*In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah acame Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 *And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with bpart of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried cinto the land of Shinar to the house of his god; dand he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz ethe master of his eunuchs, that he should bring *certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of fthe princes; 4 Children in whom was no gblemish, but well favoured, and hiskilful in all wisdom, and cunning in iknowledge, and understanding ikscience, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and lwhom they might teach imthe learning and the tongue of nthe Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed them nna daily provision of othe king’s meat, and of †the wine which he drank: so nourishing them pthree years, that at the end thereof they might qstand before the king. 6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, rHananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs sgave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of tBelteshazzar; ttand to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of uAbed-nego.

8 But Daniel vpurposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with othe portion of the king’s wxmeat, nor with wythe wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God zahad brought Daniel into favour and atender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces †worse liking than the children which are of your ||sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. 11 Then said Daniel to ||Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, bten days; and let them give us †cpulse †to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of dthe portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and efatter in flesh than all the children which did eat dthe portion of the king’s meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away dthe portion of their meat, and dthe wine that they should drink; and gave them cpulse.

17 As for these four children, fGod gave them gknowledge and gskill in all glearning and gwisdom: and ||Daniel hhad understanding in all visions and idreams. 18 *Now at the end of kthe days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore lstood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of †wisdom and understanding, that mthe king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all nothe magicians and opastrologers that were in all his realm. 21 *And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.