Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia came to Jerusalem and surrounded the city to cut off all supplies to it.
In the third year of the reign of Joakim king of Juda, came Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 The Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar victory over Jehoiakim king of Judah, and he gave him some of the sacred objects from the house of God. He brought them into the land of Babylonia, to the house of his god, and he placed the sacred objects in his god's treasury.
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.
3 The king spoke to Ashpenaz, his chief official, to bring in some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility—
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;
4 young men without blemish, attractive in appearance, skillful in all wisdom, filled with knowledge and understanding, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the Babylonians' literature and language.
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.
5 The king counted out for them a daily portion of his delicacies and some of the wine that he drank. These young men were to be trained for three years, and after that, they would serve the king.
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.
6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, some of the people of Judah.
Now these were among them of the children of Juda, Daniel, and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael.
7 The chief official gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: to Daniel, Baltasar; and to Ananias, Sedrach; and to Misael, Misach; and to Azarias, Abdenago.
8 But Daniel intended in his mind that he would not pollute himself with the king's delicacies or with the wine that he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official that he might not pollute himself.
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.
9 Now God gave Daniel favor and compassion through the respect that the chief official had for him.
Now God [had] brought Daniel into favor and compassion with the chief of the eunuchs.
10 The chief official said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my master the king. He has commanded what food and drink you should have. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men of your own age? The king might have my head because of you.”
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.
11 Then Daniel spoke to the steward whom the chief official had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
And Daniel said to Amelsad, whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, [and] Azarias.
12 He said, “Please test us, your servants, for ten days. Give us only some vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Prove now your servants ten days; and let them give us pulse, and let us eat, and let us drink water:
13 Then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the king's delicacies, and treat us, your servants, based on what you see.”
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.
14 So the steward agreed with him to do this, and he tested them for ten days.
And he listened to them, and proved them ten days.
15 At the end of ten days their appearance was more healthy, and they were better nourished, than all the young men who ate the king's delicacies.
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.
16 So the steward took away their delicacies and their wine and gave them only vegetables.
So Amelsad took away their supper and the wine of their drink, and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and insight in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
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.
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
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.
19 The king spoke with them, and among the whole group there were none to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They stood before the king, ready to serve him.
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.
20 In every question of wisdom and understanding that the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and those who claimed to speak with the dead, who were in his entire kingdom.
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.
21 Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
And Daniel continued till the first year of king Cyrus.
