Daniel Removed to Babylon

1  בִּשְׁנַ֣ת (In the year) שָׁל֔וֹשׁ (third) לְמַלְכ֖וּת (of the reign) יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים (of Jehoiakim) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah) בָּ֣א (came) נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֧ר (Nebuchadnezzar) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) בָּבֶ֛ל (of Babylon) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (to Jerusalem), וַיָּ֥צַר (and laid siege) עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (upon it). 2  וַיִּתֵּן֩ (And gave) אֲדֹנָ֨י (the Lord) בְּיָד֜וֹ (into his hand), אֶת־ (-) יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים (Jehoiakim) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) יְהוּדָ֗ה (of Judah) וּמִקְצָת֙ (and some of) כְּלֵ֣י (the vessels) בֵית־ (of the house) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים (of God); וַיְבִיאֵ֥ם (and he brought them into) אֶֽרֶץ־ (the land) שִׁנְעָ֖ר (of Shinar) בֵּ֣ית (to the house) אֱלֹהָ֑יו (of his god); וְאֶת־ (and) הַכֵּלִ֣ים (the vessels) הֵבִ֔יא (he brought in) בֵּ֖ית (to the house) אוֹצַ֥ר (of treasure) אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ (of his god).

3  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (the king) לְאַשְׁפְּנַ֖ז (to Ashpenaz) רַ֣ב (the chief) סָרִיסָ֑יו (of his eunuchs), לְהָבִ֞יא (to bring in) מִבְּנֵ֧י (some of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל (of Israel), וּמִזֶּ֥רַע (and some of the seed) הַמְּלוּכָ֖ה (of the king) וּמִן־ (and of) הַֽפַּרְתְּמִֽים׃ (the nobles); 4  יְלָדִ֣ים (young men) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (for whom) אֵֽין־ (there was not) בָּהֶ֣ם (in them) כָּל־ (any) מְאוּם (blemish), וְטוֹבֵ֨י (and of good) מַרְאֶ֜ה (appearance), וּמַשְׂכִּילִ֣ים (and being skilled) בְּכָל־ (in all) חָכְמָ֗ה (wisdom), וְיֹ֤דְעֵי (and knowing) דַ֙עַת֙ (knowledge), וּמְבִינֵ֣י (and understanding) מַדָּ֔ע (learning), וַאֲשֶׁר֙ (and who) כֹּ֣חַ (had power) בָּהֶ֔ם (in them) לַעֲמֹ֖ד (to serve) בְּהֵיכַ֣ל (in the palace), הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (of the king) וּֽלֲלַמְּדָ֥ם (and to teach them) סֵ֖פֶר (and literature) וּלְשׁ֥וֹן (and language) כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ (of the Chaldeans).

5  וַיְמַן֩ (And counted out) לָהֶ֨ם (for them) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (the king) דְּבַר־ (provision) י֣וֹם (day) בְּיוֹמ֗וֹ (by day) מִפַּת־ (from the portion) בַּ֤ג (of the portion) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (of the king). וּמִיֵּ֣ין (And from the wine) מִשְׁתָּ֔יו (of his banquets); וּֽלְגַדְּלָ֖ם (and of training for them) שָׁנִ֣ים (years), שָׁל֑וֹשׁ (three) וּמִ֨קְצָתָ֔ם (after which) יַֽעַמְד֖וּ (they were to stand) לִפְנֵ֥י (before) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (the king).

6  וַיְהִ֥י (And there were) בָהֶ֖ם (among them) מִבְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), דָּנִיֵּ֣אל (Daniel), חֲנַנְיָ֔ה (Hananiah), מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל (Mishael), וַעֲזַרְיָֽה׃ (and Azariah). 7  וַיָּ֧שֶׂם (And set) לָהֶ֛ם (for them) שַׂ֥ר (the chief) הַסָּרִיסִ֖ים (of the eunuchs) שֵׁמ֑וֹת (names); וַיָּ֨שֶׂם (and he gave) לְדָֽנִיֵּ֜אל (to Daniel) בֵּ֣לְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר (Belteshazzar); וְלַֽחֲנַנְיָה֙ (and to Hananiah), שַׁדְרַ֔ךְ (Shadrach); וּלְמִֽישָׁאֵ֣ל (and to Mishael), מֵישַׁ֔ךְ (Meshach); וְלַעֲזַרְיָ֖ה (and to Azariah), עֲבֵ֥ד (Abed-) נְגֽוֹ׃ (nego).

