Daniel 1:1-7 ▼

1 IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and besieged it.

2 And the LORD delivered it into his hand, together with Jehoiakim king of Judah and the vessels of the house of the LORD, which he carried away into the land of Sinar, to the house of his idol; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his idol.

3 And the king spoke to Ashpaz the chief of the eunuchs, that he should bring some of the children of Israel, of the royal families, and of the Parthians;

4 Boys in whom was no blemish, who were handsome in their appearance and skillful in all wisdom and cunning in knowledge and understanding of science, those who were able to stand in the king's palace to minister to him, and whom they might teach the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

5 And the king assigned them a daily portion of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, to nourish them for three years, so that afterward they might stand before the king.

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;

7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names; Daniel he named Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abednego.