Daniel 1:1-8
New King James Version
Daniel and His Friends Obey God(A)
1 In the third year of the reign of (B)Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with (C)some of the articles of [a]the house of God, which he carried (D)into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; (E)and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.
3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring (F)some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men (G)in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and (H)whom they might teach the language and [b]literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might (I)serve before the king. 6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 (J)To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: (K)he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself (L)with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Daniel 1:2 The temple
- Daniel 1:4 Lit. writing or book
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Bible Gateway Recommends
![NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780529100146.jpg?v=1645115140)
![NKJV, Gift and Award Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/files/9780718075163_87600f2b-ccc2-4bef-b483-0ff0e2297533.jpg?v=1699552258)
![NKJV, The Everyday Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: 365 Daily Readings Through the Whole Bible](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/files/9780785262961_cd87f9c4-d31b-4f28-8933-78a8126ad794.jpg?v=1702202546)
![NKJV, Woman's Study Bible, Red Letter, Full-Color: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780718086749.jpg?v=1645115239)
![NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780310432760.jpg?v=1644570526)