Daniel’s Faithfulness

8  וַיָּ֤שֶׂם (And set) דָּנִיֵּאל֙ (Daniel) עַל־ (upon) לִבּ֔וֹ (his heart) אֲשֶׁ֧ר (that) לֹֽא־ (not) יִתְגָּאַ֛ל (he would defile himself) בְּפַתְבַּ֥ג (with the portion) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (of the king) וּבְיֵ֣ין (and not with the wine) מִשְׁתָּ֑יו (of his banquets); וַיְבַקֵּשׁ֙ (therefore he sought) מִשַּׂ֣ר (from the chief) הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים (of the eunuchs) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (that) לֹ֥א (not) יִתְגָּאָֽל׃ (he would defile himself).

9  וַיִּתֵּ֤ן (And gave) הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (God) אֶת־ (-) דָּ֣נִיֵּ֔אל (Daniel) לְחֶ֖סֶד (for kindness) וּֽלְרַחֲמִ֑ים (and compassion) לִפְנֵ֖י (before) שַׂ֥ר (the chief) הַסָּרִיסִֽים׃ (of the eunuchs). 10  וַיֹּ֜אמֶר (And said) שַׂ֤ר (the chief) הַסָּרִיסִים֙ (of the eunuchs) לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל (to Daniel), יָרֵ֤א (Afraid) אֲנִי֙ (am I) אֶת־ (-) אֲדֹנִ֣י (of my lord) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (the king), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who) מִנָּ֔ה (has assigned) אֶת־ (-) מַאֲכַלְכֶ֖ם (your⁺ food) וְאֶת־ (and) מִשְׁתֵּיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ drink); אֲשֶׁ֡ר (for) לָמָּה֩ (why) יִרְאֶ֨ה (should he see) אֶת־ (-) פְּנֵיכֶ֜ם (your⁺ faces) זֹֽעֲפִ֗ים (sadder) מִן־ (than) הַיְלָדִים֙ (the young men) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who are) כְּגִֽילְכֶ֔ם (your⁺ age)? וְחִיַּבְתֶּ֥ם (And you⁺ would endanger) אֶת־ (-) רֹאשִׁ֖י (my head) לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (before the king).

11  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And said) דָּנִיֵּ֖אל (Daniel) אֶל־ (to) הַמֶּלְצַ֑ר (the guardian), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (whom) מִנָּה֙ (had appointed) שַׂ֣ר (the chief) הַסָּֽרִיסִ֔ים (of the eunuchs) עַל־ (over) דָּנִיֵּ֣אל (Daniel), חֲנַנְיָ֔ה (Hananiah), מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל (Mishael), וַעֲזַרְיָֽה׃ (and Azariah), 12  נַס־ (Test) נָ֥א (please), אֶת־ (-) עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ (your servants), יָמִ֣ים (days); עֲשָׂרָ֑ה (ten) וְיִתְּנוּ־ (and let them give) לָ֜נוּ (to us) מִן־ (from) הַזֵּרֹעִ֛ים (the vegetables) וְנֹאכְלָ֖ה (and only to eat), וּמַ֥יִם (and water) וְנִשְׁתֶּֽה׃ (and only to drink). 13  וְיֵרָא֤וּ (And let be seen) לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ (before you) מַרְאֵ֔ינוּ (our appearance) וּמַרְאֵה֙ (and the appearance) הַיְלָדִ֔ים (of the young men) הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים (that are eating) אֵ֖ת (-) פַּתְבַּ֣ג (the portion) הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (of the king) וְכַאֲשֶׁ֣ר (and according to what) תִּרְאֵ֔ה (you see), עֲשֵׂ֖ה (deal) עִם־ (with) עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ (your servants).

