1 In the third|strong="H7969" year|strong="H8141" of the reign|strong="H4438" of Jehoiakim|strong="H3079" king|strong="H4428" of Judah|strong="H3063" came|strong="H0935" Nebuchadnezzar|strong="H5019" king|strong="H4428" of Babylon|strong="H0894" unto Jerusalem|strong="H3389", and besieged|strong="H6696" it.
2 And the Lord|strong="H0136" gave|strong="H5414" Jehoiakim|strong="H3079" king|strong="H4428" of Judah|strong="H3063" into his hand|strong="H3027", with part|strong="H7117" of the vessels|strong="H3627" of the house|strong="H1004" of God|strong="H0430": which he carried|strong="H0935" into the land|strong="H0776" of Shinar|strong="H8152" to the house|strong="H1004" of his god|strong="H0430"; and he brought|strong="H0935" the vessels|strong="H3627" into the treasure|strong="H0214" house|strong="H1004" of his god|strong="H0430".
3 And the king|strong="H4428" spake|strong="H0559" unto Ashpenaz|strong="H0828" the master|strong="H7227" of his eunuchs|strong="H5631", that he should bring|strong="H0935" certain of the children|strong="H1121" of Israel|strong="H3478", and of the king’s|strong="H4410" seed|strong="H2233", and of the princes|strong="H6579";
4 Children|strong="H3206" in whom was no blemish|strong="H3971", but well|strong="H2896" favoured|strong="H4758", and skilful|strong="H7919" in all wisdom|strong="H2451", and cunning|strong="H3045" in knowledge|strong="H1847", and understanding|strong="H0995" science|strong="H4093", and such as had ability|strong="H3581" in them to stand|strong="H5975" in the king’s|strong="H4428" palace|strong="H1964", and whom they might teach|strong="H3925" the learning|strong="H5612" and the tongue|strong="H3956" of the Chaldeans|strong="H3778".
5 And the king|strong="H4428" appointed|strong="H4487" them a daily|strong="H3117" provision|strong="H1697" of the king’s|strong="H4428" meat|strong="H6598", and of the wine|strong="H3196" which he drank|strong="H4960": so nourishing|strong="H1431" them three|strong="H7969" years|strong="H8141", that at the end|strong="H7117" thereof they might stand|strong="H5975" before|strong="H6440" the king|strong="H4428".
6 Now among these were of the children|strong="H1121" of Judah|strong="H3063", Daniel|strong="H1840", Hananiah|strong="H2608", Mishael|strong="H4332", and Azariah|strong="H5838":
7 Unto whom the prince|strong="H8269" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631" gave|strong="H7760" names|strong="H8034": for he gave|strong="H7760" unto Daniel|strong="H1840" the name of Belteshazzar|strong="H1095"; and to Hananiah|strong="H2608", of Shadrach|strong="H7714"; and to Mishael|strong="H4332", of Meshach|strong="H4335"; and to Azariah|strong="H5838", of Abed-nego|strong="H5664".
8 But Daniel|strong="H1840" purposed|strong="H7760" in his heart|strong="H3820" that he would not defile|strong="H1351" himself with the portion|strong="H6598" of the king’s|strong="H4428" meat|strong="H6598", nor with the wine|strong="H3196" which he drank|strong="H4960": therefore he requested|strong="H1245" of the prince|strong="H8269" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631" that he might not defile|strong="H1351" himself.
9 Now God|strong="H0430" had brought|strong="H5414" Daniel|strong="H1840" into favour|strong="H2617" and tender love|strong="H7356" with|strong="H6440" the prince|strong="H8269" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631".
10 And the prince|strong="H8269" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631" said|strong="H0559" unto Daniel|strong="H1840", I fear|strong="H3373" my lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428", who hath appointed|strong="H4487" your meat|strong="H3978" and your drink|strong="H4960": for why should he see|strong="H7200" your faces|strong="H6440" worse liking|strong="H2196" than the children|strong="H3206" which are of your sort|strong="H1524"? then shall ye make me endanger|strong="H2325" my head|strong="H7218" to the king|strong="H4428".
11 Then said|strong="H0559" Daniel|strong="H1840" to Melzar|strong="H4453", whom the prince|strong="H8269" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631" had set|strong="H4487" over Daniel|strong="H1840", Hananiah|strong="H2608", Mishael|strong="H4332", and Azariah|strong="H5838",
12 Prove|strong="H5254" thy servants|strong="H5650", I beseech thee, ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117"; and let them give|strong="H5414" us pulse|strong="H2235" to eat|strong="H0398", and water|strong="H4325" to drink|strong="H8354".
13 Then let our countenances|strong="H4758" be looked upon|strong="H7200" before|strong="H6440" thee, and the countenance|strong="H4758" of the children|strong="H3206" that eat|strong="H0398" of the portion|strong="H6598" of the king’s|strong="H4428" meat|strong="H6598": and as thou seest|strong="H7200", deal|strong="H6213" with thy servants|strong="H5650".
14 So he consented|strong="H8085" to them in this matter|strong="H1697", and proved|strong="H5254" them ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117".
15 And at the end|strong="H7117" of ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117" their countenances|strong="H4758" appeared|strong="H7200" fairer|strong="H2896" and fatter|strong="H1277" in flesh|strong="H1320" than all the children|strong="H3206" which did eat|strong="H0398" the portion|strong="H6598" of the king’s|strong="H4428" meat|strong="H6598".
16 Thus Melzar|strong="H4453" took away|strong="H5375" the portion of their meat|strong="H6598", and the wine|strong="H3196" that they should drink|strong="H4960"; and gave|strong="H5414" them pulse|strong="H2235".
17 As for these four|strong="H0702" children|strong="H3206", God|strong="H0430" gave|strong="H5414" them knowledge|strong="H4093" and skill|strong="H7919" in all learning|strong="H5612" and wisdom|strong="H2451": and Daniel|strong="H1840" had understanding|strong="H0995" in all visions|strong="H2377" and dreams|strong="H2472".
18 Now at the end|strong="H7117" of the days|strong="H3117" that the king|strong="H4428" had said|strong="H0559" he should bring|strong="H0935" them in, then the prince|strong="H8269" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631" brought|strong="H0935" them in before|strong="H6440" Nebuchadnezzar|strong="H5019".
19 And the king|strong="H4428" communed|strong="H1696" with them; and among them all was found|strong="H4672" none like Daniel|strong="H1840", Hananiah|strong="H2608", Mishael|strong="H4332", and Azariah|strong="H5838": therefore stood|strong="H5975" they before|strong="H6440" the king|strong="H4428".
20 And in all matters|strong="H1697" of wisdom|strong="H2451" and understanding|strong="H0998", that the king|strong="H4428" enquired|strong="H1245" of them, he found|strong="H4672" them ten times|strong="H6235" better|strong="H3027" than all the magicians|strong="H2748" and astrologers|strong="H0825" that were in all his realm|strong="H4438".
21 And Daniel|strong="H1840" continued even unto the first|strong="H0259" year|strong="H8141" of king|strong="H4428" Cyrus|strong="H3566".