Daniel Chapter 1

The Choice Young Men

1In the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of the reignH4438 of 1JehoiakimH3079 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, 2NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894 cameH935 to JerusalemH3389 and besiegedH6696H5921 it. 2And the 3LordH136 handedH5414H3027 JehoiakimH3079 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 overH5414 to him, along with someH4480H7117 of the 4vesselsH3627 of the houseH1004 of GodH430; and he broughtH935 them to the landH776 of 5ShinarH8152, to the houseH1004 of his 6godH430, and he broughtH935 the vesselsH3627 into the treasuryH1004H214 of his 78godH430.

3Then the kingH4428 toldH559 AshpenazH828, the chiefH7227 of his 9officialsH5631, to bringH935 inH935 someH4480 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, including someH4480 of the 10royalH4410 11familyH2233 and of the noblesH6579, 4youthsH3206 in whomH834 there was 12noH369H3605 impairmentH3971, who were good-lookingH2896H4758, suitableH7919 forH7919 13instructionH7919 in everyH3605 kind of expertiseH2451, endowedH3045 with understandingH995 and discerningH995 knowledgeH4093, and whoH834 had abilityH3851 to 14serveH5975 in the king’sH4428 15courtH1964; and he ordered Ashpenaz to teachH3925 them the 16literatureH5612 and 17languageH3956 of the 18ChaldeansH3778. 5The kingH4428 also allottedH4487 for them a dailyH3117 rationH1697 from the 19king’sH4428 choiceH6598 foodH6598 and from the wineH3196 which he drankH4960, and ordered that they be educatedH1431 for threeH7969 yearsH8141, at the endH7117 of which they were to 2021enterH5975 the king’sH4428 personalH6440 serviceH5975H6440. 6Now among them from the sonsH1121 of JudahH3063 were 22DanielH1840, HananiahH2608, MishaelH4332, and AzariahH5838. 7Then the commanderH8269 of the officialsH5631 assignedH7760 new namesH8034 to them; and to DanielH1840 he assignedH7760 the name 23BelteshazzarH1095, to HananiahH2608 24ShadrachH7714, to MishaelH4332 25MeshachH4335, and to AzariahH5838 26Abed-negoH5664.

Daniel’s Resolve

8But DanielH1840 27madeH7760 upH7760 his mindH3820 that he would not 28defileH1351 himself with the 29king’sH4428 choiceH6598 foodH6598 or with the 30wineH3196 which he drankH4960; so he soughtH1245 permission from the commanderH8269 of the officialsH5631 that he might not defileH1351 himself. 9Now GodH430 grantedH5414 DanielH1840 31favorH2617 and compassionH7356 in the sightH6440 of the commanderH8269 of the officialsH5631. 10The commanderH8269 of the officialsH5631 saidH559 to DanielH1840, “I am afraidH3372 of my lordH113 the kingH4428, whoH834 has allottedH4487 your foodH3978 and your drinkH4960; for whyH4100 should he seeH7200 your facesH6440 lookingH2196 gauntH2196 inH4480 comparisonH4480 toH4480 the youthsH3206 whoH834 are your own ageH1524? Then you would 32make me forfeitH2325 my headH7218 to the kingH4428.” 11But DanielH1840 saidH559 to the overseerH4453 whomH834 the commanderH8269 of the officialsH5631 had appointedH4487 overH5921 DanielH1840, HananiahH2608, MishaelH4332, and AzariahH5838, 12“PleaseH4994 putH5254 your servantsH5650 toH5254 theH5254 testH5254 for tenH6235 daysH3117, and let us be 33givenH5414 someH4480 vegetablesH2235 to eatH398 and waterH4325 to drinkH8354. 13Then let our appearanceH4758 be 34examinedH7200 in your presenceH6440 and the appearanceH4758 of the youthsH3206 whoH834 are eatingH398 the king’sH4428 choiceH6598 foodH6598; and dealH6213 with your servantsH5650 according to whatH3512 you seeH7200.”

14So he listenedH8085 to them in thisH2088 matterH1697, and putH5254 them toH5254 theH5254 testH5254 for tenH6235 daysH3117. 15And at the endH7117 of tenH6235 daysH3117 their appearanceH4758 seemedH7200 35betterH2896, and 36they were fatterH1277H1320 thanH4480 allH3605 the youthsH3206 whoH834 had been eatingH398 the king’sH4428 choiceH6598 foodH6598. 16So the overseerH4453 continuedH1961 to 37withholdH5375 their choiceH6598 foodH6598 and the wineH3196 they were to drinkH4960, and keptH5414 38givingH5414 them vegetablesH2235.

17And as for theseH428 fourH702 youthsH3206, 39GodH430 gaveH5414 them knowledgeH4093 and intelligenceH7919 in everyH3605 kind of 40literatureH5612 and expertiseH2451; DanielH1840 even understoodH995 allH3605 kinds of 41visionsH2377 and dreamsH2472.

18Then at the endH7117 of the daysH3117 whichH834 the kingH4428 had 42specifiedH559 43for presentingH935 them, the commanderH8269 of the officialsH5631 44presentedH935 them beforeH6440 NebuchadnezzarH5019. 19And the kingH4428 talkedH1696 with them, and out of them allH3605 not one was foundH4672 like 45DanielH1840, HananiahH2608, MishaelH4332, and AzariahH5838; so they 4647enteredH5975 the king’sH4428 personalH6440 serviceH5975H6440. 20As for everyH3605 matterH1697 of 48expertiseH2451 49and understandingH998 about whichH834 the kingH4428 consultedH1245 them, he foundH4672 them 50tenH6235 timesH3027 51betterH5921 thanH5921 allH3605 the 52soothsayerH2748 priestsH2748 and conjurersH825 whoH834 were in allH3605 his realmH4438. 21And DanielH1840 53continuedH1961 untilH5704 the 54firstH259 yearH8141 of CyrusH3566 the kingH4428.