Nebuchadnezzar erects a ninety-foot golden image on the plain of Dura and commands universal worship under penalty of death in a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow, declaring that their God can deliver them but even if He does not, they will not serve false gods; cast into the superheated furnace, they walk unharmed with a fourth figure like a son of the gods, prompting the king's decree honoring their God.
Read Daniel Chapter 3 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Daniel
Faithful Jewish exile who served in Babylonian and Persian courts
Nebuchadnezzar
Babylonian king who had troubling dreams and eventually acknowledged God
Shadrach
One of Daniel's three friends who survived the fiery furnace
Meshach
One of Daniel's three friends who survived the fiery furnace
Abednego
One of Daniel's three friends who survived the fiery furnace
Places in This Chapter
Position in Book
Life in ExileChapters 1-6
Daniel's faithfulness in diet, interpreting dreams, fiery furnace, lions' den, handwriting on the wall.
Apocalyptic VisionsChapters 7-12
Bible Bites
Written in two languages
The book of Daniel switches languages mid-sentence in chapter 2:4, moving from Hebrew to Aramaic and back to Hebrew in chapter 8. The Aramaic section (2:4-7:28) focuses on Gentile kingdoms, while Hebrew sections address Israel specifically.
Daniel 2:4Half History, Half Prophecy
Daniel's 12 chapters divide into two distinct sections: chapters 1-6 contain historical narratives (including the fiery furnace and lions' den), while chapters 7-12 record apocalyptic visions of future kingdoms. Remarkably, chapters 2-7 were written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
Daniel