1Jehoiakim's captivity. 3By the king of Babylon's order the master of the eunuchs taketh Daniel, Hananiel, Mishael, and Azariah, to instruct them, and changeth their names: 8they refusing to eat of the king's meat thrive upon pulse and water: 17their proficiency in wisdom.
1IN 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.
2And 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;
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
4fChildren 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.
5And 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.
*meat-food of any kind.
1Heb. the wine of his drink.
i 2Ch. 31.16. j 1Ti. 3.6. v.19. Es. 2.12.
6Now 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.
7Unto 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.
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
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.
*meat-food of any kind.
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
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.
9Now rGod had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the *eunuchs.
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
r Ps. 106.46. 1Ki. 8.50. Pr. 16.7. Ge. 39.3,4,15,21. Is. 8.12,13.
10And 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.
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
*meat-food of any kind.
2Heb. sadder.
*worse liking-in worse condition.
3Or, term or continuance.
s Pr. 29.25. Jn. 12.43. 1Pe. 3.14,15. Is. 8.12,13.
11Then said Daniel to 4Melzar, whom the prince of the *eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
4Or, the steward.
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
12*Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us 5*pulse 6to eat, and water to drink.
*Prove-test, try.
5Heb. of pulse.
*pulse-vegetables, beans.
6Heb. that we may eat.
13Then 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.
*meat-food of any kind.
14So he consented to them in this matter, and t*proved them ten days.
*Prove-test, try.
t 1Pe. 1.7. Ja. 1.3,12. Re. 2.10.
15And 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.
*meat-food of any kind.
u Ex. 23.25. Ps. 37.16. Pr. 10.22. Mat. 4.4.
16Thus Melzar took away the portion of their *meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them *pulse.
*meat-food of any kind.
*pulse-vegetables, beans.
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.
7Or, he made Daniel understand, Eze. 28.3. Ge. 41.8. Nu. 12.6. 2Ch. 26.5. ch. 5.12; 9.23; 10.1.
v Is. 28.29. Ja. 1.5,17. Ac. 7.22. Ps. 119.99,100. ch. 2.20-22,28.
18Now 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.
*eunuchs-[castrated] males employed as high officers, usually by an Oriental ruler.
w v.5. Mat. 9.16,17. 1Ti. 3.6.
19And 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.
20And 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.
8Heb. wisdom of understanding, Ps. 119.99. 1Ki. 10.1-3.
y ch. 2.2.
21And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.