但以理被擄到巴比倫

猶大王約雅敬執政第三年,巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒前來圍攻耶路撒冷。 主將猶大王約雅敬及上帝殿中的部分器具交在他手中。他把器具擄到巴比倫[a]的神廟,放在他神明的庫房裡。

王吩咐太監長亞施毗拿從以色列的王室貴族中選一些人, 即毫無殘疾、相貌英俊、學問淵博、知識豐富、聰慧善學、能在王宮服侍的青年,教他們迦勒底的語言和文字。 王安排他們每日享用一份御用的膳食和酒。他們要受教養三年,期滿後好在王身邊供職。 被選的人中有猶大族的但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅。 太監長給他們起了名字:稱但以理為伯提沙撒,哈拿尼雅為沙得拉,米沙利為米煞,亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。

然而,但以理決心不用王的膳食和酒,以免玷污自己。他請求太監長准許他不玷污自己。 上帝使但以理得到太監長的恩待和同情。 10 不過,太監長對但以理說:「我懼怕我主我王,因為這是他安排給你們的飲食。如果他看見你們比同齡的青年瘦弱,如何是好?你們會使我在王面前人頭難保。」 11 但以理便對太監長派來監管他、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亞撒利雅的人說: 12 「求你試試看,十天內只讓僕人們吃素菜、喝清水, 13 然後比較一下我們的面貌和那些用御膳的青年的面貌,看了之後再作決定。」 14 監管同意試他們十天。 15 十天後,但以理和他三個朋友看上去比那些用御膳的青年更俊美健康。 16 於是,監管撤去了安排給他們的膳食和酒,只給他們素菜。

17 上帝使這四個青年精通各樣學問和知識。但以理能明白各種異象和夢兆。 18 到了尼布甲尼撒王規定青年們進宮的日子,太監長便帶他們去見王。 19 王與他們談話,發現無人比得上但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亞撒利雅,便把他們留在身邊供職。 20 王詢問他們各樣的事,發現他們的智慧和聰明比全國的術士和巫師高十倍。 21 直到塞魯士王元年,但以理仍在那裡供職。

Footnotes

  1. 1·2 巴比倫」希伯來文是「示拿」,巴比倫的別稱。

巴比倫王攻陷耶路撒冷

猶大王約雅敬在位第三年,巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來到耶路撒冷,把城圍困。 主把猶大王約雅敬和神殿中的一部分器物交在尼布甲尼撒手裡,他就把這些器物帶到示拿地的神廟那裡,存放在廟中的寶庫裡。

但以理與三友被選入宮

王吩咐他的太監長亞施毘拿說:“你要從以色列人中,把一些王室的後裔和貴族帶進來; 這些年輕人必須沒有殘疾、英俊、足智多才、有高度學習能力、明察事理,而且他們必須有能力可以在王宮裡工作。你要教他們學習迦勒底的文學和語言。” 王指定每日給他們一份御用的佳餚美酒;又教養他們三年。期滿以後,他們就侍立在王面前。 他們中間有猶大人但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅。 太監長給他們起了新的名字,稱但以理為伯提沙撒,哈拿尼雅為沙得拉,米沙利為米煞,亞撒利雅為亞伯尼歌。

但以理決心不用王膳

但以理決心不讓御用的佳餚美酒玷污自己,所以求太監長幫助他,使他不用玷污自己。 於是 神使但以理在太監長面前得著恩惠和同情。 10 只是太監長對但以理說:“我懼怕我主我王,他已指定了你們應用的飲食;如果他見到你們的面色比你們同歲的年輕人憔悴難看,你們就使我的頭在王面前保不住了。” 11 後來但以理對太監長分派看管但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的人說: 12 “請你試試僕人十天,容我們只吃素菜、喝清水。 13 然後,請你觀察我們的容貌,和那些享用王的佳餚的年輕人的容貌,就照著你觀察的結果,待你的僕人吧!”

吃素喝水健康更佳

14 看管他們的人就允准他們的這個要求,試試他們十天。 15 過了十天,見他們的容貌比所有享用王的佳餚的年輕人,更加俊美健壯。 16 看管他們的人就撤去指定給他們享用的佳餚美酒,讓他們吃素菜。

主賜知識聰明出眾超群

17 這四個年輕人在各種文字和學問上, 神都賜他們知識和聰明;但以理並且能明白一切異象和異夢。 18 到了王吩咐帶所有年輕人進宮的日子,太監長就領他們到尼布甲尼撒王面前。 19 王和他們談話,發現他們所有的人中,沒有一個比得上但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的;他們四人就侍立在王面前。 20 王考問他們一切智慧和聰明的事,就發現他們比全國所有的術士和用法術的更勝十倍。 21 直到古列王元年,但以理還在。

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”

Daniel’s Training in Babylon

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim(A) king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon(C) came to Jerusalem and besieged it.(D) And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried(E) off to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a] and put in the treasure house of his god.(F)

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(G) young men without any physical defect, handsome,(H) showing aptitude for every kind of learning,(I) well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language(J) and literature of the Babylonians.[b] The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine(K) from the king’s table.(L) They were to be trained for three years,(M) and after that they were to enter the king’s service.(N)

Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel,(O) Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.(P) The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar;(Q) to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.(R)

But Daniel resolved not to defile(S) himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor(T) and compassion(U) to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[c] food and drink.(V) Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test(W) your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”(X) 14 So he agreed to this and tested(Y) them for ten days.

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.(Z) 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.(AA)

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding(AB) of all kinds of literature and learning.(AC) And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.(AD)

18 At the end of the time(AE) 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.(AF) 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians(AG) and enchanters in his whole kingdom.(AH)

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

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 1:2 Hebrew Shinar
  2. Daniel 1:4 Or Chaldeans
  3. Daniel 1:10 The Hebrew for your and you in this verse is plural.