Daniel 1

¹In the third year of the rule of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, shutting it in with his forces.

²And the Lord gave into his hands Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he took them away into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he put the vessels into the store-house of his god.

³And the king gave orders to Ashpenaz, the captain of his unsexed servants, to take in some of the children of Israel, certain of the king's family, and those of high birth;

⁴Young men who were strong and healthy, good-looking, and trained in all wisdom, having a good education and much knowledge, and able to take positions in the king's house; and to have them trained in the writing and language of the Chaldaeans.

⁵And a regular amount of food and wine every day from the king's table was ordered for them by the king; and they were to be cared for for three years so that at the end of that time they might take their places before the king.

⁶And among these there were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

⁷And the captain of the unsexed servants gave them names; to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar, to Hananiah the name of Shadrach, to Mishael the name of Meshach, and to Azariah the name of Abed-nego.

⁸And Daniel had come to the decision that he would not make himself unclean with the king's food or wine; so he made a request to the captain of the unsexed servants that he might not make himself unclean.

⁹And God put into the heart of the captain of the unsexed servants kind feelings and pity for Daniel.

¹⁰And the captain of the unsexed servants said to Daniel, I am in fear of my lord the king, who has given orders about your food and your drink; what if he sees you looking less happy than the other young men of your generation? then you would have put my head in danger from the king.

¹¹Then Daniel said to the keeper in whose care the captain of the unsexed servants had put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

¹²Put your servants to the test for ten days; let them give us grain for our food and water for our drink.

¹³Then take a look at our faces and the faces of the young men who have food from the king's table; and, having seen them, do to your servants as it seems right to you.

¹⁴So he gave ear to them in this thing and put them to the test for ten days.

¹⁵And at the end of ten days their faces seemed fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the young men who had their food from the king's table.

¹⁶So the keeper regularly took away their meat and the wine which was to have been their drink, and gave them grain.

¹⁷Now as for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and made them expert in all book-learning and wisdom: and Daniel was wise in all visions and dreams.

¹⁸Now at the end of the time fixed by the king for them to go in, the captain of the unsexed servants took them in to Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹And the king had talk with them; and among them all there was no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they were given places before the king.

²⁰And in any business needing wisdom and good sense, about which the king put questions to them, he saw that they were ten times better than all the wonder-workers and users of secret arts in all his kingdom.

²¹And Daniel went on till the first year of King Cyrus.

Daniel 1

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

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

³The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal family and of the nobles;

⁴youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

⁵The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's royal food, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king.

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

⁷The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

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

⁹Now God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.

¹⁰The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? So would you endanger my head with the king."

¹¹Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

¹²"Test your servants for ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink.

¹³Then let our faces be looked on before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king's royal food; and as you see, deal with your servants."

¹⁴So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them ten days.

¹⁵At the end of ten days their faces appeared better and fatter than all the youths who ate of the king's royal food.

¹⁶So the steward took away their royal food, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them vegetables.

¹⁷Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

¹⁸At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹The king talked with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore they entered the king's service.

²⁰In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.

²¹Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus.