1In the third year of the royalty of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and confined it.2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, together with part of the vessels of the house of God; he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his God, and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his God.3Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, to bring some of the sons of Israel, some of the royal seed, and some of the nobles.4Youths in whom was no blemish, of pleasant appearance, prudent in all wisdom, possessing knowledge, understanding knowledge, and having strength to stand in the king's palace and to be taught the literature and the language of the Chaldeans.5The king assigned them a daily portion from the king's choice food and from the wine of his feast, and he was to rear them for three years; at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.6Among them were, from the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.7The ruler of the eunuchs gave them names: he called Daniel Belteshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abednego.8Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine of his feast, and he requested of the ruler of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.9God granted Daniel kindness and compassion before the ruler of the eunuchs.10The ruler of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and your drink; if he should see your faces looking worse than the youths who are of your age, you would endanger my head before the king."11Daniel then said to the steward whom the ruler of the eunuchs had placed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,12Please test your servants for ten days: give us some of the vegetables to eat and water to drink.13Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.14He agreed to their request and tested them for ten days.15At the end of ten days their appearance was seen to be better, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths who ate the king's choice food.16So the steward removed their choice food and the wine of their feast and gave them vegetables instead.17To these four youths God gave knowledge and prudence in every kind of literature and wisdom; Daniel also understood every vision and dream.18At the end of the time the king had set for bringing them in, the ruler of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.19The king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood before the king.20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times superior to all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.21Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.