Song of the Three Holy Children

And they walked in the middle of the fire, praising God and blessing the Lord.

1And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

NoteThe chapter opens in the middle of a story told in Daniel 3. Three young Judean exiles have refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's golden image and have been thrown into a blazing furnace. In the Greek versions of Daniel this prayer and hymn stand between Daniel 3:23 and 3:24; the Hebrew and Aramaic text of Daniel does not contain them, which is why many Bibles print them separately, as here. The unexplained "they" of this first line is the three men.

2Then Azarias stood up and prayed like this. He opened his mouth in the middle of the fire and said:

2Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,

NoteAzarias is the Greek spelling of Azariah. Daniel 1:7 records that Babylonian officials renamed the captured Judean youths, and Azariah was given the court name Abednego; this Greek text keeps his Hebrew name instead.

3You are blessed, Lord, God of our fathers. Your name deserves praise and glory forever.

3Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:

NoteTo "bless" God is not to give him something he lacks. In Hebrew and Greek the same verb covers blessing and praising, so blessing God means speaking well of him, acknowledging out loud what he is.

4You are right in everything you have done to us. All your works are true, your ways are right, and every judgment you make is true.

4For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.

5In everything you have brought on us, and on Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers, you have judged truly. You brought all these things on us because of our sins, and you did it truly and justly.

5In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.

NoteThe judgment being accepted is the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587 BC, when the city and its temple were destroyed and much of the population was deported. The prayer treats that disaster as a just sentence rather than as an accident of war.

6For we have sinned and done wrong, and we have turned away from you.

6For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee.

7We have done wrong in every way. We did not obey your commands or keep them, and we did not act as you told us to act, so that things would go well for us.

7In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.

8So everything you have brought on us, and everything you have done to us, you have done with true judgment.

8Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.

9You handed us over to enemies who obey no law, hateful people who have abandoned God, and to an unjust king, the most wicked one in all the world.

9And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.

NoteThe "unjust king" is Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in whose furnace the three men are standing as they pray.

10And now we cannot open our mouths. We have become a shame and a disgrace to your servants and to those who worship you.

10And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants; and to them that worship thee.

Note"We cannot open our mouths" is an idiom for having no case to argue, like a defendant with nothing to say in his own defense. It does not mean they have been physically silenced.

11Yet do not give us up completely, for the sake of your name, and do not cancel your covenant.

11Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name’s sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant:

NoteA covenant was a formal binding agreement, sworn and permanent, with obligations on both sides. The one meant here is the agreement between God and Israel, which the prayer asks God not to treat as void even though Israel has broken its side of it.

12Do not take your mercy away from us. Do it for the sake of Abraham, whom you love, for the sake of Isaac your servant, and for the sake of Israel, your holy one.

12And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham’s sake, for thy servant Issac’s sake, and for thy holy Israel’s sake;

Note"Israel" here is a person, not the nation. It is the second name given to Jacob, Isaac's son, so the line names the three ancestors in order: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

13You spoke to them and promised that you would make their descendants as many as the stars of the sky and as the sand that lies on the seashore.

13To 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 seashore.

NoteThe promise referred to is the one made to Abraham in Genesis, of descendants as countless as the stars and as the sand on the shore. "Seed" in the King James means offspring or descendants.

14For we, Lord, have become smaller than any nation, and today we are held down, everywhere in the world, because of our sins.

14For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.

Note"Kept under" means held down, kept in subjection. The speakers are exiles living under foreign rule, scattered and without a country of their own.

15At this time there is no prince, no prophet, and no leader. There is no burnt offering, no sacrifice, no offering, and no incense, and no place to make an offering to you and find mercy.

15Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.

NoteA list of everything Israel's worship had lost when the temple was destroyed. A burnt offering was an animal burned whole on the altar; a sacrifice here is an offering of which parts were eaten by the worshipers; "oblation" translates the word for a grain offering; incense was burned daily on a small altar inside the sanctuary. The "place to sacrifice" is the altar in Jerusalem, held to be the only legitimate site for these rites. With the temple gone, none of it could be carried out.

