Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 3:4
Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
4. And the herald cried aloud ] lit. with might: Son 4:14; Son 5:7; and in Heb. (though the substantive is a different one) Jon 3:8.
peoples, nations, and languages ] the same pleonastic combination, Dan 3:7 ; Dan 3:29, Dan 4:1, Dan 5:19, Dan 6:25, Dan 7:14; cf. also Isa 66:18. Similarly Rev 5:9; Rev 7:9; Rev 10:11; Rev 11:9; Rev 13:7; Rev 14:6; Rev 17:16. Here the combination is no doubt used under the idea that strangers from different countries ruled by Nebuchadnezzar, as well as from other parts (such as were always to be found in Babylon: Isa 13:14 b, Isa 47:15; Jer 50:16), would be present on such an occasion.
people s ] i.e. nations, a sense not now expressed by the English ‘people.’ See the remarks on this word in the Preface to the Revised Version of the O.T.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Then an herald cried aloud – Margin, as in Chaldee, with might. He made a loud proclamation. A herald here means a public crier.
To you it is commanded – Margin, they commanded. Literally, to you commanding (plural); that is, the king has commanded.
O people, nations, and languages – The empire of Babylon was made up of different nations, speaking quite different languages. The representatives of these nations were assembled on this occasion, and the command would extend to all. There was evidently no exception made in favor of the scruples of any, and the order would include the Hebrews as well as others. It should be observed, however, that no others but the Hebrews would have any scruples on the subject. They were all accustomed to worship idols, and the worship of one god did not prevent their doing homage also to another. It accorded with the prevailing views of idolaters that there were many gods; that there were tutelary divinities presiding over particular people; and that it was not im proper to render homage to the god of any people or country. Though, therefore, they might themselves worship other gods in their own countries, they would have no scruples about worshipping also the one that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. In this respect the Jews were an exception. They acknowledged but one God; they believed that all others were false gods, and it was a violation of the fundamental principles of their religion to render homage to any other.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Dan 3:4-5
To you it is commanded, O people.
The Importance of the Imperative
We cannot do without this word command in our religious education. It is a Divine word. It would be instructive to trace the history of that term, and to study its meaning in the various relations which it assumes. The Bible is full of commandments; in Genesis the Lord commands, in the Apocalypse there is a commanding voice; and Jesus, gracious, meek, patient, tender Jesus, commands–He says, A new commandment give I unto you. How, then, can Jesus give commands? Because of what He is. God can give commands because He is God; and not only so, but being God, He knows human nature, and can address it in its own terms, and according to the line of its own instincts and necessities. When He thunders down His commands there is nothing that offends the mental or moral constitution on which the commanding voice falls with ineffable authority. The command awakens something that is already slumbering in the nature. We must have our duties in the first instance in the form of commands, but only God can tell what commands are not arbitrary, but are natural, and operate in the line of instinct and Divine intention. What is a commandment to one man is an easy task to another. Some hard and all but impenetrable natures require to be commanded, stirred, roused; and others hear the word of the Lord and spring to it in obedience that seems to understand it all ere it be fully spoken. Many have sweetened the bitterness of their lot by an ample and proper use of the promises who have forgotten that every promise has behind it or near it a corresponding command. The imperative mood has never been allowed to fall into disuse in the Bible; it is, Son, give me thine heart; it is, Love one another; it is, Hear my words and do them. We draw the line, then, as between human authority and Divine sovereignty, as between an arbitrary decree and a command that is in harmony with the wisdom and love of God, and in harmony with the peculiarity of human constitution and capacity. (Joseph Parker, D.D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. Then a herald cried aloud] caroza kara bechayil, “a crier called with might.” A bedel cried mightili. – Old MS. Bible.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
An herald: it is likely there were many heralds at the head of that great concourse, else they could not all hear.
