1 Nebuchadnezzar|strong="H5019" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Babylon|strong="H0894" came|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" and|strong="H0935" surrounded it|strong="H5921" with|strong="H5921" his|strong="H5921" army|strong="H3389". This|strong="H0935" happened|strong="H0935" during the|strong="H5921" third|strong="H7969" year|strong="H8141" that|strong="H8141" Jehoiakim|strong="H3079" was|strong="H4428" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Judah|strong="H3063".
2 The|strong="H0853" Lord|strong="H0136" allowed|strong="H5414" Nebuchadnezzar to|strong="H0935" defeat|strong="H5414" Jehoiakim|strong="H3079" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Judah|strong="H3063". Nebuchadnezzar took|strong="H0853" all the|strong="H0853" dishes and|strong="H0935" other things|strong="H3627" from|strong="H0935" God’s|strong="H0430" Temple|strong="H1004" and|strong="H0935" carried|strong="H0935" them|strong="H5414" to|strong="H0935" Babylon. He|strong="H0430" put|strong="H5414" those|strong="H0853" things|strong="H3627" in|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0853" temple|strong="H1004" of|strong="H4428" his|strong="H5414" gods|strong="H0430".
3 Then|strong="H0935" King|strong="H4428" Nebuchadnezzar ordered|strong="H0559" Ashpenaz|strong="H0828", the|strong="H0559" man|strong="H1121" in|strong="H0935" charge of|strong="H1121" his|strong="H0935" officials|strong="H5631", to|strong="H0559" bring|strong="H0935" some|strong="H4480" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0559" boys into|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0559" palace to|strong="H0559" train them|strong="H0935". He|strong="H4480" was|strong="H3478" to|strong="H0559" include boys from|strong="H4480" among|strong="H4480" the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478", from|strong="H4480" important Judean families|strong="H1121", and|strong="H1121" from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H0559" royal|strong="H4428" family|strong="H2233" of|strong="H1121" Judah.
4 King|strong="H4428" Nebuchadnezzar wanted only|strong="H3605" healthy boys|strong="H3206" who|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H0369" have|strong="H0834" any|strong="H3605" bruises, scars, or|strong="H0369" anything|strong="H3605" wrong with|strong="H3045" their|strong="H3605" bodies. He|strong="H0834" wanted handsome|strong="H2896", smart young|strong="H3206" men|strong="H3206" who|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" able to|strong="H0369" learn|strong="H3925" things|strong="H3605" quickly and|strong="H4428" easily to|strong="H0369" serve|strong="H5975" in|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3605" palace|strong="H1964". He|strong="H0834" told Ashpenaz to|strong="H0369" teach|strong="H3925" these|strong="H3605" young|strong="H3206" men|strong="H3206" the|strong="H3605" language|strong="H3956" and|strong="H4428" writings of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" Chaldeans|strong="H3778".
5 King|strong="H4428" Nebuchadnezzar gave the|strong="H6440" young|strong="H3117" men a|strong="H5975" certain amount of|strong="H4428" food|strong="H6598" and|strong="H4428" wine|strong="H3196" every|strong="H3117" day|strong="H3117". This|strong="H1697" was|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6440" same|strong="H1697" kind of|strong="H4428" food|strong="H6598" that|strong="H3117" he|strong="H3117" ate. He|strong="H3117" wanted them|strong="H6440" to|strong="H3117" be|strong="H1697" trained for|strong="H3117" three|strong="H7969" years|strong="H8141". After|strong="H3117" that|strong="H3117" they|strong="H3117" would|strong="H4428" become|strong="H1431" servants of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Babylon.
6 Among those|strong="H1121" young|strong="H1121" men|strong="H1121" were|strong="H1961" Daniel|strong="H1840", Hananiah|strong="H2608", Mishael|strong="H4332", and|strong="H1121" Azariah|strong="H5838" from|strong="H1121" the|strong="H1961" tribe of|strong="H1121" Judah|strong="H3063".
7 Ashpenaz gave|strong="H7760" them|strong="H1992" Babylonian names|strong="H8034". Daniel’s new name|strong="H8034" was|strong="H8034" Belteshazzar|strong="H1095", Hananiah’s was|strong="H8034" Shadrach|strong="H7714", Mishael’s was|strong="H8034" Meshach|strong="H4335", and|strong="H8269" Azariah’s|strong="H5838" was|strong="H8034" Abednego.
8 Daniel|strong="H1840" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" want|strong="H1245" to|strong="H5921" eat the|strong="H0834" king’s|strong="H4428" rich food|strong="H6598" and|strong="H4428" wine|strong="H3196" because|strong="H5921" it|strong="H7760" would|strong="H0834" make|strong="H7760" him|strong="H5921" unclean|strong="H1351". So|strong="H3808" he|strong="H0834" asked Ashpenaz for|strong="H5921" permission not|strong="H3808" to|strong="H5921" make|strong="H7760" himself|strong="H3820" unclean|strong="H1351" in|strong="H5921" this|strong="H0834" way|strong="H5921".
9 God|strong="H0430" caused|strong="H0430" Ashpenaz, the|strong="H0853" man in|strong="H0430" charge|strong="H5414" of|strong="H0430" the|strong="H0853" officials|strong="H8269", to|strong="H5414" be|strong="H0430" kind and|strong="H0430" loyal|strong="H2617" to|strong="H5414" Daniel|strong="H1840".
