Daniel 1
1 In the third
year of the reign of Joakim king of Juda, came Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon
to Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And
the Lord gave into his hand Joakim king of Juda, and part of the vessels of
the house of God: and he brought them into the land of Sennaar to the house of
his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.
3 And the king told Asphanez his chief
eunuch, to bring in some of the captive children of
Israel, and of the seed of the kingdom, and of the princes;
4 young men in whom was no blemish,
and beautiful in appearance, and skilled in all wisdom, and possessing
knowledge, and acquainted with prudence, and who had ability to stand in the
house before the king, and
the king gave commandment to teach them the learning
and language of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily
portion from the king's table, and from the wine which he drank; and
gave orders to nourish them three years, and
that afterwards they should stand before the king.
6 Now these were among them of the
children of Juda, Daniel, and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael.
7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave
them names: to Daniel, Baltasar; and to Ananias, Sedrach; and to Misael,
Misach; and to Azarias, Abdenago.
8 And Daniel purposed in his heart,
that he would not defile himself with the king's table, nor with the wine of
his drink: and he intreated the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile
himself. 9 Now God
had brought Daniel into favour and compassion with
the chief of the eunuchs. 10 And the
chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has
appointed your meat and your drink, lest he see your countenances gloomy in
comparison of the young men your equals; so shall ye endanger my head to the
king. 11 And Daniel said to Amelsad,
whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael,
and Azarias,
12 Prove now thy servants ten days;
and let them give us pulse, and let us eat, and let us drink water:
13 and let our countenances be seen
by thee, and the countenances of the children that eat
at the king's table; and deal with thy servants
according as thou shalt see.
14 And he hearkened to them, and
proved them ten days. 15 And at the
end of the ten days their countenances appeared fairer and stouter in flesh
than the children that fed at the king's table.
16 So Amelsad took away their supper
and the wine of their drink, and gave them pulse.
17 And
as for these four children, God gave them
understanding and prudence in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had
understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 And at the end of the days,
after which the king had given orders to bring them
in, then the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nabuchodonosor.
19 And the king spoke with them; and
there were not found out of them all any like Daniel, and Ananias, and Misael,
and Azarias: and they stood before the king.
20 And in every matter of wisdom and
knowledge wherein the king questioned them, he found them ten times wiser than
all the enchanters and sorcerers that were in all his kingdom.
21 And Daniel continued till the
first year of king Cyrus.