New English Translation
Daniel 1:3
3The king commanded Ashpenaz, who was in charge of his court officials, to choose some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent –
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 King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem and laid it under siege. 2Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god. The king commanded Ashpenaz, who was in charge of his court officials, to choose some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent – 4young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated and having keen insight, and who were capable of entering the king’s royal service – and to teach them the literature and language of the Babylonians. 5So the king assigned them a daily ration from his royal delicacies and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service.
Read all of Daniel 1Daniel 1:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְאַשְׁפְּנַ֖ז רַ֣ב סָרִיסָ֑יו לְהָבִ֞יא מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וּמִזֶּ֥רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֖ה וּמִן־הַֽפַּרְתְּמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Ashpenazאַשְׁפְּנַז'ashpenaz · AshpenazH828
- the masterרַבrab · chiefH7227
- of his eunuchsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
- that he should bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and of the king’sמְלוּכָהmelûkâh · kingshipH4410
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- and of the princesפַּרְתְּמִיםpartam · nobleH6579
Cross-references for Daniel 1:3
- 2 Kings 20:17‘Look, a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord.
- Isaiah 39:7‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
- Jeremiah 41:1But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama who was a member of the royal family and had been one of Zedekiah’s chief officers, came with ten of his men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating a meal together with him there at 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
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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