God Takes Sides - 1 Samuel 17:1-58
Some people believed God is not biased and is very neutral, contrary to popular belief, but God takes sides. And be rejoice because God has taken our sides.
David vs. Goliath: - God has taken the side of David
God definitely took sides with David for David said "You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (I Samuel 17:45) and because of this, Goliath was defeated because God sided with David.
I Samuel 17: Read the whole chapter
1 Samuel 17:1 The Philistines gathered their armies together for war. They met at Socoh in Judah. Their camp was between Socoh and Azekah, at a town called Ephes Dammim.
1 Samuel 17:2 Saul and the Israelite soldiers also gathered together. Their camp was in the Valley of Elah. Saul's soldiers were lined up and ready to fight the Philistines.
1 Samuel 17:3 The Philistines were on one hill. The Israelites were on the other hill. The valley was between them.
1 Samuel 17:4 The Philistines had a champion fighter named Goliath, who was from Gath. He was over 9 feet tall. Goliath came out of the Philistine camp.
1 Samuel 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a coat of armor that was made like the scales on a fish. This armor was made of bronze and weighed about 125 pounds.
1 Samuel 17:6 Goliath wore bronze protectors on his legs. He had a bronze javelin tied on his back.
1 Samuel 17:7 The wooden part of his spear was as big as a weaver's rod. The spear's blade weighed 15 pounds. Goliath's helper walked in front of him, carrying Goliath's shield.
1 Samuel 17:8 Each day Goliath would come out and shout a challenge to the Israelite soldiers. He would say, "Why are all of your soldiers lined up ready for battle? You are Saul's servants. I am a Philistine. So choose one man and send him to fight me.
1 Samuel 17:9 If that man kills me, he wins and we Philistines will become your slaves. But if I kill your man, then I win, and you will become our slaves. You will have to serve us."
1 Samuel 17:10 The Philistine also said, "Today I stand and make fun of the army of Israel. I dare you to send me one of your men and let us fight."
1 Samuel 17:11 Saul and the Israelite soldiers heard what Goliath said, and they were very afraid.
1 Samuel 17:12 David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was from the Ephrathah family in Bethlehem, Judah. Jesse had eight sons. In Saul's time Jesse was an old man.
1 Samuel 17:13 Jesse's three oldest sons went with Saul to the war. The first son was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.
1 Samuel 17:14 David was the youngest son. The three oldest sons were in Saul's army,
1 Samuel 17:15 but David left Saul from time to time to take care of his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
1 Samuel 17:16 The Philistine came out every morning and evening and stood before the Israelite army. Goliath insulted Israel like this for 40 days.
1 Samuel 17:17 One day Jesse said to his son David, "Take this basket of cooked grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers in the camp.
1 Samuel 17:18 Also take these ten pieces of cheese for the officer who commands your brothers' group of 1000 soldiers. See how your brothers are doing. Bring back something to show me your brothers are all right.
1 Samuel 17:19 Your brothers are with Saul and all the Israelite soldiers in the Valley of Elah. They are there to fight against the Philistines."
1 Samuel 17:20 Early in the morning, David had another shepherd take care of the sheep while he took the food and left as Jesse had told him to. David drove their wagon to the camp. The soldiers were going out to their battle positions just as David arrived. The soldiers began shouting their war cry.
1 Samuel 17:21 The Israelites and Philistines were lined up and ready for battle.
1 Samuel 17:22 David left the food with the man who kept supplies. Then he ran to the place where the Israelite soldiers were and asked about his brothers.
1 Samuel 17:23 While David was talking with his brothers, the Philistine champion fighter came out from the Philistine army. This was Goliath, the Philistine from Gath. Goliath shouted things against Israel as usual. David heard what he said.
1 Samuel 17:24 The Israelite soldiers saw Goliath and ran away. They were all afraid of him.
1 Samuel 17:25 One of the Israelite men said, "Did you see that man? Look at him! He comes out each day and makes fun of Israel. Whoever kills him will get rich. King Saul will give him a lot of money. Saul will also let his daughter marry the man who kills Goliath. He will also make that man's family free from taxes in Israel."
1 Samuel 17:26 David asked the men standing near him, "What did he say? What is the reward for killing this Philistine and taking away this shame from Israel? Who is this Goliath anyway? He is only some foreigner, nothing but a Philistine. Why does he think he can speak against the army of the living God?"
1 Samuel 17:27 So the Israelite told David about the reward for killing Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:28 David's oldest brother Eliab heard David talking with the soldiers and became angry. Eliab asked David, "Why did you come here? Who did you leave those few sheep with in the desert? I know why you came down here. You didn't want to do what you were told to do. You just wanted to come down here to watch the battle."
