Daniel 1
1 In the
third year of the
reign of
Jehoiakim king of
Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon unto
Jerusalem, and
besieged it.
2 And the
Lord gave Jehoiakim king of
Judah into his
hand, with
part of the
vessels of the
house of
God: which he
carried into the
land of
Shinar to the
house of his
god; and he
brought the
vessels into the
treasure house of his
god. 3 And the
king spake unto
Ashpenaz the
master of his
eunuchs, that he should
bring certain of the
children of
Israel, and of the
king's seed, and of the
princes; 4 Children in whom was no
blemish, but
well favoured, and
skilful in all
wisdom, and
cunning in
knowledge, and
understanding science, and such as had
ability in them to
stand in the
king's palace, and whom they might
teach the
learning and the
tongue of the
Chaldeans. 5 And the
king appointed them a
daily provision of the
king's meat, and of the
wine which he
drank: so
nourishing them
three years, that at the
end thereof they might
stand before the
king. 6 Now among these were of the
children of
Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah: 7 Unto whom the
prince of the
eunuchs gave names: for he
gave unto
Daniel the name of
Belteshazzar; and to
Hananiah, of
Shadrach; and to
Mishael, of
Meshach; and to
Azariah, of
Abednego. 8 But
Daniel purposed in his
heart that he would not
defile himself with the
portion of the
king's meat, nor with the
wine which he
drank: therefore he
requested of the
prince of the
eunuchs that he might not
defile himself.
9 Now
God had
brought Daniel into
favour and tender
love with the
prince of the
eunuchs. 10 And the
prince of the
eunuchs said unto
Daniel, I
fear my
lord the
king, who hath
appointed your
meat and your
drink: for why should he
see your
faces worse
liking than the
children which are of your
sort? then shall ye make me
endanger my
head to the
king. 11 Then
said Daniel to
Melzar, whom the
prince of the
eunuchs had
set over
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, 12 Prove thy
servants, I beseech thee,
ten days; and let them
give us
pulse to
eat, and
water to
drink.
13 Then let our
countenances be looked
upon before thee, and the
countenance of the
children that
eat of the
portion of the
king's meat: and as thou
seest,
deal with thy
servants. 14 So he
consented to them in this
matter, and
proved them
ten days. 15 And at the
end of
ten days their
countenances appeared fairer and
fatter in
flesh than all the
children which did
eat the
portion of the
king's meat. 16 Thus
Melzar took
away the portion of their
meat, and the
wine that they should
drink; and
gave them
pulse. 17 As for these
four children, God gave them
knowledge and
skill in all
learning and
wisdom: and
Daniel had
understanding in all
visions and
dreams. 18 Now at the
end of the
days that the
king had
said he should
bring them in, then the
prince of the
eunuchs brought them in
before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the
king communed with them; and among them all was
found none like
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah: therefore
stood they
before the
king. 20 And in all
matters of
wisdom and
understanding, that the
king enquired of them, he
found them ten
times better than all the
magicians and
astrologers that were in all his
realm. 21 And
Daniel continued even unto the
first year of
king Cyrus.