Carried to Babylon
Faithful exiles in a pagan empire, and visions of kingdoms that rise and fall before the kingdom that never ends. Through fiery furnace and lions’ den, our Father proves Himself present with His children.
1 1In Jehoiakim king of Judah's third year, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched on Jerusalem and besieged it. 2The Sovereign Father handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, with some items from our Father's house; he took them to Shinar, to his god's house, and the items into his god's treasury. a a v2 Shinar is the ancient name for Babylonia, the region surrounding the city of Babylon.
3The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief official, to bring some Israelites from the royal family and nobility. 4Young men without defect, good-looking, skilled in all wisdom, well-informed, quick to understand, fit to stand in the king's palace—and to teach them Babylonian writing and language. 5The king assigned them a daily portion of his food and wine, three years' training, then service before him.
6Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the sons of Judah. 7The chief official renamed them: Daniel, Belteshazzar; Hananiah, Shadrach; Mishael, Meshach; Azariah, Abednego. b b v7 Their birth names each honored the Father of Israel; the new Babylonian names honored Babylon's gods — an attempt to reshape the young men's identity.
8Daniel resolved not to make himself unclean with the king's food or wine, so he asked the chief official's permission not to make himself unclean. c c v8 Royal food likely included meats forbidden under Jewish law or food sacrificed to Babylonian gods — both would make it defiling for a faithful Israelite. 9Now our Father gave Daniel favor and compassion in the eyes of the chief official. 10The chief official told Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who set your food and drink. Why should he see your faces worse than boys your age? You'd forfeit my head to the king."
11Then Daniel said to the steward the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12"Please test your servants for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then compare our appearance with the youths eating the king's food; do with your servants as you see." 14So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15After ten days they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men eating the royal food. 16So the steward took away their assigned food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables instead.
17To these four boys our Father gave knowledge and insight in all writing and wisdom; Daniel understood all visions and dreams.
18When the king's set days for bringing them in ended, the chief official brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king spoke with them, and none matched Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they served the king. 20Whenever the king questioned them on wisdom and understanding, he found them ten times better than all magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
