¶ Nabuchodonosor the king caused a golden Image to be made, which was sixty cubits high, and six cubits thick. This he made to be set up in the field of Dura, in the land of Babylon
and sent out to gather together the dukes, lords and nobles, the judges and officers, the deputies and shreves, with all the rulers of the land: that they might come to the dedication of the Image which Nabuchodonosor the king had set up.
So the dukes, lords and nobles, the judges and officers, deputies and shreves with all the rulers of the land gathered them together, and came unto the dedicating of the Image that Nabuchodonosor the king had set up. Now when they stood before the Image, which Nabuchodonosor had set up,
the bedel cried out with all his might: O ye people, kindreds and tongues, to you be it said:
that when ye hear the noise of the trumpets, which shall be blown, with harps, shawmes Psalteries, Symphonies and all manner of Music: ye fall down and worship the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the king hath set up.
Who so then falleth not down and boweth himself, shall even the same hour be cast in to an hot burning oven.
Therefore, when all the folk heard the noise of the trumpets, that were blown, with the harps, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all kind of Melody: then all the people, kindreds and nations fell down, and bowed themselves unto the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the king had set up.
¶ Now were there certain men of the Caldees, that went even then and accused the Iews,
and said unto the king Nabuchodonosor: O king, God save thy life for ever.
Thou being king hast given a commandment, that all men when they hear noise of the trumpets, harps, shawmes psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: shall fall down and bow themselves toward the golden Image:
whoso then fell not down and worshipped not, that he should be cast in to an hot burning oven.
Now are there certain Iews, whom thou hast set over the offices of the land of Babylon: namely, Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago. These men, (O king) regard not thy commandment, yea they will not serve thy Gods, nor bow themselves to the golden Image, that thou hast set up.
Then Nabuchodonosor in a cruel wrath and displeasure, commanded that Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago should be brought unto him. So these men were brought before the king.
Then Nabuchodonosor spake unto them, and said: what? O Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, will not ye serve my Gods? nor bow yourselves to the golden Image, that I have set up?
well, be ready hereafter, when ye hear the noise of the trumpets blow with the harps, shawmes psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: that ye fall down, and worship the Image which I have made. But if ye worship it not, ye shall be cast immediately in to an hot burning oven. Let see, what God is there, that may deliver you out of my hands?
Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, answered the king, an said: O Nabuchodonosor, we ought not to consent unto thee in this matter, for why:
our God whom we serve, is able to keep us from the hot burning oven (O king) and can right well deliver us out of thy hands:
And though he will not, yet shalt thou know (O king) that we will not serve thy Gods, nor do reverence to the Image, which thou hast set up.
¶ Then was Nabuchodonosor full of indignation, so that the countenance of his face changed upon Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago. Therefore he charged and commanded, that the oven should be made seven times hotter, then it was wont to be:
and spake unto the strongest worthies that were in his house, for to bind Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, and to cast them in to the hot burning oven.
So these men were bound in their coats, hosen, shoes with their other garments, and cast in to the hot burning oven.
for the king's commandment was so straight, and the oven was exceeding hot. As for the men that put in Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, the flame of the fire destroyed them.
And these three men, Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago fell down in the hot burning oven, being fast bound.
¶ And they walked in the middest of the flame, praysing God and magnifying the LORD.
Azarias stood up and praid on this maner: even in the middest of the fire opened he his mouth, and said:
Blessed be thou (O LORD God of our fathers) right worthy to be praised and honoured is that name of thine for evermore:
For thou art righteous in all the thinges that thou hast done to us: Yea faithfull are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgementes true.
In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers (even Ierusalem) thou hast executed true judgement: yea according to right and equity hast thou brought all these things upon us, because of our sins.
¶ For why? we have offended and done wickedly, departing from thee:
In all things haue we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast bidden us, that we might prosper.
Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done them in true judgement:
As in delivering us into the hands of our enemies, among ungodly and wicked abhominations, and to an unrighteous king, yea the most froward upon earth.
And now we may not open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproof unto thy servants, and to them that worship thee.
Yet for thy names sake (we beseche thee) give us not up for ever, break not thy covenaunt,
and take not away thy mercy from us for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Isaac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake:
To whom thou hast spoken and promised that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the sea shore.
For we (O LORD) are become less than any people, and be kept, under this day, in all the world, because of our sins.
So that now we have neither prince, duke prophet, burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, incense, nor sanctuary before thee.
¶ Nevertheless, in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be received, that we may obtain thy mercy.