People, nations, and languages: proclamation was made therefore in several languages, to some of several nations assembled there, and to the representatives of all.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. The arguments of thepersecutor are in brief, Turn or burn.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then an herald cried aloud,…. That his voice might be heard all over the plain; or if it should be thought that one was not sufficient to be heard throughout, which probably was the case, and where; so great a number being assembled together, all could not hear one man, the singular may be put for the plural; and many being set in different places in the plain, and speaking different languages, might proclaim when the image was dedicated, as follows:
to you it is commanded; by the king’s authority:
O people, nations, and languages; the several kingdoms, states, and provinces, that belonged to the Babylonian monarchy, and spoke different languages, as now represented by their several governors and officers; as the Armenians, Parthians, Medes, Persians, &c.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It is afterwards added — A herald cried out lustily, or among the multitude. This latter explanation does not suit so well — the herald crying amidst the multitude — -since there were a great concourse of nations, and the kingdom of Babylon comprehended many provinces. The herald, therefore, cried with a loud voice, An edict is gone forth for you, O nations, peoples, and tongues. This would strike them with terror, since the king made no exception to his command for every province to worship his idol; for each person would observe the rest, and when every one sees the whole multitude obedient, no one would dare to refuse; hence all liberty is at an end. It now follows, — When ye hear the sound of the trumpet or horn, harp, pipe, psaltery, sackbut, etc ., ye must fall down and adore the image. But whoever did not fall down before it, should be cast the same hour into a burning fiery furnace. This would excite the greater terror, since King Nebuchadnezzar sanctioned this impious worship with a punishment so severe; for he was not content with a usual kind of death, but commanded every one who did not worship the statue to be cast into the fire. Now, this denunciation of punishment sufficiently demonstrates now the king suspected some of rebellion. There would have been no dispute if Jews had not been mixed with Chaldeans and Assyrians, for they always worshipped the same gods, and it was a prevailing custom with them to worship those deities whom their kings approved. Hence it appears that the statue was purposely erected to give the king an opportunity of accurately ascertaining whether the Jews, as yet unaccustomed to Gentile superstitions, were obedient to his command. He wished to cause the sons of Abraham to lay aside sincere piety, and to submit to his corruption’s, by following the example of others, and framing their conduct according to the king’s will and the practice of the people among whom they dwelt. But we shall treat this hereafter.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) People, nations.In Biblical language the latter word is used (Gen. 25:16) of the tribes of Ishmael, each of which had its own head, or of the Midianites (Num. 25:15). The former is applied to Israel in Psa. 111:6, where occurs the phrase, people of Jehovah. The word languages is applied (Gen. 10:5; Gen. 10:20, &c.) to tribes as represented by their languages. Hence these three expressions denote all nations subject to the empire, of whatever description of language, government, or federation. (Comp. Dan. 3:29, and Dan. 4:1; Dan. 7:14.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Compare Dan 4:1; Dan 6:25. Recent excavations prove that Babylon was a city of many tongues. Hilprecht has been able to declare that, from the amalgamation of languages used in the texts, it is clear that at a time only a little later than this “the population of Babylon was as thoroughly mixed as that of the States of New York and Pennsylvania at our own time” ( ibid.); but this amalgamation of languages could not have taken place in an hour. It is absolutely certain that in Nebuchadnezzar’s time all the tongues of the civilized world could be heard in the streets of the capital, and representatives of these languages no doubt took part in his great triumphs and festivals. (See Introduction, III, 2.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded O peoples, nations and languages, that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.’
‘Peoples, nations and languages,’ covered all possible members of the empire, although they were here represented by their officials. The phrase occurs regularly to signify all members of the empire.
The instruments appear to be Semitic and Greek. Greece traded throughout the empire and their products were found everywhere. The word for ‘kinds’ is Persian, possibly a technical musical term. It was an international empire, and all nations were present. And the Babylonians were famous for their love of music (Psa 137:3; Isa 14:11).
The requirement was that they all worship Nebuchadnezzar’s god. The worship of a suzerain’s god was an essential part of the oath of loyalty, a factor that had proved disastrous time and again in Israel’s history. But for most nations and peoples it was not a difficulty, unless they were thinking of rebelling. After all such gods had proved their superiority and it did not mean denying their own gods. It was different for worshippers of the one God, Yahweh, the God of heaven (as Rome would concede later).
The stern warning was typical of the age. Loyalty had to be maintained with an iron hand. Any resistance might quickly spread. And Nebuchadnezzar was ever conscious of the image in his dream, and the possible failure of his kingdom.
‘A burning fiery furnace.’ The word for furnace (’attun) is probably a loan word from the Akkadian utunu (oven) as used for baking bricks or smelting metals. We do not know the direct nature of the furnace but it was clearly dreadful as the added adjectives ‘burning, fiery’ indicate. It was possibly of a large kiln type with an opening at the top and in the side. Brick kilns were common around Babylon for the great building projects, and the idea of throwing people into such kilns for punishment is instanced in a Babylonian letter of around 1800 BC and an Assyrian court regulation of about 1130 BC (compare Psa 21:9; Jer 29:22).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
Ver. 4. To you it is commanded. ] Chald., They command; i.e., the king and his council. as Est 1:13 ; Est 1:15 But what said the heathen? Obediemus Atridis honesta mandantibus, a we will obey rulers if they command things honest, but not else. The Bishop of Norwich asked Roger Coo, martyr in Queen Mary’s days, whether he would not obey the queen’s laws? He answered, As far as they agree with the Word of God I will obey them. The bishop replied, Whether they agree with the Word of God or not we are bound to obey them, if the queen were an infidel. Coo answered, If Shadrach, Meshaeh, and Abednego had done so, Nebuchadnezzar had not confessed the living God. b
a Eurip. in Phaeniss.
b Acts and Mon., fol. 1550.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
herald. Chaldee. karoza’. Not from the Greek kerux, but an old Persian word khresic’, a crier, from which comes the Chaldee verb kevar, to make a proclamation, as in Dan 5:29.
people = peoples, or nations.
nations = races, or tribes.
