New Living Translation
Daniel 1:8
8But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.
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
6Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”
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 there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
- 1 Kings 5:5So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, ‘Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.’
- Psalms 119:106I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.
- Acts 11:23When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 7:37But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry.
- 2 Corinthians 9:7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
- Leviticus 11:45For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.
- Deuteronomy 32:38Where now are those gods, who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their offerings? Let those gods arise and help you! Let them provide you with shelter!
- Psalms 106:28Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor; they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead!
- Psalms 141:4Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.
- Ezekiel 4:13Then the Lord said, “This is how Israel will eat defiled bread in the Gentile lands to which I will banish them!”
- Hosea 9:3You may no longer stay here in the Lord’s land. Instead, you will return to Egypt, and in Assyria you will eat food that is ceremonially unclean.
- Acts 10:14“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
- Romans 14:15And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
- 1 Corinthians 8:7However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated.
- 1 Corinthians 10:18Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at 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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