Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has come to Jerusalem, and lays siege against 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 gives into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the house of God, and he brings them in [to] the land of Shinar, [to] the house of his god, and the vessels he has brought in [to] the treasure-house of his god.
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 And the king says, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs),
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—
4 boys in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skillful in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and teaching thought, and who have ability to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
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 And the king appoints for them a rate, day by day, of the king’s portion of food, and of the wine of his drinking, so as to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they may stand before the king.
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 And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 and the chief of the eunuchs sets names on them, and he sets on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.
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 And Daniel purposes in his heart that he will not defile himself with the king’s portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeks of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not defile himself.
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 And God gives Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs;
Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
10 and the chief of the eunuchs says to Daniel, “I am fearing my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink, for why does he see your faces sadder than [those of] the boys which [are] of your circle? Then you have made my head indebted to the king,”
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 And Daniel says to the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs has appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 “Please try your servants [for] ten days; and they give to us from the vegetables and we eat, and water, and we drink;
“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 and our appearance is seen before you, and the appearance of the boys who are eating the king’s portion of food, and as you see—deal with your servants.”
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 And he listens to them, to this word, and tries them ten days:
So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.
15 and at the end of ten days their appearance has appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the boys who are eating the king’s portion of food.
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 And the Meltzar is taking away their portion of food, and the wine of their drink, and is giving to them vegetables.
So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.
17 As for these four boys, God has given to them knowledge and understanding in every [kind of] literature, and wisdom; and Daniel has given instruction about every [kind of] vision and dreams.
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 And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, the chief of the eunuchs brings them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king speaks with them, and there has not been found among them all like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they stand before the king;
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 and [in] any matter of wisdom [and] understanding that the king has sought of them, he finds them ten hands above all the enchanters, the conjurers, who [are] in all his kingdom.
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 is to the first year of Cyrus the king.
And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
