1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it.
2The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God. He carried them into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3The king spoke to Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, telling him to bring in some of the children of Israel, some of the king's family and some of the nobles:
4young men with no blemish, good-looking, skilled in all wisdom, quick to learn, understanding what they were taught, and able to serve in the king's palace. They were to be taught the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.
5The king set out for them a daily portion of the king's food and of the wine that he drank. They were to be cared for in this way for three years, and at the end of it they would stand before the king.
7The chief of the eunuchs gave them new names. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, and Hananiah the name Shadrach, and Mishael the name Meshach, and Azariah the name Abednego.
8But Daniel decided in his heart that he would not make himself unclean with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. So he asked the chief of the eunuchs to let him keep himself clean.
9Now God had made the chief of the eunuchs show favour and kindness to Daniel.
10The chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has decided what you are to eat and drink. Why should he see your faces looking worse than those of the other young men of your age? Then you would put my head in danger with the king."
11Then Daniel said to Melzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,
12"Please test your servants for ten days. Let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink."
13"Then compare our faces with the faces of the young men who eat the king's food, and deal with your servants as you see fit."
14So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15At the end of ten days their faces looked better and healthier than those of all the young men who ate the king's food.
16So Melzar took away their portion of food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom. And Daniel could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.
18At the end of the time the king had set for bringing them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
19The king talked with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So they stood before the king.
20In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king asked them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his whole kingdom.