The Meaning of Daniel 3:22 Explained

Daniel 3:22

KJV: Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

YLT: Therefore, because that the word of the king is urgent, and the furnace heated exceedingly, those men who have taken up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego -- killed them hath the spark of the fire.

Darby: Forasmuch as the king's commandment was rigorous, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that had taken up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

ASV: Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore  because  the king's  commandment  was urgent,  and the furnace  exceeding  hot,  the flame  of the fire  slew  those  men  that took up  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and Abednego. 

What does Daniel 3:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 3:19-30 - Loyalty Rewarded
It is only when we reach the fire that we become aware of the presence of the divine Companion, walking beside us as if treading the dew-besprinkled glades of Paradise. The Good Shepherd was there with His rod and staff. Loose, Daniel 3:25, that is, the fire had consumed their bonds and nothing else. Hair would soonest catch the flame, but not a hair perished, Luke 12:7; Luke 21:18. The yielded body of Daniel 3:28 reminds us of Romans 6:13; Romans 12:1-2. Let us yield our bodies and souls to our faithful Creator for Him to use as He will. He made and redeemed, let Him have; and when we are possessed by His Spirit, all other fires, whether physical or temperamental, fail to hurt. Of the martyrs, it may be said that upon them also the fire had no power, Isaiah 43:2! [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 3

1  Nebuchadnezzar dedicates a golden image in Dura
3  They being threatened, make a good confession
8  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are accused for not worshipping the image
19  They are cast into the furnace,
24  from which God delivers them
28  Nebuchadnezzar seeing the miracle blesses God, and advances them

What do the individual words in Daniel 3:22 mean?

Reason For therefore upon that command king's the was urgent and furnace the hot exceedingly men these who took up Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego Killed them flame the of fire the
כָּל־ קֳבֵ֣ל דְּנָ֗ה מִן־ דִּ֞י מִלַּ֤ת מַלְכָּא֙ מַחְצְפָ֔ה וְאַתּוּנָ֖א אֵזֵ֣ה יַתִּ֑ירָא גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֗ךְ דִּ֤י הַסִּ֙קוּ֙ לְשַׁדְרַ֤ךְ מֵישַׁךְ֙ וַעֲבֵ֣ד נְג֔וֹ קַטִּ֣ל הִמּ֔וֹן שְׁבִיבָ֖א דִּ֥י נוּרָֽא

כָּל־  Reason 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, whole, the whole.
מִן־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן  
Sense: from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than.
דִּ֞י  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
מִלַּ֤ת  command 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִלָּה  
Sense: word, thing.
מַלְכָּא֙  king's  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
מַחְצְפָ֔ה  was  urgent 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, feminine singular
Root: חֲצַף  
Sense: (Aphel) to be urgent, harsh, show insolence.
וְאַתּוּנָ֖א  and  furnace  the 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אַתּוּן  
Sense: furnace.
אֵזֵ֣ה  hot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: אֲזָה  
Sense: (P’al) make hot, heat.
יַתִּ֑ירָא  exceedingly 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: יַתִּיר  
Sense: pre-eminent, surpassing, extreme, extraordinary adv.
גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: גְּבַר  
Sense: a man, a certain (one).
אִלֵּ֗ךְ  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אִלֵּךְ  
Sense: these, those.
הַסִּ֙קוּ֙  took  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סְלַק  
Sense: to ascend, come up.
לְשַׁדְרַ֤ךְ  Shadrach 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁדְרַךְ  
Sense: the godly friend of Daniel whom Nebuchadnezzar renamed Shadrach; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king’s table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord.
מֵישַׁךְ֙  Meshach 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֵישַׁךְ  
Sense: the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Meshach; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king’s table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord.
נְג֔וֹ  Abed-nego 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲבֵד נְגֹו  
Sense: the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Abednego; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king’s table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord.
קַטִּ֣ל  Killed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קְטַל  
Sense: to slay, kill.
שְׁבִיבָ֖א  flame  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: שְׁבִיב  
Sense: flame.
נוּרָֽא  fire  the 
Parse: Noun, common singulard
Root: נוּר  
Sense: fire.