但以理被掳到巴比伦

犹大王约雅敬执政第三年,巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒前来围攻耶路撒冷。 主将犹大王约雅敬及上帝殿中的部分器具交在他手中。他把器具掳到巴比伦[a]的神庙,放在他神明的库房里。

王吩咐太监长亚施毗拿从以色列的王室贵族中选一些人, 即毫无残疾、相貌英俊、学问渊博、知识丰富、聪慧善学、能在王宫服侍的青年,教他们迦勒底的语言和文字。 王安排他们每日享用一份御用的膳食和酒。他们要受教养三年,期满后好在王身边供职。 被选的人中有犹大族的但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亚撒利雅。 太监长给他们起了名字:称但以理为伯提沙撒,哈拿尼雅为沙得拉,米沙利为米煞,亚撒利雅为亚伯尼歌。

然而,但以理决心不用王的膳食和酒,以免玷污自己。他请求太监长准许他不玷污自己。 上帝使但以理得到太监长的恩待和同情。 10 不过,太监长对但以理说:“我惧怕我主我王,因为这是他安排给你们的饮食。如果他看见你们比同龄的青年瘦弱,如何是好?你们会使我在王面前人头难保。” 11 但以理便对太监长派来监管他、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅的人说: 12 “求你试试看,十天内只让仆人们吃素菜、喝清水, 13 然后比较一下我们的面貌和那些用御膳的青年的面貌,看了之后再作决定。” 14 监管同意试他们十天。 15 十天后,但以理和他三个朋友看上去比那些用御膳的青年更俊美健康。 16 于是,监管撤去了安排给他们的膳食和酒,只给他们素菜。

17 上帝使这四个青年精通各样学问和知识。但以理能明白各种异象和梦兆。 18 到了尼布甲尼撒王规定青年们进宫的日子,太监长便带他们去见王。 19 王与他们谈话,发现无人比得上但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅,便把他们留在身边供职。 20 王询问他们各样的事,发现他们的智慧和聪明比全国的术士和巫师高十倍。 21 直到塞鲁士王元年,但以理仍在那里供职。

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 巴比伦”希伯来文是“示拿”,巴比伦的别称。

Daniel’s Development in the King’s Court

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into his hand and some of[a] of the utensils of the temple of God,[b] and he brought them to the land of Shinar to the temple of his gods, and he brought the utensils to the treasury[c] of his gods.

And the king ordered[d] Ashpenaz, the commander of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites[e] from the royal family[f] and from the lords,[g] youths who have no physical defect,[h] and who are handsome,[i] and who are prudent[j] in all wisdom and endowed with knowledge,[k] and who understand insight, and who have the ability[l] in them to serve in the palace of the king. And the king ordered him to teach them the literature and the language of the Chaldeans. And the king assigned to them his daily portion[m] from the fine food of the king, and from the wine that he drank,[n] and instructed that they were to be educated for three years.[o] And at the end of their training, they were to be stationed[p] before[q] the king. Now there was among them from the Judeans,[r] Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. And the commander of the court officials gave them names, and he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel’s Resolve

Now Daniel resolved[s] that he would not defile himself with the fine food of the king, and with the wine that he drank,[t] and so he requested from the commander of the court officials permission so that he would not defile himself. And God[u] gave Daniel favor and compassion before[v] the commander of the court officials, 10 and the commander of the court officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord, the king, who has determined your food and your drink, for why should[w] he see your face having a worse appearance than the young men who are your age?[x] Then you will endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then[y] Daniel asked the guard[z] whom the commander of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us some of the vegetables,[aa] and let us eat and let us drink water. 13 Then[ab] let our appearances and the appearance of the young men who are eating the fine food of the king be compared before you,[ac] and then deal with your servants according to what you see.”[ad] 14 So he agreed to this proposal with them, and he tested them for ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their appearances appeared better and they were healthier of body than all the young men who were eating the fine food of the king. 16 So[ae] the guard continued to withhold[af] their fine food and the wine of their drink, and he gave them[ag] vegetables.

17 And as for these four young men,[ah] God[ai] gave to them knowledge and insight into all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had insight into all visions[aj] and dreams. 18 And at the end of the time the king had set to bring them, the commander of the court officials brought them in before[ak] Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them no one was found like[al] Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; then they stood before[am] the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired from them, he found them ten times better than all of the magicians[an] and conjurers[ao] that were in his entire kingdom.[ap] 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of Cyrus the king.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 1:2 Literally “from the end/extremity/limits”
  2. Daniel 1:2 Hebrew “the God”
  3. Daniel 1:2 Literally “the house of the treasury”
  4. Daniel 1:3 Literally “said to”
  5. Daniel 1:3 Literally “from the sons/children of Israel”
  6. Daniel 1:3 Literally “from the seed of the kingship”
  7. Daniel 1:3 Or “nobles”
  8. Daniel 1:4 Literally “there is not in them any physical defect”
  9. Daniel 1:4 Literally “good/pleasing of appearance”
  10. Daniel 1:4 Or “insightful”
  11. Daniel 1:4 Literally “who have knowledge of knowledge”
  12. Daniel 1:4 Literally “strength”
  13. Daniel 1:5 Literally “the portion of the day on its day”
  14. Daniel 1:5 Literally “the wine of his drink”
  15. Daniel 1:5 Literally “and to be educated them years three”
  16. Daniel 1:5 Literally “they would stand”
  17. Daniel 1:5 Literally “to the face of”
  18. Daniel 1:6 Literally “from the children of Judah”
  19. Daniel 1:8 Literally “Daniel placed upon his heart”
  20. Daniel 1:8 Literally “the wine of his drink”
  21. Daniel 1:9 Hebrew “the God”
  22. Daniel 1:9 Literally “to the face of”
  23. Daniel 1:10 Literally “to what would”
  24. Daniel 1:10 Literally “like your age”; “your” is plural
  25. Daniel 1:11 Hebrew “And”
  26. Daniel 1:11 Or “overseer”
  27. Daniel 1:12 Literally “from the vegetables”
  28. Daniel 1:13 Hebrew “And”
  29. Daniel 1:13 Literally “in your presence”
  30. Daniel 1:13 Literally “and according to/that you see”
  31. Daniel 1:16 Literally “And it happened”
  32. Daniel 1:16 Literally “he was … withdrawing”
  33. Daniel 1:16 Hebrew “to them”
  34. Daniel 1:17 Literally “And these young men, four of them”
  35. Daniel 1:17 Hebrew “the God”
  36. Daniel 1:17 Hebrew “vision”
  37. Daniel 1:18 Literally “to the face of”
  38. Daniel 1:19 Literally “and he was not found from all of them like”
  39. Daniel 1:19 Literally “to the face of”
  40. Daniel 1:20 Or “soothsayer-priests”
  41. Daniel 1:20 Or “enchanters”
  42. Daniel 1:20 Literally “in the whole of his kingdom”