Like as in the burnt offering of rams and bullocks, and like as in thousands of fat lambs: so let our offering be in thy sight this day, that it may please thee: for there is no confusion unto them that put their trust in thee.
And now we folow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face.
Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy loving kindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.
Deliver us by thy miracles (O LORD) and get thy name an honour: that all they which do thy servants evil, may be confounded:
Let them be ashamed thorow thy almighty power, and let their strength be broken:
that they may know, how that thou only art the LORD God, and honour worthy thorowout all the world.
¶ And the kings servants that put them in ceased not to make the oven hot with wild fire, dry straw, pitch and fagots:
So that the flame went out of the oven upon a fourty and nine cubits:
Yea it took away, and brent up those Chaldees, that it gat hold upon beside the oven.
But the angel of the LORD came down into the oven to Azariah and his felows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven,
And made the middest of the oven, as it had been a cold wind blowing: so that the fire neither touched them, grieved them, nor did them hurt.
Then these three (as out of one mouth) praised, honoured, and blessed God in the furnace, saying:
¶ Blessed be thou, O LORD God of our fathers: for thou art praise and honour worthy, yea and to be magnified for evermore.
Blessed be the holy name of thy glory, for it is worthy to be praised and magnified for ever.
Blessed be thou in the throne of thy kingdom, for above all thou art worthy to be praysed, yea and more than worthy to be magnified for ever.
Blessed be thou in the throne of thy kingdom, for above all thou art worthy to be well spoken of, and to be more than magnified for ever.
Blessed be thou, that lookest thorow the deep, and sittest upon the Cherubims: for thou art worthy to be praised, and above all to be magnified for ever.
Blessed be thou in the firmament of heaven: for thou art praise and honour worthy for ever.
¶ O all ye works of the LORD, speak good of the LORD, praise him and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye angels of the LORD, speak good of the LORD, praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye heavens, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O all ye waters that be above the firmament, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O all ye powers of the LORD, speak good of the LORD, praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye Sonne and Moon, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye stars of heaven, speak good of the LORD: praise him and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye showers and dew, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O all ye winds of God, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye fire and heat speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye winter and summer, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye dews and frosts, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye frost and cold, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye ice and snow, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye nights and days: speak good of the LORD: praise him and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye light and darkeness, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye lightnings and clouds, speak good of the LORD: praise him and set him up for ever.
¶ O let the earth speak good of the LORD: yea let it praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye mountains and hills, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O all ye green things upon the earth, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye wells, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye seas and floods, speak good of the LORD: praise him and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye whales and that live in the waters, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O all ye fouls of the air, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O all ye beastes and cattle, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye children of men, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O let Israel speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye priests of the LORD, speak good of the LORD, praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye servants of the LORD, speak good of the LORD: praise him and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, speak good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O ye holy and humble men of heart, speak ye good of the LORD: praise him, and set him up for ever.
¶ O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael speak ye good of the LORD, praise ye him, and set him up for ever. Which hath delivered us from the hell, kept us from the hand of death, rid us from the middest of the burning flame, and saved us even in the middest of the fire.
O give thanks therefore unto the LORD: for he is kind hearted, and his mercy endureth for ever.
O all devout men, speak ye good of the LORD, even the God of all goddes: O praise him, and give him thanks, for his mercy endureth world without end.
Then Nabuchodonosor the king marveled, and stood up in all haste: he spake unto his counsel and said: did not ye cast these three men bound into the fire? They answered, and said unto the king: Yea O king.
He answered and said: Lo, for all that, yet do I see four men going loose in the middest of the fire, and nothing corrupt: and the fourth is like an angel to look upon.
Upon this went Nabuchodonosor unto the mouth of the hot burning oven: he spake also, and said: O Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, ye servants of the high God: go forth, and come hither. And so Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, went out of the fire.
Then the dukes, lords and nobles, and the king's counsel came together to see these men, upon whom the fire had no manner of power in their bodies: in so much that the very hair of their head was not burnt, and their clothes unchanged: Yea there was no smell of fire felt upon them.
¶ Then spake Nabuchodonosor, and said: Blessed be the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago: which hath sent his angel, and defended his servants, that put their trust in him: that have altered the king's commandment: and jeoperdy their bodies there upon: rather then they would serve or worship any other god, except their own God only.
Therefore I will and command, that all people, kindreds and tongues, which speak any blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, shall die and their houses shall be prised: Because, there is no God that may save, as this.
So the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, in the land of Babylon.
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Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.