Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the rule of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, shutting it in with his forces.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and laid siege against it;
2 And 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.
and the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and a part of the vessels of the house of God, and he brought them into the land of Shinar, into the house of his gods, —and, the vessels, brought he into the treasure-house of his gods.
3 And 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;
Then did the king give word to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, —that he should bring in, of the sons of Israel, even of the seed royal, and of the nobles,
4 Young 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.
youths in whom was no blemish, but comely of countenance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessed of knowledge, and able to impart instruction, and who had vigour in them, to stand in the palace of the king, —and that they should be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And 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.
And the king appointed them the provision of each day upon its day, out of the delicacies of the king and out of the wine which he drank, and so to let them grow three years, —and, at the end thereof, that they should stand before the king.
6 And among these there were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Now there were, among them, out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;
7 And 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.
and the ruler of the eunuchs gave them names, —yea he gave to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah of Shadrach, and to Mishael of Meshach, and to Azariah of Abed-nego.
8 And 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.
But Daniel laid it upon his heart, that he would not defile himself with the delicacies of the king, nor with the wine which he drank, —therefore sought he of the ruler of the eunuchs, that he might not defile himself.
9 And God put into the heart of the captain of the unsexed servants kind feelings and pity for Daniel.
But, although God had brought Daniel into lovingkindness and tender compassion, before the ruler of the eunuchs,
10 And 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.
yet said the ruler of the eunuchs unto Daniel, I do fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, —for why should he see your faces more sad than those of the youths of your own age? so should ye bring me under the penalty of mine own head unto the king.
11 Then Daniel said to the keeper in whose care the captain of the unsexed servants had put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Then said Daniel, unto the overseer whom the ruler of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
12 Put your servants to the test for ten days; let them give us grain for our food and water for our drink.
I pray thee—prove thy servants, ten days, —and let them give us vegetable food, that we may eat, and water that we may drink:
13 Then 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.
then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the youths who have been eating the delicacies of the king, —and, as thou shalt see, deal thou with thy servants.
14 So he gave ear to them in this thing and put them to the test for ten days.
So then he hearkened unto them, according to this word, —and proved them ten days;
15 And 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.
and, at the end of ten days, their countenances appeared more comely, and fatter in flesh, —than any of the youths who had been eating the delicacies of the king.
16 So the keeper regularly took away their meat and the wine which was to have been their drink, and gave them grain.
Thus it came about that the overseer continued taking away their delicacies, and the wine appointed them to drink, —and kept on giving them vegetable food.
17 Now 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.
And, as for these four youths, God, gave them, knowledge and skill, in all learning and wisdom, —and, Daniel, had discernment, in all visions and dreams.
18 Now 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.
Now, at the end of the days after which the king had given word to bring them in, then did the ruler of the eunuchs bring them in, before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And 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.
So then the king, spake with them, and there was not found, from among them all, one like unto Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, —therefore stood they before the king;
20 And 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.
and, in any matter of wisdom and discernment as to which the king, enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the sacred scribes—the magicians, who were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel went on till the first year of King Cyrus.
Now Daniel continued, until the first year of Cyrus the king.
