Daniel Chapter 3 · Verse 14
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Original Language Analysis
עָנֵ֤ה
spake
H6032
עָנֵ֤ה
spake
Strong's:
H6032
Word #:
1 of 19
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,
נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙
Nebuchadnezzar
H5020
נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙
Nebuchadnezzar
Strong's:
H5020
Word #:
2 of 19
nebukadnetstsar (or nebukadretsts(-ar, or)), king of babylon
שַׁדְרַ֥ךְ
O Shadrach
H7715
שַׁדְרַ֥ךְ
O Shadrach
Strong's:
H7715
Word #:
6 of 19
shadrak, the babylonian name of one of daniel's companions
אִֽיתֵיכוֹן֙
ye
H383
אִֽיתֵיכוֹן֙
ye
Strong's:
H383
Word #:
12 of 19
properly, entity; used only as a particle of affirmation, there is
דִּ֥י
H1768
דִּ֥י
Strong's:
H1768
Word #:
16 of 19
that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of
Cross References
Jeremiah 50:2Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.Daniel 3:1Nebuchadnezzar 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.Isaiah 46:1Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.Daniel 4:8But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern polytheism allowed worshiping multiple deities without theological contradiction. Refusing to honor a king's gods was seen as politically dangerous—divine favor secured military victory and prosperity. Subjects were expected to honor state gods even while maintaining personal patron deities. The Jews' exclusive monotheism made them religiously inflexible in polytheistic societies. Nebuchadnezzar's question shows genuine puzzlement—why would these capable administrators risk everything over religious scruples meaningless to polytheists?
Questions for Reflection
- How does exclusive loyalty to the one true God conflict with cultures that demand tolerance for all religious claims?
- What does the king's ownership language ('my gods') reveal about pagan religion as political tool rather than transcendent truth?
Analysis & Commentary
The king's question 'Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?' offers opportunity to recant. Nebuchadnezzar possibly hoped the accusation was false, given these men's valuable service. Yet the question's framing—'do not ye serve my gods'—reveals the issue's theological nature. The king claims ownership of deities ('my gods'), showing pagan understanding of gods as national property or royal assets. The accusation targets both general idolatry ('my gods') and specific state worship (the image), making religious conviction rather than political rebellion the real issue.