Daniel 1

Taken to Babylon

1In the third year of Jehoiakim king of Judah’s reign, 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 from God’s house. He brought them to Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in his god’s treasury. 3The king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his eunuchs, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility: 4young men without any physical defect, handsome, skilled in every kind of wisdom, knowledgeable, discerning, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. They were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5The king assigned them a daily portion of his own food and the wine he drank. They were to be trained for three years, then enter the king’s service. 6Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from Judah. 7The chief eunuch gave them new names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar; Hananiah, Shadrach; Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abed-nego.

Daniel’s resolve

8Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or the wine he drank. He asked the chief eunuch for permission to avoid defiling himself. 9God caused the chief eunuch to show Daniel kindness and compassion. 10But the chief eunuch told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? You would put my head at risk with the king.” 11Daniel then spoke to the steward whom the chief eunuch had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12“Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then compare our appearance with that of the young men eating the king’s food. Deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14He agreed and tested them for ten days. 15At the end of ten days, they looked better and fuller in body than all the young men eating the king’s food. 16So the steward continued taking away their assigned food and wine and giving them vegetables.

Learning and service

17God gave all four of these young men knowledge and insight into every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18When the time set by the king for bringing them in had ended, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king spoke with them. Among them all, no one matched Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, so they entered the king’s service. 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding he asked about, the king found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21Daniel remained until the first year of King Cyrus.