¶¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part³ of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar⁴ to the house of his god; and he⁵ brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

Children⁷ in whom⁸ was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful⁹ in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability¹⁰ in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

And the king appointed them a daily¹¹ provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank¹²: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel¹³, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

Unto whom the prince¹⁴ of the eunuchs gave names¹⁵: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah¹⁶, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

¶ But Daniel purposed¹⁷ in his heart that he would not defile¹⁸ himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

¹⁹Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

¶ And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear²⁰ my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking²¹ than the children which are of your sort²²? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

Then said Daniel to Melzar²³, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat²⁴, and water to drink.

Then let our countenances²⁵ be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

And at the end of ten days their²⁶ countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

²⁷Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

¶ As for these four children, God²⁸ gave them knowledge²⁹ and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding³⁰ in all visions and dreams.

Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs³¹ brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore³² stood they before the king.

¶ And in all³³ matters of wisdom and understanding³⁴, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians³⁵ and astrologers that were in all his realm.

³⁶And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.