Daniel 3:8

"Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusations against the Jews. They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever. Thou, O king, has made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psalter, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image; and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou has appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

THE CHALDEANS' CHARGE AGAINST THE JEWS

"Brought accusations ..." (Daniel 3:8). Some translate this, "maliciously brought accusations"; and it would appear to be an accurate reflection of what happened. The Hebrew here has an idiom that reads literally, "ate their pieces."[17] It also may be read, "ate their flesh." Many of the "old guard" in Babylon hated those foreign newcomers who had been so signally honored by the king; and, moved by jealousy, they no doubt believed that they had achieved their purpose of getting rid of them by these accusations, which, of course, were true. "Jealousy is a despicable vice with envy and selfishness for its roots. Under pretense of loyalty to the king, they were chiefly anxious to rid themselves of formidable rivals."[18]

It is a mystery as to why Daniel was not in this group accused. Many guesses as to why his name does not appear here have been offered, but the total silence of the Scriptures on that point leaves the matter undisclosed. As Thomson observed, "This omission is an indirect proof of the antiquity and genuineness of the book."[19] Certainly, it is difficult to imagine that same pseudonymous author in the period of Antiochus would have omitted Daniel's name in recording this miracle.