¹

The Sons of the Captivity in Babylon

In the [²year ¹third] of the kingdom of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and assaulted it.

²And the LORD gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and from part of the items of the house of the LORD. And he brought them into the land of Shinar of the house of his god. And the items he carried into the house of the treasury of his god.

³And [³told ¹the ²king] Ashpenaz his chief eunuch to bring in some from the sons of the captivity of Israel, and from the seed of royalty, and from the nobles;

⁴young men to whom there is no [²upon ³them ¹blemish], and good to the appearance, and perceiving in all wisdom, and knowing knowledge, and considering in intelligence, and ones in whom there is strength in them to stand in the house before the king, to teach them letters and the language of the Chaldeans.

⁵And [³set in order ⁴to them ¹the ²king] day by day from the table of the king, and from the wine of his banquet; and to maintain them [²years ¹for three], and after these things to stand them before the king.

⁶

The Four Sons of Judah Tested

And there existed among them from out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, and Hananiah, and Mishael, and Azariah.

⁷And [³added ⁵to them ¹the ²chief eunuch ⁴names]; to Daniel -- Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah -- Shadrach, and to Mishael -- Meshach, and to Azariah -- Abed-nego.

⁸And Daniel put unto his heart so as in no way he should be polluted in the table of the king, and in the wine of his banquet. And he petitioned the chief eunuch so that in no way he should be polluted.

⁹And God granted Daniel for mercy and compassion before the chief eunuch.

¹⁰And [³said ¹the ²chief eunuch] to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, the one arraying your food and your drink, lest at any time he should behold your faces looking downcast more than the boys, the ones of your contemporaries; and you should condemn my head to the king.

¹¹And Daniel said to Melzar, whom [³placed ¹the ²chief eunuch] over Daniel, and Hananiah, and Mishael, and Azariah.

¹²Test now indeed your servants [²days ¹ten]; and let there be given to us from food of the seeds of the earth! and we shall eat of it, and water we shall drink.

¹³And let [²be seen ³before ⁴you ¹our shape]! and the shapes of the boys of the ones eating at the table of the king. And how ever you should behold, do accordingly with your servants!

¹⁴And he hearkened to them, and he tested them [²days ¹ten].

¹⁵And after the end of the ten days [²looked ¹their shape] good and strong in flesh above all the boys eating at the table of the king.

¹⁶And it came to pass Melzar did away with their supper and the wine for their drink, and he gave to them food of the seeds.

¹⁷And [²gave ³to them ¹God] understanding and intelligence in all academics, and wisdom. And Daniel perceived in every vision and in dreams.

¹⁸

Daniel Stands before the King

And after the end of the days which [³told ¹the ²king] to bring them in, that [³brought them in ¹the ²chief eunuch] before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹And [³spoke ⁴with ⁵them ¹the ²king]; and there was not found from out of all of them one likened to Daniel, and Hananiah, and Mishael, and Azariah; and they stood before the king.

²⁰And in every discourse of wisdom and higher knowledge, as much as [³sought ⁴from ⁵them ¹the ²king], he found them ten-times more than all of the enchanters, and the magi, the ones being in all of his kingdom.

²¹And Daniel existed until year one of Cyrus the king.