| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | English Standard Version |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12“Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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