Daniel 1

Modern

Literal

Daniel Removed to Babylon

¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege upon it.

²And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar,^a to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

²And the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and 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 house of treasure of his god.

³Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family^a and the nobility—

³And the king said to Ashpenaz the chief of his eunuchs to bring in some of the sons of Israel, and some of the seed of the king and of the nobles,

⁴young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.^a

⁴young men in whom there was not any blemish, and of good appearance, and being skilled in all wisdom, and knowing knowledge, and understanding learning, and who had power in them to serve in the palace of the king and to teach them and literature and language of the Chaldeans.

⁵The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.

⁵And the king counted out for them provision day by day from the choice portion of the king, and from the wine of his banquets, and of training for them three years, after which they were to stand before the king.

⁶Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

⁶And there were among them of the sons of Judah—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

⁷The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

⁷And the chief of the eunuchs set for them names; and he gave to Daniel Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah Shadrach, and to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego.

Daniel’s Faithfulness

⁸But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

⁸And Daniel set upon his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king, nor with the wine of his banquets; therefore he sought from the chief of the eunuchs that he would not defile himself.

⁹Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,

⁹And God gave Daniel for kindness and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs.

¹⁰but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”

¹⁰And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel: “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces sadder than the young men who are your age? And you would endanger my head before the king.”

¹¹Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹¹And Daniel said to the guardian, whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹²“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.

¹²“Test, please, your servants ten days, and let them give to us from the vegetables only to eat, and water only to drink.

¹³Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

¹³And let our appearance be seen before you, and the appearance of the young men that are eating the portion of the king, and according to what you see, deal with your servants.”

¹⁴So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.

¹⁴And he listened to them, to this word, and he tested them ten days.

¹⁵And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.

¹⁵And at the end of ten days, their appearance was seen better and fatter in flesh than all the young men eating the portion of the king.

¹⁶So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.

¹⁶And it came to pass that the steward took away their portions, and the wine for their drinking, and gave to them vegetables.

Daniel’s Wisdom

¹⁷To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

¹⁷And these four young men, God gave to them knowledge and understanding in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

¹⁸Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁸And at the end of the days, when the king had said to bring them in, then the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.

¹⁹And the king spoke to them, and there was not found among them all one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and they stood before the king.

²⁰In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

²⁰And in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten hands above all the magicians and the enchanters who were in all his kingdom.

²¹And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

²¹And Daniel was there until the first year of Cyrus the king.