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 thirde yeere of the reigne of Iehoiakim king of Iudah, came Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel vnto Ierusalem and besieged 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 ye Lord gaue Iehoiakim king of Iudah into his hand; with parte of the vessels of the house of God, which he caryed into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into his gods treasurie.
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;
And the King spake vnto Ashpenaz the master of his Eunuches, that he shoulde bring certeine of the children of Israel, of the Kings seede, and of the princes:
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.
Children in whome was no blemish, but well fauoured, and instruct in all wisedome, and well seene in knowledge, and able to vtter knowledge, and such as were able to stande in the kings palace, and whome they might teach the learning, and the tongue of the Caldeans.
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 prouision euery day of a portion of the Kings meate, and and of the wine, which he dranke, so nourishing them three yeere, that at the ende thereof, they might stande before the King.
6 And among these there were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Nowe among these were certeine of the children of Iudah, 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.
Vnto whome the chiefe of the Eunuches gaue other names: for hee called Daniel, Belteshazzar, and Hananiah, Shadrach, and Mishael, Meshach, and Azariah, Abednego.
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 had determined in his heart, that hee woulde not defile him selfe with the portion of the Kings meate, nor with the wine which he dranke: therefore he required the chiefe of the Eunuches that he might not defile himselfe.
9 And God put into the heart of the captain of the unsexed servants kind feelings and pity for Daniel.
(Nowe God had brought Daniel into fauour, and tender loue with the chiefe of the Eunuches)
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.
And the chiefe of the Eunuches sayd vnto Daniel, I feare my lord the King, who hath appointed your meate and your drinke: therefore if he see your faces worse liking then the other children, which are of your sort, then shall you make me lose mine head vnto 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 sayd Daniel to Melzar, whome the chiefe of the Eunuches had set ouer 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.
Proue thy seruants, I beseeche thee, ten dayes, and let them giue vs pulse to eate, and water to drinke.
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 bee looked vpon before thee, and the countenances of the children that eate of the portion of the Kings meate: and as thou seest, deale with thy seruantes.
14 So he gave ear to them in this thing and put them to the test for ten days.
So hee consented to them in this matter, an proued them ten dayes.
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 dayes, their countenances appeared fayrer, and in better liking then all the childrens, which did eate the portion of the Kings meate.
16 So the keeper regularly took away their meat and the wine which was to have been their drink, and gave them grain.
Thus Melzar tooke away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drinke, and gaue them pulse.
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.
As for these foure children, God gaue them knowledge, and vnderstanding in al learning and wisedome: also he gaue Daniel vnderstanding of all visions and dreames.
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.
Nowe when the time was expired, that the King had appoynted to bring them in, the chiefe of the Eunuches brought them before Nebuchad-nezzar.
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.
And the King communed with them: and among them al was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stoode 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 all matters of wisedome, and vnderstanding that the King enquired of them, hee founde them tenne times better then all the inchanters and astrologians, that were in all his realme.
21 And Daniel went on till the first year of King Cyrus.
And Daniel was vnto the first yeere of king Cyrus.
