Daniel 1:1–7

Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court

¹In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.^{* 2}The Lord gave King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, as well as some of the vessels of the house of God. These he brought to the land of Shinar,^a and he placed the vessels in the treasury of his gods.^*

³Then the king commanded his palace master Ashpenaz to bring some of the Israelites of the royal family and of the nobility: ⁴young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans.^{* 5}The king assigned them a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. They were to be educated for three years, so that at the end of that time they could be stationed in the king’s court.^{* 6}Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah.^{* 7}The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.^*