Daniel 1:3

Daniel 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
• New International Version (NIV)Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles,

Context of Daniel 1:3

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; and 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. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service.

Daniel 1:3 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְאַשְׁפְּנַ֖ז רַ֣ב סָרִיסָ֑יו לְהָבִ֞יא מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וּמִזֶּ֥רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֖ה וּמִן־הַֽפַּרְתְּמִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• orderedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Ashpenazאַשְׁפְּנַז'ashpenaz · AshpenazH828
• the chiefרַבrab · chiefH7227
• officialsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
• to bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• in someמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• royalמְלוּכָהmelûkâh · kingshipH4410
• familyזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
• and of the noblesפַּרְתְּמִיםpartam · nobleH6579

Cross-references for Daniel 1:3

• 2 Kings 20:17‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord.
• Isaiah 39:7‘And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
• Jeremiah 41:1In the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king, along with ten men, came to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. While they were eating bread together there in Mizpah,

Commentaries on Daniel 1:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Master of his eunuchs - This word eunuchs signifies officers about or in the palace whether literally eunuchs or not.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs - On the general reasons which may have influenced the king to make the selection of the youths here mentioned, see the analysis of the chapter. Of Ashpenaz, nothing more is known than is stated here. Eunuchs were then, as they are now, in constant employ in the harems of the East, and they often rose to great influence and power. A large portion of the slaves employed at the courts in the East…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3chief of his court: Though often translated as “eunuchs” (compare Isaiah 39:7), here the Hebrew term (saris) likely means that Ashpenaz and those under his authority were high government officials (see 2 Kings 8:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. master of ... eunuchs--called in Turkey the kislar aga. of the king's seed--compare the prophecy, 2Ki 20:17, 18.Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 1:3

• Ashpenaz
• Civil Service
• Eunuch
• Government
• Instruction
• School
• Statecraft

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Ashpenaz
• Daniel
• Hananiah
• Liking
• Captain
• Genealogy

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