Daniel 1
Complete Jewish Bible
1 In the third year of the reign of Y’hoyakim king of Y’hudah, N’vukhadnetzar king of Bavel came to Yerushalayim and laid siege to it; 2 and Adonai handed Y’hoyakim king of Y’hudah over to him, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He took them to the land of Shin‘ar, to the house of his god and placed the articles in the storehouse of his god.
3 The king ordered Ashp’naz, the eunuch serving as his chief officer, to bring into the palace from the people of Isra’el some of royal or noble descent. 4 They were to be boys without physical defect, handsome in appearance, versed in all kinds of wisdom, quick to learn, discerning, and having the capacity to serve in the king’s palace; and he was to teach them the language and literature of the Kasdim. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of his own food and the wine he drank, and they were to be cared for in this way for three years. At the end of this time they were to become the king’s attendants.
6 Among these, from the people of Y’hudah, were Dani’el, Hananyah, Misha’el and ‘Azaryah. 7 The chief officer gave them other names — to Dani’el he gave the name Belt’shatzar; to Hananyah, Shadrakh; to Misha’el, Meishakh; and to ‘Azaryah, ‘Aved-N’go.
8 But Dani’el resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or the wine he drank, so he asked the chief officer to be excused from defiling himself. 9 God caused the chief officer to be kind and sympathetic toward Dani’el; 10 however, the chief officer said to Dani’el, “I’m afraid of my lord the king. After all, he has given you an allowance of food and drink; so if he were to see you boys looking worse than the others your age, you would be putting my own head in danger from the king.”
11 Then Dani’el said to the guard whom the chief officer had put in charge of Dani’el, Hananyah, Misha’el and ‘Azaryah, 12 “Please! Try an experiment on your servants — for ten days have them give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then see how we look, and compare us with how the boys who eat the king’s food look; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 He agreed to do what they had asked and gave them a ten-day test. 15 At the end of ten days they looked better and more robust than all the boys who were eating the king’s food. 16 So the guard took away their food and the wine they were supposed to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 To these four boys God had given knowledge and skill in every aspect of learning and wisdom; moreover, Dani’el could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 When the time the king had set for them to be presented came, the chief officer presented them to N’vukhadnetzar; 19 and when the king spoke with them, none was found among all of them to compare with Dani’el, Hananyah, Misha’el and ‘Azaryah. So they entered the king’s service; 20 and in all matters requiring wisdom and understanding, whenever the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and exorcists in his entire kingdom.
21 So Dani’el remained there until the first year of King Koresh.
Daniel 1
1599 Geneva Bible
Daniel
1 1 The captivity of Jehoiakim king of Judah. 4 The king chooseth certain young men of the Jews to learn his law. 5 They have the king’s ordinary appointed, 8 but they abstain from it.
1 In the [a]third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel unto Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of [b]Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into his god’s treasury.
3 And the King spake unto [c]Ashpenaz the master of his [d]Eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, of the [e]King’s seed, and of the princes:
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well [f]favored, and instruct in all wisdom, and well seen in knowledge, and able to utter knowledge, and such as were able to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might [g]teach the learning, and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them provision every day of a [h]portion of the king’s meat, and of the wine, which he drank, so nourishing them [i]three years, that at the end thereof, they might stand [j]before the king.
6 Now among these were certain of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
7 Unto whom the chief of the Eunuchs [k]gave other names: for he called Daniel, Belteshazzar, and Hananiah, Shadrach, and Mishael, Meshach, and Azariah, Abednego.
8 ¶ But Daniel had determined in his heart, that he would not [l]defile himself with the portion of the King’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he required the chief of the Eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 (Now God had brought Daniel into favor, and tender love with the chief of the Eunuchs.)
10 And the chief of the Eunuchs said unto Daniel, [m]I fear my lord the King, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: therefore if he see your faces worse liking than the other children which are of your sort, then shall you make me lose mine head unto the King.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the chief of the Eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, [n]ten days, and let them give us [o]pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the children that eat of the portion of the King’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, an proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days, their [p]countenances appeared fairer, and in [q]better liking than all the children’s, which did eat the portion of the King’s meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge, and understanding in all learning [r]and wisdom: also he gave Daniel understanding of all [s]visions and dreams.
18 Now when the time [t]was expired, that the King had appointed to bring them in, the chief of the Eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the King communed with them: and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom, and understanding that the King enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the enchanters and astrologians that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel was unto [u]the first year of king Cyrus.
Footnotes
- Daniel 1:1 Read 2 Kings 24:1 and Jer. 25:1.
- Daniel 1:2 Which was a plain by Babylon, where was the Temple of their great god, and is here taken for Babylon.
