Daniel 3:22
What does Daniel 3:22 mean?
A plain-English look at Daniel 3:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Daniel 3:22 means
Because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been superheated to an extreme degree, the intense flames tragically killed the men who were assigned to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego into it. This powerful detail immediately establishes the unimaginable intensity of the fire, underscoring the lethal nature of the furnace. It dramatically highlights the severity of the situation and implicitly emphasizes the miraculous nature of what is about to happen to the three faithful men.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And because the king's order was not to be put on one side, and the heat of the fire was so great, the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were burned to death by the flame of the fire.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Therefore, because that the word of the king is urgent, and the furnace heated exceedingly, those men who have taken up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego--killed them hath the spark of the fire.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was heated exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Forasmuch as the king's commandment was rigorous, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that had taken up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
Context
This verse provides a crucial detail immediately following the three men being cast into the furnace. It explicitly illustrates the extreme heat and deadliness of the fire by describing the deaths of the executioners. This detail is essential for establishing the impossible odds and the absolute certainty of death for anyone inside, thus significantly magnifying the miracle of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego's survival that is about to be revealed.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 27:5
And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
- Daniel 6:24
And the king commanded, and they brought those men that had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
- Proverbs 11:8
The righteous is delivered out of trouble; And the wicked cometh in his stead.
- Daniel 2:15
he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Wherefore is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
- Daniel 1:7
And the prince of the eunuchs gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
- Zechariah 12:2
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling unto all the peoples round about, and upon Judah also shall it be in the siege against Jerusalem.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Daniel 3
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Daniel 3.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Eternal Life
Eternal life, a gift from God, is knowing Him and Jesus Christ, and living forever in His presence.
Topic
Bible Verses About the Sovereignty of God
God's sovereignty means He is the supreme ruler, holding all authority and power over creation, history, and the lives of individuals.
Topic
Bible Verses About Hell
The Bible consistently teaches that hell is a real place of eternal conscious punishment for those who reject God.