Daniel 3 19

Daniel 3:19 kjv

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

Daniel 3:19 nkjv

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

Daniel 3:19 niv

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual

Daniel 3:19 esv

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.

Daniel 3:19 nlt

Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.

Daniel 3 verses

Daniel 3 19 Meaning

Nebuchadnezzar's countenance changed. The intense fury he expressed earlier was replaced by a visible shock and perhaps fear. His pronouncements were not the same. This shift indicates that the divine intervention on behalf of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego profoundly impacted him. The experience caused him to reconsider his actions and the power he was confronting.

Daniel 3 19 Context

The immediate context of Daniel 3:19 is Nebuchadnezzar's escalating rage towards the three Hebrew youths, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. After ordering the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual, he commanded his mighty soldiers to tie up the youths and cast them into the inferno. The verse captures the king's reaction after this act, implying a witnessing of something extraordinary and deeply disturbing to him, leading to a profound change in his demeanor and words. This event occurs within Nebuchadnezzar's reign, a period when Babylon was a dominant empire, and Daniel and his companions served in the Babylonian court, having been exiled from Judah.

Daniel 3 19 Word Analysis

• וּבַרְקֶ֤נַץ (u·va·req·qen·nats) - "and countenance" / "and visage". Refers to the outward appearance, the expression on the face. The radical root braq relates to shining or flashing, suggesting that Nebuchadnezzar's expression drastically and suddenly changed, perhaps visibly 'flashing' with emotion.

• מַלְכָּא (mal·ka) - "king". The proper noun identifying Nebuchadnezzar.

• שַׁפִּיךְ (shap·pikh) - "changed". From the root špyh meaning to pour out or spill. It suggests a dramatic, uncontrolled alteration, as if something contained had been suddenly released or poured out.

• וְרַעַם (wə·ra·‘am) - "and fury" / "and wrath" / "and storm". Signifies intense anger, a powerful emotional outburst. The conjunction "and" connects this to the change in countenance, highlighting that the king's intense anger itself was dramatically altered.

• סָגִי (sa·gî) - "exceeded" / "grew". Denotes an increase or intensity. Used here to quantify how much the fury was exceeded by the king's shock.

• חַדּוּתָֽא (ḥad·dû·tā) - "heat" / "sharpness". Implies intensity or severity. Coupled with sagi, it means the king's fury became intensely greater or, in this context, that his former state of fierce anger was overwhelmingly surpassed by his current bewilderment. The plural form implies the totality of his changed emotional state.

• דִּי־ (dî-) - "that" / "which". A relative pronoun connecting the king's state to his subsequent actions and pronouncements.

• קֳדָמְהוֹן (qod·me·hôn) - "before them". Referring to the attendants or courtiers who were witnessing this dramatic change in their sovereign.

• Words Grouped Analysis:

  • "countenance the king changed and fury exceeded sharpness" (וּבַרְקֶ֤נַץ מַלְכָּא שַׁפִּיךְ וְרַעַם סָגִי חַדּוּתָֽא): This entire phrase powerfully conveys Nebuchadnezzar's sudden and overwhelming transformation. His "changing countenance" reflects an internal turmoil and shock that went beyond mere anger ("fury"). The intensity of his previous rage was "exceeded" by the "sharpness" or extreme degree of his astonishment and perhaps dread at what he was witnessing. The combined meaning points to a dramatic and visible psychological impact.

Daniel 3 19 Bonus Section

The Aramaean word for "changed" ( shapîkh) also carries the nuance of being "poured out" or "spilled." This can metaphorically represent the overwhelming nature of the emotion that could not be contained, as if Nebuchadnezzar’s inner state had violently spilled out onto his face. His prior state of intense anger (ra‘am) was completely eclipsed by a new, sharper feeling of bewildered shock, signifying that the power demonstrated by the God of Israel was of a magnitude that even a proud, all-powerful monarch like Nebuchadnezzar could not ignore or dismiss. This incident serves as a pivotal moment, showing how divine intervention can shatter human pride and alter perceptions of reality, even for pagan kings.

Daniel 3 19 Commentary

Nebuchadnezzar's rage was evident as he ordered the furnace intensified. However, seeing the inexplicable survival of the three Israelites in the midst of that fire completely altered his state. His fierce countenance visibly changed, reflecting shock, astonishment, and possibly fear. The extreme heat of the fire was meant to be consumed by those thrown in, yet the youths emerged unharmed. This defied all natural understanding and Babylonian religious cosmology, demonstrating the superior power of the God of Israel. The king's subsequent pronouncements are a direct result of this profound experience, revealing a king who was not only powerful but also capable of acknowledging and being swayed by a greater power that superseded his own. This shift signifies the effectiveness of divine testimony in humbling proud rulers.