And he commanded the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, [and] to cast [them] into the burning fiery furnace.
And he commanded {H560} the most {H2429} mighty {H1401} men {H1400} that were in his army {H2429} to bind {H3729} Shadrach {H7715}, Meshach {H4336}, and Abednego {H5665}, and to cast {H7412} them into the burning {H3345} fiery {H5135} furnace {H861}.
Then he ordered some of the strongest men in his army to tie up Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go and throw them into the blazing hot furnace.
and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace.
And he commanded certain mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
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Daniel 3:15
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? -
Acts 16:25
¶ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. -
Acts 16:23
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: -
Acts 12:4
And when he had apprehended him, he put [him] in prison, and delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. -
Acts 12:5
¶ Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Commentary on Daniel 3:20
Daniel 3:20 describes a pivotal moment in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, immediately following their defiant refusal to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. This verse highlights the king's absolute power and the swift, severe consequences for those who dared to disobey his decree.
Context
This verse is set in ancient Babylon, where King Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful ruler of the Babylonian Empire, had erected a massive golden image and commanded all his subjects to worship it. Failure to comply meant being thrown into a blazing fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three faithful Jewish exiles who held positions of authority in Babylon, refused to compromise their devotion to God, declaring their resolve not to bow down (as seen in Daniel 3:18). Enraged by their defiance, Nebuchadnezzar commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and ordered his strongest soldiers to execute the sentence.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "most mighty men" (Hebrew: גִּבֹּרֵי הַחַיִל, gibborey ha'chayil) emphasizes the king's choice of his most capable and powerful soldiers for this task. This detail serves to highlight the severity of the king's wrath and the human impossibility of the condemned men escaping their fate. It also implicitly underscores the extraordinary nature of the upcoming divine intervention, as even these mighty men would be overcome by the furnace's heat, while the faithful captives remained unharmed.
Practical Application
Daniel 3:20 serves as a powerful reminder that standing firm in one's faith can come with significant costs. It illustrates the pressure believers may face to compromise their convictions in the face of worldly authority or societal expectations. The unwavering faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, even when facing a terrifying death, challenges us to consider:
This verse, though depicting a moment of extreme peril, ultimately sets the stage for God's miraculous deliverance, detailed further in later verses of Daniel chapter 3, affirming that God is with His faithful servants even in the fiery trials of life.