8
That evening they heard the Lord God walking in the garden, and they hid from him among the trees.
Genesis 3:9
But the Lord God called out to the man, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:16
And he said to the woman, "I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth. In spite of this, you will still have desire for your husband, yet you will be subject to him."
Genesis 3:17
And he said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate the fruit which I told you not to eat. Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse. You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you.
Genesis 3:18
It will produce weeds and thorns, and you will have to eat wild plants.
Genesis 3:22
Then the Lord God said, "Now these human beings have become like one of us and have knowledge of what is good and what is bad. They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever."
Exodus 25:2
"Tell the Israelites to make an offering to me. Receive whatever offerings anyone wishes to give.
Numbers 22:23
When the donkey saw the angel standing there holding a sword, it left the road and turned into the fields. Balaam beat the donkey and brought it back onto the road.
Joshua 5:13
While Joshua was near Jericho, he suddenly saw a man standing in front of him, holding a sword. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you one of our soldiers, or an enemy?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, At the burning of those that cast the three men into the furnace, as Jacchiades; or he might be seized with a panic, and his spirits filled with fear and dread, the word u is by some said to signify, and this from the immediate hand of God:

and rose up in haste; from the place where he was, and went to the mouth of the furnace, to see what was become of those that were cast into it:

and spake and said unto his counsellors; who had advised him to do what he had done, out of envy and ill will to these Jews:

did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? that is, was there not an order of council for it? and was it not done according to it?

they answered and said, true, O King; it was certainly so: thus they are brought to bear a testimony to the truth of this; it was not only the king that gave the orders, and saw them obeyed, but his counsellors also; and which they own, and serves to corroborate the truth of the miracle.

u תוה "expavit", Munster, Piscator, Michaelis; "trepidavit", Gejerus; so Ben Melech from the Targum on Gen. xxvii. 33; "trepidus", Junius & Tremellius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then, Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied - The word “astonied,” which occurs several times in our translation Ezra 9:3; Job 17:8; Job 18:20; Ezekiel 4:17; Daniel 3:24; Daniel 4:19; Daniel 5:9, is but another form for “astonished,” and expresses wonder or amazement. The reasons of the wonder here were that the men who were bound when cast into the furnace were seen alive, and walking unbound; that to them a fourth person was added, walking with them; and that the fourth had the appearance of a Divine personage. It would seem from this, that the furnace was so made that one could conveniently see into it, and also that the king remained near to it to witness the result of the execution of his own order.

And rose up in haste - He would naturally express his surprise to his counselors, and ask an explanation of the remarkable occurrence which he witnessed. “And spake, and said unto his counselors.” Margin, “governors.” The word used here (הדברין haddâberı̂yn) occurs only here and in Daniel 3:27; Daniel 4:36; Daniel 6:7. It is rendered “counselors” in each case. The Vulgate renders it “optimatibus;” the Septuagint, μεγιστᾶσιν megistasin - his nobles, or distinguished men. The word would seem to mean those who were authorized to “speak” (from דבר dâbar); that is, those authorized to give counsel; ministers of state, viziers, cabinet counselors.

Did not we cast three men bound ... - The emphasis here is on the words “three,” and “bound.” It was now a matter of astonishment that there were “four,” and that they were all “loose.” It is not to be supposed that Nebuchadnezzar had any doubt on this subject, or that his recollection had so soon failed him, but this manner of introducing the subject is adopted in order to fix the attention strongly on the fact to which he was about to call their attention, and which was to him so much a matter of surprise.


 
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