Daniel's Faithfulness

But Daniel (A)resolved that he would not (B)defile himself with (C)the king's food, or with (D)the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to (E)defile himself. (F)And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for (G)ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat (H)the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate (I)the king's food. 16 (J)So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them (K)vegetables.

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But Daniel resolved not to defile(A) 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(B) and compassion(C) to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[a] food and drink.(D) 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(E) 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.”(F) 14 So he agreed to this and tested(G) 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.(H) 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 1:10 The Hebrew for your and you in this verse is plural.