In the third year
of the reign
of aJehoiakim
king
of Judah
, bNebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
came
to Jerusalem
and besieged
it.
The aLord gave
Jehoiakim
king
of Judah
into his hand
, along with some
of the bvessels
of the house
of God
; and he brought
them to the land
of cShinar
, to the house
of his 1god
, and he brought
the vessels
into the treasury
of his 1 dgod
.
Then the king 1ordered
Ashpenaz
, the chief
of his 2officials
, to bring
in some
of the sons
of Israel
, including some
of the 3royal
afamily
and of the nobles
,
youths in whom
was ano
defect
, who were good-looking
, showing
bintelligence
in every
branch of wisdom
, endowed
with understanding
and discerning
knowledge
, and who
had ability
for 1serving
in the king's
2court
; and he ordered him to teach
them the 3literature
and clanguage
of the dChaldeans
.
The king appointed
for them a daily
ration
from the aking's
choice
food
and from the wine
which
he drank
, and appointed that they should be 1educated
three
years
, at the end
of which they were to 2 benter
the king's
personal
service
.
Now among them from the sons of Judah
were aDaniel
, Hananiah
, Mishael
and Azariah
.
Then the commander of the officials
assigned
new names
to them; and to Daniel
he assigned
the name aBelteshazzar
, to Hananiah
bShadrach
, to Mishael
bMeshach
and to Azariah
bAbed-nego
.
But Daniel 1made
up his mind
that he would not adefile
himself with the bking's
choice
food
or with the cwine
which
he drank
; so he sought
permission from the commander
of the officials
that he might not defile
himself.
Now God granted
Daniel
1 afavor
and compassion
in the sight
of the commander
of the officials
,
and the commander of the officials
said
to Daniel
, "I am afraid
of my lord
the king
, who
has appointed
your food
and your drink
; for why
should he see
your faces
looking
more
haggard
than
the youths
who
are your own age
? Then you would 1make me forfeit
my head
to the king
."
But Daniel said
to the overseer
whom
the commander
of the officials
had appointed
over
Daniel
, Hananiah
, Mishael
and Azariah
,
"Please test
your servants
for ten
days
, and let us be agiven
some
vegetables
to eat
and water
to drink
.
"Then let our appearance be 1observed
in your presence
and the appearance
of the youths
who
are eating
the king's
choice
food
; and deal
with your servants
according to what
you see
."
So he listened to them in this
matter
and tested
them for ten
days
.
At the end of ten
days
their appearance
seemed
abetter
and 1they were fatter
than
all
the youths
who
had been eating
the king's
choice
food
.
So the overseer continued
to 1withhold
their choice
food
and the wine
they were to drink
, and kept
agiving
them vegetables
.
As for these four
youths
, aGod
gave
them knowledge
and intelligence
in every
branch of 1literature
and wisdom
; Daniel
even understood
all
kinds of bvisions
and dreams
.
Then at the end of the days
which
the king
had 1specified
2for presenting
them, the commander
of the officials
3presented
them before
Nebuchadnezzar
.
The king talked
with them, and out of them all
not one was found
like aDaniel
, Hananiah
, Mishael
and Azariah
; so they 1 bentered
the king's
personal
service
.
As for every matter
of awisdom
1and understanding
about which
the king
consulted
them, he found
them bten
times
cbetter
than
all
the 2 dmagicians
and conjurers
who
were in all
his realm
.
And Daniel 1continued
until
the afirst
year
of Cyrus
the king
.