"But whoeverdoes not falldownand worshipshall be castinto the midstof a furnaceof blazingfire.
"You, O king,have madea decreethat everymanwhohearsthe soundof the horn,flute,lyre,trigon,psaltery,and bagpipeand allkindsof music,is to falldownand worshipthe goldenimage.
"Thereare certainJewswhomyou have appointedoverthe administrationof the provinceof Babylon,[namely] Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-nego.Thesemen,O king,have disregardedyou; they do not serveyour godsor worshipthe goldenimagewhichyou have setup."
"But whoeverdoes not falldownand worshipshall immediatelybe castinto the midstof a furnaceof blazingfire."
Thenthey answeredand spokebeforethe king,"Daniel,whois one of the exilesfrom Judah,paysnoattentionto you, O king,or to the injunctionwhichyou signed,but keeps makinghis petitionthreetimesa day."
"Allthe commissionersof the kingdom,the prefectsand the satraps,the highofficialsand the governorshave consultedtogetherthat the kingshould establisha statuteand enforcean injunctionthat anyonewhomakesa petitionto anygodor manbesidesyou, O king,for thirtydays,shall be castinto the lions'den.
saying,"We foundthe prison houselockedquitesecurelyand the guardsstandingat the doors;but when we had openedup, we foundno oneinside."
