Carried to Babylon
1 1 In Jehoiakim king of Judah's third year, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched on Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The 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.
3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief official, to bring some Israelites from the royal family and nobility. 4 —young 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. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of his food and wine, three years' training, then service before him.
6 Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the sons of Judah. 7 The 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.
8 Daniel 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. 9 Now our Father gave Daniel favor and compassion in the eyes of the chief official. 10 The 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."
11 Then 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. 13 Then compare our appearance with the youths eating the king's food; do with your servants as you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 After ten days they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men eating the royal food. 16 So the steward took away their assigned food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four boys our Father gave knowledge and insight in all writing and wisdom; Daniel understood all visions and dreams.
18 When the king's set days for bringing them in ended, the chief official brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king spoke with them, and none matched Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they served the king. 20 Whenever the king questioned them on wisdom and understanding, he found them ten times better than all magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
