Dany'AL (Daniel) — 1

Danyal in Nabuchadnazzar’s Court

1 During the third year of King Yahuiakim’s reign in Yahudah, King Nabuchadnazzar of Babylun came to Yahushalam and besieged it. 

2 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gave him victory over King Yahuiakim of Yahudah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, So Nabuchadnazzar took them back to the land of Babylunia and placed them in the treasure-house of his idols.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpanaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Yahudah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylun as captives. 

4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace, train these young men in the language and literature of Babylun.” 

5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens, they were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.

6 Danyal, Hananyahu, Misha'al, and Azaryahu were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Yahudah. 

7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylunian names: Danyal was called Baltashazzar, Hananyahu was called Shadrach, Misha'al was called Mashach, Azaryahu was called Abadnagu.

8 But Danyal was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king, he asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 

9 Now 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Danyal. 

10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my master the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine, If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”

11 Danyal spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Danyal, Hananyahu, Misha'al, and Azaryahu. 

12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Danyal said. 

13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food, then make your decision in light of what you see.” 

14 The attendant agreed to Danyal’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days, Danyal and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 

16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.

17 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gave Danyal the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nabuchadnazzar. 

19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Danyal, Hananyahu, Misha'al, and Azaryahu. So they entered the royal service. 

20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

21 Danyal remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.