Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Joakim king of Juda, came Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it.
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 gave into his hand Joakim king of Juda, and part of the vessels of the house of God: and he brought them into the land of Sennaar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.
And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim the king of Judah and a portion of the vessels of the house of God. And he carried them away into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasure chamber of his god.
3 And the king told Asphanez his chief eunuch, to bring in some of the captive children of Israel, and of the seed of the kingdom, and of the princes;
And the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of the eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the sons of Israel, and some of the offspring of the king and of the sovereigns:
4 young men in whom was no blemish, and beautiful in appearance, and skilled in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and acquainted with prudence, and who had ability to stand in the house before the king, and the king gave commandment to teach them the learning and language of the Chaldeans.
young men, in whom there was no blemish, noble in appearance, and accomplished in all wisdom, cautious in knowledge, and well-educated, and who could stand in the palace of the king, so that he might teach them the letters and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily portion from the king's table, and from the wine which he drank; and [gave orders] to nourish them three years, and [that] afterwards they should stand before the king.
And the king appointed for them provisions for each day, from his own food and from the wine which he himself drank, so that, after being nourished for three years, they would stand in the sight of the king.
6 Now these were amongst them of the children of Juda, Daniel, and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael.
Now, among those of the sons of Judah, there were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: to Daniel, Baltasar; and to Ananias, Sedrach; and to Misael, Misach; and to Azarias, Abdenago.
And the chief of the eunuchs assigned names to them: to Daniel, Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 And Daniel purposed in his heart, that he would not defile himself with the king's table, nor with the wine of his drink: and he entreated the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not be polluted with the king’s meal, nor with the wine he drank, and he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not be contaminated.
9 Now God [had] brought Daniel into favour and compassion with the chief of the eunuchs.
And so God gave Daniel grace and mercy in the sight of the leader of the eunuchs.
10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your meat and your drink, lest he see your countenances gloomy in comparison of the young men your equals; also shall you endanger my head to the king.
And the leader of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed food and drink for you, who, if he should see that your faces are leaner than those of the other youths your age, you would condemn my head to the king.”
11 And Daniel said to Amelsad, whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, [and] Azarias.
And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the leader of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove now your servants ten days; and let them give us pulse, and let us eat, and let us drink water:
“I beg you to test us, your servants, for ten days, and let roots be given to us to eat and water to drink,
13 And let our countenances be seen by you, and the countenances of the children that eat [at] the king's table; and deal with your servants according as you shall see.
and then observe our faces, and the faces of the children who eat the king’s food, and then deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14 And he listened to them, and proved them ten days.
When he had heard these words, he tested them for ten days.
15 And at the end of the ten days their countenances appeared fairer and stouter in flesh, than the children that fed at the king's table.
But, after ten days, their faces appeared better and fatter than all the children who had eaten from the king’s food.
16 So Amelsad took away their supper and the wine of their drink, and gave them pulse.
Thereafter, Malasar took away their portions and their wine for drinking, and he gave them roots.
17 And [as for] these four children, God gave them understanding and prudence in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Yet, to these children, God gave knowledge and instruction in every book, and wisdom, but to Daniel, also the understanding of all visions and dreams.
18 And at the end of the days, [after] which the king had given orders to bring them in, then the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nabuchodonosor.
And when the time was completed, after which the king had said that they would be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before the sight of Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king spoke with them; and there were not found out of them all any like Daniel, and Ananias and Misael, and Azarias: and they stood before the king.
And, when the king conversed with them, there had not been found any so great in all the world as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they stood in the sight of the king.
20 And in every matter of wisdom and knowledge wherein the king questioned them, he found them ten times wiser than all the enchanters and sorcerers that were in all his kingdom.
And in every concept of wisdom and understanding, about which the king consulted with them, he found them to be ten times better than all the seers and astrologers put together, who were in his entire kingdom.
21 And Daniel continued till the first year of king Cyrus.
And so Daniel remained, even until the first year of king Cyrus.
