Daniel 1

Jerusalem Falls under Babylonian Power

1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God. He brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

Young Judeans Are Taken for Royal Service

3Then the king said to Ashpenaz, chief of his eunuchs, to bring some from the children of Israel, from the royal offspring and from the nobles, 4young men without any defect, good in appearance, discerning in all wisdom, knowing knowledge, understanding learning, and capable of standing in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5The king appointed for them a daily portion from the king’s delicacies and from the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of them they were to stand before the king. 6Among them were some from the children of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7The chief of the eunuchs gave them names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah the name Shadrach, Mishael the name Meshach, and Azariah the name Abednego.

Daniel Resolves Not to Defile Himself

8But Daniel set it upon his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies or with the wine that he drank. So he sought permission from the chief of the eunuchs not to defile himself. 9God gave Daniel steadfast kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs. 10But the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men your own age? Then you would make my head guilty before the king.” 11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12“Please test your servants for ten days. Let vegetables be given to us to eat and water to drink. 13Then let our appearance and the appearance of the young men who eat the king’s delicacies be seen before you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15At the end of ten days their appearance was better and their flesh fuller than all the young men who ate the king’s delicacies. 16So the steward continued taking away their delicacies and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.

God Gives Knowledge and Wisdom

17As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in every kind of literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in every kind of vision and dream. 18At the end of the days when the king had said they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they stood before the king. 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his kingdom. 21And Daniel remained until the first year of King Cyrus.