Dn 1:1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim the king of Judah Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
Dn 1:2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into his hand with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.
Dn 1:3Then the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, to bring some of the sons of Israel, including some from the royal seed and from the nobility,
Dn 1:4Children in whom was no defect, who were good in appearance, who showed insight in all wisdom, understanding in knowledge, and apprehension in thought, and in whom was the ability to stand in the king’s palace. And he told him to teach them the learning and language of the Chaldeans.
Dn 1:5And the king appointed to them a daily portion from the king’s choice provision and from the wine that he drank, and appointed that they should be brought up for three years so that at the end of the time they might stand before the king.
Dn 1:6Now among these from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Dn 1:7And the leader of the eunuchs gave them names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; Hananiah, the name Shadrach; Mishael, the name Meshach; and Azariah, the name Abed-nego.
Dn 1:8But Daniel set his heart not to defile himself with the king’s choice provision and with the wine that the king drank, so he requested of the leader of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Dn 1:9And God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the leader of the eunuchs;
Dn 1:10And the leader of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink; for why should he see your faces being more morose than those of the children who are of your own age? Then you would bring guilt upon my head before the king.
Dn 1:11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the leader of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Dn 1:12Please test your servants for ten days, and let vegetables be given to us to eat and water to drink.
Dn 1:13Then let our countenances be watched in your presence, as well as the countenances of the children who eat the king’s choice provision; and do with your servants according to what you see.
Dn 1:14So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
Dn 1:15And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared better, and they were more fully fleshed than all the children who ate the king’s choice provision.
Dn 1:16Therefore the steward withheld their portion of the choice provision and the wine that they were to drink and gave them vegetables.
Dn 1:17Now as for these four children, God gave them knowledge and insight in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Dn 1:18Then at the end of the days when the king had said that the children should be brought in, the leader of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar;
Dn 1:19And the king spoke with them. And among them all none were found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood in the presence of the king.
Dn 1:20And in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.
Dn 1:21And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.
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