1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, to 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 Shinar, to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into his god’s treasury.

³ And the king spoke to Ashpenaz, the master of his Eunuchs, and told him to bring some of the children of Israel, some of the king’s seed, and some of the princes;

⁴ Children in whom there was no blemish, but were well favored; and who were instructed in all wisdom, and well-versed in knowledge; and able to utter knowledge; and such as were able to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

⁵ And the king appointed provisions for them every day from a portion of the king’s meat, and from the wine which he drank, thus nourishing them for three years. That at the end thereof, they might still stand before the king.

⁶ Now among these were some of the children of Judah - Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

⁷ To whom the chief of the Eunuchs 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 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 not to defile himself.

⁹ (Now God had brought Daniel into favor and compassion with the chief of the Eunuchs.)

¹⁰ And the chief of the Eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord, the king; who has appointed your meat and your drink. For if he sees your faces looking worse than other youths of your age, then you shall make me lose my head to the king.”

¹¹ Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the chief of the Eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹² “Please, test your servants for ten days. And let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink.

¹³ Then let our faces be looked upon before you, and the faces of those who eat of the portion of the king’s meat. And as you see fit, deal with your servants.”

¹⁴ So he consented to them in this matter, an watched them for ten days.

¹⁵ And at the end of ten days, their faces appeared fairer, and looked better, than all the others who ate the king’s meat.

¹⁶ Thus, Melzar took away their meat, and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

¹⁷ As for these four children, God gave them knowledge, and understanding in all learning, and wisdom. Also, he gave Daniel understanding of all visions and dreams.

¹⁸ Now when the time had come for the king to bring them in, the chief of the Eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹ And the king spoke with them. And among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore, they stood 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 astrologers in his realm.

²¹ And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.