Daniel 3.14-Nebuchadnezzar Questions Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego If It Is True That They Won't Worship The Gold Statue
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday June 20, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 3:14-Nebuchadnezzar Questions Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego If It Is True That They Won’t Worship The Gold Statue
Lesson # 89
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 3:1.
This evening we will study Daniel 3:14, which records Nebuchadnezzar asking Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego if it is true that they refused to obey his command to worship the gold statue, which he erected of himself.
Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, 5 that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. 6 But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” 7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 8 For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. 9 They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. 11 But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?” (NASB95)
“Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them” is composed of the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb ʿǎnā(h) (עֲנָה) (an-aw´), “responded” and this is followed by the masculine singular form of the proper name neḇû∙ḵǎḏ∙ně(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר) (neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar), “Nebuchadnezzar” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and followed by the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew equivalent is the qal) active participle form of the verb ʾǎmǎr (אֲמַר) (am-ar´), “said” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh), “to” and its object is the third person masculine plural pronominal suffix him∙mô (הִמֹּו) (him-mo´), “them.”
The verb ʿǎnā(h) means “to ask a question” since in context it is used with reference to the question that Nebuchadnezzar asked Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
The king asks these three if it is true that they do not serve his god, namely, they don’t worship the gold statue he erected of himself on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
“That you do not serve my gods” is composed of the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) which is not translated and its object is the masculine plural noun ʾělāh (אֱלָהּ) (el-aw´), “gods” which is modified by the first person singular pronominal suffix –î (־י) (ee), “my” and then we have the negative particle lā(ʾ) (לָא) (law), “not,” which is negating the meaning of the particle of existence ʾî∙ṯǎy (אִיתַי) (ee-thah´ee), which is not translated and this is followed by the second person masculine plural pronominal suffix -ḵōm (־כֹם) (khome), “you” and then we have the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb pelǎḥ (פְּלַח) (pel-akh´), “do serve.”
The second person masculine plural pronominal suffix -ḵōm means “all of you” referring of course to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as a corporate unit.
The particle ʾî∙ṯǎy means “are” since it indicates the existence of something and here it is used of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego “existing in the state of” not serving Nebuchadnezzar’s god, namely they did not worship the golden statue he erected of himself.
The verb pelǎḥ means “to serve deity” implying submission and thus giving honor and worship and its meaning is emphatically negated by the negative particle lā(ʾ), which means “by no means” since it functions as a marker of emphatic negation.
Thus, these two words denote that Nebuchadnezzar is questioning these three as to whether or not it is true that they are “by no means serving” his god.
The noun ʾělāh means “god” since it refers to the gold statue that Nebuchadnezzar erected of himself.
Though the word is in the plural, it is used here to describe this gold statue.
This is indicated by the fact that the first statement “these men have absolutely no respect for your command O king” is referred to in the third statement “that is, by no means do they worship the gold statue which you erected.”
Thus, the noun ʾělāh means “god” rather than “gods” referring to the gold statue since it is found in a statement couched between two statements that are both referencing the king’s command to worship the gold statue.
“Or worship the golden image which I have set up” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “or” which is followed by the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) which is not translated and its object is the masculine singular form of the noun ṣelēm (צְלֵם) (tseh´-lem), “the image” which is modified by the masculine singular noun dehǎḇ (דְּהַב) (deh-hab´), “gold” and then we have the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), “which” and this is followed by the first person masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active perfect form of the verb qûm (קוּם) (koom), “set up” which is followed by the negative particle lā(ʾ) (לָא) (law), “not,” which is negating the meaning of the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb seḡiḏ (סְגִד) (seg-eed´), “worship.”
The conjunction wa is used in an epexegetical sense meaning that it is introducing a statement which elaborates on the previous assertion that Daniel’s three friends were by no means serving the king’s god.
This conjunction introduces an accusation which says that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were by no means worshipping the golden statue the king erected of himself.
Thus, this accusation elaborates upon the previous one, which is indicated in verse 12 by the fact that the statement “these men have absolutely no respect for your command O king” is referred to in the third statement “that is, by no means do they worship the gold statue which you erected.”
Thus, the accusation that Daniel’s three friends were not worshipping the king’s god is couched between two statements that are both referencing the king’s command to worship the gold statue, thus this second statement is epexegetical like the third.
Therefore, in verse 14, Nebuchadnezzar’s question is explaining the previous statement that they were by no means serving the king’s god from a different perspective.
The verb seḡiḏ means “to worship” and its meaning is emphatically negated by the negative particle lā(ʾ), which means “by no means” since it functions as a marker of emphatic negation.
Thus, these two words denote that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were “by no means worshipping” the golden statue of Nebuchadnezzar, which he erected.
The noun ṣelēm means “statue, a sculpted image to be worshipped as a god” indicating that Nebuchadnezzar ordered all of his dignitaries throughout the various provinces in his kingdom to worship the gold “statue” he erected on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar asked a question and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, all of you are refusing to serve my god, that is, all of you refused to worship the gold statue, which I erected?” (My translation)
Daniel 3:14 records Nebuchadnezzar posing a question to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as to whether it was true or not that they refused to serve his god, that is, they refused to worship the gold statue, which he erected of himself on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
Here in Daniel 3:14, we have Nebuchadnezzar giving Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego an opportunity to deny the accusation made against them by certain unidentified dignitaries who were obviously envious of them being placed in a high position of authority and probably suffered a demotion by their promotion.
The king’s question of these three reveals that he is totally and completely shocked that anyone in his kingdom would rebel against him and particularly those who were Jewish captives promoted by him out of the graciousness of his heart.
To hear that these three whom he promoted at Daniel’s request who were Jewish captives of his, had rebelled against him, was preposterous to the king.
Who would do such a thing when it would mean certain death?
The king could not think of any legitimate reason why these three would defy his order when his reputation preceded him as a being a tyrant and revengeful and lacking compassion toward his enemies.
Undoubtedly, Nebuchadnezzar would have been greatly troubled by this accusation since again, he respected and liked them as he did Daniel who requested that they be promoted to administrate the province of the city of Babylon.
If the accusation is true about these three, he would have to execute them to save face and would have lost three valuable and talented men.
Also, he would have felt badly to execute them because of his admiration of Daniel.
So the king is not liking this situation one bit.