1 In the thirdyear of the reign of 1Jehoiakimking of Judah, 2Nebuchadnezzarking of Babyloncame to Jerusalem and besieged* it.
2
The 3LordgaveJehoiakimking of Judah into his hand, along with some* of the 4vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of 5Shinar, to the house of his [a]god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury* of his [b]6god.
3
Then the king[c]orderedAshpenaz, the chief of his [d]officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the [e]royal7family and of the nobles,
4
youths in whom was 8no*defect, who were good-looking*, showing9intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerningknowledge, and who had ability for [f]serving in the king's[g]court; and he ordered him to teach them the [h]literature and 10language of the 11Chaldeans.
5
The kingappointed for them a dailyration from the 12king'schoicefood and from the winewhich he drank, and appointed that they should be [i]educatedthreeyears, at the end of which they were to [j]13enter the king'spersonalservice*.
6
Now among them from the sons of Judah were 14Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
7
Then the commander of the officialsassigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name 15Belteshazzar, to Hananiah16Shadrach, to Mishael17Meshach and to Azariah18Abed-nego.
Daniel's Resolve
8 But Daniel[k]made up his mind that he would not 19defile himself with the 20king'schoicefood or with the 21winewhich he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.
9
Now GodgrantedDaniel[l]22favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials,
10
and the commander of the officialssaid to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faceslookingmorehaggardthan the youthswho are your own age? Then you would [m]make me forfeit my head to the king."
11
But Danielsaid to the overseerwhom the commander of the officials had appointedoverDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,
12
"Pleasetest your servants for tendays, and let us be 23givensomevegetables to eat and water to drink.
13
"Then let our appearance be [n]observed in your presence and the appearance of the youthswho are eating the king'schoicefood; and deal with your servants according to what you see."
14
So he listened to them in thismatter and tested them for tendays.
15
At the end of tendays their appearanceseemed24better and [o]they were fatter*thanall the youthswho had been eating the king'schoicefood.
16
So the overseercontinued to [p]withhold their choicefood and the wine they were to drink, and kept25giving them vegetables.
17
As for thesefouryouths, 26Godgave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of [q]literature and wisdom; Daniel even understoodall kinds of 27visions and dreams.
18
Then at the end of the dayswhich the king had [r]specified[s]for presenting them, the commander of the officials[t]presented them beforeNebuchadnezzar.
19
The kingtalked with them, and out of them all not one was found like 28Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they [u]29entered the king'spersonalservice*.
20
As for everymatter of 30wisdom[v]and understanding about which the kingconsulted them, he found them 31tentimes32betterthanall the [w]33magicians and conjurerswho were in all his realm.
21
And Daniel[x]continueduntil the 34firstyear of Cyrus the king.