languages = tongues. Figure of speech Catabasis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 3:4
Dan 3:4 Then an heraldH3744 criedH7123 aloud,H2429 To you it is commanded,H560 O people,H5972 nations,H524 and languages,H3961
Dan 3:4
Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
Every individual at the dedication ceremony of this statue, regardless of where they came from or what language they spoke were being addressed here.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
aloud: Chal, with might, Dan 4:14, Pro 9:13-15, Isa 40:9, Isa 58:1
it is commanded: Chal, they command, Hos 5:11, Mic 6:16
O people: Dan 4:1, Dan 6:25, Est 8:9
Reciprocal: Psa 94:20 – frameth Dan 3:9 – king Dan 3:10 – hast made Dan 5:19 – that he Dan 7:14 – that all
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 3:4. Smiths Bible Dictionary says the following of herald: “One who makes public proclamation. The only notice of this officer in the Old Testament occurs in Daniel 3; Daniel 4.” The Babylonian Empire embraced virtually all the people, nations, and languages, hence the herald addressed these units of the government.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 3:4-6. Then a herald cried aloud Made proclamation in the languages of the several nations assembled; To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages Whatever parts of the empire you come from, and whatever language you speak. This form of speech was doubtless designed to set forth the largeness and extent of the Babylonish empire. That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, &c. That is, of wind and stringed instruments of various sorts. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that the several words by which the several kinds of musical instruments are enumerated in this chapter, do not seem to admit of any satisfactory explanation: certainly, without distinctly referring to ancient usages, and going to a great length of explication, they cannot be made intelligible, except to those few who are fully acquainted with those usages, and perhaps scarcely even to them: and if the reader could attain correct ideas of the forms and powers of them all, he would from this derive but little edification. Ye fall down and worship the golden image Let all take notice, 1st, That the king strictly charges and commands all manner of persons, whatever other gods they worship at other times, now to worship this. 2d, That all do this just at the same time, in token of their communion with each other at this service. And whosoever falleth not down and worshippeth St. Jerome observes, that falling down is applied, in Scripture, rather to idols than the true God; (see Mat 4:9;) shall the same hour, &c. This is the first place in the Old Testament where we meet with the division of time into hours. The Greeks ascribe the invention of them to Anaximander, who, perhaps, received it from the Chaldees. The mode of punishment here mentioned was common among this people: compare Jer 29:22. It has been said, that Abraham was exposed to this punishment before his departure from Chaldea: see Gen 11:31; and Calmet. Similar methods has mystical Babylon followed, to compel those she denominates heretics to embrace her creed, and join in her anti-christian worship.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, {d} nations, and languages,
(d) These are the two dangerous weapons, which Satan used to fight against the children of God, the consent of the multitude, and the cruelty of the punishment. For even though some feared God, yet the multitude who consented to the wickedness persuaded them: and here the King required not an inward consent, but an outward gesture, that the Jews might by little and little learn to forget their true religion.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The musical instruments referred to (Dan 3:5; Dan 3:7) also have Persian names. [Note: Archer, A Survey . . ., p. 375; K. A. Kitchen, "The Aramaic in Daniel," in Notes on Some Problems in the Book of Daniel, p. 43; T. C. Mitchell and R. Joyce, "The Musical Instruments in Nebuchadnezzar’s Orchestra," in Notes on Some Problems in the Book of Daniel, pp. 19-27.] Some of these instruments were Greek as well. The Greeks had an influence on Babylonia earlier than Daniel’s time. [Note: W. F. Albright, From Stone Age to Christianity, p. 259; E. M. Yamauchi, Greece and Babylon, pp. 17-24; Leupold, p. 143.] These were various wind and stringed instruments. [Note: For a full description of each, see Mitchell and Joyce, pp. 19-27; Leupold, pp. 144-45; Keil, pp. 122-24; and Charles H. Dyer, "The Musical Instruments in Daniel 3," Bibliotheca Sacra 147:588 (October-December 1990):426-36.] The Babylonians seem to have been an almost music-crazed culture (cf. Psa 137:3; Isa 14:11). [Note: See Ironside, pp. 48-50, for interesting insights into spurious and real music in worship.]
"The story of the three young men who were thrown into the fire because they would not worship the image (Daniel 3), brings to mind the great brick-kilns outside the city, where the bricks required for certain purposes in the vast building projects of Nebuchadnezzar were baked. Some of these great ovens were found in the [archaeological] excavations. Worth noting in this connection is a rather Solomonic judicial directive of the ruler Rim Sin (1750 B.C.), which appears in a recently published document of the Yale Babylonian Collection. He speaks thus concerning four men of Larsa: ’Because they threw a young slave into an oven, throw ye a slave into a furnace.’ Clearly, that sort of thing was nothing new in Babylonia." [Note: E. G. Kraeling, Rand McNally Bible Atlas, p. 323. See also J. B. Alexander, "New Light on the Fiery Furnace," Journal of Biblical Literature 69:4 (December 1950):375-76.]
Other authorities believed the furnace was beehive or funnel-shaped and was constructed of metal. [Note: See Goldingay, p. 70.]
In the Tribulation, the Antichrist will command everyone to worship him and his image (Rev 13:3-18).