## Daniel Brought to Babylon ###### 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ###### 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. ###### 3 Then the king said for Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal seed and of the nobles, ###### 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good in appearance, showing insight in every _branch of_ wisdom, being thoroughly knowledgeable and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to stand in the king's palace; and _he said for him_ to teach them the literature and tongue of the Chaldeans. ###### 5 And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the king's choice food and from the wine which he drank, and _appointed_ that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to stand before the king. ###### 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ###### 7 Then the commander of the officials set names for them; and for Daniel he set _the name_ Belteshazzar, for Hananiah Shadrach, for Mishael Meshach, and for Azariah Abed-nego. ## Daniel's Heart ###### 8 But Daniel set in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought _permission_ from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. ###### 9 Now God granted Daniel lovingkindness and compassion before the commander of the officials, ###### 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king." ###### 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ###### 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. ###### 13 Then let our appearance be observed before you and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see." ###### 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. ###### 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that their appearance was better and that they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king's choice food. ###### 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables. ###### 17 And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and insight in every _branch of_ literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all _kinds of_ visions and dreams. ###### 18 Then at the end of the days which the king had spoken of for bringing them in, the commander of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ###### 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they stood _in service_ before the king. ###### 20 And as for every matter of wisdom in understanding which the king sought from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians _and_ conjurers who _were_ in all his kingdom. ###### 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.