God’s Word Translation
Daniel 1:8
8Daniel 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.
Daniel 1:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Daniel purposed 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 requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
- New International Version (NIV)But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Context of Daniel 1:8
6Among these young men were some Judeans: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7The 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. 9God made the chief-of-staff kind and compassionate toward Daniel. 10The 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.”
Read all of Daniel 1Daniel 1:8 word by word
וַיָּ֤שֶׂם דָּנִיֵּאל֙ עַל־לִבּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יִתְגָּאַ֛ל בְּפַתְבַּ֥ג הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וּבְיֵ֣ין מִשְׁתָּ֑יו וַיְבַקֵּשׁ֙ מִשַּׂ֣ר הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א יִתְגָּאָֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Danielדָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵלdânîyê'l dâni'êl · DanielH1840
- purposedשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- in his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- that he would not defileגָּאַלgâ'al · to defileH1351
- himself with the portionפַּת־בָּגpathbag · portionH6598
- of the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- nor with the wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
- which he drankמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
- therefore he requestedבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- of the princeשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- of the eunuchsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
Cross-references for Daniel 1:8
- Ruth 1:17Wherever you die, I will die, and I will be buried there with you. May the Lord strike me down if anything but death separates you and me!”
- 1 Kings 5:5Now I’m thinking of building a temple for the name of the Lord my God as the Lord spoke to my father David: ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne to succeed you, will build a temple for my name.’
- Psalms 119:106I took an oath, and I will keep it. I took an oath to follow your regulations, which are based on your righteousness.
- Acts 11:23When he arrived there, he was pleased to see what God had done for them out of kindness. So he encouraged all the people to remain solidly committed to the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37However, a father may have come to a decision about his daughter. If his decision is to keep her ⌞at home⌟ because she doesn’t want to get married, that’s fine.
- 2 Corinthians 9:7Each of you should give whatever you have decided. You shouldn’t be sorry that you gave or feel forced to give, since God loves a cheerful giver.
- Leviticus 11:45Here is the reason ⌞again⌟: I am the Lord. I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. Be holy because I am holy.
- Deuteronomy 32:38Where are the gods who ate the fat from their sacrifices and drank the wine from their wine offerings? Let them come to help you! Let them be your refuge!”
- Psalms 106:28They joined in worshiping the god Baal while they were at Peor, and they ate what was sacrificed to the dead.
- Psalms 141:4Do not let me be persuaded to do anything evil or to become involved with wickedness, with people who are troublemakers. Do not let me taste their delicacies.
- Ezekiel 4:13Then the Lord said, “In the same way, the people of Israel will eat unclean bread among the nations where I scatter them.”
- Hosea 9:3The people of Ephraim won’t stay in the Lord’s land. They will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
- Acts 10:14Peter answered, “I can’t do that, Lord! I’ve never eaten anything that is impure or unclean.”
- Romans 14:15So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person.
- 1 Corinthians 8:7But not everyone knows this. Some people are so used to worshiping false gods that they believe they are eating food offered to a false god. So they feel guilty because their conscience is weak.
- 1 Corinthians 10:18Look at the people of Israel from a human point of view. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices share what is on the altar?
Commentaries on Daniel 1:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8But Daniel - would not defile himself - I have spoken of this resolution in the introduction. The chief reasons why Daniel would not eat meat from the royal table were probably these three: - Because they ate unclean beasts, which were forbidden by the Jewish law. Because they ate, as did the heathens in general, beasts which had been strangled, or not properly blooded. 3. Because the animals that were eaten were first offered as victims to their gods. It…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8But Daniel purposed in his heart - Evidently in concurrence with the youths who had been selected with him. See Daniel 1:11-13. Daniel, it seems, formed this as a “decided” purpose, and “meant” to carry it into effect, as a matter of principle, though he designed to secure his object, if possible, by making a request that he might be “allowed” to pursue that course Daniel 1:12, and wished not to give offence, or to provoke opposition. What would have been…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-16Verses 8-16 The interest we think we make for ourselves, we must acknowledge to be God's gift. Daniel was still firm to his religion. Whatever they called him, he still held fast the spirit of an Israelite. These youths scrupled concerning the meat, lest it should be sinful. When God's people are in Babylon they need take special care that they partake not of her sins. It is much to the praise of young people, not to covet or seek the delights of sense…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself: The meat and wine from Nebuchadnezzar’s table were likely not allowed by Jewish standards. The Babylonians used meats like pork, which were unclean (see Leviticus 11:1–23; Deuteronomy 14:1–21), and their meat and wine were probably offered to Babylonian gods. The other young Hebrews agreed with Daniel (Daniel 1:12–16). They trusted God and followed his commands, and God blessed them (compare…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Daniel ... would not defile himself with ... king's meat--Daniel is specified as being the leader in the "purpose" (the word implies a decided resolution) to abstain from defilement, thus manifesting a character already formed for prophetical functions. The other three youths, no doubt, shared in his purpose. It was the custom to throw a small part of the viands and wine upon the earth, as an initiatory offering to the gods, so as to consecrate to them…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 1:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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