Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile iNkosi uNebukhadinezari iphuphe ngesithombe, yenza isithombe esikhulu segolide. Yasibeka ethafeni laseDura yabe isibiza bonke abantu abavelele ukuba beze bazoma phambi kwaso, kuhlanganise noShadiraki, uMeshakhi no-Abedinego. Inkosi yathi: ‘Lapho nizwa umsindo wecilongo, amahabhu nezimfiliji, kumelwe nikhothamele isithombe! Noma ubani ongeke akhothame uzophoswa esithandweni somlilo.’ AmaHebheru amathathu ayezosikhothamela yini isithombe, noma ayezokhonza uJehova kuphela?

Inkosi yabe isithi akudlalwe umculo. Bonke abantu basikhothamela isithombe, kwasala uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedinego. Amanye amadoda akubona lokhu atshela inkosi: ‘La maHebheru amathathu awafuni ukukhulekela isithombe.’ UNebukhadinezari wababiza wathi: ‘Ngizoninika elinye ithuba lokuthi nikhulekele lesi sithombe. Uma ningasikhulekeli, ngizoniphonsa emlilweni. Akukho nkulunkulu ozokwazi ukunisindisa.’ Baphendula: ‘Asilidingi elinye ithuba. UNkulunkulu wethu uzosisindisa. Kodwa ngisho noma engasisindisi Nkosi, ngeke sisikhulekele isithombe.’

UNebukhadinezari wathukuthela wagana unwabu. Wathi ezincekwini zakhe: ‘Basani umlilo ushise kakhulu!’ Wathi emasosheni akhe: ‘Bophani la madoda, niwaphonse emlilweni!’ Umlilo wawushisa kangangokuthi lapho amasosha esondela kuwo avele afa. AmaHebheru amathathu aphoswa emlilweni. Kodwa lapho  uNebukhadinezari elunguza emlilweni, wabona amadoda amane ehamba phakathi emlilweni, hhayi amathathu. Wesaba kakhulu, wabuza izikhulu zakhe: ‘Asiphonsanga yini amadoda amathathu emlilweni? Ngibona amadoda amane laphaya futhi enye yawo ibukeka njengengelosi!’

UNebukhadinezari wasondela emlilweni futhi wamemeza: ‘Phumani emlilweni zikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu Ophezu konke!’ Wonke umuntu wamangala lapho ebona uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedinego bephuma emlilweni bengenamyocu. Umlilo awubashisanga nhlobo, babenganuki ngisho nokunuka umlilo, isikhumba sabo, izinwele nezingubo zazingashanga.

UNebukhadinezari wathi: ‘Mkhulu uNkulunkulu kaShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedinego. Uthumele ingelosi yakhe yabasindisa. Akekho unkulunkulu ofana nowabo.’

Uzimisele yini nawe ukuthembeka kuJehova kumnyama kubomvu, njengamaHebheru amathathu?