Daniel 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, come hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and layeth siege against it;
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, against Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 and the Lord giveth into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the house of God, and he bringeth them in [to] the land of Shinar, [to] the house of his god, and the vessels he hath brought in [to] the treasure-house of his god.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.
3 And the king saith, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel, (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs, )
And the king commanded Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the sons of Israel of the king's race, and of the princes,
4 lads in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skilful 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.
youths in whom was no blemish, and well favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and having knowledge and intelligence and strength, to stand as servants in the king's palace, and be taught the writing and the language of the Chaldaeans.
5 And the king doth appoint 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.
And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank; so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand as servants before the king.
6 And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Now among these were, of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 and the chief of the eunuchs setteth names on them, and he setteth on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.
And the prince of the eunuchs gave them other names. To Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
8 And Daniel purposeth in his heart that he will not pollute himself with the king's portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeketh of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not pollute himself.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 And God giveth Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs;
And God gave Daniel favor and kindness from the prince of the eunuchs.
10 and the chief of the eunuchs saith to Daniel, 'I am fearing my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, for why doth he see your faces sadder than [those of] the lads which [are] of your circle? then ye have made my head indebted to the king,'
And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink; for he might see your faces in worse condition than the youths of your age; then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
11 And Daniel saith unto the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs hath appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 'Try, I pray thee, thy servants, ten days; and they give to us of the vegetables, and we eat, and water, and we drink;
Try thy servants ten days, and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 and our appearance is seen before thee, and the appearance of the lads who are eating the king's portion of food, and as thou seest — deal with thy servants.'
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the youths that eat of the portion of the king's meat; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 And he hearkeneth to them, to this word, and trieth them ten days:
And he consented to them in this matter, and tried them ten days.
15 and at the end of ten days their appearance hath appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the lads who are eating the king's portion of food.
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the portion of the king's meat.
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 took away the portion of their meat, and the wine which they should drink, and gave them pulse.
17 As to these four lads, God hath given to them knowledge and understanding in every [kind of] literature, and wisdom; and Daniel hath given instruction about every [kind of] vision and dreams.
And God gave these four youths knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, bring them in doth the chief of the eunuchs before Nebuchadnezzar.
And at the end of the days, when the king had commanded him to bring them before him, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king speaketh with them, and there hath none been found among them all like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they stand before the king;
And the king conversed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood as servants before the king.
20 and [in] any matter of wisdom [and] understanding that the king hath sought of them, he findeth them ten hands above all the scribes, the enchanters, who [are] in all his kingdom.
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the scribes and magicians that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel is unto the first year of Cyrus the king.
And Daniel lived even to the first year of Cyrus the king.
