Daniel 1

In the year of three to the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came {to} Jerusalem and besieged against it.

And the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them {to} the land of Shinar, {to} the house of his god, and he brought the vessels {into} the house of treasure of his god. \*

Then the king told Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring from the sons of Israel, both from the seed of the kingdom and from the nobles,

youths in whom was not any blemish and {who were} good of appearance and being skillful in all wisdom and knowers of knowledge and understanders of knowledge and in whom was strength to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the writing and tongue of the Chaldeans.

And the king assigned to them the matter of a day in its day from the portion of the king and from the wine of his drinking, and three years for their upbringing, and from the end of them they would stand to the face of the king. \*

And among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

And the chief of the eunuchs gave names to them. And to Daniel, he gave Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, Shadrach; and to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. \*

But Daniel set upon his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king or with the wine of his drinking. So he sought from the chief of the eunuchs that he would not defile himself.

And God gave Daniel to favor and to compassions to the face of the chief of the eunuchs.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I, I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the youths who {are} like your age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.” \*

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

“Please test your servants {for} ten days, and let them give to us from vegetables, and let us eat, and water, and let us drink.

Then let our appearances be seen to your face, and the appearance of the youths eating the portion of the king, and according to what you see, do with your servants.” \*

And he listened to them in this matter, and he tested them {for} ten days.

And at the end of ten days, their appearances, it was seen better and fatter of flesh than all of the youths eating the portion of the king.

So the steward was taking away their portion and the wine of their drinkings, and he was giving vegetables to them. \*

And these four youths, God gave to them knowledge and skill in all writing and wisdom, and Daniel understood all visions and dreams.

And at the end of the days, when the king had said to bring them in, then the chief of the eunuchs brought them to the face of Nebuchadnezzar. \*

And the king spoke with them, and none was found from all of them like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they stood to the face of the king.

And every matter of wisdom {and} understanding that the king sought from them, then he found them ten hands above all of the magicians {and} enchanters who {were} in all of his kingdom.

And Daniel was {there} until the year of one to Cyrus the king. \*