Daniel 3:5

ESV that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

NIV As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

NASB that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

CSB When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, you are to fall facedown and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

NLT When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.

KJV That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

NKJV that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;

What does Daniel 3:5 mean?

Babylon effectively ruled over the entire ancient middle east—the king's commands in this passage emphasize this fact. Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:1–3) apparently inspired him to create a large golden idol (Daniel 2:36–38; 3:1). He commanded officials from all over the empire to attend a dedication (Daniel 3:2–3). His command, contained here, was delivered in both poetic and literal terms to every person in the entire kingdom (Daniel 3:4).

Throughout history music has been used to stir emotions and bring about a desired response. Here, the meaning of the long list of musical objects is more symbolic than literal. This passage in Daniel notably repeats several phrases—including four copies of the same list of instruments (Daniel 3:5, 7, 10, 15). This evokes the legalistic, oppressive nature of the king's commands. The wide variety of instruments also implies the large reach of the Babylonian Empire.

To "fall down" in this context means to kneel or lay face down in an expression of humility. When the people hear "every kind of music," as a cue, they are to worship this idol commissioned by Nebuchadnezzar.

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Context Summary
Daniel 3:1–7 follows the incident where Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's frightening dream. It's possible that the king took pride in being depicted as a head of gold (Daniel 2:37–38), and so he makes a golden image of himself to be revered. The people of Babylon are commanded to worship this idol under threat of death: being burned alive. Repetition in the passage highlights the overbearing, controlling nature of the king's edict. This passage continues a segment of the Bible recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28).

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Chapter Summary
Nebuchadnezzar builds a golden idol, possibly inspired by the explanation of his own dream (Daniel 2:36–38). He commands all people to worship it, at a given musical signal, on pain of death. Three Hebrew men openly defy this command and are thrown into a superheated furnace. To his shock, the king sees a supernatural figure with the still-living Israelites. Not only do they survive, but their clothes aren't singed nor even smelling like smoke. The king praises their faith, and their God, commanding that no one speak ill of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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