Daniel 3:27

and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The royal officials (satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers) observe Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego immediately after Nebuchadnezzar commands them to exit the blazing furnace. They witness the physical condition of the men following their exposure to the fire.

The words — חָזַ֣יִן (cha.Za.yin) denotes the officials' act of seeing, while אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֞/א ('a.chash.dar.pe.nai.Ya/) identifies the satraps who form the first group of gathered officials.

The thread — The account's theme of divine preservation from lethal heat appears in Isaiah 43:2, Hebrews 11:34, and Isaiah 26:11.

Why it lands — The text records observable physical preservation (unburned hair, unsoiled robes, absence of fire odor) that requires the reader to account for an event defying natural explanation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּ֠מִֽתְכַּנְּשִׁיןU./mit.ka.ne.shinand/ [were] gathered אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֞א'a.chash.dar.pe.nai.Ya/'satraps/ the סִגְנַיָּ֣אsig.nai.Ya/'prefects/ the וּפַחֲוָתָא֮u./fa.cha.va.Ta/'and/ governors/ the וְהַדָּבְרֵ֣יve./ha.da.ve.Reiand/ [the] counselors of מַלְכָּא֒mal.Ka/'king/ the חָזַ֣יִןcha.Za.yin[they were] seeing לְגֻבְרַיָּ֣אle./guv.rai.Ya/'<obj.>/ men/ the אִלֵּ֡ךְ'i.Lekhthese דִּי֩dithat לָֽא־la'-not שְׁלֵ֨טshe.Letit had had power נוּרָ֜אnu.Ra/'fire/ the בְּגֶשְׁמְה֗וֹןbe./gesh.me./Honover/ body/ their וּשְׂעַ֤רu./se.'Arand/ [the] hair of רֵֽאשְׁהוֹן֙re.she./hOnhead/ their לָ֣אla'not הִתְחָרַ֔ךְhit.cha.Rakhit was singed וְסָרְבָּלֵיה֖וֹןve./sa.re.ba.lei./Honand/ mantles/ their לָ֣אla'not שְׁנ֑וֹshe.Nothey were changed וְרֵ֣יחַve./Rei.achand/ [the] smell of נ֔וּרNurfire לָ֥אla'not עֲדָ֖ת'a.Datit had touchedבְּהֽוֹן׃be./Honon/ them

King James Version

And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Cross-references

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Hebrews 11:34 quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
Isaiah 26:11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!
Psalms 83:18 May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.
Matthew 10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Luke 21:17 And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.
Acts 27:34 So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”
1 Samuel 17:46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.
2 Kings 19:19 And now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
Daniel 3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up.