Daniel 3:15 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Daniel 3:15
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
properly · noun, common both genders singular construct + pronominal suffix, 2nd person masculine plural
ready
עֲתִידִ֗ין'a.ti.Din
H6263
prepared · adjective, masculine plural absolute
time
בְעִדָּנָ֡אve.'i.da.Na'
H5732
a set time · preposition + noun, common both genders singular determined + particle of affirmation
hear
תִשְׁמְע֡וּןtish.me.'Un
H8086
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attent… · verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural
sound
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
2 Chronicles 32:15-17 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom wa…
Daniel 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
2 Kings 18:35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem…
Isaiah 36:18-20 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand…
Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever…
Acts 4:8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Daniel 3:8-18
It was strange that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would be present at this assembly, when, it is likely, they knew for what intent it was called together. Daniel, we may suppose, was absent, either his business calling him away or having leave from the king to withdraw, unless we suppose that he stood so high in the king's favour that none durst complain of him for his noncompliance. But why did not his companions keep out of the way? Surely because they would obey the king's orders as far as they could, and would be ready to bear a public testimony against this gross idolatry. They did not think it enough not to bow down to the image, but, being in office, thought themselves obliged to s…
who is that God--so Sennacherib's taunt (Kg2 18:35), and Pharaoh's (Exo 5:2).
Adam Clarke on Daniel 3:8
Accused the Jews - That is, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. The other Jews were left unnoticed; and probably at this time Daniel was too high to be touched; but we may rest assured that he was not found among these idolaters, see Dan 3:12.
John Gill on Daniel 3:15
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye shall hear,.... The meaning is, that if they were disposed in mind, which the king was very desirous they should, both for his own honour, and for their safety, for whom he had a regard; and were willing to comply with his orders, and readily yield obedience to his will, and worship his idol; the following would be a signal to them, and all would be well with them: or it may be rendered, "when now ye shall be, that at what time ye shall hear" (q); for the word signifies future, as well as "ready", and is by some so translated; and the sense is, when it shall be, or for the future, that they should hear
the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, ps…
Verse 15. "Prostrate yourselves and worship the statue I have made." Although he had up to this point given the youths his orders in angry fashion, yet he gives them room for a change of heart, so that their previous guilt might be pardoned if only they should fall down and worship. But if they should not deign to offer worship, the punishment of the fiery furnace lay at hand. "And what God is there who shall rescue you from my hand?..." Why naturally, that same God whose servant thou didst just recently worship and Whom thou didst assert to be truly God of gods and Lord of kings.
Do you see the boast of the tyrannical human king, who did not know he who said, "Do not fear men who are able to kill the body, in this they are not able to kill what is inside, but fear rather him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." [Matthew 10:28] The boys, who did not cower at these words, answered saying, "We have no need to answer you concerning this matter. For there is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire and from your hands, O king, he will rescue us, and if not, let it be known to you O king that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden image which you set up." [Daniel 3:16-18]
But I say all this now, and select all the histories that contain trials and tribulations, and the wrath of kings, and their evil designs, in order that we may fear nothing, save only offending God. For then also was there a furnace burning; yet they derided it, but feared sin. For they knew that if they were consumed in the fire, they should suffer nothing that was to be dreaded; but that if they were guilty of impiety: they should undergo the extremes of misery. It is the greatest punishment to commit sin, though we may remain unpunished; as on the other hand, it is the greatest honour and repose to live virtuously, though we may be punished. For sins separate us from God; as He Himself speaks; "Have not your sins separated between you and Me?" But punishments lead us back to God.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Abednego — Servant of Nego=Nebo, the Chaldee name given to Azariah, one of Daniel’s three companions (Dan. 2:49). With Shadrach and Meshach, he was delivered from the burning fiery furnace (3:12-30).
Cornet — Heb. shophar, “brightness,” with reference to the clearness of its sound (1 Chr. 15:28; 2 Chr. 15:14; Ps. 98:6; Hos. 5:8). It is usually rendered in the Authorized Version “trumpet.” It denotes the…
Day — The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the…
Dulcimer — (Heb. sumphoniah), a musical instrument mentioned in Dan. 3:5, 15, along with other instruments there named, as sounded before the golden image. It was not a Jewish instrument. In the margin of the…
Flute — A musical instrument, probably composed of a number of pipes, mentioned Dan. 3:5, 7, 10, 15. In Matt. 9:23, 24, notice is taken of players on the flute, here called “minstrels” (but in R.V.…
Meshach — The title given to Mishael, one of the three Hebrew youths who were under training at the Babylonian court for the rank of Magi (Dan. 1:7; 2:49; 3:12-30). This was probably the name of some Chaldean…
Nebuchadnezzar — In the Babylonian orthography Nabu-kudur-uzur, which means “Nebo, protect the crown!” or the “frontiers.” In an inscription he styles himself “Nebo’s favourite.” He was the son and successor of…
Psaltery — A musical instrument, supposed to have been a kind of lyre, or a harp with twelve strings. The Hebrew word nebhel, so rendered, is translated “viol” in Isa. 5:12 (R.V., “lute”); 14:11. In Dan. 3:5,…
Sackbut — (Chald. sabkha; Gr. sambuke), a Syrian stringed instrument resembling a harp (Dan. 3:5, 7, 10, 15); not the modern sackbut, which is a wind instrument.
