דניאל, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ׳

King Nebuchadnezzar’s anger reaches a point of no return, erupting into physical and threatening action against Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Rather than issuing a simple order for execution, the king mobilizes the most elite and powerful forces within his army, aiming to entirely break the spirit of the condemned men. The primary approach among commentators is that the king commands the absolute strongest soldiers in his military to securely tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by their hands and feet [אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This firm binding is done so they can be cast directly into the burning fiery furnace [מצודת דוד, יוסף אבן יחיא].

Beyond the basic practicality of tying them up, a deeper question arises regarding the king's methods: why are the military's greatest warriors required for this task, and why does the king choose to delay the execution by having the men bound first? One perspective suggests that the king observed the three young men standing before him with unwavering determination. Because they held firmly to their beliefs and answered him boldly without any fear, the king viewed them as powerful forces in their own right. Consequently, he believed he needed the absolute strongest soldiers in his army simply to overpower and restrain them [רש״י].

Another approach explores the king's psychological motives, viewing this entire process as a calculated form of psychological warfare. Nebuchadnezzar deliberately uses intimidating warriors and orders the men to be bound rather than executing them on the spot in order to instill a deep sense of panic and terror. He hoped that the terrifying sight of the elite soldiers, the exaggerated preparations of being tied up, and the agonizing delay before being thrown into the flames would finally soften their resolve. His ultimate goal was that, in those final moments of terror and anticipation of death, the young men would break, abandon their refusal, and agree to bow down to his idol [אלשיך].