67 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
67 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
## Daniel Brought to Babylon
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###### 1
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In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
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###### 2
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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.
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###### 3
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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,
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###### 4
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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.
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###### 5
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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.
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###### 6
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Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
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###### 7
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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.
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## Daniel's Heart
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###### 8
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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.
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###### 9
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Now God granted Daniel lovingkindness and compassion before the commander of the officials,
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###### 10
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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."
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###### 11
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But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
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###### 12
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"Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.
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###### 13
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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."
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###### 14
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So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
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###### 15
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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.
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###### 16
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So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.
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###### 17
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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.
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###### 18
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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.
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###### 19
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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.
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###### 20
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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.
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###### 21
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And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.
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