Daniel 3:21
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern clothing included multiple layers. The Aramaic terms describe typical male attire: sarbal (probably tunics or robes), patish (trousers or undergarments), karbelah (caps or turbans), and levush (general clothing). The mention of being bound 'in' these garments emphasizes execution's immediacy—no time even to remove outer clothes. This hasty treatment reflected the king's rage demanding instant compliance with his execution order. The garments' preservation in the furnace would prove supernatural intervention.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the detail about unchanged clothing emphasize the completeness of God's protection even in smallest particulars?
- What does the hasty execution reveal about rage-driven human authority versus God's patient, thorough deliverance?
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Analysis & Commentary
The detailed listing of garments—'coats, hosen, hats, and other garments'—emphasizes the haste of execution and the fire's intensity. Normal procedure would remove clothing; executing them fully dressed shows fury overriding standard practice. The detail also prepares readers for the miracle—these flammable materials should have burned immediately, yet later they emerge completely unsinged (v. 27). The phrase 'bound in their coats' shows complete helplessness—unable to move or resist. Their unchanged condition after the furnace will dramatically demonstrate God's comprehensive protection.