Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 3:15
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
15. sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer ] trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe.
well] an aposiopesis, as e.g. Gen 30:27, Exo 32:32, Luk 13:9; Il. i. 135 f. (von Lengerke).
who is the God ] The sense is not appreciably affected; but ‘that’ is not philologically correct (comp. on Dan 2:38). The question is a defiant challenge, like those of Sennacherib, and the Rab-shakeh, Isa 36:19 f., Isa 37:11 f.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now, if ye be ready, that at what time … – At the very time; on the very instant. It would seem probable from this that the ceremonies of the consecration of the image were prolonged for a considerable period, so that there was still an opportunity for them to unite in the service if they would. The supposition that such services would be continued through several days is altogether probable, and accords with what was usual on festival occasions. It is remarkable that the king was willing to give them another trial, to see whether they were disposed or not to worship the golden image. To this he might have been led by the apprehension that they had not understood the order, or that they had not duly considered the subject; and possibly by respect for them as faithful officers, and for their countryman Daniel. There seems, moreover, to have been in the bosom of this monarch, with all his pride and passion, a readiness to do justice, and to furnish an opportunity of a fair trial before he proceeded to extremities. See Dan 2:16, Dan 2:26, Dan 2:46-47,
And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? – That is, he either supposed that the God whom they worshipped would not be able to deliver them, or that he would not be disposed to do it. It was a boast of Sennacherib, when he warred against the Jews, that none of the gods of the nations which he had conquered had been able to rescue the lands over which they presided, and he argued from these premises that the God whom the Hebrews worshipped would not be able to defend their country: Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? Isa 36:18-20. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have reasoned in a similar manner, and with a degree of vain boasting that strongly resembled this, calling their attention to the certain destruction which awaited them if they did not comply with his demand.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Prodigious pride and blasphemy! for he doth not only insult over all gods in general, but particularly against the only true God, whom he lately confessed, Dan 2:47, to be
a God of gods, and a Lord of kings. So the king of Assyria, 2Ki 18:30,33. Thus all the tyrants of the East, Turk, Mogul, Kham, whose very titles are blasphemy. It is a wonder why these men worship any god, seeing they set up themselves above all. Reason of state makes them set up somewhat to keep the people in awe; they themselves are exempt, and care for none. The root of Nebuchadnezzars arrogance lay chiefly here, he had burnt the temple of the Jews God, and made slaves of his people, and he did not deliver either, and therefore thought he could not; and so presumes the same now; but God will make him quickly of another mind.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. who is that GodsoSennacherib’s taunt (2Ki 18:35),and Pharaoh’s (Ex 5:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye shall hear,…. The meaning is, that if they were disposed in mind, which the king was very desirous they should, both for his own honour, and for their safety, for whom he had a regard; and were willing to comply with his orders, and readily yield obedience to his will, and worship his idol; the following would be a signal to them, and all would be well with them: or it may be rendered, “when now ye shall be, that at what time ye shall hear” q; for the word signifies future, as well as “ready”, and is by some so translated; and the sense is, when it shall be, or for the future, that they should hear
the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music; which was played not once only, but perhaps at certain times every day, and designed to be continued:
ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; it is well; so doing the king’s wrath would be appeased, their lives would be preserved, and they continued in his favour, and in their honourable posts:
but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; immediately, without any delay; no reprieve will be granted, and much less a pardon:
and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? he knew their confidence in the God of Israel, which he attempts to break and remove; he foresaw the objection they would make, which he endeavours to anticipate by this proud and vain boast, forgetting what he himself had said, Da 2:47.
q “si futuri estis”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) Well.The word is not in the Chaldee, where an aposiopesis is to be observed, as in Exo. 32:32. Comp. Luk. 13:9.
Who is that God?Nebuchadnezzar has so little belief in his own gods that he ranks himself as far above them as above Jehovah. He defies all supernatural powers. Very different is the boast of Sennacherib (Isa. 36:18-20), who pits his own god Assur against Jehovah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Dan 3:15. And who is that god, &c. This is a proof of the inattention and inconstancy of this prince, who had so often proved and known the sovereign power and superiority of the God of the Jews. See chap. Dan 2:47.
The Jews answer him with great firmness, telling him that in so plain a case, there is no room for deliberation; they had an answer ready at hand, that they ought to obey God rather than man. See Lowth and Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Ver. 15. Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear. ] Many can no sooner hear flattering promises of preferment, as it were Nebuchadnezzar’s instruments, but they presently fall down and worship the Babylonish idol; but these three worthies were none such.
And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
well. Note the Figure of speech Aposiopesis (App-6). Or, supply [well and good].
