Daniel 3:6 kjv
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:6 nkjv
and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
Daniel 3:6 niv
Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
Daniel 3:6 esv
And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace."
Daniel 3:6 nlt
Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
Daniel 3 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 3:6 | "And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth in the time of the sounding of all kinds of music shall the same be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." | Sets the penalty for non-conformity |
| Exodus 20:3-5 | "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ... Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them" | Prohibits idolatry and bowing to images |
| Deuteronomy 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" | Affirms the singularity of God |
| Deuteronomy 13:6-10 | If your own brother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend... entice you... | Warns against religious persuasion to idolatry |
| 1 Kings 18:21, 40 | Elijah confronts Baal worshippers. "How long halt ye between two opinions?" | Contrasts true worship with idolatry |
| Jeremiah 7:10-11 | God’s pronouncement against the false prophets and those practicing abominations in the Temple. | Condemns practices that violate covenant faithfulness |
| Psalm 115:4-8 | "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. ... They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." | Describes the futility and lifelessness of idols |
| Matthew 4:10 | Jesus to Satan: "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." | Emphasizes exclusive worship of God |
| Luke 14:26 | "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." | The cost of discipleship requires ultimate loyalty |
| Acts 5:29 | "We ought to obey God rather than men." | Upholds obedience to God over human authority |
| Acts 19:35 | "For this whole city is witness that ye are all devotees of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter." | Example of imposed worship of a goddess |
| Romans 1:25 | "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator" | Denounces worship of created things |
| 1 Corinthians 10:14 | "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." | Direct exhortation against idolatry |
| 1 John 5:21 | "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." | Final plea to guard against idolatry |
| Revelation 13:15 | "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." | Parallel decree to enforce worship of the beast's image |
| Revelation 14:11 | "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." | Consequences for worshipping the beast and his image |
| Daniel 3:28 | "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him" | God’s deliverance of those who obey Him |
| Daniel 6:7, 12, 16 | Decree that no petition shall be made to any god or man for thirty days except to King Darius. | Similar kingly decree to enforce worship of self |
| Exodus 32:7-8 | Israel bows down to the golden calf. | Israelite history of idolatrous worship |
| Deuteronomy 28:64 | "And the LORD shall scatter thee among all nations, from the one end of the earth even unto the other" | Consequence of disobedience and idolatry |
Daniel 3 verses
Daniel 3 6 Meaning
This verse describes the immediate consequence of the king's decree concerning worship. Anyone not prostrating themselves before the golden image is to be cast into a blazing furnace. It highlights the severe penalty for disobedience, establishing a high-stakes test of loyalty for those in Babylon, particularly the Israelites. The word "whatsoever" emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of the decree, leaving no room for exceptions.
Daniel 3 6 Context
Daniel 3 depicts the story of three Hebrew youths, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refuse to worship a colossal golden image erected by King Nebuchadnezzar. Following the decree in verse 6, these three faithful men faced a life-threatening ultimatum. This event occurs during Nebuchadnezzar's reign in Babylon, a period where foreign populations were often required to assimilate and demonstrate loyalty through state-sanctioned worship. The king’s insistence on universal worship of his image likely served as a political tool to solidify his authority and a religious imposition to promote the Babylonian pantheon, contrasting with the monotheistic beliefs of the Israelites. The chapter immediately before this describes Nebuchadnezzar's pride and a vision of a great statue representing successive empires, setting the stage for this test of allegiance.
Daniel 3 6 Word Analysis
- whoso (כָּל־דִּי - kol-di): This Aramaic phrase means "all who" or "everyone that." It emphasizes the universality of the command, encompassing everyone present.
- falleth not down (לָא יִסְגּוּד - la' yisgūd): "La'" is a negative particle meaning "not." "Yisgūd" comes from the root meaning "to bow down," "to prostrate oneself." It signifies the act of humble submission and worship, typically done in a posture of reverence. This was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures to show respect and subservience to deities and monarchs.
- and worshippeth (וְיִסְגּוּד - wəyisgūd): The "wə" is a conjunction meaning "and." "Yisgūd" repeats the verb, indicating the dual action of not only refraining from bowing but also refusing to offer worship. This reinforces the completeness of the required act of devotion.
- in the time (בְּעִדַּן - bəʿiḏan): "Bə" is a preposition meaning "in" or "at." "ʿiḏan" signifies "time" or "season," indicating a specific appointed moment for the worship.
- of the sounding (דִּי קָלָא - dî qālā): "Dî" is a relative pronoun ("that," "which"). "Qālā" means "sound" or "voice." It refers to the period when specific musical instruments were played, signaling the appointed time for the decree.
- of all kinds of music (בְּגַלְגַּל - bəḡalḡal): "Bə" means "in" or "with." "Galgal" is a word that appears only here in the Hebrew Bible. Scholars understand it in conjunction with music, possibly referring to the revolution or continuous playing of instruments. Its precise meaning in relation to musical instruments is debated, but it clearly signifies the ensemble of instruments played to announce the decree. The list of instruments in the previous verse details these specific musical signals.
- shall the same be cast (יֻרְתֵּא - yurtē'): This is a passive verb from the root "to cast" or "to throw down." The passive voice emphasizes that the action will be performed upon the offender.
- into the midst (לְגוֹ - ləḡōw): "Lə" is a preposition meaning "to" or "into." "Gōw" means "inside" or "among." It specifies the location of the casting – into the very center of the furnace.
- of a burning fiery furnace (לְגוֹ אִתּוּן - ləḡōw ittūn): "Ittūn" means "furnace." The description "burning fiery" (implied in the context of the chapter, not directly in this phrase) emphasizes the extreme intensity of the heat and the danger involved. This contrasts with "fiery furnace" (furnace of fire) which could be implied from the surrounding verses describing the intensity.
Word-Group Analysis
- "whoso falleth not down and worshippeth": This phrase encapsulates the entire act of disobedience from the perspective of the decree. It means to refuse to perform the prostration and to withhold adoration from the image. It's a total rejection of the king's religious and political demand.
- "in the time of the sounding of all kinds of music": This specifies the critical moment when compliance was mandatory. The organized sound served as the public signal for the required act of worship, underscoring the communal nature of the imposed observance and the deliberate nature of the king’s directive.
Daniel 3 6 Bonus Section
The decree establishes a direct conflict with the First and Second Commandments given to Israel on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:3-5), making the refusal a matter of covenant faithfulness. The inclusion of "all kinds of music" is significant, as music often accompanied religious rituals in the ancient world and was used here to enforce conformity. This mirrors the practice in many oppressive regimes where symbols and rituals are used to assert ideological control. The chapter's narrative is often seen as a precursor to the final prophetic judgments and the persecution of God's people, emphasizing that true worship belongs to God alone, even unto death.
Daniel 3 6 Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar's decree leaves no room for personal conscience or loyalty to any deity other than what he dictates. The inclusion of specific musical cues to trigger this mandatory act of worship highlights the ritualistic and public nature of the imposed idolatry. This sets the stage for a profound spiritual confrontation where human authority demands divine prerogative. The severe penalty underscores the king’s absolute power as he perceives it, a power he expects to be reflected in the unquestioning obedience of his subjects. The chapter, therefore, serves as a powerful testament to the steadfastness of faith in the face of absolute coercion, foreshadowing similar confrontations throughout biblical history and the apocalyptic events described in the book of Revelation.