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Daniel 3:21

Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

  • KJV King James Version

    Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, and their robes, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

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Explain this verse (13 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain Here Daniel relates the miracle by which God liberated…

Here Daniel relates the miracle by which God liberated his servants. He has two parts: first, these three holy men walked untouched in the midst of the flame; and the fires consumed those attendants who east them into the furnace. The Prophet diligently enumerates whatever tends to prove the power of God. He says, since the king’s command was urgent, that is, since the king ordered in such anger the furnace to be heated, the flames devour the men who executed his orders. For in Job, (Job 18:5,) שביב, shebib, means “spark,” or the extremity of a flame. The sense of the Prophet is by no means obscure, since the extremity of the flame consumed those strong attendants by playing round them, while Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked through the fuel in the fire and flame. They were not in the extremity of the flame; for it is as if the Prophet had said — the king’s slaves were consumed by the very smoke, and the fire was without the slightest effect on the servants of God. Hence he says, these three fell down in the furnace of fire By saying they fell, it means they could not take care of themselves or attempt to escape; for he adds, they were bound. This might at first naturally suffocate them, till they were immediately consumed; but they remained untouched, and then walked about the furnace loose. We hereby see how conspicuous was God’s power, and how no falsehood of Satan’s could obscure it. And next, when the very points of the flame, or the fiery sparks, devour the servants, here again the deed is proved to be of God. Meanwhile, the result of the history is the preservation of these three holy men, so surprisingly beyond their expectation.

This example is set before us, to show us how nothing can be safer than to make God the guardian and protector of our life. For we ought not to expect to be preserved from every danger because we see those holy men delivered; for we ought to hope for liberation from death, if it be useful, and yet we ought not to hesitate to meet it without fear, if God so please it. But we should gather from our present narrative the sufficiency of God’s protection, if he wishes to prolong our lives, since we know our life to be precious to him; and it is entirely in his power, either to snatch us from danger, or to withdraw us to a better existence, according to his pleasure. We have an example of this in the case of Peter; for he was on one day led forth from prison, and the next day put to death. Even then God shewed his care of his servant’s life, although Peter at length suffered death. How so? Because he had finished his course. Hence, as often as God pleases, he will exert his power to preserve us; if he leads us onwards to death, we must be assured it is best for us to die, and injurious to us to enjoy life any longer. This is the substance of the instruction which we may receive from this narrative. It now follows: —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Dan 3:21 Then these men were bound in their…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain This is observable and wonderful, that the fire should…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Then these men were bound in their coats,.... Their…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 21. Their hats] This word, hat, is found…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Then these men were bound in their coats -…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Coats, or various coloured bandages for the thighs, used…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain coats . . . hosen . . . hats--HERODOTUS…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 21. “Then these men were bound in their hosen…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 21. coats] The meaning of the Aram. sarbâl (only…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (21) Their coats.—The dresses spoken of here correspond with…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Then these men were bound in their coats, their…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 A turban is a head covering made of wrapped…
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