1 Samuel 17:29 David said, "What did I do now? I didn't do anything wrong! I was only talking."
1 Samuel 17:30 He turned to some other people and asked them the same questions. They gave him the same answers as before.
1 Samuel 17:31 Some men heard David talking. They took David to Saul and told him what David had said.
1 Samuel 17:32 David said to Saul, "People shouldn't let Goliath discourage them. I am your servant. I will go fight this Philistine."
1 Samuel 17:33 Saul answered, "You can't go out and fight against this Philistine. You're not even a soldier! Goliath has been fighting in wars since he was a boy."
1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, "There were times when I was taking care of my father's sheep that wild animals came to take some sheep from the flock. Once there was a lion and another time, a bear.
1 Samuel 17:35 I chased that wild animal, attacked it, and took the sheep from its mouth. The wild animal jumped on me, but I caught it by the fur under its mouth. And I hit it and killed it.
1 Samuel 17:36 I killed both a lion and a bear like that! And I will kill that foreigner, Goliath, just like them. Goliath will die because he made fun of the army of the living God.
1 Samuel 17:37 The LORD saved me from the lion and the bear. He will also save me from this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go and may the LORD be with you."
1 Samuel 17:38 Saul put his own clothes on David. He put a bronze helmet on David's head and armor on his body.
1 Samuel 17:39 David put on the sword and tried to walk around. He tried to wear Saul's uniform, but David was not used to all those heavy things. David said to Saul, "I can't fight in these things. I'm not used to them." So David took them all off.
1 Samuel 17:40 He took his walking stick in his hand and went to find five smooth stones from the stream. He put the five stones in his shepherd's bag and held his sling in his hand. Then he went out to meet the Philistine.
1 Samuel 17:41 The Philistine slowly walked closer and closer to David. Goliath's helper walked in front of him, carrying a large shield.
1 Samuel 17:42 Goliath looked at David with disgust. He saw that David was only a handsome, healthy boy.
1 Samuel 17:43 Goliath said to David, "What is that stick for? Did you come to chase me away like a dog?" Then Goliath used the names of his gods to say curses against David.
1 Samuel 17:44 He said to David, "Come here, and I'll feed your body to the birds and wild animals."
1 Samuel 17:45 David said to the Philistine, "You come to me using sword, spear, and javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel. You have said bad things about him.
1 Samuel 17:46 Today the LORD will let me defeat you. I will kill you. I will cut off your head and feed your body to the birds and wild animals. And we will do the same thing to all the other Philistines too. Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel.
1 Samuel 17:47 All the people gathered here will know that the LORD doesn't need swords or spears to save people. The battle belongs to the LORD, and he will help us defeat all of you."
1 Samuel 17:48 Goliath the Philistine started to attack David. He slowly walked closer and closer toward David, but David ran out to meet Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:49 David took out a stone from his bag. He put it in his sling and swung the sling. The stone flew from the sling and hit Goliath right between the eyes. The stone sank deep into his head, and Goliath fell to the ground--face down.
1 Samuel 17:50 So David defeated the Philistine with only a sling and one stone! He hit the Philistine and killed him. David didn't have a sword,
1 Samuel 17:51 so he ran and stood beside the Philistine. Then David took Goliath's own sword out of its sheath and used it to cut off his head. That is how David killed the Philistine. When the other Philistines saw their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
1 Samuel 17:52 The soldiers of Israel and Judah shouted and started chasing the Philistines. The Israelites chased them all the way to the city limits of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. They killed many of the Philistines. Their bodies were scattered along the Shaaraim road all the way to Gath and Ekron.
1 Samuel 17:53 After chasing the Philistines, the Israelites came back to the Philistine camp and took many things from that camp.
1 Samuel 17:54 David took the Philistine's head to Jerusalem, but he kept the Philistine's weapons at home.
1 Samuel 17:55 Saul watched David go out to fight Goliath. Saul spoke to Abner, the commander of the army. "Abner, who is that young man's father?" Abner answered, "I swear I don't know, sir."
1 Samuel 17:56 King Saul said, "Find out who his father is."
1 Samuel 17:57 When David came back after killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul. David was still holding the Philistine's head.
1 Samuel 17:58 Saul asked him, "Young man, who is your father?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse, from Bethlehem."
I Samuel 21:9:
The priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here. David said, There is none like that; give it me.
Abraham vs. Lot: God has taken the side of Abraham
God sided with Abraham.
Lot is nephew of Abraham. ( Genesis 11:27 )
Genesis 11:27:
Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot.
