Daniel

Daniel 1 ©

1 Jehoiakim's captivity. 3 By the king of Babylon's order the master of the eunuchs taketh Daniel, Hananiel, Mishael, and Azariah, to instruct them, and changeth their names: 8 they refusing to eat of the king's meat thrive upon pulse and water: 17 their proficiency in wisdom.

1

IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah acame Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

a 2Ki. 24.1. 2Ch. 36.6,7. De. 28.49-51.
2

And the Lord bgave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, cwith part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into dthe land of Shinar to the ehouse of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

b Ju. 2.14. Ps. 106.41,42.
c Je. 27.19,20. 2Ch. 36.7. 2Ki. 24.13; 25.15.
d Ge. 10.10; 11.2. Is. 11.11. Zec. 5.11.
e ch. 5.2,3. Ezr. 1.7,8. 1Sa. 31.9,10. Ju. 16.23,24. Hab. 1.16. Je. 50.2; 27.16; 28.6; 51.44.
3

¶And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his *eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

4

fChildren in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them gto stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach hthe learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

f Ac. 7.20,22. Ju. 8.18. Le. 21.18-20. ch. 2.48,49. v.17-20. Ex. 18.21.
g 1Ki. 10.8. Pr. 22.29. v.5,19. ch. 4.8.
h v.17,20. Ac. 19.9,19; 7.22.
5

And the king appointed them ia daily provision of the king's *meat, and of 1the wine which he drank: so nourishing them jthree years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

i 2Ch. 31.16.
j 1Ti. 3.6. v.19. Es. 2.12.
6

Now among these were of the children of Judah, kDaniel, lHananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

k Eze. 14.14,20; 28.3. ch. 2.17. Mat. 24.15.
l v.11,19.
7

Unto whom the mprince of the *eunuchs ngave names: ofor he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

m v.3,10.
n 2Ki. 23.34.
o ch. 4.8,19; 5.12; 2.49; 3.12,14,19,20,22,26,28-30. Ge. 41.45. 2Ki. 24.17.
8

¶But Daniel ppurposed in his heart qthat he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's *meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the *eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

p Ac. 11.23. Ru. 1.18. 2Co. 9.7.
q 1Th. 5.22. Eze. 4.13. De. 32.38. Ho. 9.3. Le. 11. Mat. 18.7. Ro. 14.15-17. 1Co. 8.1-13; 10.19-33.
9

Now rGod had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the *eunuchs.

r Ps. 106.46. 1Ki. 8.50. Pr. 16.7. Ge. 39.3,4,15,21. Is. 8.12,13.
10

And the prince of the *eunuchs said unto Daniel, sI fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your *meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces 2*worse liking than the children which are of your 3sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

s Pr. 29.25. Jn. 12.43. 1Pe. 3.14,15. Is. 8.12,13.
11

Then said Daniel to 4Melzar, whom the prince of the *eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12

*Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us 5*pulse 6to eat, and water to drink.

13

Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's *meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

14

So he consented to them in this matter, and t*proved them ten days.

t 1Pe. 1.7. Ja. 1.3,12. Re. 2.10.
15

And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared ufairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's *meat.

u Ex. 23.25. Ps. 37.16. Pr. 10.22. Mat. 4.4.
16

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their *meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them *pulse.

17

¶As for these four children, vGod gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and 7Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

v Is. 28.29. Ja. 1.5,17. Ac. 7.22. Ps. 119.99,100. ch. 2.20-22,28.
18

Now at wthe end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the *eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

w v.5. Mat. 9.16,17. 1Ti. 3.6.
19

And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore xstood they before the king.

x Ge. 41.46. Pr. 22.29. Nu. 16.9. 1Ki. 17.1; 10.8. Je. 15.19.
20

And in all matters of 8wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all ythe magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

y ch. 2.2.
21

And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.