Daniel Removed to Babylon

¹ In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ² The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with part of the vessels from the house of God, and Nebuchadnezzar carried them into the land of Babylon to the temple of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

³ The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the Israelites, from the royal offspring and from the nobles; ⁴ youths in whom was no defect but nice looking and skillful in all wisdom and endowed with knowledge, understanding science, and with the ability to serve in the king’s palace, and that he should teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans. ⁵ The king appointed for them a daily portion from the king’s food and from the wine which he drank, with which to nourish them for three years; at the end of which they should stand before the king.

⁶ Now among these were descendants of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ⁷ The chief of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel’s Faithfulness

⁸ But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. ⁹ Now God caused Daniel to find favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs. ¹⁰ The chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the other youths your age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.”

¹¹ Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: ¹² “Test your servants, I beg you, for ten days let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then let our faces be examined before you and the face of the youths who eat of the king’s food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” ¹⁴ So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.

¹⁵ At the end of ten days, their faces appeared healthier, and they were fatter than all the youths who ate of the king’s food. ¹⁶ So the steward took away the food they would have eaten and the wine that they would have drunk and gave them vegetables.

Daniel’s Wisdom

¹⁷ Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all kinds of literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

¹⁸ At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ The king talked with them, and among all of them was found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they were appointed to stand before the king. ²⁰ In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning that which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire royal domain.

²¹ Daniel continued to the first year of king Cyrus.

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