Chapter
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Verse

Daniel 3:1

ESV King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
NIV King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
NASB Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
CSB King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
NLT King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
KJV Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
NKJV Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

What does Daniel 3:1 mean?

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (Daniel 1:1–2), recently experienced a troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3). Only Daniel, empowered by God, was able to untangle that mystery (Daniel 2:17–19, 27–28). Part of the dream included a statue with an enormous golden head (Daniel 2:32). This represented Nebuchadnezzar's rule over Babylon (Daniel 2:37–38). Though the king recognized the power of Daniel's God (Daniel 2:47), he did not abandon belief in other deities. Nor, it seems, did he restrain his pride.

The construction of a large golden idol, after being told the meaning of his dream, suggests Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance. Scripture does not indicate exactly when this happened. Some commentators believe this idol was built soon after the interpretation of the dream; others think it might have been as much as twenty years later. The "image" is not described except as being very tall and relatively slender. This may have been an obelisk-shaped monument, or a human figure with distorted proportions. Most likely, it was made of wood and overlaid with gold.

Scholars are unsure of the exact meaning of the "plain of Dura." The term "dura" may have been a generic word for flat areas surrounded by walls. Various pedestals, hills, mounds, and platforms in the region have been suggested as possible sites for the golden image. Certainly, it was meant to be as visible as possible.
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