[1] In the third year of the rule of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, shutting it in with his
forces. [2] And the Lord gave into his hands Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with
some of the vessels of the house of God; and he took them away into the
land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he put the vessels into the
store-house of his god. [3] And the king gave orders to Ashpenaz, the
captain of his unsexed servants, to take in some of the children of Israel,
certain of the king's family, and those of high birth; [4] Young men who
were strong and healthy, good-looking, and trained in all wisdom, having a
good education and much knowledge, and able to take positions in the king's
house; and to have them trained in the writing and language of the
Chaldaeans. [5] And a regular amount of food and wine every day from the
king's table was ordered for them by the king; and they were to be cared
for for three years so that at the end of that time they might take their
places before the king. [6] And among these there were, of the children of
Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. [7] And the captain of the
unsexed servants gave them names; to Daniel he gave the name of
Belteshazzar, to Hananiah the name of Shadrach, to Mishael the name of
Meshach, and to Azariah the name of Abed-nego. [8] And Daniel had come to
the decision that he would not make himself unclean with the king's food or
wine; so he made a request to the captain of the unsexed servants that he
might not make himself unclean. [9] And God put into the heart of the
captain of the unsexed servants kind feelings and pity for Daniel. [10] And
the captain of the unsexed servants said to Daniel, I am in fear of my lord
the king, who has given orders about your food and your drink; what if he
sees you looking less happy than the other young men of your generation?
then you would have put my head in danger from the king. [11] Then Daniel
said to the keeper in whose care the captain of the unsexed servants had
put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: [12] Put your servants to the
test for ten days; let them give us grain for our food and water for our
drink. [13] Then take a look at our faces and the faces of the young men
who have food from the king's table; and, having seen them, do to your
servants as it seems right to you. [14] So he gave ear to them in this
thing and put them to the test for ten days. [15] And at the end of ten
days their faces seemed fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the
young men who had their food from the king's table. [16] So the keeper
regularly took away their meat and the wine which was to have been their
drink, and gave them grain. [17] Now as for these four young men, God gave
them knowledge and made them expert in all book-learning and wisdom: and
Daniel was wise in all visions and dreams. [18] Now at the end of the time
fixed by the king for them to go in, the captain of the unsexed servants
took them in to Nebuchadnezzar. [19] And the king had talk with them; and
among them all there was no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah; so they were given places before the king. [20] And in any
business needing wisdom and good sense, about which the king put questions
to them, he saw that they were ten times better than all the wonder-workers
and users of secret arts in all his kingdom. [21] And Daniel went on till
the first year of King Cyrus.
