Daniel Chapter 3 · Verse 1
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
Original Language Analysis
נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר
Nebuchadnezzar
H5020
נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר
Nebuchadnezzar
Strong's:
H5020
Word #:
1 of 17
nebukadnetstsar (or nebukadretsts(-ar, or)), king of babylon
דִּֽי
H1768
דִּֽי
Strong's:
H1768
Word #:
5 of 17
that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of
אַמִּ֣ין
cubits
H521
אַמִּ֣ין
cubits
Strong's:
H521
Word #:
8 of 17
properly, a mother (i.e., unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e., a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance)
אַמִּ֣ין
cubits
H521
אַמִּ֣ין
cubits
Strong's:
H521
Word #:
11 of 17
properly, a mother (i.e., unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e., a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance)
אֲקִימֵהּ֙
he set it up
H6966
אֲקִימֵהּ֙
he set it up
Strong's:
H6966
Word #:
13 of 17
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
בְּבִקְעַ֣ת
in the plain
H1236
בְּבִקְעַ֣ת
in the plain
Strong's:
H1236
Word #:
14 of 17
properly, a split, i.e., a wide level valley between mountains
Cross References
Habakkuk 2:19Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.Jeremiah 16:20Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?Isaiah 46:6They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.Hosea 8:4They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.Acts 19:26Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:Acts 17:29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.Isaiah 2:20In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;Psalms 135:15The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.1 Kings 12:28Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.Isaiah 30:22Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern kings erected colossal statues as political propaganda asserting divine authority and demanding loyalty. The plain of Dura (possibly near Babylon) could accommodate vast crowds. The image was likely overlaid with gold rather than solid gold due to cost and structural requirements. Dedication ceremonies for major building projects involved elaborate religious rituals, feasting, and oaths of loyalty. Nebuchadnezzar ruled at Babylon's height, having rebuilt the city magnificently including the Hanging Gardens.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the golden image represent human pride's response to divine revelation—self-glorification rather than repentance?
- In what ways do modern states demand absolute allegiance that conflicts with worship of God alone?
Analysis & Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar erects an enormous golden image 'sixty cubits' high (90 feet) and 'six cubits' broad (9 feet). The proportions (10:1 ratio) suggest this was either a human figure on a tall pedestal or an obelisk-like structure. Gold symbolizes the king's empire (cf. 2:38) but now explicitly demands worship, making literal the metaphorical pride. The location in 'plain of Dura' (Aramaic: biqa, valley) provided space for massive gathering. This image represents the state demanding absolute allegiance, foreshadowing end-times persecution when worship of the beast is mandated (Revelation 13:15). The image's likely connection to Daniel 2's vision shows humanity's response to divine revelation—rather than humbling himself, the king doubles down on self-glorification.