10 But|strong="H7200" Ashpenaz told|strong="H0559" Daniel|strong="H1840", “I|strong="H0589" am|strong="H0589" afraid|strong="H3373" of|strong="H4428" my|strong="H7200" master|strong="H0113", the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428". He|strong="H0834" ordered|strong="H0559" me|strong="H6440" to|strong="H0559" give|strong="H7200" you|strong="H0834" this|strong="H0834" food|strong="H3978" and|strong="H4428" drink|strong="H4960". If|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" don’t eat|strong="H3978" this|strong="H0834" food|strong="H3978", you|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" begin to|strong="H0559" look|strong="H7200" weak and|strong="H4428" sick. You|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" look|strong="H7200" worse than|strong="H4480" other young|strong="H3206" men|strong="H7218" your|strong="H0834" age. The|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" will|strong="H0834" see|strong="H7200" this|strong="H0834", and|strong="H4428" he|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" become|strong="H7200" angry with|strong="H4428" me|strong="H6440". He|strong="H0834" might|strong="H0834" cut off|strong="H4480" my|strong="H7200" head|strong="H7218". And|strong="H4428" it|strong="H7200" would|strong="H4100" be|strong="H0113" your|strong="H0834" fault.”
11 Then|strong="H0559" Daniel|strong="H1840" talked to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" guard who|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" been|strong="H0834" put in|strong="H5921" charge|strong="H5921" of|strong="H8269" Daniel|strong="H1840", Hananiah|strong="H2608", Mishael|strong="H4332", and|strong="H8269" Azariah|strong="H5838" by|strong="H5921" Ashpenaz.
12 He|strong="H3117" said, “Please|strong="H4994" give|strong="H5414" us|strong="H5414" this|strong="H3117" test|strong="H5254" for|strong="H4325" ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117": Don’t give|strong="H5414" us|strong="H5414" anything|strong="H0398" but|strong="H3117" vegetables|strong="H2235" to|strong="H5414" eat|strong="H0398" and|strong="H0398" water|strong="H4325" to|strong="H5414" drink|strong="H8354".
13 Then|strong="H0853" after ten days, compare us|strong="H6440" with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H0853" other young|strong="H3206" men|strong="H3206" who|strong="H0834" eat|strong="H0398" the|strong="H0853" king’s|strong="H4428" food|strong="H6598". See|strong="H7200" for|strong="H4428" yourself|strong="H5973" who|strong="H0834" looks|strong="H7200" healthier, and|strong="H4428" then|strong="H0853" decide|strong="H7200" how|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" want to|strong="H6440" treat|strong="H6213" us|strong="H6440", your|strong="H0834" servants|strong="H5650".”
14 So|strong="H2088" the|strong="H8085" guard agreed|strong="H8085" to|strong="H8085" test|strong="H5254" Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and|strong="H3117" Azariah for|strong="H3117" ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117".
15 After|strong="H4480" ten|strong="H6235" days|strong="H3117", Daniel and|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3605" friends looked|strong="H7200" healthier than|strong="H4480" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" young|strong="H3206" men|strong="H3206" who|strong="H3605" ate|strong="H0398" the|strong="H3605" king’s|strong="H4428" food|strong="H6598".
16 So|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" guard continued|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" take|strong="H5375" away|strong="H5375" the|strong="H0853" king’s special food|strong="H6598" and|strong="H3196" wine|strong="H3196" and|strong="H3196" to|strong="H1961" give|strong="H5414" only vegetables|strong="H2235" to|strong="H1961" Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and|strong="H3196" Azariah.
17 God|strong="H0430" gave|strong="H5414" these|strong="H0428" four|strong="H0702" young|strong="H3206" men|strong="H3206" the|strong="H3605" wisdom|strong="H2451" and|strong="H0430" ability to|strong="H5414" learn many different kinds|strong="H3605" of|strong="H0430" writing and|strong="H0430" science. Daniel|strong="H1840" could also|strong="H0430" understand|strong="H0995" all|strong="H3605" kinds|strong="H3605" of|strong="H0430" visions|strong="H2377" and|strong="H0430" dreams|strong="H2472".
18 At|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" end|strong="H7117" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0559" three years|strong="H3117" of|strong="H4428" training, Ashpenaz brought|strong="H0935" all|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" young|strong="H3117" men|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" King|strong="H4428" Nebuchadnezzar|strong="H5019".
19 The|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" talked|strong="H1696" to|strong="H1696" them|strong="H6440" and|strong="H4428" found|strong="H4672" that|strong="H3605" none|strong="H3808" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" young men|strong="H3605" were|strong="H6440" as|strong="H6440" good as|strong="H6440" Daniel|strong="H1840", Hananiah|strong="H2608", Mishael|strong="H4332", and|strong="H4428" Azariah|strong="H5838". So|strong="H3808" these|strong="H1696" four young men|strong="H3605" became the|strong="H3605" king’s|strong="H4428" servants.
20 Every|strong="H3605" time the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" asked|strong="H1697" them|strong="H1992" about|strong="H5921" something|strong="H1697" important, they|strong="H1992" showed great wisdom|strong="H2451" and|strong="H3027" understanding|strong="H0998". The|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" found|strong="H4672" they|strong="H1992" were|strong="H0834" ten|strong="H6235" times|strong="H3027" better|strong="H3027" than|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" magicians|strong="H2748" and|strong="H3027" wise|strong="H2451" men|strong="H3605" in|strong="H5921" his|strong="H3605" kingdom|strong="H4438".
21 So|strong="H1961" Daniel|strong="H1840" served|strong="H1961" the|strong="H5704" king|strong="H4428" until|strong="H5704" the|strong="H5704" first|strong="H0259" year|strong="H8141" that|strong="H8141" Cyrus|strong="H3566" was|strong="H1961" king|strong="H4428".