Lot lived in Sodom ( Genesis 13)
Abraham rescued him from kings. (Genesis 14)
Israel is to destroy Moab and Ammon. Lot is the father of both Moab (Moabites) and Ammon (Ammonites), Abraham is father of faith in Israel.
Read Genesis 19:30-38
Genesis 19:30 Lot was afraid to stay in Zoar, so he and his two daughters went to live in the mountains in a cave.
Genesis 19:31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Everywhere on the earth, men and women marry and have a family. But our father is old, and there are no men around here to give us children.
Genesis 19:32 So let's get our father drunk with wine. Then we can have sex with him. That way we can use our father to keep our family alive!"
Genesis 19:33 That night the two girls went to their father and got him drunk with wine. Then the older daughter went and had sexual relations with him. He did not even know when she came to bed or when she got up.
Genesis 19:34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger daughter, "Last night I went to bed with my father. Let's get him drunk with wine again tonight. Then you can go and have sex with him. In this way we can use our father to have children, and our family will not come to an end."
Genesis 19:35 So that night the two girls got their father drunk with wine. Then the younger daughter went and had sexual relations with him. Again, Lot did not know when she came to bed or when she got up.
Genesis 19:36 Both of Lot's daughters became pregnant. Their father was the father of their babies.
Genesis 19:37 The older daughter gave birth to a son. She named him Moab. Moab is the ancestor of all the Moabites living today.
Genesis 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son. She named him Ben-Ammi. Ben-Ammi is the ancestor of all the Ammonites living today.
David vs. Saul: God has taken the side of David
Read I Samuel 18:1-11
King Saul got angry with David because of jealousy so many times he attempted to kill him. King Saul's life was spared by David. (I Samuel 24). His death was lamented by David. (2 Samuel 1:17-27)
2 Samuel 1:17 David sang a sad song about Saul and his son Jonathan.
2 Samuel 1:18 David told his men to teach the song to the people of Judah. This song is called The Bow, and it is written in the Book of Jashar.
2 Samuel 1:19 "Israel, your beauty was ruined on your hills. Oh, how those heroes fell!
2 Samuel 1:20 Don't tell the news in Gath. Don't announce it in the streets of Ashkelon. Those Philistine cities would be happy! Those foreigners would be glad.
2 Samuel 1:21 "May no rain or dew fall on you, mountains of Gilboa. May there be no offerings coming from your fields. The shields of the heroes rusted there. Saul's shield was not rubbed with oil.
2 Samuel 1:22 Jonathan's bow killed its share of enemies, and Saul's sword killed its share! They have spilled the blood of men now dead. They cut into the fat of strong men.
2 Samuel 1:23 "Saul and Jonathan--how dear they were to us! In life they loved being together, and even death did not separate them! They were faster than eagles and stronger than lions.
2 Samuel 1:24 Daughters of Israel, cry for Saul! Saul gave you beautiful red dresses and covered them with gold jewelry!
2 Samuel 1:25 "Strong men have fallen in the battle. Jonathan is dead on Gilboa's hills.
2 Samuel 1:26 Jonathan, my brother, I miss you! I enjoyed your friendship so much. Your love for me was wonderful, stronger than the love of women.
2 Samuel 1:27 Heroes have fallen in battle. Their weapons of war are lost."
Esau vs. Jacob: God has taken the side of Esau
Even when the twins are in Rebecca's womb, God already sided with Jacob. not to mention Esau is first born son of Isaac. Esau lost his first son's blessings over to Jacob (Genesis 27). The Lord choose Jacob over Esau. (Malachi 1:2-3). Esau's descendants eventually obliterated. (Obadiah 1:21; Jeremiah 49:7-26)
Genesis 25:21-26:
Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her. She said, 'If it be so, why do I live?' She went to inquire of Yahweh. Yahweh said to her, Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger. When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Malachi 1:2-3:
I have loved you, says Yahweh. Yet you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, says Yahweh: yet I loved Jacob; but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and [gave] his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.
Obadiah 1:21:
Saviors will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be Yahweh's.
Jeremiah 49:7 This message is about Edom. This is what the LORD All-Powerful says: "Is there no more wisdom in Teman? Are the wise men of Edom not able to give good advice? Have they lost their wisdom?
Jeremiah 49:8 You people living in Dedan, run away and hide, because I will punish Esau for the bad things he did.
Jeremiah 49:9 "Workers pick grapes from grapevines, but they leave a few grapes on the plants. If thieves come at night, they don't take everything.