- Daniel 1:3 Who was as master of the wards.
- Daniel 1:3 He calleth them Eunuchs whom the King nourished and brought up to be rulers of other countries afterward.
- Daniel 1:3 His purpose was to keep them as hostages, and that he might show himself victorious, and also by their good entreaty and learning of his religion, they might favor rather him than the Jews, and so to be able to serve him as governors in their land: moreover by this means the Jews might be better kept in subjection, fearing otherwise to procure hurt to these noble men.
- Daniel 1:4 The King required three things, that they should be of noble birth, that they should be witty and learned, and that they should be of a strong and comely nature, that they might do him better service: this he did for his own commodity, therefore it is not to praise his liberality: yet in this he is worthy praise, that he esteemed learning, and knew that it was a necessary means to govern by.
- Daniel 1:4 That they might forget their own religion, and country fashions to serve him the better to his purpose: yet it is not to be thought that Daniel did learn any knowledge that was not godly: in all points he refused the abuse of things and superstition, insomuch that he would not eat the meat which the King appointed him, but was content to learn the knowledge of natural things.
- Daniel 1:5 That by their good entertainment they might learn to forget the mediocrity of their own people.
- Daniel 1:5 To the intent that in this time they might both learn the manners of the Chaldeans, and also their tongue.
- Daniel 1:5 As well to serve at the table, as in other offices.
- Daniel 1:7 That they might altogether forget their religion: for the Jews gave their children names, which might ever put them in remembrance of some point of religion: therefore this was a great tentation and a sign of servitude, which they were not able to resist.
- Daniel 1:8 Not that he thought any religion to be in the meat or drink, (for afterward he did eat) but because the king should not entice him by this sweet poison to forget his religion and accustomed sobriety, and that in his meat and drink he might daily remember of what people he was: and Daniel bringeth this in to show how God from the beginning assisted him with his Spirit, and at length called him to be a Prophet.
- Daniel 1:10 He supposed they did this for their religion, which was contrary to the Babylonians, and therefore herein he representeth them, which are of no religion: for neither he would condemn theirs, nor maintain his own.
- Daniel 1:12 Meaning, that within this space he might have the trial, and that no man should be able to discern it: and thus he spake, being moved by the Spirit of God.
- Daniel 1:12 Not that it was a thing abominable to eat dainty meats, and to drink wine, as both before and after they did, but if they should have hereby been won to the King, and have refused their own religion, that meat and drink had been accursed.
- Daniel 1:15 This bare feeding and that also of Moses, when he fled from the court of Egypt, declareth that we must live in such sobriety as God doth call us unto, seeing he will make it more profitable unto us than all dainties: for his blessing only sufficeth.
- Daniel 1:15 Hebrew, fatter in flesh.
- Daniel 1:17 Meaning, in the liberal sciences, and natural knowledge, and not in the magical arts which are forbidden, Deut. 18:11.
- Daniel 1:17 So that he only was a Prophet and none of the others: for by dreams and visions God appeared to his Prophets, Num. 12:6
- Daniel 1:18 Of the three years above mentioned, verse 5.
- Daniel 1:21 That is, he was esteemed in Babylon as a Prophet so long as that commonwealth stood.
Daniel 1
Darby Translation
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, and a 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 spoke unto Ashpenaz the chief of his eunuchs, that he should bring of the children of Israel, both of the royal seed and of the nobles,
4 youths in whom was no blemish, and of goodly countenance, and skilful in all wisdom, and acquainted with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed unto them a daily provision of the king's delicate food, and of the wine that he drank, to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 And the prince of the eunuchs gave them names: to Daniel he gave [the name] Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah, Shadrach, and to Mishael, Meshach, and to Azariah, Abed-nego.
8 And Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not pollute himself with the king's delicate food, nor with the wine which he drank; and he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not have to pollute himself.
9 And God granted Daniel favour and mercy before the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king who hath appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces worse liking than the youths who are of your age? and ye would endanger my head with the king.
11 And Daniel said to the steward, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink;
13 then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king's delicate food: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants.
14 And he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and were fatter in flesh than all the youths that ate of the king's delicate food.
16 So the steward took away their delicate food, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four youths, God gave them 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 he should bring them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king spoke with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: and they stood before the king.
20 And in all matters of judicious wisdom, as to which the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the scribes [and] magicians that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 1
Living Bible
1 1-2 Three years after King Jehoiakim began to rule in Judah, Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem with his armies, and the Lord gave him victory over Jehoiakim. When he returned to Babylon, he took along some of the sacred cups from the Temple of God and placed them in the treasury of his god in the land of Shinar.
