Daniel 1
1 After King Jehoiakim had been ruling in Judah for almost three years, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem [with his army] and surrounded the city.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoyakim the king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 [After two years, ] Yahweh allowed Nebuchadnezzar’s [soldiers] to capture Jehoiakim, [who was the] King of Judah. They also took some of the things that were in the temple of God, and took them to Babylonia. There Nebuchadnezzar put them in the temple of his god.
And the Lord gave up into his hand Yehoyakim the king of Judah, with part of the vessels of the house of God: and he brought them into the land of Shin'ar into the house of his god, namely, he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.
3 Then Nebuchadnezzar commanded Ashpenaz, the chief official in his palace, to bring [to him] some of the Israeli men [whom they had brought to Babylon. He wanted men] who belonged to important families, including the family of the King of Judah.
And the king said unto Ashpenas, the chief of his eunuchs, that he should bring out of the children of Israel, and of the royal seed, and of the nobles,
4 [King Nebuchadnezzar wanted only] men who were very healthy, handsome/good-looking, wise, well-educated, capable of learning many things, and suitable for working in the palace. He also wanted to teach them the Babylonian language and have them read things that had been written in the Babylonian language.
[Certain] lads in whom there should be no kind of blemish, but who should be handsome in appearance, and intelligent in all wisdom, and acquainted with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as should have the ability to serve in the king's palace, and that these should be taught the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 The king commanded [his servants], “Give them the same kind of food and wine that is given to me. Train them for three years. Then they will become my servants.”
And the king ordered for them a daily provision for its day of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank, and to educate them three years, so that at the end thereof they should serve before the king.
6 Among the young Israeli men [who were chosen] were [me], Daniel, and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who all came from Judah.
Now there were among these of the children of Judah, Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah.
7 But Ashpenaz gave us [Babylonian] names. The name he gave to me was Belteshazzar, the name he gave to Hananiah was Shadrach, the name he gave to Mishael was Meshach, and the name he gave to Azariah was Abednego.
And the chief of the eunuchs assigned them names; and he assigned to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Chananyah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to 'Azaryah, of 'Abed-nego.
8 But I decided that I would not eat the kind of food that the king ate, or drink the wine that he drank, because that would make me (ritually defiled/unacceptable to God). So I asked Ashpenaz to allow me to eat and drink other things.
But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the food of the king, nor with the wine which he drank: and therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not need to defile himself.
9 God had caused Ashpenaz to greatly respect me,
And God gave Daniel kindness and mercy before the chief of the eunuchs.
10 but he was worried about what I suggested. He said, “My master, the king, has commanded that you eat the kinds of food and drink that he does. If [you eat other things and as a result] you become more thin and pale than the other young men who are your age, he will [order his soldiers to] cut off my head because of what you have done!”
And the chief of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath ordered your food and your drink; for why should he see your face sadder looking than that of the lads who are of your age? and ye would thus endanger my head with the king.
11 Ashpenaz had ordered a guard to watch me, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Then said Daniel to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had given charge over Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah,
12 So I said to this guard: “[Please] test us for ten days. [During that time] give us [only] vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Prove, I beseech thee, thy servants, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink;
13 After ten days, see how we look, and see how the other young men look, the ones who are eating the kind of food that the king eats. Then you can decide about [what food you will let us eat].”
And then let our countenances be looked at before thee, and the countenance of the lads that eat the food of the king: and as thou mayest see [fitting], so deal with thy servants.
14 The guard agreed to do what I suggested, and he tested us like that for ten days.
And he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 After ten days, [he saw that] my three friends and I looked healthier [DOU] than the young men who had been eating the food that the king wanted them to eat.
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared better and fuller in flesh than [that of] all the lads who ate the food of the king.
16 So after that, the guard gave us [only] vegetables to eat; he did not give us the king’s special food and wine.
And the steward took away their [apportioned] food, and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 And God gave to us four young men wisdom and the ability to study many things that Babylonians had written and studied. And [he also gave to] me the ability to understand the meaning of visions and dreams.
But as regardeth all these four lads, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 When those three years that the king had set for training us young men from Judah were ended, Ashpenaz brought all of us to King Nebuchadnezzar.
And at the end of the days [after] which the king had said that they should be presented, the chief of the eunuchs presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 The king talked with [each of] us, and realized that none of the other young men were as capable as Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah and I were. So we four became the king’s special advisors/servants.
And the king spoke with them; and there was not found among them all any one like Daniel, Chananyah, Mishael, and 'Azaryah: and so they served before the king.
20 In all important matters, the king found that what we [four men] advised was ten times as good as what all the magicians and sorcerers/fortune-tellers in his kingdom advised.
And in every matter of wise understanding, which the king required of them, he found them ten times superior above all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his kingdom.
21 I remained [there serving the king more than 60 years], until the first year that Cyrus became king.
And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