Jeremiah 49:10 But I will take everything from Esau. I will find all his hiding places. He will not be able to hide from me. His children, relatives, and neighbors will all die.
Jeremiah 49:11 No one will be left to care for his children. His wives will have no one to depend on."
Jeremiah 49:12 This is what the LORD says: "Some people don't deserve to be punished, but they suffer. But, Edom, you deserve to be punished, so you will really be punished. You will not escape the punishment you deserve. You will be punished."
Jeremiah 49:13 The LORD says, "By my own power, I make this promise: I promise that the city of Bozrah will be destroyed. It will become a ruined pile of rocks. People will use it as an example when they ask for bad things to happen to other cities. People will insult that city, and all the towns around Bozrah will become ruins forever."
Jeremiah 49:14 I heard a message from the LORD: He sent this messenger to the nations. This is the message: "Gather your armies together! Get ready for battle! March against the nation of Edom!
Jeremiah 49:15 Edom, I will make you become unimportant. Everyone will hate you.
Jeremiah 49:16 Edom, you made other nations afraid, so you thought you were important. But your pride has fooled you. You live in caves, high on the cliff. Your home is high in the hills. But even if you build your home as high as an eagle's nest, I will bring you down from there." This is what the LORD said.
Jeremiah 49:17 "Edom will be destroyed. People will be shocked to see the destroyed cities. They will whistle from amazement at the destroyed cities.
Jeremiah 49:18 Edom will be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns around them. No one will live there." This is what the LORD said.
Jeremiah 49:19 "Sometimes a lion will come from the thick bushes near the Jordan River. And it will go into the fields where people put their sheep and cattle. I am like that lion. I will go to Edom. And I will frighten the people and make them run away. None of their young men will stop me. No one is like me. No one will challenge me. None of their leaders will stand up against me."
Jeremiah 49:20 So listen to what the LORD has planned to do to the people of Edom. Listen to what he has decided to do to the people in Teman. The enemy will drag away the young kids of Edom's flock. Edom's pastures will be empty because of what they did.
Jeremiah 49:21 At the sound of Edom's fall, the earth will shake. Their cry will be heard all the way to the Red Sea.
Jeremiah 49:22 Just as an eagle flies high to see the animal it will attack, so the Lord will spread his wings over Bozrah. And Edom's soldiers will be filled with fear like a woman giving birth.
Jeremiah 49:23 This message is about the city of Damascus: "The towns of Hamath and Arpad are afraid. They are afraid because they heard the bad news. They are discouraged. They are worried and afraid.
Jeremiah 49:24 The city of Damascus has become weak. The people want to run away. They are ready to panic. They are overcome with fear and pain, like a woman giving birth.
Jeremiah 49:25 "Damascus is a happy city. The people have not left that 'fun city' yet.
Jeremiah 49:26 So the young men will die in the public squares of that city. All her soldiers will be killed at that time." This is what the LORD All-Powerful said.
Good vs. evil: God has taken the side of good.
God is on the side of good. He will destroy all evil on earth. (2 Samuel 3:29; Psalms 101:8; Malachi 4:1)
2 Samuel 3:29:
I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.'
Psalms 101:8:
Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land; To cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh's city. Psalm 102 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh.
Malachi 4:1:
For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that comes shall burn them up, says Yahweh of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
You can choose between life and death. Choose life over death or good over evil. (Deut. 30:15; Deut. 30:19)
Deut. 30:15:
Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deut. 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;
Israel vs. Lebanon: God has taken the side of Israel (His chosen nation, or people)
God wants Lebanon destroyed by Israel's hands. (Deut. 11:24)
Deut. 11:24:
Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even to the hinder sea shall be your border.
Moses vs. Pharaoh: God has taken the side of Moses
God used Moses to defeat Pharao's pride and stubborness. (Exodus 14; Exodus 14:17)
Exodus 14:17:
I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his host, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego vs. King Nebuchadnezzar : God has taken the sides of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego.
Come on now, they're already three and the king is all alone.
They refused king's commandments to be defiled by Babylon's foods, even until death. (Daniel 1:8-20)
Daniel 1:8 Daniel did not want to eat the king's rich food and wine because it would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.
Daniel 1:9 God caused Ashpenaz, the man in charge of the officials, to be kind and loyal to Daniel.
Daniel 1:10 But Ashpenaz told Daniel, "I am afraid of my master, the king. He ordered me to give you this food and drink. If you don't eat this food, you will begin to look weak and sick. You will look worse than other young men your age. The king will see this, and he will become angry with me. He might cut off my head. And it would be your fault."
Daniel 1:11 Then Daniel talked to the guard who had been put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah by Ashpenaz.