3-4 Then he ordered Ashpenaz, who was in charge of his palace personnel,[a] to select some of the Jewish youths brought back as captives—young men of the royal family and nobility of Judah—and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. “Pick strong, healthy, good-looking lads,” he said; “those who have read widely in many fields, are well informed, alert and sensible, and have enough poise to look good around the palace.”
5 The king assigned them the best of food and wine from his own kitchen during their three-year training period, planning to make them his counselors when they graduated.
6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 However, their superintendent gave them Babylonian names, as follows:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar;
Hananiah was called Shadrach;
Mishael was called Meshach;
Azariah was called Abednego.
8 But Daniel made up his mind not to eat[b] the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the superintendent for permission to eat other things instead. 9 Now as it happened, God had given the superintendent a special appreciation for Daniel and sympathy for his predicament. 10 But he was alarmed by Daniel’s suggestion.
“I’m afraid you will become pale and thin compared with the other youths your age,” he said, “and then the king will behead me for neglecting my responsibilities.”
11 Daniel talked it over with the steward who was appointed by the superintendent to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 and suggested a ten-day diet of only vegetables and water; 13 then, at the end of this trial period the steward could see how they looked in comparison with the other fellows who ate the king’s rich food and decide whether or not to let them continue their diet.
14 The steward finally agreed to the test. 15 Well, at the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the youths who had been eating the food supplied by the king! 16 So after that the steward fed them only vegetables and water, without the rich foods and wines!
17 God gave these four youths great ability to learn, and they soon mastered all the literature and science of the time; and God gave to Daniel special ability in understanding the meanings of dreams and visions.
18-19 When the three-year training period was completed, the superintendent brought all the young men to the king for oral exams, as he had been ordered to do. King Nebuchadnezzar had long talks with each of them, and none of them impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they were put on his regular staff of advisors. 20 And in all matters requiring information and balanced judgment, the king found these young men’s advice ten times better than that of all the skilled magicians and wise astrologers in his realm.
21 Daniel held this appointment as the king’s counselor until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.
Footnotes
- Daniel 1:3 who was in charge of his palace personnel, literally, “his chief eunuch”; see 2 Kings 20:17-18. to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. The language was Aramaic; the literature would have included mathematics, astronomy, and history—plus a strong dose of alchemy and magic!
- Daniel 1:8 made up his mind not to eat, literally, “determined that he would not defile himself with.” The defilement was probably in eating pork or other foods outlawed in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21. He asked the superintendent for permission to eat other things instead, literally, “He asked the superintendent to allow him not to defile himself.”
Daniel 1
Names of God Bible
Daniel and His Friends Remain Faithful to God
1 In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and attacked it. 2 Adonay handed King Jehoiakim of Judah and some utensils from Elohim’s temple over to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar took the utensils to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put them in the temple treasury.
3 The king told Ashpenaz, the chief-of-staff, to bring some of the Israelites, the royal family, and the nobility. 4 They were to be young men who were healthy, good-looking, knowledgeable in all subjects, well-informed, intelligent, and able to serve in the king’s palace. They were to be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians.
5 The king arranged for them to get a daily allowance of the king’s rich food and wine. They were to be trained for three years. After that, they were to serve the king. 6 Among these young men were some Judeans: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief-of-staff gave them Babylonian names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar. To Hananiah he gave the name Shadrach. To Mishael he gave the name Meshach. And to Azariah he gave the name Abednego.
8 Daniel made up his mind not to harm himself by eating the king’s rich food and drinking the king’s wine. So he asked the chief-of-staff for permission not to harm himself in this way.
9 Elohim made the chief-of-staff kind and compassionate toward Daniel. 10 The chief-of-staff told Daniel, “I’m afraid of my master, the king. The king determined what you should eat and drink. If he sees that you look worse than the other young men your age, he would have my head cut off.”
11 The chief-of-staff put a supervisor in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel said to the supervisor, 12 “Please test us for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare us to the young men who are eating the king’s rich food. Decide how to treat us on the basis of how we look.”
14 The supervisor listened to them about this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 After ten days they looked healthier and stronger than the young men who had been eating the king’s rich food. 16 So the supervisor took away the king’s rich food and wine and gave them vegetables.
17 Elohim gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 At the end of the three-year training period, the chief-of-staff brought all the young men to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked to them and found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah among all of them. So these four men served the king. 20 Whenever the king asked them about things that required wisdom and insight, he found that they knew ten times more than all the magicians and psychics in his whole kingdom.
21 Daniel served the royal palace until the first year of King Cyrus of Persia.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.