³ Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility^(A)— ⁴ young men without any physical defect, handsome,^(B) showing aptitude for every kind of learning,^(C) well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language^(D) and literature of the Babylonians.^{[a] 5} The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine^(E) from the king’s table.^(F) They were to be trained for three years,^(G) and after that they were to enter the king’s service.^(H)

¹⁵ At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.^(A)

¹⁷ To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding^(A) of all kinds of literature and learning.^(B) And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.^(C)

¹⁸ At the end of the time^(D) set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.^{(E) 20} In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians^(F) and enchanters in his whole kingdom.^(G)

²¹ And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.^(H)