Abed-Nego · .A Jewish — .A Jewish
קָ֣ל
kal
H7032
a voice or sound · noun, common both genders singular construct
cornet
קַרְנָ֣אkar.Na'
H7162
a horn (literally or for sound) · noun, common both genders singular determined + particle of affirmation
flute
מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָ֣אmash.ro.ki.Ta'
H4953
a (musical) pipe (from its whistling sound) · noun, common feminine singular determined + particle of affirmation
harp
קַתְר֣וֹסki.ta.ros
H7030
a lyre · noun, common both genders singular absolute
sackbut
שַׂבְּכָ֡אsa.be.Kha'
H5443
a lyre · noun, common both genders singular absolute
psaltery
פְּסַנְתֵּרִין֩pe.san.te.Rin
H6460
psalterion · noun, common both genders singular absolute
dulcimer
וְסוּמְפֹּ֨נְיָ֜הve.su.me.Po.ne.Yah
H5481
a bagpipe (with a double pipe) · conjunction + noun, common feminine singular absolute
all
וְכֹ֣לve.Khol
H3606
properly · conjunction + noun, common both genders singular construct
kinds
זְנֵ֣יze.Nei
H2178
sort · noun, common masculine plural construct
musick
זְמָרָ֗אze.ma.Ra'
H2170
instrumental music · noun, common both genders singular determined + particle of affirmation
down
תִּפְּל֣וּןti.pe.Lun
H5308
to fall · verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural
worship
וְתִסְגְּדוּן֮ve.tis.ge.Dun
H5457
to prostrate oneself (in homage) · conjunction + verb, qal, 2nd person masculine plural
image
לְצַלְמָ֣אle.tzal.Ma'
H6755
an idolatrous figure · preposition + noun, common both genders singular determined + particle of affirmation
made
עַבְדֵת֒'av.Det
H5648
to do · verb, qal perfect, 1st person common singular
if
וְהֵן֙ve.Hen
H2006
lo! also there(-fore) · conjunction + conjunction
worship
תִסְגְּד֔וּןtis.ge.Dun
H5457
to prostrate oneself (in homage) · verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural
not
לָ֣אla'
H3809
not (the simple or abs. negation) · negative particle
cast
תִתְרְמ֔וֹןtit.re.Mon
H7412
to throw · verb, imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural
hour
שַׁעֲתָ֣הsha.'a.Tah'
H8160
properly · noun, common feminine singular determined + particle of affirmation
midst
לְגֽוֹאle.goy'-
H1459
the middle · preposition + noun, common both genders singular construct
burning
יָקִֽדְתָּ֑אya.kid.Ta'
H3345
to burn · verb, qal active participle, feminine singular determined + particle of affirmation
fiery
נוּרָ֖אnu.Ra'
H5135
fire · noun, common both genders singular determined + particle of affirmation
furnace
אַתּ֥וּן'a.Tun
H861
probably a fire-place · noun, common both genders singular construct
who
וּמַןu.man-
H4479
who or what (properly · conjunction + interrogative pronoun
God
אֱלָ֔הּ'e.Lah
H426
God · noun, common both genders singular absolute
deliver
יְשֵֽׁיזְבִנְכ֖וֹןye.shei.ze.vin.Khon
H7804
to leave · verb, imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 2nd person masculine plural
of
מִןmin-
H4481
properly · preposition
hands
יְדָֽיye.Dai
H3028
a hand (the open one (indicating power · noun, common masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix
John Calvin on Daniel 3:13-15
Daniel 3:13-15
13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
13. Tunc Nebuchadnezer cum iracundia et excandescentia, [179] jussit adduci Sadrach, Mesach, et Abednego: viri autem illi adduxerunt coram rege. [180]
14. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
14. Loquutus est Nebuchadnezer, et dixit illis, Verumne, Sadrach, Mesach, et Abed-nego, deos meos non colitis, [181] et imaginem auream quam statui, [182] non adoratis?
15. Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear th…
The trial of the accused.
Dan 3:14
The question הצדא the old translators incorrectly explain by Is it true? In the justice of the accusation Nebuchadnezzar had no doubt whatever, and צדא has not this meaning. Also the meaning, scorn, which אּצדי in Aram. has, and L. de Dieu, Hv., and Kran. make use of, does not appear to be quite consistent, since Nebuchadnezzar, if he had seen in the refusal to do homage to the image a despising of his gods, then certainly he would not have publicly repeated his command, and afforded to the accused the possibility of escaping the threatened punishment, as he did (Dan 3:15). We therefore agree with Hitz. and Klief., who interpret it, after the Hebr. צדיּה, N…
I will give you one more chance: The three men’s earlier relationship to the king may have helped them get a second chance.
Rashi on Daniel 3:15
Now, behold you are destined Now, behold you are destined against your will to accept this upon yourselves.
and if you do not prostrate yourselves and if you do not prostrate yourselves, you shall be cast.
into into the midst of.
and who is a god and who is a god who will save you from my hands?
Infidelity · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Meshach · A name given by the chief eu — A name given by the chief eu
Mishael · .Thrown into the fiery furnace — .Thrown into the fiery furnace
Music · .DULCIMER, a double pipe — .DULCIMER, a double pipe
Persecution · Spirit of — Exemplified: Chaldeans — Spirit of — Exemplified: Chaldeans
Psaltery · Used in idolatrous worship — Used in idolatrous worship
Sackbut · A stringed musi — A stringed musi
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
