Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 3:4

"Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages," — Daniel 3:4 (ASV)

Then a herald cried aloud - Margin, as in Chaldee, "with might." He made a loud proclamation. A "herald" here means a public crier.

To you it is commanded - Margin, "they commanded." Literally, "to you commanding" (plural); that is, the king has commanded.

O people, nations, and languages - The empire of Babylon was made up of different nations, speaking quite different languages. The representatives of these nations were assembled on this occasion, and the command would extend to all. There was evidently no exception made in favor of the scruples of any, and the order would include the Hebrews as well as others.

It should be observed, however, that none but the Hebrews would have any scruples on the subject. They were all accustomed to worship idols, and the worship of one god did not prevent their doing homage also to another. It accorded with the prevailing views of idolaters that there were many gods, that there were tutelary divinities presiding over particular people, and that it was not improper to render homage to the god of any people or country.

Though, therefore, they might themselves worship other gods in their own countries, they would have no scruples about worshipping also the one that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. In this respect the Jews were an exception. They acknowledged only one God; they believed that all others were false gods, and it was a violation of the fundamental principles of their religion to render homage to any other.