Daniel 1
1IN the third year of the reign of Joakim king of Juda, Nabuchodonosar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2And the Lord delivered into his hand Joakim king of Juda and a part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried to the land of Sennaar to the house of his god. And having deposited the vessels in the treasure house of his god,
3the king ordered Asphanez, his high chamberlain, to bring in of the children of the captivity of Israel, namely, of the seed royal and of the nobility,
4some youths who had no blemish, and who were of a good countenance, studious of every science, improved in knowledge and understanding and qualified to stand in the house before the king; and to instruct them in the learning and language of the Chaldeans.
5And the king ordered them a daily allowance from the king’s table, and from the wine for his own drinking; and that they should be dieted for three years and after that stand before the king.
6Now there were among them of the children of Juda, Daniel and Ananias and Azarias and Misael;
7and the high chamberlain gave them names, to Daniel: Baltasar; and to Ananias, Sedrach; and to Misael, Misach; and to Azarias, Abdenago.
8And Daniel having resolved not to pollute himself with the table of the king nor with the wine which he drank, entreated the chamberlain that he might not be defiled.
9Now God had brought Daniel into favour and compassion with the high chamberlain.
10Therefore the chamberlain said to Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king who hath appointed your meat and your drink. Perhaps he may see your countenance more uncomely than the youths of your age, and you may endanger my head with the king.
11Thereupon Daniel said to Amelsad, whom the high chamberlain had set over Daniel, Ananias, Misael and Azarias:
12Try thy servants, we pray thee, ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink;
13and let our countenances and the countenances of the youths who eat of the king’s table be examined in thy presence; and, as thou [then] seest, deal with thy servants.
14So he hearkened to them and tried them ten days.
15And at the end of the ten days their countenances appeared more comely and their flesh firmer than that of the youths, who had eaten of the king’s table;
16whereupon Amelsad took away the food and the wine for their drink and gave them vegetables.
17And, as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and understanding in all literature and science; and Daniel was skilled in all visions and dreams.
18And at the end of the years which the king had appointed for introducing them, the high chamberlain brought them in before Nabuchodonosar.
19And the king conversed with them. And among them all there were none found equal to Daniel and Ananias and Misael and Azarias. So they stood before the king.
20And in every subject of wisdom and science on which the king questioned them he found them ten times more skilled than all the soothsayers and the magicians who were in the realm.
21And Daniel continued to the first year of Cyrus the king.