Daniel 3:4 kjv
Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
Daniel 3:4 nkjv
Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,
Daniel 3:4 niv
Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do:
Daniel 3:4 esv
And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,
Daniel 3:4 nlt
Then a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command!
Daniel 3 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 3:1 | Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold... | Daniel 3:1 (Establishing the subject) |
| Daniel 3:5 | at the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image... | Daniel 3:5 (The worship mandate) |
| Exodus 20:4 | You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything... | Exodus 20:4 (Theological contrast with idolatry) |
| Deuteronomy 4:28 | and there you will serve other gods made by human hands, of wood and stone... | Deuteronomy 4:28 (Warning against idols) |
| 1 Kings 18:21 | Elijah came to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different courses?" | 1 Kings 18:21 (Parallel in choosing allegiance) |
| Psalm 115:4 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. | Psalm 115:4 (Description of idols) |
| Isaiah 44:12 | The smith shapes it with hammers and wrests it with might... | Isaiah 44:12 (Process of idol creation) |
| Isaiah 45:20 | "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near, you remnant of the nations! ... | Isaiah 45:20 (Idols compared to true God) |
| Jeremiah 10:3 | For the customs of the peoples are false. A tree from the forest is cut down, and a craftsman makes it with his ax. | Jeremiah 10:3 (Futility of idol worship) |
| Acts 17:29 | Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image carved by art and human thought. | Acts 17:29 (Apostolic refutation of idolatry) |
| Romans 1:23 | and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. | Romans 1:23 (Consequences of idolatry) |
| 1 Corinthians 10:14 | Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. | 1 Corinthians 10:14 (Direct exhortation) |
| Revelation 13:14 | and by the signs that it is allowed to do in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth... | Revelation 13:14 (Deceptive signs for worship) |
| Revelation 14:9 | and if anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, | Revelation 14:9 (Final condemnation of image worship) |
| Psalm 96:5 | For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. | Psalm 96:5 (Superiority of the true God) |
| Daniel 2:46 | Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel... | Daniel 2:46 (King acknowledges divine power, contrast) |
| Daniel 2:47 | The king answered Daniel and said, "Truly it is that your God is God of gods and Lord of kings... | Daniel 2:47 (King acknowledges God's sovereignty) |
| John 4:24 | "God is a Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." | John 4:24 (True worship contrast) |
| Leviticus 26:1 | "You shall not make for yourselves idols..." | Leviticus 26:1 (Old Testament prohibition) |
| Deuteronomy 18:20 | But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak... | Deuteronomy 18:20 (Speaking presumptuously) |
| Revelation 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." | Revelation 21:8 (Eternal consequences) |
Daniel 3 verses
Daniel 3 4 Meaning
This verse signifies the proclamation made by the king of Babylon concerning his golden image, emphasizing its immense value, imposing height, and spiritual authority, as decreed for universal worship. It highlights the king's absolute power and the imposed religious mandate on his subjects.
Daniel 3 4 Context
Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful king of Babylon, established a grand image made of gold in the plain of Dura. This act was a significant display of his authority and potentially a means to consolidate his vast empire and the diverse peoples within it. He then convened a multilingual assembly, summoning dignitaries from across his domain, including the Jewish exiles. The king's decree was absolute: at a specific signal, everyone was to fall down and worship the golden image. This demonstrated his absolute sovereignty and his demand for total allegiance, including religious conformity. The chapter's context is the unyielding faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow, setting the stage for their miraculous deliverance and a testament to the power of the God of Israel. The historical backdrop is the Babylonian exile, a period where Jewish identity and faith were severely tested under foreign rule.
Daniel 3 4 Word Analysis
- אֲנַ֫וּ (anaw): (Hebrew, Aramaic) - I
- מְלַךְ (melak): King
- נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר (Nebukadreṣṣar): Nebuchadnezzar (a name signifying "May Nebo protect the border" or "Nebo has increased the son.")
- שַׁלְחָא (šalḥā): sent forth, commissioned, dispatched. This implies an authoritative act of sending.
- צֵ֫וּא (ṣēw): command, decree. It emphasizes the authoritative and unappealable nature of the king's order.
- גָּוָּא (gawwā): all. This underscores the universal scope of the command.
- תִּקְרְבִין (tiqərḇin): you may draw near, come to. It signifies the assembly or gathering of people.
- קַדּוּשׁ (qaddūš): holy. (Not directly in verse, but contextually related to the idea of setting apart.)
- בַּדָּא (baddā): gold. Specifies the material of the image.
- צְלֶם (ṣelem): image, likeness, representation. Refers to the statue erected.
- דַּ֫הֲבָא (dahaḇā): gold. Reiterates the precious and valuable material.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "I Nebuchadnezzar king have sent to gather...": This phrase establishes Nebuchadnezzar's self-awareness of his royal authority and his direct initiative in orchestrating this grand event. The "I" emphasizes his personal involvement and decree.
- "...all the governors, the prefects, and the captains, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the judges, and all the officials of the provinces...": This extensive list demonstrates the far-reaching power of the Babylonian empire. By summoning every level of authority, Nebuchadnezzar ensured widespread compliance. It shows the hierarchical structure of his dominion and the breadth of his summons.
- "...to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.": This explains the purpose of the assembly – the official inauguration of the golden image. "Dedication" implies a consecration or setting apart for a specific purpose, in this case, worship.
Daniel 3 4 Bonus Section
The choice of gold as the material for the image is significant. Gold symbolizes wealth, power, and splendor, qualities Nebuchadnezzar undoubtedly wanted to associate with himself and his empire. This vast assembly, representing the empire's entirety, was summoned for a ritualistic act of submission. The inclusiveness of the invitation — "all" officials — highlights the systematic nature of the king's command and the suppression of any dissent. The story here sets up a direct confrontation between absolute human authority, masquerading as divine, and the unwavering faithfulness of God's people, a recurring theme throughout the Scriptures.
Daniel 3 4 Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar, acting out of a sense of self-importance and likely seeking to cement his rule and deify his power, orders the construction of a massive golden image. His decree for its dedication and mandatory worship is an ultimate act of authoritarianism, demanding not just obedience but also a public endorsement of his decree through idolatry. This mirrors other instances in the Old Testament where kings attempted to force religious conformity, often with disastrous results for themselves and their nations. The verse showcases the pinnacle of human pride, where a mortal ruler seeks to command divine reverence, directly challenging the exclusive sovereignty of the one true God.