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Daniel and His Friends Remain Faithful to God

In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and attacked it. 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.

The king told Ashpenaz, the chief-of-staff, to bring some of the Israelites, the royal family, and the nobility. 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.

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. Among these young men were some Judeans: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 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.

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.

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.

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.