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Daniel 3:13-23
Author:
Arthur Bardis
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 For this reason, because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
Textual Context Daniel 3:13-23 is located in the first major division of the book (chapters 1-6), which are largely historical in content. The set passage belongs in the category of stories within chapters 1-6 that convey the rehabilitation of God’s ministers following court conflict and disgrace, and furthermore act as an introduction to chapters 7-12. Daniel 3 can be seen as a court conflict pertaining to three Jewish administrators. Daniel 3:13-23 may be entitled as “the confrontation between Nebuchadnezzar and the three Jewish men and their condemnation to be thrown into the furnace, after their refusal to worship the golden statue.”
Thematic/Theological Context The verses of 3:13-23 follow after the ceremony and the erection of Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, and the difficulty that becomes perceptible in verses 8-12. The story of chapter 3 narrates of how the three faithful Jewish administrators are accused, condemned, executed, delivered by their Almighty God and then promoted by the earthly Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. The court narrative in Daniel 3 follows from the building of a statue that arose from seeing a visionary statue in chapter 2. The preceding verses of 3:23-30 portray God’s miraculous deliverance, and Nebuchadnezzar’s second submission to the Lord of lords.
The theological significance of verses 13-23 is the proposition of a certain religious lifestyle for the displaced Jews that opposes compromise with idolatry and affirms Yahweh’s religion of the Jewish nation.
Literary Features This passage belongs to the Aramaic portion of Daniel and it seems to be part of a chiastic structure of chapters 2-7. Furthermore it has a genre of narrative framework with a tales of court conflict combining “factual allusions and traditional motifs.”[1] There is extensive use of repetition that conveys a sense of satire and polemic against idolatry in the story.[2] In some other instances there is recurrence of words or phrases with different meanings.
Commentary
Verses 13-18 These verses may be entitle as “the response of the three Jews on Nebuchadnezzar’s’ Request to worship the statue.” The refusal of Sadrach. Meshach and Abed-nego to worship the idol caused great fury on the king, and thus they were called before him. The word rendered to be fury means wrath, and it shows that the king was a man of violent infatuations. The fact that he did not order them to be slain as he did for the Chaldeans in 2:12 may suggest that the king still had some respect for these Jewish administrators.
Nebuchadnezzar’s rage parallels the fury he expressed to the Chaldean’s in 2: 46-49, and this reaction suggests that the statue not only represents religious and national loyalty but it also personifies Nebuchadnezzar’s own standing.
Verse 15 seems to be a direct challenge to YHWH to deliver the three men from the king’s power. The statement of “what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” is one that suggests that Nebuchadnezzar’s sovereignty was greater and mightier of YWHH’s[3]. The meaning of this expression seems to be, “is it your determined purpose not to worship my gods?” “This is also apparent from the fact that the king proposes to try them on point, giving them still an opportunity to comply with the command.”[4] Nebuchadnezzar was willing to extent the ceremony of the consecration and this might have been led by a supposition that they had not understood the order.
In vv 16-18 the response to a crisis comes by the faithful men of God. They reiterate their faith in YHWH and claim that God has the ability to deliver them, though they deny knowledge of His will. In contrast, Daniel in chapter 2 did claim the prophetic ability to interpret the dream even before it was given to him by God. The existence of YHWH is “expressed hypothetically; but neither nor the reader regards His existence as uncertain.”[5]
The expression “we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter” means to have need, or according to the Vulgate it is not needful of us. The LXX renders it as we have no need. The meaning therefore is that it was no necessary that they should reply as they had already decided that they could not worship the image, and so they through themselves utterly upon the mercy of YHWH.
Verses 19-23 These verses may be entitled as” the fire of the king’s wrath.” The Babylonian king is infuriated at the rights of YHWH being illustrious than his, and he decides to seal the fate of the three young men along with that of the God they worship.
In vs 19 the phrase “seven times” may be reminiscent of expressions used in the Babylonian multiplication tables. “The numbers seven is taken by some to be the indefinite expression of a round number; by others to indicate intensity, but probably, it has a proverbial sense and a judicial bearing as indicating fullness or satisfaction of atonement.” [6] The Chaldee word for “other cloths” in v 21, means the long and wide pantaloons which are worn by Orientals
So urgent was Nebuchadnezzar’s command and so hot was the furnace that the men that threw the three Jewish men in died, as they approached the very mouth of the furnace. Verse 23 serves to emphasise the difficulty of deliverance, as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were fallen down in to the midst of the furnace. It sets forth for a mighty finale of the narrative. A contest between Nebuchadnezzar, and YHWH.
Conclusion & Present Day Application. Daniel 3:13-23 is a court narrative that demonstrates a contest between YHWH and the mighty Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. It portrays the defiance and courage of three young Jewish administrators that chose to obey YHWH, for “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”[7] We Christians today, must follow the example of defiance of theses young man, and deny bowing our heads to any form of idolatry that exists in our society. The commandments of the LORD should be impressed upon our hearts and we should Love the LORD our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength.
References The Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible. Chattanooga, U.S.A.: AMG Publishers, 1984. Lasor, William Sanford.; Hubbard, David Allan.; Bush, Frederick William. Old Testament Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pubishing Company, 1996. Zondervan reference Software (32 Bit edition) version 2.6. NIV Bible. Copyrights The Zondervan Corporation, 1989-1998. Douglas, J. D. (ed). The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Part 1 Aaron-Golan). Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1980.
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His anger was so great that they proceeded to execute them just as they were.