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In his eighteenth year Nabuchodonosor the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Deira, in the province of Babylon.
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And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces, chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, to come to the dedication of the image.
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So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes, those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the dedication of the image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up; and they stood before the image.
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Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, you peoples, tribes, and languages,
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at what hour you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and lute, and every kind of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor has set up.
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And whoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace.
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And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and lute, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.
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Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying,
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O king, live for ever.
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You, O king, has made a decree that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and lute, and all kinds of music,
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and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace.
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There are certain Jews whom you has appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who have not obeyed your decree, O king: they serve not your gods, and worship not the golden image which you have set up.
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Then Nabuchodonosor in wrath and anger commanded to bring Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and they were brought before the king.
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And Nabuchodonosor answered and said to them, Is it true, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up?
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Now then if you be ready, whenever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and lute, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if you worship not, in the same hour you shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?
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Then answered Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago and said to king Nabuchodonosor, We have no need to answer you concerning this matter.
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For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from your hands, O king.
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But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the image which you have set up.
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Then Nabuchodonosor was filled with wrath, and the form of his countenance was changed toward Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual, until it should burn to the uttermost.
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And he commanded mighty men to bind Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
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Then those men were bound with their coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace,
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for as much as the king's word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot.
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But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire.
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And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God and blessing the Lord.
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Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,
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Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers: your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:
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For you are righteous in all the things that you have done to us: yes, true are all your works, your ways are right, and all your judgments truth.
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In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, you have executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment did you bring all these things upon us because of our sins.
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For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from you.
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In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments, nor kept them, neither done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.
