1In the third year of the kingdom of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel came to Jerusalem and besieged it.2And the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah and 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 he brought the vessels to the house of the treasure of his god.3And the king said to Ashpenaz, chief of his eunuchs, to bring some of the sons of Israel, and of the royal seed, and of the nobles.4children in whom there is no blemish at all, who are good of appearance and understanding in all wisdom, skilled in knowledge and discerning of science, and in whom there is strength to stand in the temple of the king, and to teach them the book and tongue of the Chaldeans.5And the king appointed for them a daily portion from the king's fine food and from the wine of his banquets, to make them great for three years, and some of them will stand before the king.6Among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.7The chief of the eunuchs assigned 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 table food or with the wine of his banquets, and he sought from the chief of the eunuchs that he would not defile himself.9And God gave Daniel steadfast love and compassion before the ruler of the eunuchs.10And the ruler of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. Why will he see your faces sullen compared to the children who are your age, and you will endanger my head to the king?"11And he said to the melzar whom the ruler of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Daniel."12Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables, and we will eat them and drink water.13And they will see, before you, our appearance and the appearance of the children who eat the king's choice food. And as you see fit, do with your servants.14He listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.15And at the end of ten days, their appearance was seen to be better and healthier in flesh than all the children who ate the king's food.16And the overseer of food bore their feast/banquet of פתבג and wine, and he gave them seeds.17God gave these four children knowledge and understanding in every book and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in every vision and dream.18And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.19And the king spoke with them, and no one was found among them like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And they stood before the king.20Every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king sought from them, he found them ten hands over all the cultic magicians and the soothsayers who were in all his kingdom.21And Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.