Song of the Three Holy Children
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Greek manuscripts add a lengthy section to Daniel chapter 3. It is called the Song of the Three Holy Children.
NOTE: This portion of chapter three exists in the Greek portion of the Book of Daniel. It is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Catholic Churches
SONG OF THE THREE HOLY CHILDREN
NOTE. This section continues from Daniel 3:23.
VERSE 24. They walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.
They. The text is referring to three great Jewish heroes of the faith:
- Shadrach
- Meshach
- Abednego
They had been thrown into the blast furnace.
praising God. Instead of asking to be freed from the blast furnace, our three heroes celebrate it.
These three remind us of Peter and John, who were similarly condemned by the Pharisees.
In that scenario, Peter and John rejoiced that they were considered worthy to be punished for the name of Jesus:
Acts 5:41. They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.
VERSE 25. Then Azarias stood, and prayed like this. Opening his mouth in the midst of the fire he said,
Azarias. Or “Azariah.”
VERSE 26. “Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers! Your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore;
VERSE 27. for you are righteous in all the things that you have done. Yes, all your works are true. Your ways are right, and all your judgments are truth.
for you are righteous. Or “For you are just” (NAB translation).
VERSE 28. In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, Jerusalem, you have executed true judgments. For according to truth and justice you have brought all these things upon us because of our sins.
because of our sins. They admit culpability for their actions.
VERSE 29. For we have sinned and committed iniquity in departing from you.
committed iniquity. Or “transgressed” (NAB translation).
VERSE 30. In all things we have trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments or kept them. We haven’t done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.
VERSE 31. Therefore all that you have brought upon us, and everything that you have done to us, you have done in true judgment.
in true judgment. Or “by a proper judgment” (NAB translation).
VERSE 32. You delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king who is the most wicked in all the world.
the most wicked in all the world. Or “the worst in all the world” (NAB translation).
VERSE 33. And now we can’t open our mouth. Shame and reproach have come on your servants and those who worship you.
your servants. That is, the Jewish people.
and those who worship you. This adds a second group of people. They might be the Gentiles.
The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
In contrast, the NAB translation assumes those two groups are the same:
us, your servants, who revere you.
VERSE 34. Don’t utterly deliver us up, for your name’s sake. Don’t annul your covenant.
VERSE 35. Don’t cause your mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham who is loved by you, and for the sake of Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
VERSE 36. to whom you promised that you would multiply their offspring as the stars of the sky, and as the sand that is on the sea shore.
VERSE 37. For we, O Lord, have become less than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.
VERSE 38. There isn’t at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to offer before you, and to find mercy.
There isn’t at this time. This phrasing seems a little awkward.
The NAB puts it like this: “We have in our day.”
VERSE 39. Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted,
a contrite heart and a humble spirit. These are now the equivalent of burnt offerings of animals.
VERSE 40. like the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like ten thousands of fat lambs. So let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, that we may wholly go after you, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in you.
we may wholly go after you. Regarding their seeking of the LORD God, they resolve to be wholehearted.
Are you wholehearted in your seeking of the LORD God?
shall not be ashamed who put their trust in you. This is a powerful statement.
The NAB puts it like this:
those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
VERSE 41. And now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face.
with all our heart. Regarding their seeking of the LORD God, they resolve to be wholehearted.
Are you wholehearted in your seeking of the LORD God?
We fear you. This does not mean “terror.” Rather, it means “reverential respect.”
VERSE 42. Put us not to shame; but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy.
VERSE 43. Deliver us also according to your marvelous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord. Let all those who harm your servants be confounded.
your marvelous works. They are asking for signs and wonders.
VERSE 44. Let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken.
VERSE 45. Let them know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”
glorious over the whole world. The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
VERSE 46. The king’s servants who put them in didn’t stop making the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and small wood,
The text is referring to three great Jewish heroes of the faith:
- Shadrach
- Meshach
- Abednego
They were thrown into the blast furnace.
VERSE 47. so that the flame streamed out forty nine cubits above the furnace.
forty nine cubits. That is, 73.5 feet.
VERSE 48. It spread and burned those Chaldeans whom it found around the furnace.
VERSE 49. But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azarias and his fellows, and he struck the flame of the fire out of the furnace,
the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace. This is a truly awesome moment in biblical history.
VERSE 50. and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire didn’t touch them at all. It neither hurt nor troubled them.
a moist whistling wind:
3 Maccabees 6:6. When the three friends in the land of Babylon of their own will exposed their lives to the fire rather than serve vain things, you sent a moist coolness through the fiery furnace, and brought the fire on all their adversaries.
VERSE 51. Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying,
VERSE 52. “Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers, to be praised and exalted above all forever!
VERSE 53. Blessed is your glorious and holy name, to be praised and exalted above all forever!
VERSE 54. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, to be praised and glorified above all forever!
in the temple. The NAB translation says “on the throne.”
VERSE 55. Blessed are you who see the depths and sit upon the cherubim, to be praised and exalted above all forever.
sit upon the cherubim. The LORD God sits on the cherubim.
But the NAB translation says “from your throne upon the cherubim.”
In other words, the LORD God is sitting on a throne. Then throne, in turn, sits on the cherubim.
VERSE 56. Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, to be praised and extolled above all forever!
VERSE 57. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, to be praised and glorified forever!
VERSE 58. O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 59. O you heavens, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all for ever!
VERSE 60. O you angels of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 61. O all you waters that are above the sky, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
waters that are above the sky. That is, “waters above the heavens” (NAB translation).
VERSE 62. O all you powers of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 63. O you sun and moon, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 64. O you stars of heaven, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 65. O every shower and dew, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 66. O all you winds, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 67. O you fire and heat, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 68. O you dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
dews and storms of snow. The NAB translation says “Frost and chill.”
VERSE 69. O you nights and days, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 70. O you light and darkness, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 71. O you cold and heat, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 72. O you frost and snow, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 73. O you lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 74. O let the earth bless the Lord! Let it praise and exalt him above all forever!
Let it praise and exalt him. The planet itself is called upon to praise the LORD God.
VERSE 75. O you mountains and hills, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
mountains and hills, bless the Lord. The mountains and hills are called upon to bless the LORD God.
VERSE 76. O all you things that grow on the earth, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 77. O sea and rivers, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
Some authorities transpose (switch) this verse and the next one.
VERSE 78. O you springs, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
Some authorities transpose (switch) this verse and the previous one.
VERSE 79. O you whales and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
you whales. Or “You sea monsters” (NAB translation).
VERSE 80. O all you birds of the air, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 81. O all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 82. O you children of men, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
children of men. Or “mortals” (NAB translation).
VERSE 83. O let Israel bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever.
VERSE 84. O you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 85. O you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 86. O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 87. O you who are holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!
VERSE 88. O Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever; for he has rescued us from Hades, and saved us from the hand of death! He has delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame. He has delivered us out of the midst of the fire.
rescued us from Hades. At this point in the biblical narrative they believe in a destination called Hades.
VERSE 89. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy is forever.
VERSE 90. O all you who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks; for his mercy is forever!”
NOTE. The text continues with Daniel 3:24.
DANIEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12
Deuterocanonical chapters: Song of the Three Children, 13, 14
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, First Fast, Second Fast
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.