4. Then the herald proclaimed aloud, “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations and people of all languages,
5. that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
6. And whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown immediately into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.”
7. Therefore, at that time, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations and people of all languages were falling down and were worshiping the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8. Therefore at this time some astrologers came forward and they denounced the Jews.
9. They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king, may you live forever!
10. You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.
11. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
12. However there are Judean men whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—these men, O king, pay you no heed and were not serving your god, and the statue of gold that you set up they are not worshiping.”
13. Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king.
14. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you are not serving my god, and you are not worshiping the statue of gold that I have set up?
15. Now if you are ready so that when you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp and the drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, immediately you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god who will rescue you from my hands?”
16. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, “We have no need on this matter to present a defense to you.