14  וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע (And he listened) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) לַדָּבָ֣ר (to the word), הַזֶּ֑ה (this) וַיְנַסֵּ֖ם (and tested them) יָמִ֥ים (days) עֲשָׂרָֽה׃ (ten). 15  וּמִקְצָת֙ (And at the end) יָמִ֣ים (of days) עֲשָׂרָ֔ה (ten) נִרְאָ֤ה (was seen) מַרְאֵיהֶם֙ (their appearances) ט֔וֹב (better) וּבְרִיאֵ֖י (and fatter) בָּשָׂ֑ר (in flesh) מִן־ (than) כָּל־ (all) הַיְלָדִ֔ים (the young men) הָאֹ֣כְלִ֔ים (eating) אֵ֖ת (-) פַּתְבַּ֥ג (the portion) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king). 16  וַיְהִ֣י (And it came to pass that) הַמֶּלְצַ֗ר (the steward) נֹשֵׂא֙ (took away) אֶת־ (-) פַּתְבָּגָ֔ם (their portions), וְיֵ֖ין (and the wine) מִשְׁתֵּיהֶ֑ם (for their drinking); וְנֹתֵ֥ן (and gave) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) זֵרְעֹנִֽים׃ (vegetables).

Daniel’s Wisdom

17  וְהַיְלָדִ֤ים (And the young men), הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (these) אַרְבַּעְתָּ֔ם (four) נָתַ֨ן (gave) לָהֶ֧ם (to them) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים (God) מַדָּ֥ע (knowledge) וְהַשְׂכֵּ֖ל (and understanding) בְּכָל־ (in all) סֵ֣פֶר (literature) וְחָכְמָ֑ה (and wisdom); וְדָנִיֵּ֣אל (and Daniel) הֵבִ֔ין (had understanding) בְּכָל־ (in all) חָז֖וֹן (visions) וַחֲלֹמֽוֹת׃ (and dreams).

18  וּלְמִקְצָת֙ (And at the end) הַיָּמִ֔ים (of the days) אֲשֶׁר־ (when) אָמַ֥ר (had said) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (the king) לַהֲבִיאָ֑ם (to bring them in), וַיְבִיאֵם֙ (then brought them in) שַׂ֣ר (the chief) הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים (of the eunuchs) לִפְנֵ֖י (before) נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּֽר׃ (Nebuchadnezzar). 19  וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר (And spoke) אִתָּם֮ (to them) הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ (the king) וְלֹ֤א (and not) נִמְצָא֙ (was there found) מִכֻּלָּ֔ם (among them all) כְּדָנִיֵּ֣אל (one like Daniel), חֲנַנְיָ֔ה (Hananiah), מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל (Mishael), וַעֲזַרְיָ֑ה (and Azariah); וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ (and they stood) לִפְנֵ֥י (before) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (the king).

20  וְכֹ֗ל (And in all) דְּבַר֙ (matters) חָכְמַ֣ת (of wisdom) בִּינָ֔ה (and understanding), אֲשֶׁר־ (that) בִּקֵּ֥שׁ (inquired) מֵהֶ֖ם (of them) הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (the king) וַֽיִּמְצָאֵ֞ם (and he found them) עֶ֣שֶׂר (ten) יָד֗וֹת (hands) עַ֤ל (above) כָּל־ (all) הַֽחַרְטֻמִּים֙ (the magicians) הָֽאַשָּׁפִ֔ים (and the enchanters) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (who were) בְּכָל־ (in all) מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃ (his kingdom). 21  וַֽיְהִי֙ (And was there) דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל (Daniel) עַד־ (until) שְׁנַ֥ת (the year) אַחַ֖ת (first) לְכ֥וֹרֶשׁ (of Cyrus) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃פ (the king).