Daniel 1:3–16

³And the king saith, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel, (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs,) ⁴lads in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and teaching thought, and who have ability to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. ⁵And the king doth appoint for them a rate, day by day, of the king’s portion of food, and of the wine of his drinking, so as to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they may stand before the king. ⁶And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ⁷and the chief of the eunuchs setteth names on them, and he setteth on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.

⁸And Daniel purposeth in his heart that he will not pollute himself with the king’s portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeketh of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not pollute himself. ⁹And God giveth Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs; ¹⁰and the chief of the eunuchs saith to Daniel, ‘I am fearing my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, for why doth he see your faces sadder than those of the lads which are of your circle? then ye have made my head indebted to the king,’ ¹¹And Daniel saith unto the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs hath appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹²‘Try, I pray thee, thy servants, ten days; and they give to us of the vegetables, and we eat, and water, and we drink; ¹³and our appearance is seen before thee, and the appearance of the lads who are eating the king’s portion of food, and as thou seest—deal with thy servants.’ ¹⁴And he hearkeneth to them, to this word, and trieth them ten days: ¹⁵and at the end of ten days their appearance hath appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the lads who are eating the king’s portion of food. ¹⁶And the Meltzar is taking away their portion of food, and the wine of their drink, and is giving to them vegetables.