Daniel 1

1 During the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem and surrounded it. 2 The Lord allowed him to defeat King Jehoiakim,*1:2. "The Lord allowed him to defeat King Jehoiakim": literally, "The Lord gave King Jehoiakim into his hand." and also to remove some of the objects used in the Temple of God. He took them back to Babylon,*1:2. Literally, "the land of Shinar." to the house of his god,*1:2. Or "gods." placing them in the treasury of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch,*1:3. In other words, his chief of staff. Eunuchs were often given such positions in these times, and the term also came to mean the one in charge of the court, without necessarily meaning he had been castrated. The emphasis is on this man’s position of authority. to take charge of some of the captured Israelites from the royal and noble families. 4 "They are to be young men without any physical defect who are good-looking," he said. "They must be well-educated, quick to learn, have good insight, and be well able to serve in the king’s palace and be taught the literature and language of Babylon*1:4. Literally, "the Chaldeans."." 5 The king also provided them with a daily allowance of the same kind of rich food and wine he was served. At the end of their three years of education they would enter the king’s service.*1:5. "Enter the king’s service": literally, "they would stand before the king." This is taken to mean entering service (see Deuteronomy 10:8).

6 Among those chosen were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah.