Daniel 1

1 In the third year of the realm of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchad-nezzar, and the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and besieged it.

2 And the Lord betook in his hand Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and he took a part of the vessels of the house of God; and he bare out those into the land of Shinar, into the house of his god, and he took the vessels into the house of treasure of his god.

3 And the king said to Ashpenaz, sovereign of his honest servants and chaste [or provost of geldings], that he should bring in of the sons of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and the children of tyrants, [or strong men],

4 in which were no wem, fair in shape, and learned in all wisdom, wary in knowing, and taught in chastising, either learning, and that might stand in the palace of the king, that he should teach them the letters and language of Chaldees.

5 And the king ordained to them lifelode by each day of his meats, and of the wine whereof he drank; that they nourished by three years, should stand afterward before the sight of the king.

6 Therefore Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, of the sons of Judah, were among them.