Daniel 1:12 He said, "Please give us this test for ten days: Don't give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Daniel 1:13 Then after ten days, compare us with the other young men who eat the king's food. See for yourself who looks healthier, and then decide how you want to treat us, your servants."
Daniel 1:14 So the guard agreed to test Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah for ten days.
Daniel 1:15 After ten days, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than all the young men who ate the king's food.
Daniel 1:16 So the guard continued to take away the king's special food and wine and to give only vegetables to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Daniel 1:17 God gave these four young men the wisdom and ability to learn many different kinds of writing and science. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
Daniel 1:18 At the end of the three years of training, Ashpenaz brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 1:19 The king talked to them and found that none of the young men were as good as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So these four young men became the king's servants.
Daniel 1:20 Every time the king asked them about something important, they showed great wisdom and understanding. The king found they were ten times better than all the magicians and wise men in his kingdom.
They also refused king's commandments to worship an idol. (Daniel 3:1-18)
Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar had a gold idol made that was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. Then he set the idol up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 3:2 Then he called the satraps, prefects, governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, rulers, and all the other officials in his kingdom to come together. He wanted all of them to come to the dedication ceremony for the idol.
Daniel 3:3 So all the men came and stood in front of the idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel 3:4 Then the man who makes announcements for the king spoke in a loud voice, "All you people from many nations and language groups, listen to me. This is what you are commanded to do:
Daniel 3:5 You must bow down as soon as you hear the sound of all the musical instruments. When you hear the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must worship the gold idol. King Nebuchadnezzar has set this idol up.
Daniel 3:6 Whoever does not bow down and worship this gold idol will immediately be thrown into a very hot furnace."
Daniel 3:7 So as soon as they heard the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, they bowed down and worshiped the gold idol. All the peoples, nations, and different language groups there worshiped the gold idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel 3:8 Then some of the Chaldeans came up to the king and began speaking against the people from Judah.
Daniel 3:9 They said, "King, may you live forever!
Daniel 3:10 King, you gave a command. You said that everyone who hears the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments must bow down and worship the gold idol.
Daniel 3:11 And you also said that whoever does not bow down and worship the gold idol will be thrown into a very hot furnace.
Daniel 3:12 There are some Judeans who you made important officials in the province of Babylon that ignored your order, King. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They don't worship your gods, and they didn't bow down to worship the gold idol you set up."
Daniel 3:13 Nebuchadnezzar became very angry. He called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So they were brought to him.
Daniel 3:14 And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don't worship my gods? And is it true that you didn't bow down and worship the gold idol I have set up?
Daniel 3:15 Now when you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must bow down and worship the gold idol. If you are ready to worship the idol I have made, that is good. But if you don't worship it, you will be thrown very quickly into the hot furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!"
Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we don't need to explain these things to you.
Daniel 3:17 If you throw us into the hot furnace, the God we serve can save us. And if he wants to, he can save us from your power.
Daniel 3:18 But even if God does not save us, we want you to know, King, that we refuse to serve your gods. We will not worship the gold idol you have set up."
God took their sides and saved them from the king's burning furnace. (Daniel 3:19-30)
Daniel 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar became very angry with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave an order for the oven to be heated seven times hotter than it usually was.
Daniel 3:20 Then he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He told the soldiers to throw them into the hot furnace.
Daniel 3:21 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tied up and thrown into the hot furnace. They were wearing their robes, pants, cloth caps, and other clothes.
Daniel 3:22 The king was very angry when he gave the command, so the soldiers quickly made the furnace very hot. The fire was so hot that the flames killed the strong soldiers. They were killed when they went close to the fire to throw in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Daniel 3:23 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the fire. They were tied up very tightly.
Daniel 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet. He was very surprised and he asked his advisors, "We tied only three men, and we threw only three men into the fire. Is that right?" His advisors said, "Yes, King."
Daniel 3:25 The king said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They are not tied up and they are not burned. The fourth man looks like an angel."
Daniel 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the opening of the hot furnace. He shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out! Servants of the Most High God, come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
Daniel 3:27 When they came out, the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisors crowded around them. They could see that the fire had not burned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their bodies were not burned at all. Their hair was not burned, and their robes were not burned. They didn't even smell as if they had been near fire.
Daniel 3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and refused to obey my command. They were willing to die instead of serving or worshiping any other god.
Daniel 3:29 So I now make this law: Anyone from any nation or language group who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces, and their house will be destroyed until it is a pile of dirt and ashes. No other god can save his people like this."
Daniel 3:30 Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important jobs in the province of Babylon.
