Kwixeshana emva kokuba uNebhukadenetsare ephuphe ngomfanekiso, wenza umfanekiso omkhulu wegolide. Wawumisa ethafeni laseDura waza wabiza bonke abantu ababalulekileyo elizweni ukuba baqokelelane phambi kwawo. UShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego nabo babelapho. Lo kumkani wathi: ‘Xa nisiva amaxilongo, uhadi neempempe zengxowa nifanele niqubude kulo mfanekiso! Nabani na ongaqubudanga uza kuphoswa kwiziko elivuthayo.’ Ngaba amaHebhere amathathu ayeza kuqubuda kumfanekiso okanye akhonze uYehova kuphela?

Ukumkani wathi makudlalwe umculo. Wonke umntu waqubuda kwangoko wanqula umfanekiso, ngaphandle koShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego. Amanye amadoda abona ukuba abaqubudanga aza athi kukumkani: ‘La maHebhere mathathu akafuni ukunqula umfanekiso wakho.’ UNebhukadenetsare wathi makabizwe, waza wathi kuwo: ‘Ndiza kuninika elinye ithuba lokuqubuda kumfanekiso. Ukuba aniqubudi, ndiza kuniphosa kwiziko elivuthayo. Akakho uthixo onokunisindisa.’ Wona athi: ‘Nokuba akusinikanga elinye ithuba. UThixo wethu unokusisindisa. Nokuba akasisindisanga, kumkani, asizi kuwunqula umfanekiso.’

UNebhukadenetsare wacaphuka kakhulu. Wathi kumadoda amsebenzelayo: ‘Wenzeni ube mkhulu kakhulu lo mlilo!’ Wathi kumajoni akhe: ‘Wabopheni la madoda nize niwaphose emlilweni!’ Eli ziko lalivutha  kakhulu kangangokuba xa amajoni asondelayo afa ngoko nangoko. AmaHebhere amathathu awela emlilweni. Kodwa xa uNebhukadenetsare wajonga emlilweni, wabona amadoda amane ehambahamba ezikweni. Woyika waza wabuza amagosa akhe: ‘Besingaphosanga amadoda amathathu emlilweni? Ndibona amadoda amane yaye enye yawo ingathi yingelosi!’

UNebhukadenetsare wasondela kweli ziko waza wakhwaza esithi: ‘Phumani bakhonzi boYena Thixo Uphakamileyo!’ Wonke umntu wothuka xa ebona uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego bephuma emlilweni bengatshanga. Ulusu lwabo, iinwele neempahla zabo zazingatshanga, babenganuki nomsi.

UNebhukadenetsare wathi: ‘UThixo kaShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego mkhulu. Uthumele ingelosi yabasindisa. Akakho uthixo onjengowabo.’

Ngaba nawe uzimisele ukungagungqi ekukhonzeni uYehova njengala maHebhere mathathu, nokuba kwenzeka ntoni na?