Daniel 1

Daniel’s Development in the King’s Court

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into his hand and some of*Literally "from the end/extremity/limits" of the utensils of the temple of God,*Hebrew "the God" and he brought them to the land of Shinar to the temple of his gods, and he brought the utensils to the treasury*Literally "the house of the treasury" of his gods.

3 And the king ordered*Literally "said to" Ashpenaz, the commander of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites*Literally "from the sons/children of Israel" from the royal family*Literally "from the seed of the kingship" and from the lords,*Or "nobles"4 youths who have no physical defect,*Literally "there is not in them any physical defect" and who are handsome,*Literally "good/pleasing of appearance" and who are prudent*Or "insightful" in all wisdom and endowed with knowledge,*Literally "who have knowledge of knowledge" and who understand insight, and who have the ability*Literally "strength" in them to serve in the palace of the king. And the king ordered him to teach them the literature and the language of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king assigned to them his daily portion*Literally "the portion of the day on its day" from the fine food of the king, and from the wine that he drank,*Literally "the wine of his drink" and instructed that they were to be educated for three years.*Literally "and to be educated them years three" And at the end of their training, they were to be stationed*Literally "they would stand" before*Literally "to the face of" the king. 6 Now there was among them from the Judeans,*Literally "from the children of Judah" Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.