[The translation of the conditional cause should provide] a suitable parallel for the "But if not ..." of the next verse, which we expect to negate the conditional element of the sentence (being thrown into the fire, or God existing), not the unconditional (our God is able to save us)." ... Linguistically, a more likely translation is, "If the God whom we serve is able to save us, then he will."
However, such a translation inevitably raises the question of what aspect of God's ability to save us is here in doubt. No one reading the rest of the book of Daniel can seriously suggest that God's power to save his people from the fire is ever in doubt in this book. ... The Hebrew cognate verb, yakol, clearly has a broader sense which describes willingness rather than ability. ... So also here in Daniel the question in the minds of the three young men was not whether God had the physical ability to rescue them, but rather whether using that ability is part of the divine plan. (p.52)
Heb
הֵ֣ן אִיתַ֗י אֱלָהַ֙נָא֙ דִּֽי־אֲנַ֣חְנָא פָֽלְחִ֔ין יָכִ֖ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתַ֑נָא מִן־אַתּ֨וּן נוּרָ֧א יָקִֽדְתָּ֛א וּמִן־יְדָ֥ךְ מַלְכָּ֖א יְשֵׁיזִֽב׃
Heb (xlit)
hēn ’îṯay ’ĕlâanā’ dî-’ănaḥənā’ fāləḥîn yāḵil ləšêzāḇûṯanā’ min-’atûn nûrā’ yāqiḏətā’ ûmin-yəḏāḵə maləkā’ yəšêziḇ:
LXX
εστιν γαρ θεος ω ημεις λατρευομεν δυνατος εξελεσθαι ημας εκ
της καμινου του πυρος της καιομενης και εκ των χειρων
σου βασιλευ ρυσεται ημας
Vulg
Ecce enim Deus noster, quem colimus, potest eripere nos de camino ignis ardentis, et de manibus tuis, o rex, liberare.
Wycliffe
For whi oure God, whom we worschipen, mai rauysche vs fro the chymenei of fier brennynge, and mai delyuere fro thin hondis, thou kyng.
Luther
Wenn unser Gott, den wir verehren, will, so kann er uns erretten; aus dem glühenden Ofen und aus deiner Hand, oh König, kann er erretten.
Coverdale
oure God whom we serue, is able to kepe vs from the hote burnynge ouen (O kynge) and can right wel delyuer vs out off thy hondes.
Geneva
Beholde, our God whom we serue, is able to deliuer vs from the hote fierie fornace, and hee will deliuer vs out of thine hand, O King
DRB
For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to save us from the furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king.
KJV
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
YLT
Lo, it is; our God whom we are serving, is able to deliver us from a burning fiery furnace; and from thy hand, O king, He doth deliver.
ASV
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king.
JPS
If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, He will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and out of thy hand, O king.
Lamsa
For there is our God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
RSV
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
GNT
If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will.*
* If the God...will; or If it is true that we refuse to worship your god or bow down to the gold statue you set up, the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power---and he will.
NIV
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.
NRSV
If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.*
* Or: If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king.
ESV
If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.*
Or: If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king.
TNIV
If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and from Your Majesty's hand.
WEB
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
NET
If* our God whom we are serving exists,** he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well.
* The ancient versions typically avoid the conditional element of v. 17.
** The Aramaic expression used here is very difficult to interpret. The question concerns the meaning and syntax of אִיתַי (’itay, “is” or “exist”). There are several possibilities. (1) Some interpreters take this word closely with the participle later in the verse יָכִל (yakhil, “able”), understanding the two words to form a periphrastic construction (“if our God is…able”; cf. H. Bauer and P. Leander, Grammatik des Biblisch-Aramäischen, 365, §111b). But the separation of the two elements from one another is not an argument in favor of this understanding. (2) Other interpreters take the first part of v. 17 to mean “If it is so, then our God will deliver us” (cf. KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB). However, the normal sense of ’itay is existence; on this point see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 45, §95. The present translation maintains the sense of existence for the verb (“If our God…exists”), even though the statement is admittedly difficult to understand in this light. The statement may be an implicit reference back to Nebuchadnezzar’s comment in v. 15, which denies the existence of a god capable of delivering from the king’s power.
CEV
The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace.
Msg
If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king.
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