16Even so, let us be accepted because our hearts are crushed and our spirits are humble.

16Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.

NoteA "contrite" heart is a crushed or broken one. The prayer offers this state of mind in place of the offerings listed in the verse before.

17As if we brought burnt offerings of rams and bulls, and tens of thousands of fat lambs, let our sacrifice be like that in your sight today. Grant that we may follow you completely, for those who trust in you will not be put to shame.

17Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.

NoteBullocks are young bulls. "Ten thousands" is the ordinary ancient way of saying an uncountably large number, not a literal tally. "Confounded" in the King James means publicly shamed or humiliated, not confused; the same word carries that older sense in verse 21.

18And now we follow you with our whole heart. We fear you, and we look for your face.

18And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face.

NoteTo "seek thy face" is a Hebrew idiom for seeking someone's presence and goodwill, as a subject would seek an audience with a king.

19Do not put us to shame, but treat us according to your faithful love and according to your many mercies.

19Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.

Note"Lovingkindness" is the King James word for steady, loyal kindness owed inside a committed relationship. The Greek word behind it here adds the sense of a powerful person's forbearance, a willingness not to press an advantage.

20Rescue us too, in keeping with your wonderful works, and bring glory to your name, Lord. Let everyone who harms your servants be ashamed.

20Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord: and let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed;

21Let them be disgraced, for all their power and strength, and let their strength be broken.

21And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken;

22Let them know that you are God, the only God, glorious over the whole world.

22And let them know that thou art God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.

23And the king's servants, the ones who had thrown them in, did not stop making the furnace hot with resin, tar, flax fibers, and small sticks.

23And the king’s servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood;

NoteAll four items are fuel. "Rosin" renders a Greek word for naphtha, a highly flammable petroleum liquid; "pitch" is tar or bitumen; "tow" is the coarse short fiber left over from combing flax, which catches fire instantly; "small wood" is brushwood or kindling. The list is describing how hard the fire was being stoked.

24The flame shot up above the furnace forty-nine cubits.

24So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.

NoteA cubit was roughly eighteen inches, about the length of a forearm, so forty-nine cubits is somewhere near seventy-three feet, or twenty-two meters. Forty-nine is seven sevens, and numbers built on seven are commonly used in this literature as figures of completeness rather than as measurements.

25It spread out and burned the Chaldeans it found standing around the furnace.

25And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.

NoteThe Chaldeans were the ruling people of Babylon, and the name is often used simply to mean Babylonians. In the book of Daniel it can also narrow to a class of court experts in astrology and divination. Here it means the king's men standing near the furnace.

26But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace with Azarias and the men with him, and drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace.

26But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven;

Note"His fellows" means his companions, the other two men. In Daniel 3:25 the king looks into the furnace and reports seeing a fourth figure walking with them.

27He made the middle of the furnace like a damp, whistling wind, so that the fire did not touch them at all. It did not hurt them or trouble them.

27And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.

NoteThe Greek describes a breeze carrying moisture, a damp wind whistling through the furnace. The inside of the furnace has become the opposite of what it should be: cool and wet instead of scorching.

28Then the three of them, as if with one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying:

28Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,

NoteWhat follows, verses 29 to 68, is a hymn that also circulated on its own. It is known by its opening word in Latin, Benedicite, and has been sung in Christian daily prayer for centuries. Every line follows one pattern: a call addressed to some part of creation, then a fixed refrain.

29You are blessed, Lord, God of our fathers, and you should be praised and lifted high above all things forever.

29Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

30And your glorious and holy name is blessed, and it should be praised and lifted high above all things forever.

30And blessed is thy glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

31You are blessed in the temple of your holy glory, and you should be praised and given glory above all things forever.

31Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.

NoteThe temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed by the time this prayer is set, so the phrase is genuinely open: it may look back to the ruined sanctuary, or it may mean a heavenly temple of which the earthly one was a copy. The Greek does not settle it.

32You are blessed, you who look into the deep places and sit above the cherubim, and you should be praised and lifted high above all things forever.

32Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

NoteCherubim are winged creatures of a kind familiar from ancient Near Eastern art, often shown as composite beasts guarding a throne or a gateway. Two gold cherubim stood over the ark in the Jerusalem temple, and God was spoken of as enthroned above them. The King James "cherubims" adds an English plural to a word that is already plural in Hebrew. "The depths" are the deep waters, or the deepest hidden places, whatever lies beyond sight.

33You are blessed on the glorious throne of your kingdom, and you should be praised and given glory above all things forever.

33Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.

34You are blessed in the expanse of the sky, and above all things you should be praised and given glory forever.

34Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified for ever.

NoteThe "firmament" is the sky imagined as a solid dome stretched over the earth, as in Genesis 1. The English word comes from a Latin term meaning something made firm.

35All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

35O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,

36You heavens, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

36O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

37You angels of the Lord, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

37O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

38All you waters above the sky, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

38O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

NoteIn the view of the world assumed here, the dome of the sky holds back an ocean above it, and rain falls when that water is let through. The waters above the heaven are that upper sea, not clouds.

39All you powers of the Lord, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

39O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

Note"Powers" can mean the armies of heaven, that is, ranks of angels, and it can also mean the heavenly bodies drawn up like an army. The Greek word carries both senses, and the hymn does not choose between them.

40You sun and moon, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

40O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

41You stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

41O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

42Every shower and every dew, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

42O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

43All you winds, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

43O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,

44You fire and heat, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

44O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

45You winter and summer, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

45O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

46You dews and snowstorms, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

460 ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

47You nights and days, bless the Lord. Bless him and lift him high above all things forever.

47O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever.

48You light and darkness, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

48O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

49You ice and cold, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

49O ye ice and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

50You frost and snow, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

50O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

51You lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

51O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

52Let the earth bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

52O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

53You mountains and little hills, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

53O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

54All you things that grow in the earth, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

54O all ye things that grow in the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

55You mountains, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

55O ye mountains, bless ye the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.

NoteMountains are addressed twice, here and in verse 53. The Greek manuscripts of this hymn differ in how many of these lines they have and in what order they run, and the King James follows a text in which both "mountains and little hills" and a separate "mountains" stand.

56You seas and rivers, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

56O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

57You great sea creatures, and everything that moves in the waters, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

57O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

NoteThe King James "whales" renders a Greek word for any enormous sea creature, the monsters of the deep rather than one particular species. The line pairs the largest things in the sea with everything else that moves in it.

58All you birds of the air, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

58O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

59All you wild animals and cattle, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

59O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

60You children of men, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

60O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

Note"Children of men" is a Hebrew way of saying human beings in general. It says nothing about age.

61Israel, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

61O Israel, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

62You priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

62O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

63You servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

63O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

64You spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

64O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

Note"Spirits and souls of the righteous" reads most naturally as the righteous dead, those no longer alive, but it can also be taken simply as faithful people still living. The Greek leaves both open.

65You holy men with humble hearts, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever.

65O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

66Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless the Lord. Praise him and lift him high above all things forever, for he has rescued us from the place of the dead and saved us from the hand of death. He has rescued us from the middle of the furnace and the burning flame. He has rescued us out of the middle of the fire.

66O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: far he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us.

NoteThese are the Greek forms of the three men's Hebrew names: Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael. They are better known by the Babylonian names given them at court, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. "Hell" here does not mean a place of punishment. The Greek word is hades, standing for the older Hebrew sheol, the underworld where all the dead were thought to go, so being delivered from it means being saved from dying.

67Give thanks to the Lord, because he is kind, for his mercy lasts forever.

67O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for ever.

NoteThis line is a standing refrain of Israelite worship, used to open and close psalms such as Psalm 118 and repeated after every single line of Psalm 136. "Gracious" here translates a word meaning good or kind.

68All you who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods. Praise him and give him thanks, for his mercy lasts forever.

68O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Note"God of gods" is a Hebrew way of forming a superlative, like "king of kings": it means the highest God, the one above all others.