Daniel 1

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

2 And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—

4 young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

5 The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.

6 Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

7 The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

9 Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,

10 but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”

11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13 Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

14 So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.

15 And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.

16 So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

18 Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

19 And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.

20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

1 ¶ In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

4 Children in whom [was] no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel [the name] of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

8 ¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which [are] of your sort? then shall ye make [me] endanger my head to the king.

11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

17 ¶ As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

20 And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm.

21 And Daniel continued [even] unto the first year of king Cyrus.

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came before Jerusalem, and besieged her.

2 And the LORD delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah unto him, and certain vessels of the house of God, which he brought into the land of Shinar, into the house of his God, and put the vessels into the treasury of his God.

3 And the king spake unto Aspenas his chief chamberlain, that he should choose of the children of Israel of the royal tribe and of the sons of lords

4 boys, not infirm, but handsome, sensible, wise, prudent, and understanding, able to serve in the king's court, and to learn the Chaldean writing and language.

5 To such the king provided what should be given them daily of his meat, and of the wine which he himself drank; that, being thus brought up three years, they should afterward minister before the king.

6 Among whom were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, of the children of Judah.

7 And the chief eunuch gave them names, and called Daniel Belteshazzar, and Hananiah Shadrach, and Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abednego.

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's meat, nor with the wine which he himself drank: and he besought the chief eunuch that he should not defile himself.

9 And God gave Daniel that the chief steward might be favorable and gracious unto him.

10 And he said unto him, I am afraid of my lord the king, which hath given you your meat and your drink: if he should see your faces more wretched than the faces of the rest of the children of your age, ye would deprive me of my life by the king.

11 And Daniel spake unto Melzar, to whom Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, the chief eunuch, commanded:

12 Try thy servants ten days, and give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink.

13 And then let our form be seen before thee, and the children that eat of the king's meat: and after that thou shalt see, after that thou shalt create with thy servants.

14 And he obeyed them therein, and tried them ten days.

15 And after ten days they were more beautiful and fuller in body than all the boys that did eat the king's meat.

16 And Melzar put away their meat and their drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 But the God of these four gave them skill and understanding in all writing and wisdom: but to Daniel he gave understanding in all visions and dreams.

18 And when the time was expired, which the king had appointed that they should be brought in, the chief eunuch brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 And the king spake unto them, and there was found none like Daniel, and Hananiah, and Mishael, and Azariah, among them all. And they became the king's servants.

20 And the king found them ten times wiser and more understanding in all things that he asked them than all the astrologers and wise men that were in all his kingdom.

21 And Daniel lived until the first year of Cyrus the king.