Daniel 1:1-7

1In the third year of the reign of 1Jehoiakim king of Judah, 2Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2The 3Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the 4vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of 5Shinar, to the house of his 6god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his 78god.

3Then the king 9ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his 10officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the 11royal 12family and of the nobles, 4youths in whom was 13no defect, who were good-looking, showing 14intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for 15serving in the king’s 16court; and he ordered him to teach them the 17literature and 18language of the 19Chaldeans. 5The king appointed for them a daily ration from the 20king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be 21educated three years, at the end of which they were to 2223enter the king’s personal service. 6Now among them from the sons of Judah were 24Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name 25Belteshazzar, to Hananiah 26Shadrach, to Mishael 27Meshach and to Azariah 28Abed-nego.