1:1In the third year of the reign of Joakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and besieged it: and the Lord handed over into his hand Joakim, king of Judah, and part of the vessels of the house of God: and he carried them away into the land of Sennaar, into the house of his god, and the vessels he brought into the treasure-house of his god. 1:3And the king told Asphenez, the overseer of the eunuchs, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, and of the royal seed and of the princes, boys in whom there was no blemish, handsome in form, and learned in all wisdom, wary in knowledge, and taught in learning, and who could stand in the palace of the king, so that he might teach them the letters and the language of the Chaldeans.
1:5And the king appointed for them a ration for each day from his own food, and from the wine from which he himself was drinking, so that, having been nourished for three years, afterwards they might stand in the sight of the king. 1:6There were therefore among them, from the sons of Judah, Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias. 1:7And the overseer of the eunuchs put names on them: to Daniel, Baltassar; 1:7to Ananias, Sidrach; 1:7to Misael, Misach; 1:7and to Azarias, Abdenago. 1:8But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not be polluted by the table of the king, nor by the wine of his drink: and he asked the overseer of the eunuchs that he might not be defiled.
1:9And God gave Daniel favour and mercy in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs. 1:10And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel: "I fear my lord the king, who appointed for you food and drink: who, if he sees your faces thinner than the other youths of your age, you will condemn my head to the king." 1:11And Daniel said to Malasar, whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: "Test us, I beg, your servants, for ten days, and let pulses be given to us for eating, and water for drinking: and look at our faces, and the faces of the boys who feed on the royal food: and as you see, you will do with your servants."
1:14He, a speech of this kind having been heard, tested them for ten days. 1:15But after ten days their faces appeared better, and fleshier than all the boys who were feeding on the royal food. 1:16Malasar, then, was taking away their food, and the wine of their drink: and he was giving them pulses. 1:17But to these boys God gave knowledge and learning, in every book and wisdom: but to Daniel understanding of all visions and dreams. 1:18And so, the days having been completed, after which the king had said that they should be brought in, the overseer of the eunuchs brought them in, into the sight of Nebuchadnezzar. 1:19And when the king had spoken with them, there were not found among them all any such as Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias: and they stood in the sight of the king.
1:20And every word of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found in them tenfold above all the soothsayers and magi who were in his whole kingdom. 1:21And Daniel was there right up to the first year of King Cyrus.