1
In the third[H7969]year[H8141] of the reign[H4438] of Jehoiakim[H3079]king[H4428] of Judah[H3063]came[H935]Nebuchadnezzar[H5019]king[H4428] of Babylon[H894] unto Jerusalem[H3389], and besieged[H6696] it.
2
And the Lord[H136]gave[H5414]Jehoiakim[H3079]king[H4428] of Judah[H3063] into his hand[H3027], with part[H7117] of the vessels[H3627] of the house[H1004] of God[H430]: which he carried[H935] into the land[H776] of Shinar[H8152] to the house[H1004] of his god[H430]; and he brought[H935] the vessels[H3627] into the treasure[H214]house[H1004] of his god[H430].
3
And the king[H4428]spake[H559] unto Ashpenaz[H828] the master[H7227] of his eunuchs[H5631], that he should bring[H935] certain of the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478], and of the king[H4428]'s seed[H2233], and of the princes[H6579];
4Children[H3206] in whom was no blemish[H3971], but well[H2896]favoured[H4758], and skilful[H7919] in all wisdom[H2451], and cunning[H3045] in knowledge[H1847], and understanding[H995]science[H4093], and such as had ability[H3581] in them to stand[H5975] in the king's palace[H1964], and whom they might teach[H3925] the learning[H5612] and the tongue[H3956] of the Chaldeans[H3778].
5
And the king[H4428]appointed[H4487] them a daily[H3117]provision[H1697] of the king[H4428]'s meat[H6598], and of the wine[H3196] which he drank[H4960]: so nourishing[H1431] them three[H7969]years[H8141], that at the end[H7117] thereof they might stand[H5975]before[H6440] the king[H4428].
6
Now among these were of the children[H1121] of Judah[H3063], Daniel[H1840], Hananiah[H2608], Mishael[H4332], and Azariah[H5838]:
7
Unto whom the prince[H8269] of the eunuchs[H5631]gave[H7760]names[H8034]: for he gave[H7760] unto Daniel[H1840] the name of Belteshazzar[H1095]; and to Hananiah[H2608], of Shadrach[H7714]; and to Mishael[H4332], of Meshach[H4335]; and to Azariah[H5838], of Abednego[H5664].
8
But Daniel[H1840]purposed[H7760] in his heart[H3820] that he would not defile[H1351] himself with the portion[H6598] of the king's meat[H6598], nor with the wine[H3196] which he drank[H4960]: therefore he requested[H1245] of the prince[H8269] of the eunuchs[H5631] that he might not defile[H1351] himself.
9
Now God[H430] had brought[H5414]Daniel[H1840] into favour[H2617] and tender love[H7356]with[H6440] the prince[H8269] of the eunuchs[H5631].
10
And the prince[H8269] of the eunuchs[H5631]said[H559] unto Daniel[H1840], I fear[H3373] my lord[H113] the king[H4428], who hath appointed[H4487] your meat[H3978] and your drink[H4960]: for why should he see[H7200] your faces[H6440] worse liking[H2196] than the children[H3206] which are of your sort?[H1524] then shall ye make me endanger[H2325] my head[H7218] to the king[H4428].
11
Then said[H559]Daniel[H1840] to Melzar[H4453], whom the prince[H8269] of the eunuchs[H5631] had set[H4487] over Daniel[H1840], Hananiah[H2608], Mishael[H4332], and Azariah[H5838],
12Prove[H5254] thy servants[H5650], I beseech thee, ten[H6235]days[H3117]; and let them give[H5414] us pulse[H2235] to eat[H398], and water[H4325] to drink[H8354].
13
Then let our countenances[H4758] be looked upon[H7200]before[H6440] thee, and the countenance[H4758] of the children[H3206] that eat[H398] of the portion[H6598] of the king's meat[H6598]: and as thou seest[H7200], deal[H6213] with thy servants[H5650].
14
So he consented[H8085] to them in this matter[H1697], and proved[H5254] them ten[H6235]days[H3117].
15
And at the end[H7117] of ten[H6235]days[H3117] their countenances[H4758]appeared[H7200]fairer[H2896] and fatter[H1277] in flesh[H1320] than all the children[H3206] which did eat[H398] the portion[H6598] of the king's meat[H6598].
16
Thus Melzar[H4453] took away[H5375] the portion of their meat[H6598], and the wine[H3196] that they should drink[H4960]; and gave[H5414] them pulse[H2235].
17
As for these four[H702]children[H3206], God[H430]gave[H5414] them knowledge[H4093] and skill[H7919] in all learning[H5612] and wisdom[H2451]: and Daniel[H1840] had understanding[H995] in all visions[H2377] and dreams[H2472].
18
Now at the end[H7117] of the days[H3117] that the king[H4428] had said[H559] he should bring[H935] them in, then the prince[H8269] of the eunuchs[H5631]brought[H935] them in before[H6440]Nebuchadnezzar[H5019].
19
And the king[H4428]communed[H1696] with them; and among them all was found[H4672] none like Daniel[H1840], Hananiah[H2608], Mishael[H4332], and Azariah[H5838]: therefore stood[H5975] they before[H6440] the king[H4428].
20
And in all matters[H1697] of wisdom[H2451] and understanding[H998], that the king[H4428]enquired[H1245] of them, he found[H4672] them ten times[H6235]better[H3027] than all the magicians[H2748] and astrologers[H825] that were in all his realm[H4438].
21
And Daniel[H1840] continued even unto the first[H259]year[H8141] of king[H4428]Cyrus[H3566].