In the third year of the reign of ^aJehoiakim king of Judah, ^bNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the ^aLord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, along with some of the ^bvessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of ^cShinar, to the house of his ¹god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his ^2dgod.

3 Then the king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his ¹officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the ²royal ^afamily and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom there was ^ano impairment, who were good-looking, suitable for ^binstruction in every kind of expertise, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to ¹serve in the king’s ²court; and he ordered Ashpenaz to teach them the ³literature and ^clanguage of the ^dChaldeans. 5 The king also allotted for them a daily ration from the ^aking’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and ordered that they be educated for three years, at the end of which they were to ^1benter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were ^aDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name ^aBelteshazzar, to Hananiah ^bShadrach, to Mishael ^cMeshach, and to Azariah ^dAbed-nego.

8 But Daniel ¹made up his mind that he would not ^adefile himself with the ^bking’s choice food or with the ^cwine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel ^afavor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. 10 The commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has allotted your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking gaunt in comparison to the youths who are your own age? Then you would ¹make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please put your servants to the test for ten days, and let us be ^agiven some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be ¹examined in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

14 So he listened to them in this matter, and put them to the test for ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their appearance seemed ^abetter, and ¹they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to ¹withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept ^agiving them vegetables.

17 And as for these four youths, ^aGod gave them knowledge and intelligence in every kind of ¹literature and expertise; Daniel even understood all kinds of ^bvisions and dreams.

18 Then at the end of the days which the king had ¹specified ²for presenting them, the commander of the officials ³presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like ^aDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they ^1bentered the king’s personal service. 20 As for every matter of ^aexpertise ¹and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ^bten times ^cbetter than all the ^dsoothsayer priests and conjurers who were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel ¹continued until the ^afirst year of Cyrus the king.

In the third year of the reign of ^aJehoiakim king of Judah, ^bNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the ^aLord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the ^bvessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of ^cShinar, to the house of his ¹god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his ^2dgod.

3 Then the king said for Ashpenaz, the chief of his ¹officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal ^aseed and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was ^ano defect, who were good in appearance, showing ^binsight in every branch of wisdom, being thoroughly ¹knowledgeable and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and he said for him to teach them the ²literature and ^ctongue of the ^dChaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the ^aking’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be ¹educated three years, at the end of which they were to ^bstand before the king. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were ^aDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials set names for them; and for Daniel he set the name ^aBelteshazzar, for Hananiah ^bShadrach, for Mishael ^cMeshach, and for Azariah ^dAbed-nego.

8 But Daniel set in his heart that he would not ^adefile himself with the ^bking’s choice food or with the ^cwine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel ^alovingkindness and compassion before the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would ¹make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be ^agiven some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be ¹observed before you and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that their appearance was ^abetter and that ¹they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to ¹withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept ^agiving them vegetables.

17 And as for these four youths, ^aGod gave them knowledge and insight in every branch of ¹literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of ^bvisions and dreams.

18 Then at the end of the days which the king had spoken of for bringing them in, the commander of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like ^aDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they ^bstood in service before the king. 20 And as for every matter of ^awisdom in understanding which the king sought from them, he found them ^bten times ^cbetter than all the ^1dmagicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel ¹continued until the ^afirst year of Cyrus the king.