God. Chaldee ‘elah. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 3:15
Dan 3:15 NowH3705 ifH2006 ye beH383 readyH6263 thatH1768 at whatH1768 timeH5732 ye hearH8086 the soundH7032 of the cornet,H7162 flute,H4953 harp,H7030 sackbut,H5443 psaltery,H6460 and dulcimer,H5481 and allH3606 kindsH2178 of musick,H2170 ye fall downH5308 and worshipH5457 the imageH6755 whichH1768 I have made;H5648 well: but ifH2006 ye worshipH5457 not,H3809 ye shall be castH7412 the same hourH8160 into the midstH1459 of a burningH3345 fieryH5135 furnace;H861 and whoH4479 is thatH1932 GodH426 thatH1768 shall deliverH7804 you out ofH4481 my hands?H3028
Dan 3:15
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Nebuchadnezzar obviously does not wish to have Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego executed so we see him giving them a chance to obey his decree before the people. Nebuchadnezzar was a proud and prideful king. He knew the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to bow down to his statue was public knowledge in view of the report of it coming from his own subjects like it did. His authority had been challenged. Nebuchadnezzar probably did not expect anyone to challenge his decree and face being burned to death in his furnace. But now that they had, he finds himself in the predicament of having to carry through with it for the sake of his own decree. One is reminded of Herod Antipas who was manipulated into having John the Baptist beheaded in prison over an oath he swore in front of his subjects. Neither one of these men wanted to have their subjects executed but because of something they said they had to in order to preserve their credibility and pride.
Nebuchadnezzar gave these three men a chance to escape his decree of execution by fire for their refusal to obey but as we see, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused anyway.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
ye hear: Dan 3:10
harp: Kaithros in Arabic kitharat, Greek , the guitar.
sackbut: Sabbecha , sambuke, a kind of harp.
psaltery: Pesanter, , a stringed instrument struck with a plectrum; probably similar to what is called a psalterium in Egypt, which Hasselquist describes as a large oblique triangle, with two bottoms two inches from each other, and about twenty catguts of different sizes.
dulcimer: Soomphanya probably the same as the Talmudic [Strong’s H5481], a pipe.
ye fall: Luk 4:7, Luk 4:8
well: Dan 3:17, Exo 32:32, Luk 13:9
and who: Dan 3:28, Dan 3:29, Dan 6:16, Dan 6:20, Exo 5:2, 2Ki 18:35, 2Ch 32:15-17, Isa 36:20, Isa 37:23, Mat 27:43
we are: Mat 10:19, Mar 13:11, Luk 12:11, Luk 21:14, Luk 21:15, Act 4:8-12, Act 4:19, Act 5:29, Act 6:15, Act 24:10-13
Reciprocal: Gen 44:18 – as Pharaoh Jdg 18:28 – And there 2Sa 6:5 – David 1Ki 19:2 – if I 2Ki 18:22 – We trust 2Ki 18:29 – Let not 2Ch 21:11 – compelled Job 10:7 – and there Psa 11:3 – what Psa 12:4 – who Psa 14:6 – Ye Psa 71:11 – for there Psa 73:9 – set Pro 30:31 – against Ecc 2:8 – musical instruments Ecc 8:4 – the word Isa 36:14 – General Isa 36:18 – Hath Isa 50:2 – have I Isa 51:13 – were ready Jer 9:23 – neither Jer 44:16 – we Eze 36:20 – These Dan 2:9 – there is Dan 3:5 – the cornet Dan 3:6 – falleth Dan 3:20 – to bind Mic 7:10 – Where Mat 13:42 – cast Mat 20:25 – exercise dominion Joh 19:10 – knowest Eph 6:9 – forbearing Heb 7:25 – he is Jam 3:5 – so
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 3:15, Before receiving their reply the king repeated the degree they were accused of disobeying, and informed them of their chance still to avoid the penalty attached to the decree. Who is that pod that shall deliver you? I have not capitalized the word pod because this heathen king used the word in the same sense as applied to the. gods of the heathen world. It was a challenge to them to test their respective gods.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
3:15 {f} Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
(f) Signifying that he would receive them to grace if they would now obey his decree.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Even though Nebuchadnezzar had witnessed and testified to the sovereignty of Yahweh previously (Dan 2:47), he clearly did not believe that even He could save the accused (Dan 3:15). Perhaps he figured that giving information was one thing, but saving people from a fiery death was something requiring greater supernatural power (cf. 2Ki 18:33; Isa 36:13-20). Similarly, many people today believe that God inspired the Bible, but they do not believe that He can deliver them from their serious personal problems, much less world problems. The king set himself above all gods; none of these gods could deliver the three Hebrews from him. He claimed absolute authority in political and religious realms.